Decision Modeling with DMN

How to Build a Decision Requirements Model using the new Decision Model and Notation (DMN) standard

The Object Management Group has recently adopted the Decision Model and Notation as a beta standard. Here’s how you can use it to define your decision requirements.

Why Model Decisions

The goal of this paper is to describe the four iterative steps to complete a Decision Requirements Model using the forthcoming DMN standard. Before beginning, it is important to understand the value of defining decision requirements as part of your overall requirements process. Experience shows that there are three main reasons for doing so:

1. Current requirements approaches don’t tackle the decision-making that is increasingly important in information systems.
2. While important for all software development projects, decision requirements are especially important for projects adopting business rules and advanced analytic technologies.
3. Decisions are a common language across business, IT and analytic organizations improving collaboration, increasing reuse, and easing implementation.