{"title":"Decision tables - an effective programming tool","authors":"Daniel F. Langenwalter","doi":"10.1145/800218.806637","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"The manager or owner of a small to medium size business often has strong ideas on how he wants to run his business. The “packaged” software to go with the mini computer that he can afford just doesn't give him the flexibility he wants. To keep the software costs down and still be able to get the desired programs, a programming method that gets the results at low cost is needed. Two companies reported reductions of 3 to 1, i.e. costs were down to one-third of the previous methods, by using decision tables to write the logic. With such substantial reductions in costs, the mini computer owner can have the tailored programs he wants with a reasonable investment.\n A decision table processor, MUSCL, has been developed and is implemented on mini computers. This paper shows how to write and solve decision tables as implemented.\n Ideally problems are solved in steps. The problem is defined clearly. Criteria or conditions are established. Then a series of actions is taken. The expression that describes the conditions and actions is a “decision rule”. A decision table is the structure for describing a set of decision rules. A decision table gives us a way of recording decision patterns so that we can make consistent decisions and see how to change the patterns to meet changing conditions.","PeriodicalId":344026,"journal":{"name":"SIGMINI '78","volume":"50 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"3","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"SIGMINI '78","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1145/800218.806637","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 3
Abstract
The manager or owner of a small to medium size business often has strong ideas on how he wants to run his business. The “packaged” software to go with the mini computer that he can afford just doesn't give him the flexibility he wants. To keep the software costs down and still be able to get the desired programs, a programming method that gets the results at low cost is needed. Two companies reported reductions of 3 to 1, i.e. costs were down to one-third of the previous methods, by using decision tables to write the logic. With such substantial reductions in costs, the mini computer owner can have the tailored programs he wants with a reasonable investment.
A decision table processor, MUSCL, has been developed and is implemented on mini computers. This paper shows how to write and solve decision tables as implemented.
Ideally problems are solved in steps. The problem is defined clearly. Criteria or conditions are established. Then a series of actions is taken. The expression that describes the conditions and actions is a “decision rule”. A decision table is the structure for describing a set of decision rules. A decision table gives us a way of recording decision patterns so that we can make consistent decisions and see how to change the patterns to meet changing conditions.