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Table of Contents
Visit to view this book’s cheat sheet. Introduction About This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Beyond the Book Where to Go from Here Part I: Getting Started with Business Analysis Chapter 1: Business Analysis in a Nutshell Defining Business Analysis Knowing Your Role in the Basic Business Analysis Lifecycle Looking at the Value of Business Analysis Considering the Skills of a Successful BA Outstanding communication Detailed research, analysis, and recording Time management and information organization The ability to see the big picture Customer-focused and value-driven perspective A large BA toolkit Flexibility Getting to Know the IIBA BABOK Pursuing Business Analysis Certification Chapter 2: Breaking Down the Different Levels of Business Analysis Checking out an Overview of the Levels Going to the Top: The Enterprise Level Doing business analysis activities at the enterprise level Overcoming challenges at the enterprise level Moving to the Organizational Level Fulfilling duties at the organizational level Dealing with organizational-level obstacles Drilling Down to the Operational Level Knowing your tasks at the operational level Taking on operational-level challenges Getting a Handle on the Project Level Tackling activities at the project level Rising above project-level hurdles Chapter 3: Identifying and Working with Stakeholders Reviewing a Who’s Who of Potential Project Participants Starting at the top with management Seeking subject matter experts Adding project support personnel Turning to technical personnel Identifying the Stakeholders in Your Project Find your stakeholders Using the RACI matrix Playing (and Communicating) Well with Others Targeting your communication to the various stakeholders Using active listening to your advantage Overcoming common barriers to effective communications Understanding and responding to verbal and nonverbal messages Fostering Strong Relationships Building trust and respect Generating consensus/gaining buy-in Part II: The BA Toolkit: Tools, Terms, and Techniques Chapter 4: Talking about Tools of the Trade Examining Communication Tools for Every Situation Talking about your options Choosing the right communication tool Trying Collaboration Tools Physical places Electronic places Investigating Innovation and Idea Capture Tools Looking at the technology spectrum Considering specific features Discovering Definition Tools Textual definition tools Modeling and diagramming tools Prototyping and simulation tools Reviewing Requirements Management Tools Low- and mid-tech options High-tech options Picking the Right Tools for the Situation Inventorying the situation you have now Determining what situation you need later Avoiding unnecessary tools and features Money, money, money: Facing budget challenges Preparing Team Members for Change Chapter 5: Understanding What Requirements Truly Entail Defining Needs Business needs Stakeholder needs Defining Requirements Business requirements Stakeholder requirements Solution requirements Transition requirements Technology requirements Making Your Requirements Excellent Complete Correct Unambiguous Verifiable Necessary Feasible Prioritized Focusing on the Four Core Components Data Process (use cases) External agents and actors Business rules Chapter 6: Hunting for the Right Information, Part 1: The Process Elicit, Don’t Gather: Developing the Right Questions Identifying the type of question you want to ask Identifying appropriate sources of information Choosing an Approach Using Clear, Consistent Language Choosing terms consistently Using language that’s consistent with the company’s language Framing questions that clearly reveal core needs Planning Your Elicitation Sessions Chapter 7: Hunting for the Right Information, Part 2: The Techniques Starting with Document Analysis Understanding the benefits of document analysis Perusing examples of documents you can review Looking Out for Observation Knowing when to use observation Choosing your observation method and completing the process Conducting Interviews Preparing for the interview Interviewing the stakeholder Documenting the interview Distributing Surveys Dressing for the occasion: Types of surveys Maximizing the chances of getting a response Compiling and using the data Getting to Know Requirements Workshops Identifying participants Scheduling a workshop Managing the session Brainstorming Considering Focus Groups Doing Interface Analysis Prototyping Throwaway prototypes Evolutionary prototype Simulation prototype Reverse Engineering Choosing Competitive Analysis Chapter 8: Uncovering and Analyzing Needs Investigating the Needs Discovering a company’s specific business needs Searching out stakeholder needs Uncovering the Root Cause Evaluating the Problem Choosing a good problem to solve Figuring out whether the problem matters Determining the impact of the problem Establishing the costs and benefits Creating the Problem Statement Creating the Solution Position Statement Knowing When You Have the Right Solution Validating the value of the solution Taking your audience into consideration Setting Your Solution Up For Success: Getting Clear Objectives Eliciting and articulating clear objectives Getting clear with SMART objectives Part III: Selling the Plan and Keeping It on Track Chapter 9: Making the (Business) Case Before You Dive In: Breaking Down Business Case Basics Looking at the benefits of writing a business case Playing to the crowd: Knowing your audience Following basic business case structure Defining and Presenting the Opportunity Executive summary Mission statement Description of the approach used Justifying the Recommendation Identifying and prioritizing alternative solutions Including a cost/benefit analysis The Devil Is in the Details: Providing Supporting Materials Addressing supporting documentation Noting your assumptions Documenting risk Presenting the Business Case Chapter 10: Creating and Maintaining Scope Making Sure You’re Scoping the Right Solution Recognizing Relevant Stakeholders Uncovering stakeholders by asking project-specific questions Discovering key stakeholders in different parts of the organization Ensuring That the Scope Aligns with Key Business Drivers Identifying Interfaces That Are Part of the Project User interfaces System interfaces Hardware interfaces Defining Scope with a Data Flow Diagram Identifying parties and systems that will be impacted by the project Identifying information (data) flows among the parties or systems Gaining consensus on the scope for the project Giving the project a descriptive name Finalizing the scope diagram Using Project Initiation Documentation to Clarify Scope Stating the purpose of the project Describing the project approach or methodology Listing project objectives Articulating problems and opportunities Outlining risks Specifying project assumptions and constraints Documenting high-level processes Identifying who’s responsible for each deliverable Indicating What Isn’t Covered: Items Not in Scope Getting Agreement on the Scope Avoiding Scope Creep Spotting scope creep Formulating a change control process Chapter 11: Creating Your Work Plan Hashing Out Work Plan Basics Considering the key components of a business analysis work plan Using a framework to create your plan Perusing the Project Characteristics Identifying project type Project size Other things Taking It to the People: The Stakeholder Communication Plan Identifying the people Getting to know the stakeholders Getting stakeholders involved Putting together the stakeholder communication plan The Process: Figuring Out How Things Are Done Waterfall Agile development methodologies Spiral model/Rational Unified Process (RUP) RAD/prototyping Compiling Your Work Plan Part IV: Achieving Goals with Business Analysis Chapter 12: Defining Solutions, Part 1: Taking a Closer Look at Your Requirements Categorizing Your Requirements Getting the process started Choosing the right category Documenting Your Requirements Documenting business and stakeholder requirements Documenting solution requirements, both functional and nonfunctional Documenting transition requirements Documenting technical requirements Ensuring Your Requirements Have Traceability Chapter 13: Defining Solutions, Part 2: Choosing the Right Analysis Technique Dealing with Data Flow Diagrams and External Interaction Textual Templates Getting a handle on data flow diagrams Examining the external interaction textual template ERD Is the Word: Using Entity Relationship Diagrams Getting familiar with the ERD Presenting the data with entity relationship text templates Rounding out the data: Entity text templates Drilling Down a Process Decomposition Diagram Step 1: Creating the process decomposition diagram Step 2: Documenting the processes Deciding on Decision Tables Working with Workflow Diagrams Decoding diagram symbols Creating a workflow diagram Seeing a diagram in action: An example Making a Use Case Model The graphic: Use case diagram The text: Use case description Prototyping Familiarizing yourself with mockup basics Creating mockups Keeping It Brief with User Stories Creating user stories Confirming user stories Chapter 14: Verifying and Validating Solutions Getting a Handle on Testing Basics Differentiating between verification and validation Making testing an ongoing activity Verification Testing: Confirming You Built the System Right Smoke test Unit test Integration test System test Validation Testing: Making Sure You Built the Right System Utilizing a usability test Getting users involved with a user acceptance test Receiving feedback with a post-implementation user assessment Preparing for the Test Creating test cases Putting together the verification and validation plan Conducting a Requirements Review Conducting a step-by-step review of the artifact Recruiting participants Chapter 15: Transition: Moving from Planning to Implementing Preparing for the Transition Transition requirements: The basics Reviewing the requirement components Assessing organization readiness Fostering stakeholders’ motivation and competence Rolling Out Your Strategy with the Right Approach Trying parallel processing Picking piloting Selecting single cutover Examining the Components of Your Rollout Plan Turning Your Solution Over to Operations Part V: The Part of Tens Chapter 16: Ten Ways to Keep Your Business Analysis Skills Sharp Participate in Social Media Network with Peers Get/Be a Mentor Leverage Peer Reviews Attend Formal Training Present on Business Analysis Topics Read Books (Like This One!) Have Lunch with Business Partners Rotate to Multiple Business Domains or Applications Use Business Analysis Techniques at Home Chapter 17: Ten Ways to Prepare Yourself for a New Project Hit the Ground Running and Get Up to Speed Clear Your Calendar and Your To-Do List Take a Vacation! Get Organized Identify What’s Been Done So Far Color in the Solution Define Everyone’s Roles, Responsibilities, and Deadlines Get to Know the Core Team Extend a Hand to the Extended Team Collaborate Chapter 18: Ten Experts Chime In The Three Pains Approach to Better Elicitation (Hans Eckman) Context Diagram (Ali Ibarguen) Affinity Diagram (Jonathan Babcock) Process One Pager (Robin Grace) Data Modeling (David Morris) Facilitated Session (Shelley Ruth) Root Cause Analysis (Kathy Claycomb) Requirements Traceability (Russ Pena) Functional Decomposition Diagram (Greg Busby) It’s All About the Communication! (Kupe Kupersmith) About the Author’s Author’s Acknowledgments Cheat Sheet Introduction Okay, so you bought this book looking for hints about performing business analysis. Or maybe you’re still in the bookstore thinking about whether this book is
going to be of any value to you as a business analyst. (Hint: It is.) You may be working as a business analyst now or wondering whether it’s the right job for
you. As a career path, business analysis is a good option. Companies today need business analysis performed so they can solve problems, take advantage of
opportunities, make sure they’re chasing the most cost-effective solutions, and streamline efficiency. The good news is that the skills needed to address these
concerns are learnable. With even basic knowledge, you can immediately help a company reach its goals. You can make a difference today in the success of
your (or someone else’s) business. However, one of the challenges you face as a business analyst (BA) is that it isn’t black and white; the standard BA answer to almost any question is, “It
depends.” Business analysis deals with a lot of variables and changing conditions, which means you have to practice a lot to get good at it. The more you
experience, the better you get. Business Analysis For Dummies brings together a lot of experience in one place to help you get a head start and jump in right
away.
About This Book Part of business analysis is about setting general expectations for the project results and being educated in various techniques and principles, and this book is
right in line with that philosophy. No book about business analysis can possibly explain every situation and every approach you may find yourself in. You have
to do a certain amount of figuring it out as you go along. What this book does give you are tools and techniques you can use to set your expectations. We provide tips and starting points for communication with
stakeholders and even explain what business analysis terms like stakeholder mean. This book is a reference tool you can turn to in order to understand what
particular aspect of business analysis you’re looking for. The beauty of it is that you don’t have to read through the entire book cover to cover to get the
information you want out of it. You can simply open to the table of contents, find what you’re looking for, and head directly to that section without passing Go
or collecting $200. Here’s a taste of the useful reference material you can expect to find in Business Analysis For Dummies: How to determine whether someone is giving you a solution disguised as a requirement and how to find the root cause of the problem (Chapter 6) Why you have to understand what is driving the business to undertake the project and know whether proceeding is a good decision (Chapter 8) How to create multiple solutions for a problem (or take an advantage of an opportunity) and recommend which one the business should undertake
(Chapter 9)
How to find and maintain the boundaries of a project so you know exactly what you are (and aren’t) working on (Chapter 10) The great thing about this book is that we let you know exactly what information is vital and what’s nonessential. We’ve packed the main body with all the
stuff we think you really need to know, but you can skip items like sidebars (shaded boxes) and Technical Stuff paragraphs. These bits are interesting, but you
won’t miss out on vital information if you choose to pass them by.
All web addresses appear in monofont. As you read, you may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in
print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending that the line break doesn’t exist. If
you’re reading this as an e-book, you’ve got it easy — just click the web address to be taken directly to the web page.
And one business analysis-specific note: We use BA, business analyst, and business analysis professional interchangeably to describe the person doing this type
of work — just as these terms are used in real life. Know, though, that “business analyst” is a general descriptor rather than a professional title. Business
analysis is performed at all levels of a company. Even mom-and-pop shops need to perform business analysis, but they don’t necessarily hire an outside
business analyst; someone on their staff performs the business analysis work. In this book, that person is as much a BA as someone who has “business analyst”
printed on her business card. Foolish Assumptions Business analysis is full of assumptions (though BAs have their own definition of assumption). Seeing as how we’re so accustomed to assumptions, we make a
few about you as our readers: You need to perform business analysis to do your job, whether you have the title “business analyst” or not. You know how to read documents and search for information (the fact that you’re reading this book to gain information confirms that assumption). You can (or need to learn how to) ask tough questions, communicate with people both electronically and face to face, and get up in front of a group to
present an idea.
You’re constantly willing to increase your business analysis skills and to look at different ways to accomplish things.
Icons Used in This Book Look for these familiar For Dummies icons to offer visual clues about the kinds of material you’re about to read: This icon points out good advice relating to the subject matter you’re reading about. Skimming these paragraphs gives you some seriously good
suggestions that can help you utilize resources efficiently and make your work just a little easier! The decisions you make and information you present can have a profound impact on the business. For that reason, we highlight important
business analysis concepts and principles with this icon. Consider these bits the extra-important paragraphs you’ll want to come back to. Read these paragraphs to avoid BA pitfalls that may result in poor customer satisfaction and solutions that just don’t hit the mark. This icon appears beside information that’s interesting but that won’t impair your understanding of business analysis if you skip it. The Anecdote icon calls out our attempts to show you how a particular BA technique has been applied in the real world. We have had more
than 50 years of experience among us, so we want to share our success (and horror) stories with you so you can benefit from (or just chuckle at)
them.
Beyond the Book In addition to the material in the print or e-book you’re reading right now, this product also comes with some goodies you can access on the web. No matter
how diligently you prepare, execute, and follow the business analysis guidelines we offer in this book, you’ll probably come across a few situations that stump
you.
Check out the free Cheat Sheet at for an overview of a project’s
lifecycle; 15 indicators that can point you to areas that are ripe for process improvement; and a checklist that helps you perform a business impact analysis,
which lets you target the project worthy of your efforts and the business’s resources.
Head to to find pointers on conducting a requirements review, a process
that gets you to the heart of an issue by asking one simple question, and advice for developing a good relationship with your project manager.
Where to Go from Here The book is about as modular as you can get with business analysis, meaning you don’t have to read one chapter to understand what happens in the next. If
you’re looking for a specific keyword you heard a manager use or a new technique you saw another BA use in a meeting, you can use the index or table of
contents as your guide and skip right to the appropriate chapter to read about it. We’ve organized this book so that you can jump in wherever you want, so if you want to skip to the end and read the short chapters in Part V first, go right
ahead. You find lots of good information presented in easy-to-digest nuggets there, and who knows — these pearls of wisdom may inspire you to go back to
find the more detailed, how-to info in the main chapters themselves. If you’re totally new to business analysis, start at Part I. Chapter 3 is a good landing point if you want to brush up on the people side of the business. Want to
find out about making a business case? Head to Chapter 9. For help figuring out what the problems are to begin with, …
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