In his book "Elite Sales Strategies: A Guide to Being One-Up, Creating Value, and Becoming Truly Consultative" Anthony Iannarino introduces the concept of being 'one-up'. This is a big shift in sales methodology.
Historically the sales process was product centric and simple "We have the product". As markets evolved, this became obsolete and ineffective.
The next era was needs based and was "What are your needs". This was about aligning products to client needs.
But in today it is outdated too. Iannarino advocates for a 'one-up' strategy. This is about understanding the competitive landscape and client needs before you even start the sales conversation. Only through this proactive approach can you add value by offering solutions to the client.
At Higson we have adopted this philosophy. Our analysis of the Business Rules Management Systems market isn't to say Higson is better (although we think we are). It's to give you an objective and comprehensive view of the options. We invite you to look at the evidence and make your own mind up.
Why Choosing the Right Business Rules Management System Matters
Choosing the right Business Rules Engine has a big impact on your organization’s operational efficiency and decision-making. At it's core business rules engine separate business rules from application code, so non-technical users can change rules without IT intervention. This separation means you can adapt to market changes and regulatory requirements quickly.
A business rule management system (BRMS) is essential for managing business rules and automating business processes effectively. Chose to choose the best business rules management system? We'll help you.
When evaluating business rules management solutions consider:
- Rules Authoring and Management: Look for easy to use interfaces for business users to create and modify rules.
- Integration: Make sure the BRE can talk to your existing systems and data sources.
- User Interface: A user friendly interface reduces the learning curve and improves adoption across your organization.
- Testing and Versioning: Robust testing tools and version control are essential for keeping rules accurate and tracking changes.
- Deployment: On-premises, cloud or hybrid? Which one is right for you?
- Scalability and Performance: Can the BRE handle your current and future rule volumes?
What to Look For in BREs
Modern BRMSs offer robust rule development capabilities, allowing business analysts to create and manage analytically derived business rules.
The best business rules management systems enable organizations to streamline business logic and make data-driven business decisions. Implementing a comprehensive decision automation platform allows companies to deploy business rules efficiently across various business process models.
Excel Import/Export
This feature allows users to manage rules using familiar spreadsheet formats. Higson for example supports simple XML or CSV file formats for importing and exporting decision tables and rules. No technical knowledge required to manage rules.
Rules Deployment
Effective rule deployment is key to keeping decision making processes up to date. Higson has robust deployment capabilities through its Studio so you can update and deploy rules quickly without IT intervention. This is good for technical and non-technical users.
Integration
Strong integration is important to get a BRE into existing systems. Higson has integration through REST API and as a Java library. The REST API supports multiple tech stacks, rule execution, structure reading, rule import/export. It has security features like basic auth and JWT tokens. The Java library is for direct integration with Java applications and supports multiple environments.
The Top Business Rules Engines
Drools
Drools is an open source business rules engine with lots of features and flexibility, great for Java developers. But for non-technical users, the learning curve is steep and will require significant time investment to get up and running and managed.
Camunda
Camunda combines business process management with rules engine, has a user friendly interface. But process visualization is great, but not so good with very complex rule sets. Integration with existing systems sometimes requires additional development effort.
IBM Decision Manager
IBM Decision Manager is a full blown platform for large scale operations. It has all the features for enterprise, but that means longer implementation times and higher resource requirements. Non-technical users have a big learning curve.
Pega
Pega combines traditional BRE with AI and robotic process automation. While that’s great, it’s overengineered for organizations with simple rule management needs. The platform has lots of features that can lead to higher costs and longer implementation cycles.
Decisions
Decisions wants to make rule management low code. While that makes rule creation easier, it might lack some of the advanced features for very complex business logic. Scalability for very large rule sets is a concern.
Higson: The Finance and Insurance Specialist
And finally let’s talk about Higson. We designed Higson with the specific needs of the finance and insurance industries in mind. It’s like having a tailor-made suit – it fits perfectly because it was made for you. Higson has an intuitive interface for creating and managing rules, robust integration capabilities and a pricing model based on actual usage.
Think of it as the industry insider – it speaks your language and understands your unique challenges. With features like easy Excel import/export, flexible deployment options and dedicated support Higson aims to make complex rule management feel like a walk in the park.
Why Higson is Different
Higson excels in managing business rules and facilitating rules-based business decisions, making it an ideal choice for organizations looking to partially automate complex business processes.
Quickness
In a case study with Notus, Higson demonstrated remarkable speed advantages over both Drools and Camunda. When processing complex rules for insurance calculations, Higson executed 100,000 rules in just 8 seconds. This impressive performance significantly outpaced Drools, which took 40 seconds for the same task, and Camunda, which required 60 seconds.
Higson's superior speed can be attributed to its optimized rule execution engine and efficient data handling, making it an ideal choice for businesses that require rapid decision-making capabilities, especially in high-volume scenarios common in the insurance and finance sectors.
Intuitive Rule Management
Higson’s Studio has a simple interface for creating and modifying rules through decision tables and custom functions. This is good for technical and non-technical users to manage rules.
Flexible Deployment
The platform supports multiple deployment options, on-premises and cloud. This means Higson can fit in with different organizational needs and infrastructure.
Robust Integration Capabilities
Higson has two main integration methods:
- REST API: Can be used with any tech stack, for rule execution, structure reading and rule import/export.
- Java Library: For direct integration with Java applications.
These options mean integration with existing systems and workflows is seamless.
- Full Testing and Versioning: Higson has full testing capabilities, unit tests and batch tests. The versioning system allows for change tracking, scheduling of updates and rolling back to previous versions so decision-making processes are consistent and quality.
- Transparent Pricing: Higson’s pricing is based on CPU core usage, whether on-premise or in the cloud. This means transparency and costs align with value received.
- Dedicated Support: Each customer gets a dedicated Higson support specialist when they purchase an SLA, so issues are resolved quickly and personally.
Ready to make the decision?
Choosing the right business rule engine is crucial for companies looking to automate business processes and streamline their workflow automation. A powerful business rules engine enables businesses to adapt quickly to changing market conditions and regulatory requirements.
As you evaluate options, consider how each platform aligns with your business process model and specific needs. Higson offers a tailored solution for finance and insurance companies, combining robust rule management with industry-specific optimizations.
To explore how Higson compares to other leading business rules engines and discuss your unique requirements, we invite you to download our comprehensive comparison guide. This resource provides valuable insights to inform your decision-making process.
Take the next step in optimizing your operations. Contact us today to learn how Higson can enhance your business rule management capabilities.
