Take Business Rules to the Next Level - Because the Real World is Complicated

Most approaches to automating Business Rules are functionally limited by two main factors: the rules are typically black and white with no leeway for special cases; and the complexity of logic that can be represented is quite limited.  Exsys Corvid solves both of these by enabling the knowledge and understanding of your company’s top staff to be accessed via on-line, interactive advisory systems to handle even the most complex problems.  In addition, Corvid’s unique development environment greatly simplifies systematically capturing the deeper business rules in a company.

Most automated Business Rules Engines work by inserting simple rules into a business process.  The goal is to make sure that company policies are followed and customers are treated consistently and correctly.  However, many “business rule engines” only allow rules to be added that are simple tests, which are either true or false. Business experts don’t say only “Yes” or “No” based on simple logic.  They consider and weigh all the relevant factors, examine the specifics of each case and reach an overall conclusion and recommendation.  

A typical business rule might be “No returns after 10 days”.  Most business rule engines would implement this as a simple  “if days since purchase > 10 then refuse return”, but if your best customer comes in on day 11, it would be better for the company to make an exception than to potentially lose a key customer.  A Corvid system can be designed to access the customers purchase history, consider factors that may have delayed the return, and advice the clerk to make an exception or contact a manager.   This is the way an experienced senior staff would handle it - with insight as to the actual best action for the company rather than an abrupt, absolute “No”. 

Corvid is designed to be able to handle very complex problem-solving tasks, involving probabilistic reasoning folding together many factors in reaching a conclusion.  For over 25 years, Exsys software has been widely used in industry and government to solve a wide range of problems.  Corvid’s underlying robust Inference Engine handles far more realistic logic than most “business rules engines” which could not handle the variety of decision-making tasks that Corvid has been used for.  

Though very powerful, Corvid systems are easy to build.  Exsys Inc. has always focused on designing tools that non-programmers can use to build sophisticated on-line advisory systems.  Unlike what a typical business rules engine allows, Corvid can replicate the actual logic your top staff would apply to specific situations, including all the exceptions and special cases. Corvid can handle basic problems - but if the simple approach does not provide the best advice due to the complexities of the real world, it allows much higher levels of analysis and logic to be included by simply adding rules to the system.  

In addition, the Corvid development environment makes it easy to add special cases, and see the various possible scenarios so that experienced staff can proactively address them, enabling the Corvid system to handle even the complex situations correctly and consistently.

To implement the expert decision-making skills of your top staff and make them available on-line to provide their insightful advice automatically 24/7, Exsys Corvid is the ideal solution.