Constellation and the Data Model
In Constellation, how you build Pega applications shifts from heavily customizing a Section-based UI to accommodate your Data Model to configuring Views largely derived from the design of your Data Model. The UI controls available to you when you configure Views in Constellation are determined by fields and their corresponding Field Types, which are built into your Case Type Data Model.
This is the crux of the Constellation experience. When authoring in Constellation, you start by creating the data objects in the application-level Data Model and the fields and data relationships in your Case Type Data Models. The fields and Field Types defined in your Case Type Data Model determine the controls prescribed when you are building out the Views required by the Steps in your Case Type.
Constellation is a prescriptive architecture. When you create a field, Pega Platform™ predicts and assigns a Field Type based on the field's intended purpose. The Field Type then determines the controls, validation, and interaction patterns available when authoring Views. Instead of manually selecting controls and configuring extensive UI behavior, developers primarily model the data and let Constellation generate the appropriate user experience.
The most common, high-value action patterns that clients need for successful Case resolution are offered as prescribed configurations for the respective Field Type. For example, fields associated with a list will automatically include configuration options to display the data as a table in the View.
Constellation aims to eliminate that cost by replacing customization with a prescribed configuration. One way it accomplishes this is by eliminating Action sets.
No Action sets
Applications built on Pega's Traditional UI heavily utilize Action sets. Action sets are an example of event-driven programming, where if you perform an event, some Action occurs as a result. For example, if you click an "Add to cart" button (event), the contents of a user's shopping cart is updated (action).
Constellation is based on declarative programming. Declarative programming consists of instructing a program on what needs to be done, instead of telling it how to do it. For example, by telling it that when the Use as billing address checkbox is selected, it should copy the mailing address information to the billing address fields.
Constellation incorporates the most high-value patterns that are typically built out in complex Action sets and includes them as simple control configurations that are associated with each Field Type. This result is adherence to Pega development best practices, faster time to value, more consistent user experiences, fewer bugs, less Rule maintenance, and simplified upgrades.
Field Types and their corresponding UI controls
Each Field Type has an associated UI control.
A Text (single line) Field Type has a single UI control - a text input box.
In contrast, the Data Reference Field Type has multiple UI controls that you can choose between: Autocomplete, Dropdown, Table, Simple table, Advanced search and Cards, as seen in the following figure:
A pattern-based UI example
The examples above demonstrate how Field Types influence the experiences generated by Constellation. Common Case Management patterns are represented as configuration options in the Data Model, which Constellation uses to generate consistent user experiences that follow Pega best practices.
One common customer service scenario requires a CSR to search for and select a Customer record to associate with a Service Case. In a Traditional UI application, implementing this pattern typically requires configuring multiple rules, controls, and interactions. With Constellation, the same outcome can be achieved through a small number of Data Model configurations.
Match the callouts in the following image to compare the traditional six-step implementation with the simplified three-step Constellation approach:
Traditional UI
- Search Form: Configure a form to capture search criteria from the user.
- Search Button: Add a control to initiate the search process.
- Action Set: Configure the actions that occur when the search is performed.
- Activity: Implement the server-side logic required to process the search.
- Results Table: Configure the data source and how search results are displayed.
- Selection Logic: Configure how users select a record and associate it with the Case.
Constellation
- Data Reference Field: Configure a Data Reference field in the Case Type Data Model.
- Search & Select Pattern: Apply the built-in Search & Select pattern provided by Constellation.
- Generated Experience: Constellation automatically generates a consistent Search & Select experience based on the Data Model and pattern configuration.
Through prescribed patterns such as Search & Select, Constellation reduces the amount of custom UI configuration required while promoting consistency, maintainability, and adherence to Pega development best practices.
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