iLog has a great tool for testing rules. It allows to design test cases using MS Excell that are sent to the Rules Engine in order to determine if a rule set provides the expected decision.
In the past I ave been involved with the difficult exercice of generating test data for Business Processes. Using the iLog testing tool, this could be realized like this :
1. Before the process is designed, use the BRMS to design the process vocabulary.
2. Create some basic rules which from process inputs produce process outputs. In fact these rules simulate the process.
3. Create the rules test cases such that the rule responds the right process output from a given process input. In fact the rules set must simulates the process for the foreseen test cases.
4. Communicate the rules and their test cases to the Process developpers so they can design and build the process using the test cases.
5. For automating the tests, at the end of the process (or at intervals if the process is composed of serveral parts), send the process inputs to the business rules and ask the rules engine to compare process results with the expected process results (this requires a comparison rule which allows to determine of two result sets are considered equivalent).
To illustrate this, I used the opportunity to test gliffy to make a diagram:
http://www.gliffy.com/publish/1872505/
2 comments:
Great idea! For many years, companies have been using Corticon Business Rules Modeling Studio for exactly this purpose (to accelerate design, testing and automation of business process). Corticon Studio, called "breakthrough" by Forrester and IDC, provides a user friendly way to author and test even the most complex business rules. Studio is now available for free at www.ruleworld.com.
Thanks for the info. Unfortunately on your website I find text on Testing Business Rules but not on Testing Business Processes with Business Rules.
Can you point me to the right white-paper ? (I guess you must have one since you have been doing this for many years).
Post a Comment