demystifying the business analysis body of knowledge central iowa iiba chapter december 7, 2005

Demystifying the Demystifying the Business Analysis Business Analysis Body of KnowledgeBody of Knowledge

Central Iowa IIBA Chapter

December 7, 2005

ObjectivesObjectives

Understand the BA BOK◘ Key Knowledge Areas ◘ Core BA skills

Status of the IIBA BOK Guide◘ IIBA Committee◘ Feedback to the guide◘ Relationship to professional certification

What is the BA BOK?What is the BA BOK?

Business Analysis is the set of tasks, knowledge & techniques required to identify business needs & determine solutions to business problems

The Business Analysis Body of Knowledge Captures the sum of knowledge within

the profession of Business Analysis◘ Areas of knowledge◘ Associated activities & tasks◘ Skills necessary to be effective

Reflects what is currently accepted practices

Owned & enhanced by the professionals who apply it

Guide to Business Analysis Guide to Business Analysis Body of KnowledgeBody of Knowledge

Fundamentals◘ Introduction (Chapter 1)◘ Underlying Fundamentals (Chapter 8)◘ Glossary (Chapter 9)

Knowledge Areas◘ Enterprise Analysis (Chapter 2)◘ Requirements Planning & Management (Chapter 3)◘ Requirements Gathering (Chapter 4)◘ Requirements Analysis & Documentation (Chapter 5)◘ Requirements Communication (Chapter 6)◘ Requirements Implementation (Chapter 7)

1. Required table stakes

2. Directly related to typical project or solutions development lifecycles

3. Business Architecture

Knowledge Area RelationshipsKnowledge Area Relationships

EnterpriseAnalysis

Requirements Planning and Management

Requirements Communication

Requirements Gathering

Requirements Analysis & Documentation

Requirements Implementation

Underlying FundamentalsGlossary

Business Analysis SkillsBusiness Analysis Skills Analyze & solve problems Understand the business Communicate effectively (written & spoken) Manage client relationships Facilitate discussions Negotiate & build consensus Model data & processes Plan & manage activities Facilitate & develop business strategy Understand & manage organizational change

FundamentalsFundamentals Ensuring an effective Business Analysis resource

◘ Defines the general competencies, skills, techniques or knowledge needed to effectively perform business analysis but is not unique to business analysis

Value◘ Articulates non-specific professional skills that are

necessary in order for a Business Analysis professional to be successful in performing his/her role

◙ Communication Skills◙ Leadership Skills◙ Problem Solving Skills◙ Business Knowledge◙ IT Knowledge




EnterpriseAnalysis







Enterprise AnalysisEnterprise Analysis Understanding the Big Picture

◘ Pre-project / early project activities and approaches◘ Captures the view of the business to provide context to the

requirements◘ Supports initiatives & long-term planning◘ Creates the business architecture◘ Includes process, workflow & entity relationship

diagramming, cost / benefit analysis, feasibility studies

Value◘ Provides understanding of the organizational environment◘ Provides a context / foundation on which to evaluate all

future issues & challenges◘ Scoping and identifying new business opportunities




EnterpriseAnalysis







Enterprise AnalysisEnterprise Analysis

1. Creating and maintaining the business architecture

2. Conducting feasibility studies

3. Identifying new business opportunities

4. Scoping and defining the new business opportunities

5. Preparing the business case

6. Conducting the initial risk assessment

7. Proposing new project opportunities

8. Support project management◘ Launching new projects◘ Tracking project benefits




EnterpriseAnalysis







Enterprise Analysis - SkillsEnterprise Analysis - Skills

Analyze & solve problems Understand the business Communicate effectively (written & spoken) Facilitate & develop business strategy




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements Planning & ManagementRequirements Planning & Management Defining the Plan

◘ Specifies requirements activities to be performed on a specific project

◘ Identifies the deliverables to be produced◘ Describes how changes will be controlled & managed

Value◘ Identifies set of requirements activities most appropriate to the

unique circumstances of the project◘ Coordinates requirements with other project work◘ Ensures a common understanding across the requirements

team◘ Allows for monitoring & addressing of requirements challenges◘ Specifies tools, resources & contributors & ensures availability◘ Ensures changes are captured correctly and consistently




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements Planning & ManagementRequirements Planning & Management1. Understand team roles

2. Identify stakeholders

3. Define Business Analyst work division strategy

4. Define requirements risk approach

5. Determine planning considerations

6. Select requirements activities

7. Estimate requirements activities

8. Manage requirements scope9. Measure & report on requirements activity

10. Manage requirements change




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements Planning & Management Requirements Planning & Management - Skills- Skills

Analyze & solve problems Plan & manage activities Communicate effectively (write & speak) Manage client relationships




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements GatheringRequirements Gathering

Executing the plan◘ Identifies the tasks, knowledge & techniques for collecting

the requirements◘ Defines standard techniques used to collect requirements

for the system

Value◘ Defines the broad classifications of requirements (e.g.,

functional, usability, non-functional, constraints)◘ Describes the various techniques used to gather

requirements◘ Identifies the appropriate collecting method based on the

applicability of a technique’s process, key features, strengths and weaknesses




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements GatheringRequirements GatheringStandard techniques

◘ Brainstorming◘ Document Analysis (review existing documentation)◘ Focus Groups◘ Interface Analysis (External Interface Analysis)◘ Interviews◘ Job Shadowing (Observation)◘ Prototyping/Storyboarding (including personas and usage

scenarios)◘ Requirements Workshop (Elicitation workshop; Facilitated

workshop; Joint Application Development (JAD))◘ Reverse Engineering◘ Survey / Questionnaire◘ User Task Analysis (Workflow Analysis)




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements Gathering - SkillsRequirements Gathering - Skills

Analyze & solve problems Facilitate discussions Negotiate & build consensus Communicate effectively (write & speak) Manage client relationships Understand the business




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements Analysis & Requirements Analysis & DocumentationDocumentation

Analyzing the data◘ Defines the methods, tools & techniques used to structure the

raw data collected during requirements gathering◘ Identifies gaps in the information◘ Defines the capabilities of the solution

Value◘ Transforms the business need into clearly described

capabilities◘ Provides the foundation for selecting the best alternative

among the solution options◘ Provides requirements that can be clearly communicated to the

customer, users and stakeholders, and to the project team




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements Analysis & Requirements Analysis & DocumentationDocumentation

1. Define Solution Model

2. Analyze Functional Requirements

3. Define supplemental (non-functional) requirements

4. Describe Assumptions and Constraints5. Determine requirements attributes

6. Structure requirements for traceability

7. Create Requirements Specification

8. Validate requirements




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements Analysis & Requirements Analysis & Documentation - SkillsDocumentation - Skills

Analyze & solve problems Model data & processes Communicate effectively (write & speak)




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements ImplementationRequirements Implementation Delivering the best solution

◘ Ensures the solution meets the stakeholder objectives while supporting the needs of the developers

◘ Guides detailed specifications & development of the solution, testing & implementation

◘ Establishes ways to assess the project success after implementation

Value◘ Articulates how the Business Analysis professional should

work with the other project team members to produce the solution design

◘ Identifies the approach to evaluating alternative solutions once requirements have been formally signed off

◘ Ensures that the solution is implemented smoothly◘ Verifies that the solution is thoroughly tested




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements ImplementationRequirements Implementation

1. Develop alternate solutions2. Evaluate technology options3. Facilitate the selection of a solution4. Design a usable application5. Support the Quality Assurance process6. Support the solution implementation7. Communicate the solution impacts




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements Implementation - SkillsRequirements Implementation - Skills

Analyze & solve problemsNegotiate & build consensusCommunicate effectively (write & speak)Understand the business Understand & manage organizational change




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements CommunicationsRequirements Communications Communicating the outcome

◘ Presents & communicates requirements to all stakeholders & implementers of the project

◘ Brings the group to consensus & gets approval◘ On-going, iterative process throughout life of project

Value◘ Presents the requirements in a format & structure that is

appropriate for all intended audience(s)◘ Brings the various stakeholders to a common understanding◘ Formalizes agreement




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements CommunicationsRequirements Communications

1. Determine appropriate requirements presentation format

2. Create requirements package

3. Present requirements

4. Conduct a formal requirements review

5. Obtain consensus and signoff of requirements




EnterpriseAnalysis







Requirements Communications - SkillsRequirements Communications - Skills

Communicate effectively (write & speak) Facilitate Discussion Negotiate & build consensus Understand & manage organizational change Manage client relationships Understand the business




EnterpriseAnalysis







Status of the IIBA BOKStatus of the IIBA BOK

Who maintains the guide to the BA BOK? ◘ IIBA committee of Business Analysis professionals◘ Drafts will continue to be posted on the web site

Feedback to the guide◘ Volunteer for committee◘ Send comments to committee

Relationship to Professional Certification◘ Basis for determining professional knowledge ◘ Experience in 4 out of 6 Knowledge Areas◘ Experience in 3 out of 5 of the underlying fundamentals

demystifying the business analysis body of knowledge central iowa iiba chapter december 7, 2005

Documents