How to Build a Business Rules Engine

nical—and for good reason. Yet, if they are dealing with a rules automation black

box, they are never quite sure of where the boundary between technology and busi-

ness lies. The result can be a feeling that the users have acquired additional respon-

sibilities that they are not equipped to deal with.

Seeing Is Believing

It is important for anyone building a business rules engine to understand just how

real the Black Box Problem is, and to design features into their engine that will mit-

igate it. Failure to appreciate this problem and to add the required functionality can

destroy the investment made in building a rules engine. There are several compo-

nents that can be added to the rules engine:

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The first component is to provide reports of the rules ...