Business Rules and Information Systems: Aligning IT with Business Goals (Unisys) [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

This is one of two books on the subject. The other book, Business Rules Applied by Barbara von Halle, is more suitable for an experienced practitioner or someone responsible for implementing business rules as an enterprise methodology. This book, however, focuses on the basics and addresses topics, such as object orientation and development, that are not found in von Halle's book. Both books are valuable, but to different audiences.

What I like most about this book is that it painstakingly describes how to define business rules, and how to clearly and unambiguously describe them. Moreover, the approach given in this book employs the object constraint language, which is a part of the unified modeling language (UML) version 1.1. As such it shows how to integrate business rules into use cases, and to develop artifacts that align to organizations that are using UML or the Rational Unified Process, as well as object-oriented frameworks in general.

My favorite chapters were 3, which is about defining business rules (getting them right) and 5, which covers controlling business rule quality. To me these are the keys to understanding and using business rules, and both chapters were clear and filled with examples. I also liked the appendix, which covered logic - another essential knowledge factor for analysts who are involved in requirements and specifications.

If you're new to business rules or are exploring them, start here. Even though the von Halle book is better suited to experienced practitioners, I would still recommend this book to members of that audience who are working in object-oriented environments or are using UML. If you are also using UML, do consider also reading Alistair Cockburn's excellent book titled Writing Effective Use Cases because that book is completely consistent with the material in this one.

Information systems often fail because the IT analysts, architects and builders don't know how to talk to the non-IT business people. On top of that, a major stumbling block in the development and delivery of effective solutions can be found in problems associated with all aspects of integration. Fortunately, a solid and well-grounded Business Rules approach can offer significant advantages in overcoming these hurdles.

Not many people may realize this, but Unisys was the proud inheritor of almost forty years of knowledge and experience in such key business critical areas as Business IT, OLTP, Mission Critical Systems, Decision Support (e.g. Data Warehousing, MAPPER etc.), Business Modelling (e.g. MAPPER/ESD - expert systems development and delivery - highly integrated Business Rules repository and rules engines) and most importantly major systems analysis, development, delivery, integration and management. Many of these assets were inherited from the hugely inventive Sperry Univac, other great ideas came from Burroughs.

But most of all, the real assets of a smart company are its people - and it shows. Tony Morgan has written a book that meets a real need - i.e. it addresses the question "so what's the big deal with Business Rules" - and in passing, will inform, inspire and educate the reader in a way that only someone who knows what they are writing about can.

The central theme of the book is the application of Business Rules to the task of aligning IT with business goals, a task that is talked about by many, yet achieved by few. Tony Morgan maintains the readers attention by not only giving a clear and uncluttered description, with focused examples, of what Business Rules are all about, but also uses references to other aspects of IT and business - which I found immensely enjoyable.

All in all, I found this book about as enjoyable as having an interestingly pleasant discussion about Business Rules, Business and IT in general over a couple of beers in the local bar. So, I personally would recommend this book to anyone who wants a very good introduction to Business Rules and their role in "Aligning IT with Business Goals".

Best regards,

Martyn R Jones