CU23111

**  Ø  ** Introduction ** In our every day life we are faced with making decision in context of our set of needs, preferences we have and values we seek. Also we find our selves making decisions depending on our interaction with the environment. So decisions are more or less an obligation in life we all must have to make in order to do what we so want to do depending on what our goals are or what we are seeking for. And for us to be able to do this efficiently, various models have been used and the most famous to understand this is by using a decision tables which is very useful for companies to help them efficient and effective decisions in their day to day business transactions. Decision tables have been studied or applied in many researching contexts, such as verification and validation of knowledge-based systems, efficient execution of knowledge-based systems, knowledge base maintenance, knowledge acquisition, knowledge discovery, and several application domains such as medicine and law and also, for managing business rules. The principles behind the approach are realized in PROLOGA (PROcedure LOGic Analyzer), which is a set of methods and tools for the specification, validation and implementation of information systems, by means of decision tables. Therefore, decision tables are a precise yet compact way to model and structure complicated logic. It is composed of rows and columns, separated into four separate quadrants. The decision tables also lists causes and effects in a matrix and each column represents a unique combination. Cause=condition Effect=action= expected results || Condition Alternatives || || Action Entries || ** ·   The upper left quadrant contains the conditions. ·  The upper right quadrant contains the condition rules for alternatives. ·  The lower left quadrant contains the actions to be taken ·  The lower right quadrant contains the action rules. A clear example of how a decision table can be used is analyzing the shipment of parcels by DHL from Germany to Cameroon. The aim is to provide customers with easy and clear information on how to send parcels from Germany to Cameroon. DHL has developed about 4 different ways of shipment to Cameroon (considered as belonging to Zone 4). It falls under the international shipment. Ø  DHL Paeket International Ø  DHL Paekchen International Ø  DHL Pluspaekchen International Ø  DHL Service premium : the prices are charged in addition to the transport fee for DHL paeket International Ø  Other services e.g bulky goods, roll form: the prices here are charged in addition to the transport fee for DHL paeket International
 * DHL Shipment from Germany to Cameroon (using Decision Tables for illustration)
 * __ Decision tables __**
 * Conditions
 * Actions
 * Figure1: Standard format used for presenting decision tables


 * ** Size/weight ** || ** Price ** ||
 * L+W+H=90cm || 12,90 ||
 * ** Paeket International ** || ||
 * ** Size ** || ** Price(euros) ** ||
 * up to 5kg, max 120*60*60cm || 37,00  ||
 * up to 10kg, max 120*60*60cm || 52,00  ||
 * up to 20kg max, 120*60*60cm || 82,00  ||
 * ** Pluspaeckchen International ** || ||
 * ** weight ** || ** price ** ||
 * 2kg || 26,5  ||
 * ** Service Premium ** || ||
 * weight || ** price ** ||
 * up to 5kg || 21,00  ||
 * up to 10kg || 42,00  ||
 * up to 20kg || 84,00  ||
 * ** Other Services ** || ||
 * cash on delivery || 4,00  ||
 * bulky goods || 20,00  ||
 * International insured items || 6,00  ||
 * Sender instructions || 10,00  ||
 * Roll format || 1,50  ||
 * ** Other Services ** || ||
 * cash on delivery || 4,00  ||
 * bulky goods || 20,00  ||
 * International insured items || 6,00  ||
 * Sender instructions || 10,00  ||
 * Roll format || 1,50  ||
 * Sender instructions || 10,00  ||
 * Roll format || 1,50  ||