Augmenting Traditional Accounting Analysis and Design Methods With The Business Rules Modeling Para-digm: A Framework And An Accounting For Leases Illustration

Abstract

At first glance, it might not be obvious why accountants should be concerned with the analysis and design phases of systems development.  To some, systems analysis and design might be the concern of just the systems people.  This is just not true.  Accountants have a stake in robust, complete, correctly functioning accounting systems where high levels of reliance can be placed on the system outputs.  Accounting systems are often unique in that they are so complex.  This necessitates that accountants must be involved in the systems development process and understand some basic analysis and design techniques.  Though numerous analysis and design methods exist, business rules are unique in that they can be understood by non-systems persons.  Business rules can also be integrated with other analysis and design methods to build more complete, robust models of accounting systems.   Business rules are also used to provide insurance that all facets of a system are addressed.  Frequently, some portion of an accounting system “falls through the cracks” until some later point in the system development life cycle.  This can be a significant problem because either the design must be reworked or the omitted portion must be created as an ”afterthought add on.”  Either method is costly, so avoiding missing portions of a system is paramount.