Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Business
Analysis
Why read this book?
Welcome
Because you want just one source
of information that covers the basic
principles of Business Analysis.
to our little book on the
big subject of
Business You need those useful tips, stats and
facts for an upcoming presentation but
2.
Alternative reasons There is too much information out there
to read this book on this subject – you need something
you can digest in small chunks.
Enjoy!
4.
Contents 1. Setting the scene 12
3. Capturing requirements 48
4. Process design 74
7. Glossary 122
6.
What is....
Business Analysis? Business analysis is a
research discipline
of identifying business needs and
determining solutions
to business problems.
Solutions often include a systems
development component, but may
also consist of process improvement,
organisational change or strategic
planning and policy development.
Wikipedia
8.
What is the role of a....
Business Analyst? A consultancy role
that has responsibility for
investigating business systems,
identifying options for improving
business systems and bridging
the needs of the business
with the use of IT.
10.
1 OPENING SCENE
TAKE 1
Setting
the scene
12.
What is Strategy is the
ADVANTAGE How can the business STAKEHOLDERS What are the values and
perform better than the expectations of those in
competition in those markets? power in and around the
16.
Where to
start?
Before embarking on any project, There are various strategic planning tools
you will need to understand the that you can use to analyse these factors.
internal and external factors that
can affect your proposed strategy. Some of the most widely used tools include:
»» SWOT Analysis
»» PEST Analysis
»» Porter’s 5 Forces
»» McKinsey’s 7S Model
20.
PEST Analysis
P OLITICAL
Global issues, legislation or regulations
Use a P E S T Analysis to which may impact now or in the future.
examine important external factors
that may impact your project. E CONOMICAL
Interest rates, inflation and consumer
confidence should all be taken into account.
S OCIAL
Media, major events or advertising and
publicity factors can all make an impact.
T ECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT
Technological advancements, innovations
as well as global communications should
22.
Porter’s 5 Porter identified five factors that act together
BARGAINING
SUPPLIERS
POWER OF
the competitiveness of the industry
in which you operate, and the
‘attractiveness’ of the market. DE G
COM GREE NIN
PET OF GAI
I BAR ER OF S
RIVA TIVE POW TOMER
LRY
CUS
TH TR AR
UT OF
EN E M
RE AN KE
N
TH
IO
TIT AT
AT TS T
BS RE
OF TO
SU TH
NE
W
SKILLS STYLE
STAFF
28.
Getting to
a version
of the truth
2
30.
The truth is
out there…
Getting to a version of the
truth requires interaction with
key stakeholders through a well
balanced mix of elicitation techniques.
32.
Elicitation
techniques:
Interviews l Pros
Allows in depth discussion to enable
you to extract detailed information from
individuals. Can often lead to an accurate
The most commonly used technique understanding of the process.
used for requirements gathering.
34.
Elicitation
techniques:
Workshops l Pros
One of the most powerful techniques in
gaining consensus on requirements. Can
forge an agreement between stakeholders
Stakeholders brought together and team.
for a short intensive workshop.
36.
Elicitation
techniques:
Document
Review l Pros
Enables you to understand the process
Elicit requirements by studying and not the biased opinion of individuals!
available documentation. A good Has little or no impact on stakeholders time.
starting point before involving others.
38.
Elicitation
techniques:
Surveys l Pros
Useful for quickly gathering data from a
large group of participants, particularly when
Information is elicited via questions stakeholders are geographically dispersed.
to sample groups, sometimes Results can be statistically analysed.
anonymously, in a short space of time.
40.
Drawing
conclusions… Once your elicitation methods
have been employed, be
sure to document the
elicitation quickly , while it
is still fresh in your mind.
42.
Be prepared
for... NineFeetTall’s recent ‘Truth or Dare’ survey
revealed…
44.
What makes a good business analyst
listen
a good has the ability to
to what is being said
Analyst? www.modernanalyst.com
48.
Requirements
analysis
An effective analysis of your
requirements will allow you to
understand what you need and
what you want in order for your
project to be a success.
3. Capturing requirements
50.
Why do
we need What marketing What marketing
requirements
suggested approved
specification?
As designed by What was built
engineering
3. Capturing requirements
How it was What the
installed customer wanted
52.
Get it right! 60%-80%
of project failure
can be attributed directly
to poor requirements
gathering and analysis.
Source: Gartner
3. Capturing requirements
54.
The 9 top 1. Poor definition of requirements
3. Capturing requirements
9. Scope creep
56.
What is a A requirement is a
requirement?
statement that identifies a necessary
attribute, capability, characteristic
or quality of a system for it to have
value and utility to a user.
It describes what
is wanted and
3. Capturing requirements
what it will do.
58.
Documenting
requirements
Here are some useful words to use
when documenting your requirements.
3. Capturing requirements
60.
Take care
when Beware of…
documenting AMBIGUITY
OVERLAP
Are there requirements that might cross
over with one another?
REALISM
Is the requirement realistic or is it just
one person’s pipedream that could
3. Capturing requirements
never be possible?
TESTABILITY
Can the requirement be tested?
62.
Prioritising
requirements
A standard Business Analyst format
for prioritising requirements is through
the MoS CoW technique.
3. Capturing requirements
64.
MoSCoW
3. Capturing requirements
66.
Sign-off
The final stage of producing
a requirements document is
the all important document
al l
APPROVAL:
tt
sign-off.
ninefee ay 2013
Whilst this may be the
final step in the process, it is
important you understand from
3. Capturing requirements
68.
Avoiding
scope creep
Changes will happen but
at least you can assess the
It is critical that you
have aclear and well cost, time and
impact to
3. Capturing requirements
70.
How to avoid
scope creep
1. Have a clear understanding of the 6. Map all work requirements and
project vision. milestones onto a detailed project plan.
2. Know the priorities of the project drivers. 7. With your schedule in place, assign
all required resources.
3. Clearly define your intended
deliverables and get them approved 8. Determine your critical path. This is likely
by the project drivers. to change over the course of your project
so it is important to evaluate it before
4. Breakdown the deliverables into development begins.
3. Capturing requirements
actual work requirements.
9. Expect scope creep! Implement Change
5. Break the project down into minor Order Forms to enable you to perform a
and major project milestones. cost/benefit analysis for all change requests.
72.
Process
4 design
74.
What is Process design
process is used to develop
design? efficient
business practices.
It combines the
objectives
of each department
in the business to create a
repeatable
set of instructions
to make the business
4. Process Design
run efficiently.
76.
9 process
mapping
questions
1. What are the key inputs? 5. What decisions are made in the process?
2. What are the main outputs? 6. Who performs each activity?
3. Where does the output go? 7. Who are the suppliers of the process?
4. What generates the process? 8. Who are the customers of the process?
9. What sequence are the activities
4. Process Design
performed in?
78.
Process
mapping tools
and models
The real world is usually complex Business analysts use a number of
and messy. different process models:
4. Process Design
80.
Rich Pictures
Rich Pictures help visualise business Key elements of a Rich Picture:
processes.
PROCESSES
What are the processes for transforming
inputs into outputs?
RESOURCE PLANNING
LOTUS NOTES
INPUTS
What are the inputs? Where do they
WEBSITE CRYSTAL
REPORTS
come from?
EDUCATION
NETREGULATE DATABASE G: DRIVE ANNUAL
VISITOR
OUTPUTS
MASTER LIST MONITORING
PLANNING
STEPS
4. Process Design
MANUAL INPUT What are the basic steps in-between.
COMPLAINTS LOG
82.
Key attributes of a Swim-lane diagram:
Swim-lanes
(often referred to as cross-functional flowcharts)
LANES
Processes and decisions are grouped
visually by placing them in lanes.
Allows you to quickly and easily plot
and trace processes and, in particular, PROCESS FLOW
the interconnections between Highlights the flow of a process between
processes, departments and teams. different functions or departments.
HAND-OVERS
Highlights the key hand-over points.
INEFFICIENCIES
Great tool to help spot processing gaps,
delays and inefficiencies.
Staff member A
4. Process Design
4
Staff member B
ALTERNATIVE
ACTIVITY
84.
Process
mapping
Business
should help improvement
you decide… Vs
Business process
re-design
4. Process Design
86.
Improvement Vs Re-engineering
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT BUSINESS RE-ENGINEERING
Normally assumes some pre-defined Builds the optimum process first and
constraints especially regarding then designs the organisation around it.
organisational structure.
»» Taking what you have and making it better »» Wipes slate clean and starts again
»» Bottom up, within the departments »» Top down, spanning departments
»» Focus on existing process »» Focus on outcome
»» In the order of 10-20% efficiency »» Up to 10 times efficiency gains have been
gains reported
4. Process Design
88.
Business
improvement WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Lean Vs Six Sigma Vs Lean Six Sigma Lean originates from the Japanese
manufacturing industry
Some people speak of Lean, some
speak of Six Sigma and some use a Lean focuses on:
combination of the two.
»» eliminating waste from processes
»» increasing process speeds
4. Process Design
90.
Six Sigma
…is a set of tools and strategies In recent years, Six Sigma is often
for process improvement originally combined with Lean
developed by Motorola in 1986
Lean Six Sigma combines speed
It seeks to improve the quality of process with quality improvements.
outputs by:
Whilst Lean promotes rapid business
»» identifying and removing the causes processes, this focus can sometimes
of defects result in a lack of quality.
»» reducing cycle times Together Lean and Six Sigma can result
»» eliminating costs which provide in the most efficient, quality workflows
no value to customers possible, allowing your company to
maximise productivity, while eliminating
4. Process Design
waste and reducing costs.
92.
Business ...the fundamental
4. Process Design
94.
96.
Vs
re-design
process
Business
improvement
Business
Incremental, DEGREE
Radical, extreme
small steps OF CHANGE
STARTING
Existing processes Start from new
POINT
FREQUENCY
Continuous One-time
OF CHANGE
4. Process Design
The key stages
of business
process
re-design
GAP
AS-IS TO-BE TRANSITION
ANALYSIS
4. Process Design
98.
GAP analysis
Compare the “As-Is” and “To-Be” PROCESS
processes and highlight any gaps
using this NineFeetTall framework
to ensure all areas are addressed.
PEOPLE ORGANISATION
SYSTEMS
4. Process Design
100.
5 Testing new
ways of
working
102.
Testing,
testing,
1, 2, 3…
Testing is the practice
of making objective judgments
regarding the extent to which a
new system meets, exceeds or
fails to meet stated objectives.
should highlight
the testing.
106.
Test plan
108.
90%
of the effort involved in testing is in the
planning and preparation.
only 10%
of effort is deployed in the
testing of the actual system.
EQUIPMENT
IT, printers, scanners, tills etc.
What needs to be defined?
SOFTWARE
Test environment, version.
SCHEDULE DATA
When/what, cycles, regression testing. Set up of real data on test system,
appropriate user access rights and security.
RISKS
112.
Business
6 readiness
114.
Your go-live TRAINING
Stakeholders and users have been trained,
CHANGE PLAN
New ways of working defined and
organisational structure aligned.
6. Business readiness
Master data set up, data migration CONTINGENCY
complete and KPIs defined and agreed. A plan in case something goes wrong.
116.
Ready? Going-live without everything in place
may result in:
6. Business readiness
and ownership
118.
And finally… However beautiful
the strategy,
occasionally
you should
look at the results .
6. Business readiness
120.
7 Glossary
122.
Glossary
BA – Business Analyst. PEST – model to analyse Political,
Economical, Social and Technical factors.
BPM – Business Process Management.
Porter’s 5 Forces Model – used to analyse
BPR – Business Process Re-Design. the competitiveness of the industry in which
you operate.
McKinsey’s 7S’ – a model to help balance
the shared values, strategy, structure, Six Sigma – a set of tools and strategies for
systems, skills, staff and style elements process improvement, originally developed
of your project or business. by Motorola in 1986.
7. Glossary
124.
Useful
8 resources
126.
Useful
resources
WEBSITES SOCIAL
www.ninefeettall.com www.linkedin.com/skills/skill/Business_Analysis
www.9plustraining.com
www.mindtools.com
ASSOCIATIONS
BCS (British Computer Society),
www.modernanalyst.com The Chartered Institute for IT
http://www.bcs.org
BLOGS
www.ninefeettall.com/blog BABoK
(Business Analyst Body of Knowledge)
RESEARCH
Nine Feet Tall’s ‘Truth or Dare’ Survey, 2012 IIBA – International Institute of Business Analysis
www.iiba.org
8. Useful resources
Download the results from
www.ninefeettall.com/insight/register-truth-or-dare-survey/
128.
9 About
130.
About
9. About NineFeetTall
132.
Contact us
We hope you have enjoyed our If you would like to discuss your
little book on this big subject. business analysis requirements,
please get in touch:
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9. Setting the scene
134.
1.
www.ninefeettall.com
136.