A key decision factor is a piece of information that can help case workers and clients understand key pieces of data used in the eligibility and entitlement results of a case. They can be any kind of data that has a direct impact on a client's eligibility and/or entitlement. This might be derived data, for example, the total household income, or it might be a piece of evidence recorded against the case, like a new medical condition. It could even be an important event, like the birth of a new child. Presenting the information graphically in this way can help case workers to focus on the most relevant information regarding the claimant's eligibility on a particular date.
Key decision factors are optional on a product. They are useful on products where the rules are quite complex and a lot of evidence is captured. If more data is captured, it means that more data can be updated. In such circumstances, being able to see at a glance all the data that was used in coming up with the current determination, and how it changed over time, is an invaluable tool for a case worker. For instance, it allows them answer queries much more quickly for clients who may want to know why their benefit payment was lower this month than last month.