Expert Choice
Expert Choice provides decision-making software that uses the Analytic Hierarchy Process to help you prioritize projects, allocate resources, and reach consensus on complex organizational challenges.
OpenRules
OpenRules is a business rules management system that allows you to create, test, and deploy complex decision models using familiar tools like Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or simple tables.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Expert Choice | OpenRules |
|---|---|---|
| Website | expertchoice.com | openrules.com |
| Pricing Model | Custom | Subscription |
| Starting Price | Custom Pricing | $83/month |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 0 days free trial | ✓ 0 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 1983 | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Arlington, USA | Edison, USA |
Overview
Expert Choice
Expert Choice helps you take the guesswork out of complex business decisions by using a structured, mathematical approach called the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). You can move beyond simple spreadsheets and gut feelings to evaluate competing projects or vendors based on multiple conflicting criteria. The platform allows you to gather input from various stakeholders, ensuring that everyone’s expertise is captured and weighted appropriately before you make a final call.
You can use the software to align your project portfolio with strategic goals, ensuring you invest in the initiatives that provide the most value. It provides clear visualizations of your decision models, making it easier to explain the 'why' behind a choice to leadership or clients. Whether you are managing government procurement, corporate capital allocation, or risk assessment, you get a repeatable framework that reduces bias and improves transparency.
OpenRules
OpenRules provides a practical way for you to manage complex business logic without needing deep programming knowledge. You can define your business rules and decision tables directly in Excel or Google Sheets, making it easy for subject matter experts and developers to collaborate on the same logic. This approach reduces the risk of miscommunication and speeds up the transition from business requirements to a working production system.
The platform excels in high-performance environments where you need to execute millions of transactions with minimal latency. You can deploy your decision models as RESTful web services on-premise or in the cloud using AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, or Google Cloud Functions. It is particularly effective for organizations in finance, insurance, and healthcare that handle intricate, high-volume decision-making processes daily.
Overview
Expert Choice Features
- Pairwise Comparisons Compare two elements at a time to determine relative importance, reducing the cognitive load of complex evaluations.
- Stakeholder Consensus Collect and aggregate input from multiple team members to ensure every perspective is reflected in the final decision.
- Sensitivity Analysis Test how changes in your priorities affect the final outcome to understand the risks and trade-offs of your choice.
- Resource Optimization Allocate your budget and personnel across projects to maximize total value while staying within your specific constraints.
- Strategic Alignment Link every project or investment directly to your organization's high-level goals to ensure you stay on track.
- Visual Reporting Generate clear charts and graphs that explain your decision logic to stakeholders and justify your resource requests.
OpenRules Features
- Spreadsheet-Based Modeling. Create and maintain your business rules directly in Excel or Google Sheets to bridge the gap between business and IT.
- Decision Model Explorer. Navigate complex rule sets and visualize decision paths to understand exactly how your logic reaches a specific conclusion.
- One-Click Deployment. Deploy your rules instantly as high-performance REST services or serverless functions with a single command or click.
- Integrated Testing. Run functional tests against your rules within your spreadsheet to catch errors before they ever reach your production environment.
- Rule Engine Performance. Execute thousands of rules per millisecond to handle your most demanding, high-volume transaction processing requirements with ease.
- Version Control Support. Manage your rule changes using standard tools like Git to ensure your decision logic remains auditable and secure.
Pricing Comparison
Expert Choice Pricing
OpenRules Pricing
- Covers Development and Testing
- Unlimited users and developers
- Excel and Google Sheets support
- Access to all rule templates
- Standard technical support
- Billed annually at $1,000
- Everything in OTAP, plus:
- Production environment deployment
- High-performance execution engine
- Serverless deployment support
- Priority email support
- Billed annually at $2,500
Pros & Cons
Expert Choice
Pros
- Provides a highly structured and mathematically sound decision framework
- Reduces emotional bias and political infighting during group decisions
- Excellent for justifying complex procurement choices to auditors
- Powerful 'what-if' scenarios help you visualize different outcomes
Cons
- Significant learning curve for users unfamiliar with AHP methodology
- Interface feels dated compared to modern consumer SaaS tools
- Initial setup of decision models can be time-consuming
OpenRules
Pros
- Extremely fast execution speed for high-volume transactions
- Low learning curve for users familiar with Excel
- Seamless integration with modern CI/CD pipelines
- Cost-effective compared to large enterprise BRMS vendors
Cons
- User interface feels dated compared to modern SaaS
- Requires some technical knowledge for initial deployment
- Documentation can be dense for non-technical users