Business rules: from business specification to design

The term business rule has become a buzzword. In order to properly treat business rules in information management we need to fully understand what they are and what they mean. We also need to separate the business and information system frames of reference: after all, business rules are formulated by business domain experts, made precise and explicit by these experts together with business analysts, and ---if appropriate--- are refined tinto information management systems by systems architects. Thus a business rule at a business specification level differs from the corresponding ones at the business design and system specification levels.
This paper should be of use to at least two audiences. The first is clear: business analysts. The second is the developers of computer systems and their underlying technologies and particularly those with an objective of providing direct, technological support for rules