How to Build a Business Rules Engine

The problem arises when users have to work with a piece of software into which they

enter business rules, and which then receives inputs that are transformed into outputs.

To the users, this software is like a black box—they can see rules they have created,

the outputs that are produced, and perhaps the inputs. However, they cannot see the

execution of the rules inside the black box, which may lead to feelings of uncertainty

and loss of control. Problems like this can lead to resistance to, or even outright rejec-

tion of, the use of a rules engine. Indeed some users are now demanding that any

rules engine they have to use not be a black box, and in some instances they are actu-

ally using the term black box—so awareness of this problem may be mor ...