Module 5: Business Analysis Domains Flashcards
Business Analysis Planning
L(Laying the foundation)
The process of determining how business needs and requirements will be identified, analyzed, and managed throughout a project. It ensures alignment between project goals and business objectives.
Key Aspects:
Defines how requirements will be gathered and documented.
Identifies stakeholders and their roles.
Establishes tools, techniques, and methodologies for analysis.
Plans for risk management and change control.
Ensures business needs are met effectively.
Needs Analysis
(Understanding the problem)
Business analysis work that is conducted to analyze a current problem or opportunity (usually starts with talking to sponsors and reviewing the project charter)
Requirements Elicitation and Analysis
(Gathering and Refining Requirements)
The process of gathering, understanding, refining, and documenting project requirements to ensure they align with business needs and stakeholder expectations.
Traceability and Monitoring
(Tracking Requirements Implementation)
Refers to tracking requirements throughout the project lifecycle to ensure they are met and aligned with business objectives.
Solution Evaluation
(Measuring Success)
The process of assessing whether a delivered solution meets business needs and provides the expected value. It ensures that the implemented system, product, or process achieves its intended objectives
Key Business Analysis Planning Activities
Identifying stakeholders
Understanding and engaging with stakeholders
Requirements management
Evaluation of success
Project approach - predictive, adaptive, or hybrid approach
Business Analysis Plan
Describes how the requirements will be elicited, analyzed, documented, and managed across the project
Requirements Management Plan
Covers planning decisions for both the product and project requirements
Who is consulted during the Needs Analysis?
Sponsor
Product Owner
SMEs
End Users
Solution Team
Situation Statement
A concise description of a business problem, opportunity, or current state that needs to be addressed in a project or initiative. It helps stakeholders understand the context and justification for the project.
“The problem of A has the effect of B with the impact of C”
Benchmarking
The process of comparing metrics or processes from one organization against those of a similar organization
“Sizing Up” the Situation
The process of gathering data to understand the problem or opportunity
Document Analysis (Elicitation Technique)
An elicitation technique used to analyze existing documentation and find relevant information
Pro = fast approach to gather insights
Con = documents may be out of date
Interviews (Elicitation Technique)
Speaking with stakeholders to gather their insights and perspectives
Pro = opportunity to collect info from a small number of people; can reduce confusion seen in larger methods (ie workshops)
Con = since input is limited, perspectives could be biased
Observation (Elicitation Technique)
Observing different habits or occurrences to understand the normal flow to understand how a process/product is performed/used
Types of Observation: passive, active, participatory, simulation
Pro = can collect requirements from a small number of people
Con = since input is limited, perspectives could be biased; can miss information is not discussed and only seen
Questionnaire/Survey (Elicitation Technique)
Written set of questions designed to quickly gather information from many people
Pro = easily quantifies information, rank options, and fast to implement
Con = too many questions can be fatiguing, people may not want to do (need incentive), results may be skewed if the responder is not competent (not as much control)
Tools for Assessing Current States of an Organization (7 tools)
@ Pareto Diagram - bar and line graph that helps identify significant causes of a problem where 800% if issues come from 20% of causes
@ Process Flow - visual representation of a workflow; used to find inefficiencies
@ Value Stream Map - detailed flowchart that visualizes steps, inputs, and outputs of a process to identify insufficiencies
@ Root Cause Analysis - problem-solving method to identify an underlying cause of a problem
@ Ishikawa Diagram - cause and effect diagram (aka fishbone diagram)
@Five Why’s - asking why five times to drill down to the root cause of a problem
@ SWOT Analysis - assesses a business’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
Tools for Defining Future States (7 tools)
@ Affinity Diagram - brainstorming tool that organizes ideas, issues, or data into logical groups based on their relationships
@ Feature Model - visual model showing the hierarchical relationships between core, optional, and alternative features
@ Gap Analysis - comparison between current state and desired future state
@ Kano Analysis - customer satisfaction model that categorizes product features into basic, performance, and excitement attributes
@ Process Flow - step-by-step diagram or chart that outlines how a process works
@ Alignment Model - strategic tool that ensures business goals, processes, and tech are aligned for optimal performance
@ Solution Capability Matrix - matrix that maps solution features or capabilities against business needs
Cost-Benefit Analysis
A financial analysis tool that compares portfolio components, programs, or project benefits to costs
Elicitation
Gathering information from stakeholders, documents, and other sources to understand the requirements for a project
Feature Injection
A process that helps teams identify and prioritize the most valuable features by focusing on business outcomes first and working backwards to determine necessary functionalities
Valuation
Determining the financial value a solution may bring to a company
Determined through:
Internal Rate of Return (IRR) - higher IRR = higher return
Net Present Value (NPV) - higher NPV = greater value is expected
Pay Back Period (PBP) - Longer PBP = greater risk over time
Return on Investment (ROI) - higher ROI = higher value
Product Roadmap
A high-level overview presenting a product’s features and outlines the vision, direction, and key milestones for a product over time
May include:
Strategy information - strategy and how it aligns with business strategy
Portfolio - how the product is tied to the portfolio
Initiatives - how it ties to other projects/initiatives
Product Vision - how this meets customer needs
Success Criteria - metrics determining solution success
Market Focus - analysis of the market
Features - product capabilities
Timeline - timeline to deliver features
Business Case
A document that justifies the need for a project by outlining its benefits, costs, risks, and potential ROI
Components
Executive Summary - overview of project
Problem Statement - the business need
Proposed Solution - recommended approach
Benefits & Value - expected outcomes & advantages
Cost Analysis - estimated budget, resources, and funding requirements
Risk Assessment - potential risks
Implementation Plan - timeline, milestones, key deliverables
Conclusion & Recommendation - final justification for approval