This document discusses how combining business process management (BPM) and business rules management (BRM) can improve business processes. BPM is used to manage cross-functional business processes, while BRM is used to manage business policies and rules. Integrating BPM and BRM allows rules that define decisions to be separated from business processes, improving process flexibility and agility. When rules are changed, it does not require redeploying entire processes. The key benefits are full rule functionality, reuse of rules across processes, and the ability to change rules without changing business processes. However, integrating separate BPM and BRM systems can also present challenges.

1. Mixing Rules and Process Sandy Kemsley Kemsley Design Ltd. www.column2.com Business Rules Forum, October 28 th , 2008

2. Agenda Business process management (BPM) defined Business rules management (BRM) defined BPM + BRM = greater than the sum of the parts Techniques for mixing rules and process

3. Business Processes Chain of activities producing a business result Usually spans functional silos Requirement to “manage the white space” between functional groups

4. BPM Defined A management discipline for improving cross-functional business processes. The methods and technology tools used to manage and optimize business processes.

5. What’s in a BPMS? Process modeler Repository Execution engine System integration (web services) Work-in-progress management Monitoring and analysis Simulation and optimization

6. Process Lifecycle Model Automate Monitor Optimize

7. BPM Goals Efficiency Automating steps and handoffs Integrating systems and data sources Compliance Achieving and proving standardization Agility Changing processes quickly and easily Visibility See what’s happening in a process

8. Business Rules Business policies that define an action Decision Constraint Implicit in systems and procedures Explicit in BRMS

9. BRM Defined Discipline for discovery and management of business rules Methodologies and tools used to manage rules

10. What’s in a BRMS? Rules modeler Rules repository Execution engine Monitoring and analysis Simulation

11. Doesn’t BPM Have Rules? Typically not full-featured BR: Simple Boolean rules for routing decisions Rules defined for a specific process step Rule changes may require redeploying processes with IT involvement Rule changes may not affect in-flight processes Many process models don’t automate decisions

12. Separating rules from process Externalize decisions from process Routing decisions Work assignment Set parameters Call BRMS from BPMS for decision Standard web services call Tight integration by vendors

13. Claims Process Before… Source: Corticon

14. Claims Process After… Source: Corticon

15. Splitting rules between platforms In process model: Simple routing decisions Rarely changing In rules system: “Business decisions” Frequently changing Process and rules may be from same vendor

16. Benefits of Separation Full BR functionality: Complex rules automate manual processes Advanced rule design, harvesting, simulation Reuse rules across processes/applications Change rules without changing process Rule changes affect in-flight processes Business can change rule parameters

17. Challenges of Separation BPM and BRM may be acquired independently with no thought of integration Processes and their rules may be modeled in different environments

18. Summary Externalizing and automating decisions is the key to process agility More sophisticated capabilities of BRM allow more process automation BPM + BRM turns policies into action and builds for change

19. Questions? Sandy Kemsley Kemsley Design Ltd. www.column2.com