Patent ID: 7287016

Claim:
A rule based computerized method of developing, implementing and administering legislation, the method including: developing a computerized database containing a set of declarative rules in accordance with which the legislation can be developed, written in and delivered; utilizing the computerized database to develop the policy for the legislation in accordance with the set of rules; utilizing the computerized database to write the legislation in accordance with the set of rules; utilizing the computerized database to design the service to administer the legislation in accordance with the set of rules, and utilizing the computerized database to administer and/or evaluate the legislation in accordance with the set of rules; wherein the policy development, writing of legislation, service design, administration and/or evaluation are functionally integrated by the computerized database; wherein the rules are such as can be expressed in the general format “IF [premise], THEN [conclusion]”; wherein the policy development includes at least one of the following functions: policy analysis, development of policy options, public consultation, testing and refining policy; wherein the writing of legislation includes at least one of the following functions: drafting legislation, testing and refining draft legislation, enactment of legislation; wherein the service design includes at least one of the following functions: testing impact of final legislation, translation of legislation into operational policy, data requirements analysis, design of service delivery structures and systems, public education; wherein the administration includes at least one of the following functions: public education, staff training, delivery of services; wherein the evaluation includes at least one of the following functions: design of policy impact measurement, measurement of policy impact; wherein the rules are written in a spoken language, the method further including: converting the rules when written in the spoken language into a stylised or symbolic format or representation; wherein the rules are written in a format or representation corresponding to acceptable legislation whereby the legislation is written in a format or representation corresponding to the set of declarative rules; and wherein the format or representation includes: an alternative conclusion for reflecting the closed nature of legislative rules, and/or a source reference for referencing items in the database to legislative provisions, and/or a configuration syntax whereby the rules are written in the form of the legislative provisions.