Practices and Methods in Business Analysis

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Discuss the various approaches and activities involved in business analysis
• Explain the Osborn-Parnes’ Creative Problem Solving framework
• Elaborate on the traditional V-model and modified V-model for agile testing
• Describe the role of business analyst in the product development life cycle
• List the activities and tasks performed by BA in the development life cycle
  

  Pre-project and pre-sales Stakeholder interactions Requirements development Acceptance test plans and test cases Architecture and design System and acceptance testing Solution deployment Benefits realisation

• Recount the key points from listening to an experienced business analyst narrate “their experiences as BA”
• Describe the BA activities and tasks during key stages in the development life cycle:
  • Scope – Requirements: Define, manage and communicate requirements
  • Model – Analysis: Create low, medium and high-fidelity prototypes
  • Wireframes – Mockups: Draw rough visuals of the proposed solution
  • Profiles – Personas: Create user profiles and personas (archetypes)
  • Reviews – Feedback: Perform reviews of processes, work products
  • Data – Analytics: Create conceptual and logical data models
• Discuss the dangers and pitfalls to avoid in business analysis landscape
• Explain the role and contribution of BA in the requirements lifecycle
• List and elaborate on the different types of requirements:
  

  Business requirements User requirements Functional requirements Quality of service requirements Assumptions and constraints Implementation requirements

• Discuss the various aspects of IIBA’s business analysis methodology (BABOK):
  

  Key concepts Tasks Underlying competencies Techniques Perspectives Knowledge areas

• Describe the key stages of BCS’s Business Analysis Process Model (BAPM)
• List the stages and activities involved in BAPM aka ICAED approach:
  

  Investigate situation Consider perspectives Analyse needs Evaluate options Define requirements

• Explain BA’s role in the agile methodologies
• List the stages of the INVEST model of requirements in agile methods
  

  Independent Negotiable Valuable to customers and users Estimable Small Testable