Figure BR.09 - Business Rule Management Lifecycle

The business rule lifecycle illustration describes the systematic process for defining, creating, and managing business rules from inception to retirement. Initially, the PLAN stage involves defining the scope and objectives of the business rules. This is followed by the CREATE phase, where rules are specified and cataloged. Once created, rules are MAP(ped), which involves organizing them in relation to policies and linking them to their sources, such as `partyRole`, and associating them with relevant activities, workflows, or closed loops.<br/>The lifecycle continues with the TRANSFORM stage, where rules are formalized semantically, and if necessary, re-organized based on feedback. The TEST phase involves validating the rules to verify conditions and ensure integrity. Rules that pass the test are then APPLY(ied), which includes administering, activating, and assigning them to their respective activities or workflows. The ACTIVE stage is where rules are enforced, and they may cycle back through APPLY, TRANSFORM, or MAP if re-application, re-transformation, or re-mapping is needed. If a rule is suspended, it enters the INACTIVE state, where it can be modified, excepted, or expired. From the INACTIVE state, rules can be re-activated, re-mapped, or decommissioned, completing the lifecycle.<br/>