Terms

Ensure everyone is speaking the same language

Decision Service

Has multiple meanings depending on context:

  1. ODM Solution Management construct as identified in Decision Center consisting of a Single “Main” project and 0-many “Standard” projects. [Project Structure].
  2. A deployed ruleset or Endpoint that is exposed as an “executable” service [Decision Operation].

Decision Solution

One or many related Decision Service Constructs [Decision Operations] within a single Decision Service [Project Structure] that may, or may not, share common rule artifacts.

DGF

IBM’s ODM Decision Governance Framework, a ready-to-use prescriptive method for change management and governance.

Business Rules

Rules that directly implement and support Business Policies. These are usually written and managed by the Business.

Operational Rules

Rules not directly responsible for implementing Business Policies (aka Business Requirements). Examples are rules that: build concepts, reset control flags, initialize values, etc. These are usually written and managed by IT.

Concepts

Physical or virtual Attributes or Objects created from the context of the input parameters, most often created with Rules. Intermediate data used to simplify, or make possible, the writing of Rules that implement a Business Policy.

Change Activity

A quantifiable unit of work to be performed by 1 or more individuals resulting in rules being changed.

Validation Activity

A conceptual unit of work to be performed by 1 or more individuals that tests, validates the rule changes.

Release

A quantifiable designation of a set of requirements once completed will be placed into Production.

Current Release

The release currently in Production.

In-Progress Release

A Release that is currently being changed. Actively under Change Management.

Candidate Release Branch

The Tier 2 or Tier 3 Branch that is identified to be Deployed next and is in final steps of certification before being deployed.

Operational Framework

The Decision Operation(s) and associated ruleflows, functions, XOM, BOM, variables, and operational rules that support the Business Rules and implement the Production Decision Operations. May also be used for UAT, Functional & Regression Testing if specialized Testing Frameworks are unwarranted.

Enhanced Testing Framework

The Decision Operation(s) and associated ruleflows, functions, XOM, BOM, variables, and operational rules that supports the full testing of single or multiple “internal” decisions using the Decision Runner capabilities. Used for Functional & Regression Testing.

Concept Testing Framework

The Decision Operation(s) and associated ruleflows, functions, XOM, BOM, variables, and operational rules that support the full testing of single or multiple Concepts using the Decision Runner capabilities.

Structural Changes

Changes to the Operational Framework that could include changes to: Ruleflows, Functions, Variable Sets, Parameters, Adding/Deleting a Project, Project References, etc.

Cool-down Period

The time between Deploying the Candidate Release Branch and merging the Candidate Release Branch with the Main Branch when using Branch Based Governance.

 
 

Roles

Roles correspond to activities and responsibilities, not to individuals 

ODM Developers

ODM Developers often operate as Rule Authors. When this occurs, they should follow the Rule Author Guidelines in the appropriate ODM Change Management Governance Methodology

  • Manages full life cycle of a Change Activity. Create Validation Activities.Edits, Creates, Deletes Rules as needed.
  • Edits, Creates, Deletes Domains as needed.
  • Adds, Deletes, Modifies: XOM, BOM, Vocabulary (Decision Service Structure).
  • Tests Rules

Rule Authors

Generally, the Role of Rule Author is the Business (Subject Matter Expert)

  • Manages full life cycle of a Change Activity.
  • Create Validation Activities.
  • Edits, Creates, Deletes Rules.
  • Edits, Creates, Deletes Domains.
  • Tests Rules

ODM Release Administrators

This is a Role that may not exist at an organization and therefore be the responsibility of ODM Developers &/or Rule Authors &/or QA
The appropriate Role to fill the ODM Release Administrator role is based on which Tier is being followed from the appropriate ODM Change Management Governance Methodology. It should be ODM Developers during New Solution Development

  • Creates/Approves/Completes/Deploys Releases
  • Creates/Approves/Completes Change Activities
  • Creates/Approves/Completes Validation Activities
  • QA (Complete & Approve)
  • Performs Branch/Release Merge Activities
  • ODM Developer (preferred)

QA Testers

This is a Role that may not exist at an organization and therefore be the responsibility of ODM Developers &/or Rule Authors

  • Manages full life cycle of a Validation Activity
  • Edits, Creates, Deletes Test Scenarios as needed.
  • Validating that rule execution yields the expected results.

Business Policy Analyst (a.k.a. Business Analyst)

This is a Role that may not exist at an organization and therefore be the responsibility of ODM Developers &/or Rule Authors

  • Participating in the design of a formal rule specification with ODM Developers
  • Defining the vocabulary that is used in rules with the ODM Solutions Team
  • Identifying candidate business rules working with the Business

ODM Architect

This is a Role that may not exist at an organization and therefore be the responsibility of ODM Developers

  • Define the structure and organization of the Decision Service
  • Define interface with the calling applications.
  • Build the data model (XOM) that is used for the business rules vocabulary.
  • Ensure rule execution is optimized.

ODM Administrator

This is a Role that may not exist at an organization and therefore be the responsibility of ODM Developers

  • Setup and Maintain Decision Center LDAP Connections
  • Setup and Maintain Project Level Security Configurations
  • Delete/Archive obsolete Decision Server Releases
  • Ensure DC database stabile and backed up appropriately.
  • Cleanup: Deployed Archives, Snapshots, deleted Artifacts

Business

  • The combined team of: Rule Authors, participating Subject Matter Experts, and Other affiliated Business Stakeholders
  • Depending on staffing will also include QA Testers, ODM Release Administrators, and Business Policy Analysts

IT

  • The combined team of: ODM Developers, Rule Architects, ODM Administrators and other affiliated non-ODM developers, and Other affiliated IT Stakeholders
  • Depending on staffing will also include QA Testers, ODM Release Administrators, and Business Policy Analysts