Decision models provides a common notation that is readily understandable by all business users, from the business analysts needing to create initial decision requirements and then more detailed decision models, to the technical developers responsible for automating the decisions in processes, and finally, to the business people who will manage and monitor those decisions. Emakin decision model based on DMN standard is published by Object Management Group.

A decision is the act of determining an output value, from a number of input values, using logic defining how the output is determined from the inputs. This decision logic may include one or more business knowledge models which encapsulate business know-how in the form of business rules, analytic models, or other formalisms. Authorities also may be defined for decisions or business knowledge models, which might be (for example) domain experts responsible for defining or maintaining them, or source documents from which business knowledge models are derived, or sets of test cases with which the decisions must be consistent. These are called knowledge sources.

Decision Model

This basic structures can modeled as following graphical language;

Decision inputs may be input data, or the outputs of other decisions. If the inputs of a decision Decision1 include the output of another decision Decision2, Decision1 “requires” Decision2. Decisions may therefore be connected in a network called a decision model graph.

A simple example of decision model with only two decisions is shown below;

In this example "Decision2" requires the "Input Data2" input, similarly "Decision1" is requires "Input Data 1" and requires "Decision 2" therefore "Input Data 2" also is required.

Model Notation

Decision Model Constructs

Input Data

Input data specifies the an requirement for other elements. Has following properties;

Name
Name of textual description of input data.

Variable Name
Name of input to be referred in other elements.

Variable Type
Optional type of input. (i.e. string, number, date, any..)

Allowed Values
Expression of acceptable range of input data. Which is can be enumeration of strings ("A","B","C") or number range (1...50) If input is not in allowed range InputNotAllowed exception is thrown.

Decision

Business Knowledge Model

Business knowledge models are mathematical formulations to apply referenced documents. BKM functions written in FEEL syntax and a example PMT (calculates the payment for a loan) function can be defined as BKM function.

(amount * rate / 12) / (1 – (1 + rate / 12) ** -term)

Business knowledge model has following properties;

Name
Name of textual description of decision.

Variable Name
Name of result to be referred in other elements.

Variable Type
Optional type of result.

Feel

var result = $Decisions.<DecisionName>( inputData );

var result = $Decisions.MyDecision({
  Product : 'Candy',
  Units : 30
});

var result = $Decisions.MyDecision( $Xml.SelectSingle('Order' );