Business Analysis Theory and Practice

Recognizing the need for competent business analysts and the need for a standard framework for requirements definition, the International Institute of Business Analysts (IIBA™) was formed in 2005. The IIBA™ vision is to be the leading world-wide professional association that develops and maintains standards for the practice of business analysis and for the certification of practitioners.

There is no more critical function in the management of successful projects than identifying a clear project scope, which includes identifying the requirements of the product the project will create. Unfortunately, identifying those requirements is difficult under even the best circumstances. Often, requirements are poorly understood even by business users of the systems or products to be created by the project and by the project designers and developers. Users often have a difficult time articulating requirements, and, frequently, the requirements will need to be changed during the course of the project. Those who develop the product of the project may also bring their own biases to product design, which may further complicate the ability of the project to produce deliverables that meet user needs.

A critical role in requirements elicitation and management is played by the business analyst. Business analysts serve as the link between the business interests served by the project and the technology that will be employed to deliver the functionality required by it. They are responsible for translating business needs into language that systems analysts can turn into a solution, for framing the problem and identifying the most appropriate solution. They keep the project focused on the needs for which it was initiated. They are often charged with gathering, documenting, and testing requirements, especially in software development and implementation projects.

The goal of this workshop is to enhance the skills of those engaged in requirements elicitation and management and to increase the capability of an organization to deliver products and services that meet user and stakeholder needs. It provides a focused overview of both the “hard” and “soft” skills necessary for business analysis and an introduction to the processes included in the BABOK™ requirements cycle. This workshop also provides an interactive capstone exercise that requires participants to demonstrate the skills they have learned and to apply those skills in a simulated project.

Audience

• Project managers and senior managers
• Business analysts
• Project stakeholders concerned with requirements management
• Those who aspire to become project managers or business analysts
• Those engaged in improving the delivery of products and services that meet user needs

The term Business Analyst (BA) is used to describe a person who practices the discipline of business analysis. A business analyst or "BA" is responsible for analyzing the business needs of their clients and stakeholders to help identify business problems and propose solutions. Within the systems development life cycle domain, the business analyst typically performs a liaison function between the business side of an enterprise and the providers of services to the enterprise. Common alternative titles are business systems analyst, systems analyst, and functional analyst, although some organizations may differentiate between these titles and corresponding responsibilities.

A BA does not always work in IT-related projects, as BA skills are often required in marketing and financial roles as well. BAs work in different industries such as finance, banking, insurance, telecom, utilities, software services, etc. It is common that BAs switch between industries. The business domain subject areas BAs may work in include workflow, billing, mediation, provisioning and customer relationship management. The telecom industry has mapped these functional areas in their eTOM (Telecommunications Operational Map) model.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Outline

Module 1: Introduction To The Workshop

This module introduces the subject, describes the course layout, and allows participants to get to know one another. It also describes the exam registration process and the content of the exam and test-taking best practices.

Module 2: The IIBA And The Role Of The Business Analyst

This module describes the emergence of the IIBA and its role in professionalizing the profession and describes the appropriate role for business analysts in critical projects.

Module 3: The Definition Of Requirements And The Challenges Of Requirements Management

This module describes the technical and non-technical challenges of identifying and managing requirements and describes the elements of “good” requirements. It also identifies the differences between business and system requirements and engages participants in requirements definition exercises.

Module 4: The Link Between Requirements Definition And Management And Project Management

Because business analysts work within the framework of a project and because they manage a project themselves--the elicitation and management of requirements—this module introduces participants to the critical processes of project management with a focus on project initiation, project scope definition, and project risk management.

Module 5: Conflict Management For Business Analysts

This module describes old and new models of conflict management and the role that conflict plays in requirements processes. A model for effective conflict resolution is introduced—the principled negotiations model—and participants are provided an opportunity to deploy that model.

Module 6: Creative Communications For Business Analysts

This module describes the critical role of communications throughout the requirements process. It examines techniques for effective listening, making presentations and managing meetings. It also explores three new strategies for competing for the attention of stakeholders—crafting “sticky” messages, changing minds, and making use of informal communication networks. Participants are provided the opportunity to use the new skills they have learned.

Module 7: The Requirements Cycle

This module presents the IIBA’s requirements cycle and the major activities the business analyst engages in for each of the six processes in that cycle.

Module 8: Enterprise Analysis

This module describes the activities engaged in by business analysts to create and manage the business architecture of the enterprise to include project prioritization, feasibility studies, the preparation of business cases, and process improvement.

Module 9: Requirements Planning And Management

This module describes the activities necessary for the business analyst to plan for and deploy an effective requirements elicitation and management process. Participants are challenged to create a requirements plan.

Module 10: Requirements Elicitation

This module describes the challenges and purposes of requirements elicitation and presents the major requirements elicitation methods. Participants are provided the opportunity to deploy several of those methods.

Module 11: Requirements Analysis and Documentation

In this module, participants are provided an overview of the role of requirements documentation and analysis, and the three major types of analytic methods are described.

Module 12: Data And Behavior Models

In this module, participants are given an overview of the seven data and behavior models presented by the IIBA, including business rules, class diagrams, and entity relationship diagrams, and are given the opportunity for hands-on application.

Module 13: Process Flow Models

In this module, participants are given an overview of the seven process flow models presented by the IIBA, including data flow diagrams, activity flow diagrams, state diagrams, and flowcharts, and given an opportunity for hands-on application.

Module 14: Usage models

In this module, participants are given an overview of the seven usage models, including use cases, use case diagrams, and prototypes, and given the opportunity for hands-on application.

Module 15: Requirements Communication

In this module, participants are shown the importance of effective communications within the requirements cycle and introduced to the challenge of selecting, preparing, and presenting the requirements package to stakeholders.

Module 16: Solution Assessment And Verification

In this module, participants will explore the roles of the business analyst in ensuring that delivered products and services meet the defined requirements, tracing requirements to functions and tests, and interacting with users to make implementation as smooth as possible.

Module 17: Importance And Challenges Of User Acceptance Testing

In this module, participants will be given an introduction to the importance and challenges of good user acceptance testing.

Module 18: Capstone Exercise

This module requires participants to apply the skills they have learned by creating a requirements plan, identifying requirements elicitation strategies, creating user and supplementary requirements, analyzing and documenting requirements using several methods, creating a requirements package and presenting it.

Module 19: Workshop Wrap-up

This module wraps up the workshop, gives participants a chance to ask remaining questions, and allows them to evaluate the workshop.

Course Length:

5 Days

Course Dates:

June 23 - 27, 2008

Course Price:

$2,995

Please note: New Horizons training coupons and club memberships are not accepted for this unique and highly specialized training event.

Enrollment in this course is limited. If you would like more information regarding this course or would like to enroll, please contact us today.

Business Analysis Theory and Practice, (BAB-607) is IIBA Endorsed and is offered by Babbage Simmel, an IIBA Charter Endorsed Education Provider. The course consists of original, proprietary, BABOK-compliant material that is provided directly by Babbage Simmel through Babbage Simmel Certified Instructors.