Within any company, business processes occupy a central place, whether it is a design office specializing in the development of business applications like ours, or an engineering or production company. a development agency. Indeed, these processes determine the way in which operations are carried out, decisions are made and objectives are achieved. As part of the development of a business application, a thorough understanding of these processes and the rules that govern them constitutes a crucial and essential step.
Step One: What is Business Logic?
Business logic is the set of rules and processes that govern the operations of a business application. To put it simply, it is what defines the actions to be taken based on incoming data and specific conditions and which will allow us to understand what we are going to work on. For example, business logic can include operations such as user management, security, financial transactions , inventory management, and much more.
Step Two: Why is it important to understand business processes and associated rules?
Spontaneously, the first answer I would like to give you is that otherwise we would have no added value and that even before having started our work would be of no use... Understanding business processes and associated rules is crucial in the development process for at least 3 reasons: efficiency, adaptability and user satisfaction.
Efficiency
Let's return to the original idea. If a client contacts us to develop a business application, it is because they are looking for a solution that can automate repetitive tasks, reduce human errors and accelerate decision-making. A business application that accurately reflects the company's processes and rules is more effective.
Adaptability
Business processes are constantly evolving based on business needs, regulations and the market. A business application that is based on a deep understanding of processes and rules is easier to adapt and update.
User satisfaction
If you have studied business logic well and you follow certain concepts like Jakob's law or Fitts' law, you should avoid the famous “it was better before…”. A business application that matches user expectations and needs in terms of processes and rules is easier to use and adopt. It helps improve user satisfaction and productivity.
Third step: how to understand business processes and associated rules?
Understanding business processes and associated rules is an iterative process that involves several steps:
- Process Identification : The first step is to identify the key processes of the business. This may involve interviews with different stakeholders in the company, brainstorming sessions and desk research.
- Process mapping : Once the processes have been identified, the next step is to map them. Process mapping is a visual representation that shows the different stages of a process, the actors involved and the information flows.
- Identifying rules : Business rules can be explicit (for example, a regulation or company policy) or implicit (for example, a common practice or cultural norm). Identifying rules involves a deep understanding of processes and close collaboration with business stakeholders.
- Validation and iteration : Understanding business processes and associated rules is an ongoing process. It is important to regularly validate understanding with company stakeholders and iterate based on feedback and developments.
I told you in the introduction, understanding business processes and the associated rules is the foundation of business application development. It allows you to design applications that are efficient, adaptable and user-centered. I have applied these rules throughout my career and, when I created the Agerix agency in 2009, I was particularly attentive to ensuring that all teams respected these rules on all our development projects. applications or intranet/extranet portals.
This is our DNA and what makes us have such strong customer satisfaction. In other words, if you have a business application development project and are looking for an understanding and diligent partner, contact us and let's talk !
Article updated on August 16, 2024
