Rules Engines User Interface Design

Question

At work, we have optimization engines, and one of the inputs used by these engines are business rules, which we create and edit with a proprietary rule editor.

These rules are of our own proprietary format, because the existing rule engines were not capable of representing the business rules of the complexity we required.

Anyhow, we are more or less happy with the way that the rules engine currently works - it works really well with complex business rules, but are not happy with the user interface (rule editor). Basically this currently consists of a set of tables that are edited, literally, using a complex spreadsheet-like tabular GUI.

While this is functional, it is an atrocious interface to present to end users who are not developers but are the equivalent of business analysts. Before getting my hands dirty, I thought it would be a good idea to ask the StackOverflow community's opinion on user interface design specific to this situation.

My Question

• What are some of the best user interfaces you have seen out in existing rule editors?
• What do you think are the best principles behind the design of user interfaces, in rule editors.

---

I use the terms rule engine and rule editor separately. For this question, I am concerned only with the rule editor

Other questions on StackOverflow that address rules-engines, but neither rule editors nor their user interface design:

• Criteria to Evaluate Business Rules Engines
• When should you NOT use a Rules Engine?
• What rule engine should I use?
• When is a Business Rules Engine used
• How to design a rule engine?
• Prefered methods for interacting with a rules engine

Eolith

A thought: No matter what we answer here, we are developers, not business analysts. It doesn't matter what we think if your analysts aren't happy with it. Have they provided you with any specific feedback on what they want to see or not see? Might be useful to include that informatoin in the question. – Columbus

We use Web Rule control from Code Effects for rule authoring. Our people who are responsible for rules couldn't be happier with their web UI. But, since we use WF, we don't use Web Rule's engine - we just convert CodeEffects XML rules into WF format and execute them using WF business rules API. Well worth the initial effort of building the format converter. Hope this helps. – Pronator

@Kizz, can I ask you: how do you convert CodeEffects XML rules into WF format? Did you write your own tool for that? How long did it take you? – Cormophyte

Answer 1

Note: This isn't an answer to your specific question, but a suggestion.

I'm making two assumptions here, that

1. Your tool addresses an existing business workflow (i.e. you're not adding a new process, just trying to simplify an existing process), and
2. Your tool improves on an existing tool

This being the case, your best source for UI inputs are your end users (in this case, the business analysts). For instance, if they are already comfortable using MS Excel for all their other tasks, a spreadsheet-like interface may not be as bad an idea as you think.

You could take a look at Contextual Design methods to find out what your users' mental model for the system is. You could also try low-fidelity prototypes with fast turnaround times (like paper prototypes or VB mockups) to see what works best.

Understood

@hexium, your assumptions, the first is correct, but the second is not - we don't improve an existing tool - it's written completely from scratch - and happy with its functionality but not its ease of use. Thanks for the tips on contextual design and mockups! – Eolith

If that's the case, your best bet might be to actually approach your users, show them your current interface and ask them "would you use this? If not, what change can I make that will make you use this?" – Understood

Another option is to actually record your users using the tool. Steve Krug gives a brief demonstration here: network.businessofsoftware.org/video/… . Even though that's for websites, you can still use the same principles. – Understood

Answer 2

We also has the same concerns of the above question. I just found http://xpertrule.com which seems to has a rich and intuitive UI.

You can get help of their implemented environment either you can get their design ideas.

Ellsworthellwood

Answer 3

Also if you are using JAVA and Drools there then you can use Guided Rule Editor developed by JBOSS under KIE project.

Latest (2021-12-09, Version 7.62.0.Final) documentation version: here.

Ellsworthellwood

Answer 4

I guess this one is difficult to answer without knowing much about the complexity and nature of your rules, however I was playing with http://www.magentocommerce.com/ the other day and they have a fairly simple rules editor built into their administration area (play around, you will find them).

Retsina

Answer 5

Try Drools, I think it is the best open source solution with very good community.

Cremate