At the heart of an integrated system
the ILOG OPL-CPLEX Development System is at the core of ILOG's Optimization Decision Management System (ODMS), which supports all aspects of optimization model-based application development. ILOG's complete system also includes ILOG Optimization Decision Manager (ODM) for rapid development of flexible decision support applications. Applications based on ILOG ODM allow users to adjust assumptions, operating constraints and goals, and to see the engine's recommendations in familiar business terminology, providing extensive support for what-if analysis, scenario comparison, solution explanations, and the controlled relaxation of binding constraints.

Automatic application generation
ILOG's OPL-CPLEX Development System and ILOG ODM have made it possible to automatically generate an ILOG ODM application from the structure of an OPL model. A simple wizard-guided step provides the initial application. OPL data structures are automatically mapped to data tables in ILOG ODM, decision variables and solution metrics are mapped to solution views, and objective functions are mapped to ILOG ODM's interactive business goals. Constraints marked as relaxable in the OPL model are exposed to the end user by name and priority, allowing relaxations and trade-offs based on business importance.

Configuring data and solution visualization
Charts based on ILOG JViews are pre-packaged for visualization of input data and solutions, allowing developers to easily produce informative displays for solution analysis and scenario comparison. To further configure and tailor the generated application, the ILOG OPL-CPLEX-ODM Development System contains editors for customizing the appearance and behavior of all data display tables and charts, business goals, business costs and business constraints. In addition, any type of custom Java-based graphical can be created and embedded into the GUI, allowing final applications to include completely custom views.

Editors for configuring data tables, charts (shown), business goals and business rules for scenario editing. Enlarge image (opens a new window).

Business analyst and management participation
ILOG ODM is focused on producing deployable, state-of-the-art decision support applications, but it offers one additional advantage: at any point in the model development process, a draft model can be turned into a working application. Business analysts and managers can easily understand inputs and outputs, and can ask questions and make suggestions. This makes it easier for them to participate in the process of refining models, model behavior, displays and scenario creation parameters.