Powerful
decision tables

Decision
Tables
What are Decision Tables
Decision tables are tabular representations for specifying which decisions are made using pre-defined conditions.
They are created and managed without using code, which means that non-technical business users can deploy them as well.
The information contained in decision tables can also be expressed as decision trees or as as a series of if-then-else statements in some programming languages.
Decision table
Decision tables are often embedded in software solutions and are used to instruct business logic.
Each decision table contains a list of actions that are to be performed (decisions to take) under specified conditions.
They highlight what conditions trigger a rule, the actions to take, and along with the effects of those actions.
Decision Table
A tabular record containing all inputs and decisions.
Decision Inputs
Decisions and actions are based on inputs.
Decision Records
Each record contains a decision and its matching inputs. Users can easily select the answer record for a specific decision.
Answer Records
Contain the answer obtained using decisions. When building decision tables, users identify the tables from which answers will be given.
Decision tables allow software testers to predict the actions of a software system based on different input data.
Decision tables work best for complicated business rules that have multiple factors. New conditions are added by simply adding a new row or column.
Decision
Table Examples
The easy-to-understand matrix that matches input data with a decision. They look very simple, however, both business users and developers can use them to build complex configurations, which makes them extremely powerful.
As a result, tables are used across different industries.
Underwriting

Insurers use decision tables to outline all the requirements necessary for policy issuance.

For example, a decision table can verify the occupation, income, and assets owned by a potential policyholder. If the applicant doesn't meet the requirements, the insurer can specify in a decision table what actions are to be taken.

For Business

Decision tables differ in the way decisions are represented.

Some tables use True/False values to express the options for a condition. Others may use numbered values, which resemble switch-cases.

Pricing Policy

Businesses such as online retailers use decision tables to manage their pricing, discounts, and shipping rates.

For Business

Lenders consider a wide range of factors before they approve a loan.

Decision tables can contain all the eligibility requirements applicants need to meet for loan approval.

Benefits of Decision Tables
Converting complicated business flows into manageable test cases
Helping to lay out inputs for processes
Enabling both business users and developers to work together on the same projects
Applicable to various test cases, which reduces the amount of work needed to develop other test scenarios
Redundancies and inconsistencies in a business rule are easy to spot
When Should You Implement a Decision Table?
It's a good idea to create decision tables at the beginning of the software design phase.
However, you can also add them later on. For example, companies that use older software systems may wish to extract some parts of the business logic in order to allow non-technical subject-matter experts to make quick and easy changes.
How Many Columns to Add
Decision tables are tabular representations for specifying which decisions are made using pre-defined conditions.
The information contained in decision tables can also be expressed as decision trees or as as a series of if-then-else statements in some programming languages.
Translates into:
01

Send a reminder when (invoice is not paid AND is overdue AND customer segment is household) OR (invoice is not paid AND is overdue AND customer segment is company).

03

That way it is easier to understand and manage later on this table.

02

A decision table is complete when it contains every possible combination of input variables. In some tools, you can use ranges or wildcards to avoid enumerating every possibility and shorten the decision table.

04

Also, when there are many decisions to manage, creating several small decision tables is better than using one large table. Running decisions is much easier this way.

Benefits for Software
Development
Using decision tables with a domain-specific language enables both developers and business users to work from the same information.
Tables are easier to understand and test than code and are used to build specifications for complex software systems.
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