BA Acronyms, Models and Tools Flashcards
3Cs
Underlying principles for user story development
Card - limited information
Conversation - basis for a conversation to explore in more detail
Confirmation - evaluated against defined acceptance criteria.
4Ms
Manpower, machines, measures and methods
OR Manpower, machines, materials and methods
Used in fishbone diagrams
4Ss
Surroundings, suppliers, systems, skills
5Ws
Who, what, where, why, when
6Ps
People, place, processes, physical evidence, product, performance measures
AI
Artificial intelligence
BA
Business analysis
BAM
Business activity model
A conceptual framework that outlines the key activities and processes within an organization to achieve its business objectives. It should derive solely from its business perspective.
BAMM
Business analysis maturity model
BASF
Business analysis services framework
Situation investigation and problem analysis
Feasibility assessment and business case development
Business process improvement
Requirements definition
Business acceptance testing
Business change deployment
BCM
Business capability model
BMC
Business model canvas
Key partners
Key activities
Key resources
Value proposition
Customer relationships
Channels
Customer segments
Cost structure
Revenue streams
BPMN
Business process model and notation
BSC
Balanced scorecard
Vision and strategy
Financial
Internal business processes
Learning and growth
Customer
BRD
Business requirements document
CARDI
Constraints, assumptions, risks, dependencies, issues
CATWOE
Customer, actor, transformation, world view, owner, environment
Create business perspectives which are views taken by key stakeholders on what the business system is, so it provides a possible model for a future system.
CBAP
Certified business analysis professional
CCBA
Certificate of capability in business analysis
CI
Configuration item
CMMI
Capability maturity model integration
Initial, managed, defined, qualitatively managed, optimising
COTS
Commercial off-the-shelf (software solution)
CPPOLDAT
Customer, product, process, organisation, location, data, applications, technology.
CCPOLDAT can be used to understand the impact of the proposed change or strategy implementation on the business and technological aspects.
CRM
Customer relationship management
CRUD
Create, read, update, delete
CSF
Critical success factor
CX
Customer experience
DBMS
Database management system
DCF
Discounted cash flow
Calculations for payback that are based on the ‘time value of money’ which gives a more realistic indication of when payback will occur.
eg. The present value of a cash flow one year from now, discounted at 10% is equal to 0.9091 of its future value.
DMAIC
Define, measure, analyse, improve, control
DSDM
Dynamic systems development method
EA
Enterprise architecture
Business architecture
Application architecture
Data architecture
Infrastructure architecture
Compliance
Security
ERD
Entity relationship diagram
GDPR
General data protection regulation
HR
Human resources
INVEST
Independent, negotiable, valuable, estimable, small, testable
IRR
Internal rate of return
IT
Information technology
ITT
Invitation to tender
JRP
Joint requirements planning
KPI
Key performance indicator
MECE
Mutually exclusive, completely exhaustive
MoSCoW
Must have, should have, could have, want to have but won’t have this time
NPS
Net promoter score
NPV
Net present value
The total value of the project adjusted to reflect the time value of money.
OMG
Object management group
OPOPOT
One person, one place, one time
OSCAR
Objectives, scope, constraints, authority, resources.
For the terms of reference document.
PESTLE
Political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, legal, environmental
PID
Project initiation document
POPIT
People, organisation, processes, information and technology
RACI
Responsible, accountable, consulted, informed
RAD
Rapid application development
RAG
Red, amber, green
RAID
Risk, assumptions, issues, dependencies
RASCI
Responsible, accountable, supportive, consulted, informed
RE
Requirements engineering
ROI
Return on investment
RoQ
Reorder quantity
RPA
Robotic process automation
SaaS
Software as a service
SARAH
Shock, anger, rejection, acceptance, hope
SDLC
Systems development lifecycle
SFIA
Skills framework for the information age.
SIPOC
Supplier, input, process, output, customer
SME
Subject matter expert
SMART
Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, timebound
SSADM
Structured systems analysis and design method
SSM - DELETE
Soft systems methodology
SUAVE
Stable - persists over time
Unique
Abstract - abstracted from the real world and how it would be enacted.
Valuable - to organisation and stakeholders
Executives - of interest to…
Capabilities listed in a business capability model would be expected to exhibit this characteristics.
SWOT
Analysis technique that summarizes the external pressures facing an organisation and the internal capabilities to respond.
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats
TIMWOODS
Transport, inventory, motion, waiting, over-production, over-processing, defects, skills
8 types of waste in a lean methodology.
TOM
Target operating model
TOR
Terms of reference
Formal document product by the project manager to describe the project. Normally uses BOSCARD or OSCAR.
Covers what we are doing, why, what’s included and excluded and who’s involved.
TRM - DELETE
Tech`nology reference model
UML
Unified modeling language
UP
Unified process
VOC
Voice of the customer
VMOST
Vision
Mission - no timeline
Objectives - SMART
Strategy - longer term and broader in reach
Tactics - shorter term, more detailed, more specifically targeted
XP
Extreme programming
UX
User experience
Business Change Lifecycle
Alignment - Business strategy and objectives
Definition - Investigate situation an consider perspectives
Design - Analyse needs, evaluate options, define requirements
Implementation - Deliver changes
Realisation - Assess success
T-Shaped Professional
Multi-disciplinary breadth of knowledge and skill
Deep knowledge and skill of specific domain
Strategic Context
Porter’s Five Forces Model
Aids with analysis of the relative positioning and power of the organisations that participate in a particular industry.
Rivalry among existing competitors
Threat of new entrants
Threat of substitute products
Bargaining power of buyers
Bargaining power of suppliers
Growth share matrix or Boston Box
Market growth vs Relative market share
Milk the cows (mature products in established markets; the most profitable earners)
Bury the dogs
Invest in the stars (mature products and big earners; fund the rest)
Examine the problem children to see if they can behave themselves (currently unprofitable).
Successful products starts as Wild cats and go clockwise until they die or get reinvented.
Value Stream
A representation of activities carried out by an organisation that collectively offer a product or service to internal or external stakeholders.
Problem Solving Model - DELETE
STOP Organisational Hierarchy
Strategic level of management
Tactical level of management / Middle management
Operational level
Stakeholder Wheel
Partners
Suppliers
Regulators
Employees
Managers
Owners
Competitors
Customers
Key stakeholder management strategies
SSM
Soft Systems Methodology
Empathy Map
Think and Feel
See
Say and Do
Hear
Pain
Gain
Resource Audit
An internal environment analysis technique looking at tangible and intangible assets.
Physical
Human
Financial
Know-how
Reputation
IRR
Internal rate of return. (%)
The discount rate that, applied to its estimated cash flows for the duration of the project, yields a NPC of zero.
eg; If, instead of investing in this project, I put the money in a bank, how much would the interest rate/year need to be for me to get the same returns.
Payback calculation
The amount of time (usually years) before the investment is paid back. Also known as ‘break even’
Use case descriptions
Encapsulate business functionality in a graphical way. Descriptions show “Happy day” path and other exceptions/alternatives that could arise.
Use case diagram
Encapsulates the system boundary, actors and functionality in an easy-to-understand way
User Story
As a [role], I can [feature] so that [reason]
Gap Analysis
- Investigate and model the current situation
- Analyse perspectives and produce consensus BAM
- Compare the two to identify differences and required actions
Fishbone Diagram
aka Ishikawa Diagram, Cause and Effect Diagrams or Root Cause Diagrams
Helps to identify root causes.
The problem/effect goes far right with a backbone and spines radiating which suggest possible areas for the cause of the problem. These are often the 6Ps or 4Ms.
The diagram is built by asking why after each contribution
Business Needs Log
Once root causes have been found, we can start to address them.
Early findings can be documented in a business needs log, which forms the basis for a requirements catalogue.
Spaghetti Map
Shows the physical movement required for the actor to carry out the task.
Swimlane Diagram
A process map which shows all the tasks carried out within a process and the actors responsible for them.
Mindmaps
Summarises lots of information in a visual way.
The problem is put at the centre of the problem and then first level branches radiate from this. Each level shows more detail.
Rich pictures
Free format approach to allow analyst to document whatever is of interest/significance in a very visual way.
BOSCARD
Background - context (why are we doing this now), cross references to other projects, business aims to justify the project (business objectives).
Objectives - SMART. Project objectives.
Scope - boundaries: business process, IT system, location, organisation areas…
Constraints - standards/legal, money, geography, time, technology
Authority - named individual or group of individuals (eg. Board)
Resources - people, equipment, access,
Deliverables - physical outputs eg. new system, new procedures, study report
Used in the Terms of Reference document. Alternative to OSCAR.
How do the techniques work together?
Internal viewpoint - resource audit. Helps to identify Strengths and Resources, as well as Strategies and Tactics.
External viewpoint - PESTLE. Helps identify Opportunities and Threats, as well as Objectives, Strategies and Tactics.
Consolidation - SWOT
Looking forward - VMOST. Helps identify CSFs and KPIs.
Validation - CSFs, KPIs, Targets
Organisation balance - BBS/BSC. Helps identify additional CSFs/KPIs
BBS
Balanced Business Scorecard
Like BSC
Business Analyst
An advisory role which has the responsibility for investigating and analyzing business situations, identifying and evaluating options for improving business systems, elaborating and defining requirements, and ensuring the effective implementation and use of information systems in line with the needs of the business.
LCBC
Lifecycle of business change
