BA Foundation Concepts

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Fundamental ConceptsBusiness Analysis


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Balasubba Raman Guruswamy

Business Analysis Body of Knowledge

v2.0


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Information

Information is an organizational resource whichmust be managed as carefully as other resources Costs are associated with information processing Information processing must be managed to take

full advantage of its potential


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CategoriesInformation systems fall into one of the following

eight categories: Transaction processing systems (TPS) Office automation systems (OAS) Knowledge work systems (KWS)

Management information systems (MIS) Decision support systems (DSS) Expert systems (ES) Group decision support systems (GDSS) Executive support systems (EES)


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New Technologies

New technologies integrated into traditional systems Ecommerce uses the Web to perform business

activities Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) has the goal of

integrating many different information systems withinthe corporation

Wireless and handheld devices, including mobilecommerce (mcommerce)

Open source software


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System Enhancements

Additional features to existing systems

Business and governmental requirements changeover time

Technology, hardware, and software are rapidlychanging


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What is Business Analysis ?

Set of tasks and techniques used to work as a liaisonamong stakeholders in order to understand the structure,policies, and operations of an organization and torecommend solutions that enable the organization toachieve its goals .


What is the role of the business analyst ?

What is the expected relationship between business analyst and project manager?

Who are the stakeholders with whom the business analyst will beinteracting along the way?


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Business Analyst

Business Analysts act as Outside consultants to businesses Supporting experts within a business As change agents

Analysts are problem solvers, and requirecommunication skills

Analysts must be ethical with users and customers


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Business Analysts Role

Works as a liaison amongproject stakeholders

Elicits, analyzes, communicatesand validates requirements forchanges to business processes,policies and informationsystems

Understands business problemsand opportunities in the context

of the requirements Recommends solutions that

enable the organization toachieve its goals.



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Essential Business Analysis Skills Analyze and understand the business problems Identify and document requirements Communicate effectively (written and spoken) Manage client relationships Facilitate discussions

Negotiate and build consensus Model data and processes Plan and manage activities Facilitate and develop business strategy

Understand and manage organizational change



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ExerciseJoe asks "will you fix my bike?" to Fred

Fred replies "yeah, if you pay me" to Joe

Joe asks "how much?" to Fred

Fred replies "$100 mate" to Joe

Joe says "OK" to Fred

Joe gives bike to FredFred fixes bike

Fred says "I've fixed your bike. Please give the $100 to Mom" to Joe

Joe says "thanks, I will" to Fred

Joe pays $100 to Mum

Mom asks "what's the $100 for?" to Fred

Fred replies "savings for a new bike" to Mom



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Joe FredJoe asks will you fix my bike? to FredFred replies yeah, if you pay me to JoeJoe asks how much? to FredFred replies $100 mate to Joe


Convert into a diagram by erasing the object names on the leftand right sides, and by adding the direction (arrows) of'conversation' and the people (object lifelines)

Messages are represented by an assortment of arrows.

Messages sent are either calls (an order or request) for aservice of another object or returns (answers) to the calls.


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Modeling


yeah, if you

pay me

howmuch?

Will you fixmy bike ?

$100 mate

Give bike

Fix bike

Give money toMom

Joe Fred


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Business Analyst & Project ManagerProject Manager

Focuses on planning and managing theproject to achieve the projectobjectives and deliver solution to thestakeholders

Makes sure the project team deliverssolution that meets requirements,acceptance criteria and the customersquality expectations

Juggles many constraints in the project- scope, budget, schedule, resources,quality, risk


Business Analyst

Works with key stakeholders tounderstand the structure, policiesand operations of an organizationand to recommend solutions

Business analysis work plans mustbe consistent with the overallproject plan

Must work closely together on projects and maintain goodcommunications

Need to communicate well with key stakeholders Who owns the stakeholders? Project owns the stakeholders


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Dealing with Key Stakeholders Vested interest in the project and its outcome Major source of requirements, constraints, assumptions One person may wear multiple hats and fill more than one role in

a project


Customer Domain SME End User

Implementation SME Operational Support

Project Manager Tester Regulator (QA)

Sponsor Supplie r


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BA Career Path



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BABOK The BABOK is

A collection of knowledge within the BAprofession (by IIBA)

Generally accepted BA practices Recognizes business analysis is more than

requirements A reference for BA professional knowledge Aligns with CMMI Requirements

Development & Requirements Management Provides the basis for CBAP certification



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BABoK v2.0


6 KAs and 32 tasks Applies to a wider range of methodsincluding Agile, BPM Techniques consolidated

34 + 17 techniques described in v2.0Includes all commonly used elicitation

and analysis techniques Covers most situations a BA is likely to

encounter


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BABOK v2.0 Knowledge Areas


Copyright 2008 International Institute of Business Analysis


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BA Knowledge Areas Business Analysis Planning

identify stakeholders estimate the work involved

prioritize requirements for each release manage changes to the requirements

Enterprise Analysis business & application Architecture development of business cases & feasibility

studies strategies for identifying overall business

requirements

Requirements Elicitation

brainstorming, surveys, interviews,workshops

Requirements Analysis requirements are structured & specified ensures that they are accurate

Solution Assessment & Validation proposed solution meets the agreed-to

requirements what to do if gaps are identified

Requirements Mgmt & Communication shared understanding of the

requirements

peer reviews, presentations, formalsign-off

Fundamentals(Soft skills)

Analytical skills

Behavioral characteristics Negotiation skills Communication skills Business knowledge Software knowledge


B i A l i Pl i


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Business Analysis Planning

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Activities necessary to performin order to complete a businessanalysis effort

Plan theexecution of

business analysistasks

Update or changethe approach to

business analysisas required

Assess effectiveness ofand continually improve

business analysispractices


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Business Analysis Planning - Tasks Conduct Stakeholder Analysis

Plan Business Analysis Activities

Plan Business Analysis

Communication

Plan RequirementsManagement Process

Plan, monitor and Report onBusiness AnalysisPerformance

Personas & User Profiles Communication needs

Decomposition Metrics & Reporting



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Enterprise Analysis

Take a business need, refineand clarify the definition ofthat need, and define asolution scope that canfeasibly be implemented bythe business.


Identify and propose projects that meet strategic needs and goals.


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Enterprise Analysis - Tasks

Identify Business Need

Determine Solution Approach

Define Solution Scope

Develop the BusinessCase

Brainstorming

Data Model

Decision Analysis

Decomposition

Environmental AssessmentState Model

Financial Analysis

Focus Group

Goal AnalysisInterview

Metrics & Reporting


Eli it ti


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Elicitation


Work with stakeholders to find outwhat their needs are and ensurethat we have correctly & completelyunderstood their needs.

Stakeholder needs

Explore

Identify

Document


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Elicitation - Tasks

Prepare for Elicitation

Conduct Elicitation

Document Elicitation Results

Confirm Elicitation Results

BrainstormingDocument AnalysisFocus Group Joint application design (JAD)

sessions

Interface IdentificationInterviewObservationPrototypingRequirements Workshop

Reverse EngineeringSurvey / Questionnaire


Req irement Anal sis


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Requirement Analysis


Analyze the stated requirementsof the stakeholders to ensure

that they are correct, assess thecurrent state of the business toidentify and recommendimprovements

Progressivelyelaborate statedrequirements

sufficient level ofdetail

accurately definesthe business need

within specifiedscope

Validaterequirements

meet the

business need

Verifyrequirements

are acceptable

quality


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Requirement Analysis - Tasks

Organize Requirements

Prioritize Requirements

Specify and Model Requirements

Determine Assumptions andConstraints

Verify Requirements

Validate Requirements

Gap analysis

Root-cause analysis Force-field analysis

User Interface Modelling


S l i A


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Solution Assessment& Validation


Assess proposed solutions to determine which solution bestfits the business need

Assess deployed solutions to see how well they meet theoriginal need in order to enable businesses to assess theperformance and effectiveness of projects

Solution Assessment & Validation Tasks


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Solution Assessment & Validation - Tasks Assess Requirements

Coverage

Allocate Requirements

Determine OrganizationalReadiness

Validate Solution

Evaluate Solution

Multi-voting Prototyping

Criteria-based grids

Impact/effort grids User Acceptance Testing


Requirements Management


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Requirements Management& Communication


Manage conflicts, issues

and changes

Ensure that stakeholdersand the project teamremain in agreement onthe solution scope

Purpose Recognize that communication takes

places throughout all knowledge areasManage the approved solution and

requirements scope

Ensure stakeholders have access tobusiness analysis work products

Prepare and communicaterequirements to stakeholders

Facilitate enterprise consistency andefficiency by re-using requirements


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Requirements Management & Communication - Tasks

Manage Solution and

Requirements Scope

Manage RequirementsTraceability

Maintain Requirementsfor re-use

Prepare RequirementsPackage

Communicaterequirements

Configuration Management Coverage Matrix Issue & Defect Reporting

Scope Definition Structured Walkthrough Traceability Matrix



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Essential skills and knowledge of Effective


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Essential skills and knowledge of EffectiveBusiness Analyst - BABOK

Analytical thinking & problem-solving skills Assess and understand a situation, Recommends one or more potential solutions to

address the business need, problem or opportunity

Behavioral characteristics Apply personal integrity and strength of character when dealing with people BA

team, project team, internal and external stakeholders Build strong and lasting working relationships

Business knowledge Understanding of the business/domain make good decisions and recommendations

Software Knowledge Word processing, spread sheet tools, requirement management tool Document project scope, Develop detailed user and system requirements

Interaction skills Team Players interact and work well with team members, leadership and facilitationskills

Communication skills Number one reason for project failure is poor communication


Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving


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Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving

Decision Analysis Criteria

Learning Business domain

Problem Solving System Thinking


Behavioral Characteristics


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Behavioral Characteristics

Ethics Mutual Respect

Personal Organization Timeliness, Commitment

Problem Solving Action plans, to do lists,

priorities

Trustworthiness Sensitive issues


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Communication Skills

Oral Communication

Teaching, Training, Sharing

Written Communication


I t ti Skill


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Interaction Skills

Facilitation & Negotiation

Leadership & Influencing

Team Work

Change Management

Negotiation Skills


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Negotiation Skills

Nego t ia t ion Basics Resourceful Equitable Sensitive

Patience

Endurance Character & integrity Tolerance

Typ es of nego t ia t ing Positional Win-Win



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S f A li i K l d


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Software Application Knowledge General-Purpose Applications

MS Office , Open Office, Web browsing, Email

Specialized Applications Tools for requirements gathering

RequisitePro, Mapping Tools, Rational tools (UML),starUML Project management

MS Project, MS Excel

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Exploring Requirements


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Exploring Requirements

Project success -> What is to be accomplished isclearly stated and agreed upon

Define high level scope of the project and more

detailed project requirements

Defining and documenting requirements Needs,wants and expectations of the project stakeholders



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Requirements States


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Requirements StatesRequirement State Description

Allocated Associated with solution components to be implemented

Analyzed Modeled and specified requirementsApproved Agreed by stakeholders

Communicated Shared and understood by stakeholders

Maintained & reuse Formatted and suitable for long term use

Prioritized Relative importance to stakeholders and organizationStated Needs expressed by stakeholders during elicitation

Stated Confirmed Confirmed by Ba to match stakeholders needs

Stated Unconfirmed BAs understanding of stakeholders intentions

Traced Clearly defined & identifies relationship to otherrequirements within solution scope

Validated Delivers value to stakeholders, within solution scope,aligned with business goals/objectives

Verified Checked, sufficient quality for further work to be performed


Key Terms


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Key Terms

Business analysis Business analyst Business requirements Domain

Elements Functional requirements Inputs Knowledge areas

Non-functional requirements Outputs Project manager


Requirements Solution requirements Solutions Solution scope

Stakeholder requirements Stakeholders Tasks Techniques

Transition requirements Underlying competencies


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BA Foundation Concepts

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