Quick guide

A

Aggregation

An attribute of the Collect Hit Policy that produces a single result from multiple hits on a Decision Table.

Any

A Hit Policy for Single Hit decision tables where decision rules can overlap but only if their output values are the same.

Artifact

A graphical element that provides additional information to the reader such as an Association and Text Annotation.

Association

An Artifact. A graphical component that connects a Text Annotation to an element in a Decision Requirements Diagram.

Authority Requirement

Connects any element in the Decision Requirements Diagram to a Business Knowledge Model or a Knowledge Source.

B

Business Knowledge Model

An element that reuses pieces of Decision Logic such as a Decision Table.

C

Collect

A Hit Policy for Multiple Hit decision tables that collects the values of all matching Decision Rules and returns a list of outputs.

D

Decision

Represents the act of determining an output from one or more inputs based on Decision Logic.

Decision Logic

The logic behind Decisions, represented by a Decision Table which defines how the output is derived from its inputs.

Decision Logic Level

Describes the logic behind each decision in the DMN model. One of the two levels to model decisions in DMN, the other being Decision Requirements Level.

Decision Point

A point in a business process where a decision is made.

Decision Requirements Diagram (DRD)

A visual representation of a complete or partial Decision Requirements Graphs (DRG).

Decision Requirements Graph (DRG)

A set of Decisions, Business Knowledge Models and Input Data connected by Requirements. A Decision Requirements Diagram can contain multiple DRGs.

Decision Requirements Level

Represents the information required to make a decision in the DMN model (Input Data and/or Output Data). One of the two levels to model decisions in DMN, the other being Decision Logic Level.

Decision Rule

Indicates which Output Entry applies to a specific set of Input Entries.

Decision Table

A visual representation of a set of business rules (inputs, outputs and decision rules) in tabular format.

Definitions

The root container for all the components of a DMN decision model.

DMN Model

A graphical representation of a Decision that is also machine-readable (XML format).

DRG Element

A component of a Decision Requirements Graph: Decision, Business Knowledge Model, Input Data or Knowledge Source.

E

Element

Any graphical item in a DMN model.

Expression

A literal expression, decision table, invocation, list, context, function definition, or relation used to characterize part of the decision logic for a decision mode.

F

First

A Hit Policy for Single Hit decision tables where overlapping rules have different output values. The hit policy selects the first matching rule.

Friendly Enough Expression Language (FEEL)

A standard for writing expressions in DMN that is easily understood by technical and non-technical stakeholders.

H

Hit policy

Determines how to reach a Decision when more than one rule matches an input value.

I

Information Requirement

Represents the dependency of a Decision on information from Input Data or the results of other Decisions. Connects Input Data to Decisions, and Decisions to other Decisions.

Input Data

The information required to make a decision.

Input Value

An expression that defines a range of expected values for an input clause in a Decision Table.

K

Knowledge Requirement

Connects a Business Knowledge Model to a Decision or a Business Knowledge Model to other Business Knowledge Models.

Knowledge Source

References an authority such as a committee, regulation, document, policy, guidelines that regulates a Decision or Business Knowledge Model.

M

Multiple Hit

A type of Hit Policy that produces a list of outputs.

O

Output order

A Hit Policy for Multiple Hit decision tables where results are ordered by the priority of output values.

Output value

The result of a decision.

P

Priority

A Hit Policy for Single Hit decision tables which selects the output value with the highest priority.

R

Requirement

Denotes a dependency of one element on another element. There are three types of requirement: Information, Knowledge and Authority.

Rule Order

A Hit Policy for Multiple Hit decision tables where results are returned in the order defined in rules.

S

Single Hit

A type of Hit Policy that produces one result per input. Only one rule is applied at a time, even if several rules exist.

U

Unique

A Hit Policy for Single Hit decision tables where no overlap is allowed and all Decision Rules are exclusive.

V

Variable

Stores the result of a Decision or the value of a Data Input.