Decision Tables

March 13, 2014

Decision Tables

Possible solution to the last exercise

Decision Tables

Decision Tables and Decision Trees

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Precise and compact way to model complicated logic

Decision Tables

Decision Tables and Decision Trees

I
I

Precise and compact way to model complicated logic

Specifies a system as

Decision Tables

Decision Tables and Decision Trees

I
I

Precise and compact way to model complicated logic

Specifies a system as
I

Decision Tables

a set of possible conditions,

Decision Tables and Decision Trees

I
I

Precise and compact way to model complicated logic

Specifies a system as
I
I

Decision Tables

a set of possible conditions,

rules for reacting to stimuli when those conditions are met, and

Decision Tables and Decision Trees

I
I

Precise and compact way to model complicated logic

Specifies a system as
I
I
I

Decision Tables

a set of possible conditions,

rules for reacting to stimuli when those conditions are met, and
specific actions to be taken as a result.

Decision Tables and Decision Trees

I
I

Precise and compact way to model complicated logic

Specifies a system as
I
I
I

a set of possible conditions,

rules for reacting to stimuli when those conditions are met, and
specific actions to be taken as a result.

Makes user requirements omissions and/or contradictions

explicit so that the SE can go back to the client and ask specific
questions regarding what to do when these conditions arise.

Decision Tables

Structure
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Rows in the table are of two types: condition rows and action
rows.

Decision Tables

Structure
I

Rows in the table are of two types: condition rows and action
rows.

A column represents a combination of condition outcomes and

the corresponding actions to take.

Decision Tables

Structure
I

Rows in the table are of two types: condition rows and action
rows.

A column represents a combination of condition outcomes and

the corresponding actions to take.
I

Decision Tables

also referred to as a rule

Structure
I

Rows in the table are of two types: condition rows and action
rows.

A column represents a combination of condition outcomes and

the corresponding actions to take.
I

also referred to as a rule

A complete decision table specifies one rule for each combination of

the condition outcomes.

Decision Tables

Structure
I

Rows in the table are of two types: condition rows and action
rows.

A column represents a combination of condition outcomes and

the corresponding actions to take.
I

also referred to as a rule

A complete decision table specifies one rule for each combination of

the condition outcomes.
A decision table contains redundancy if there exists two columns
that are equivalent.

Decision Tables

Structure
I

Rows in the table are of two types: condition rows and action
rows.

A column represents a combination of condition outcomes and

the corresponding actions to take.
I

also referred to as a rule

A complete decision table specifies one rule for each combination of

the condition outcomes.
A decision table contains redundancy if there exists two columns
that are equivalent.
A decision table is ambiguous or contradictory if, for the same
combination of condition outcomes, the specified actions are different.

Decision Tables

Structure
I

Rows in the table are of two types: condition rows and action
rows.

A column represents a combination of condition outcomes and

the corresponding actions to take.
I

also referred to as a rule

A complete decision table specifies one rule for each combination of

the condition outcomes.
A decision table contains redundancy if there exists two columns
that are equivalent.
A decision table is ambiguous or contradictory if, for the same
combination of condition outcomes, the specified actions are different.
A decision table is correct if it has neither redundancies nor
contradictions.

Decision Tables

Example
A technical support company writes a decision table to diagnose
printer problems based on the symptoms described to them over the
phone by the client.

Decision Tables

Example
A technical support company writes a decision table to diagnose
printer problems based on the symptoms described to them over the
phone by the client.

Decision Tables

Methodology
1. Identify conditions and values.
Find the data attribute each condition tests and all of the
attributes values.
2. Identify possible actions.
Determine each action to be taken for each decision or policy.
3. Compute the maximum number of rules.
4. Enter all possible rules.
Fill in the values of the condition data attributes in each
numbered rule column
5. Define actions for each rule.
For each rule, mark the appropriate actions with an X in the
decision table.
6. Verify the policy.
Review completed decision table with end-users.
7. Simplify the table.
Eliminate and/or consolidate rules to reduce the number of
columns.
Decision Tables

Example
The structure English or pseudocode specification of the process
take speeding decision is:

Decision Tables

Example
The structure English or pseudocode specification of the process
take speeding decision is:

Decision Tables

Decision Tree
A tree in which a non-leaf node includes a condition to evaluate.

Decision Tables

Decision Tree
A tree in which a non-leaf node includes a condition to evaluate.
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The edges of a non-leaf node represent the outcomes of decisions

made at that node.

Decision Tables

Decision Tree
A tree in which a non-leaf node includes a condition to evaluate.
I

The edges of a non-leaf node represent the outcomes of decisions

made at that node.
A decision tree is a binary tree if all outcomes are binary,
meaning that their outcome is either true or false.

Decision Tables