Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring

1. Plan Business Analysis Approach

   • To define the approach that would have to be adopted for conducting Business Analysis • Processes to be followed • Tasks to be performed • Techniques to be adopted • Deliverables to be produced    
   • Approaches
     • Areas to Consider Documentation, Changes,            Communication   
     • Plan Driven
       • Solution is fully specified before beginning technical work (waterfall)    
     • Change Driven
       • Solution is specified in increments as the technical work proceeds (agile)    
     • Techniques
       • Start
         • Decision Analysis • To compare the different approaches available and  adapt the most suited one    
       • During
         • Process Modelling   Structured Walkthroughs    
   • Input
     • Output

2. ConductStakeholderAnalysis

   • -To identify user stakeholders –  To determine the roles and responsibilities in their business area–  To determine their level of interest in the project and their influence on the project    
   • Complexity
     • Complexity of Stakeholder Groups –  Direct end users–  Users affected indirectly through interfacing business processes and automated systems    
   • Attitude
     • Attitude (will dictate interest in the project) and Influence  
     • Attitude or Interest
       • Classify stakeholders as –  challengers–  enthusiasts–  Followers  
     • Influence
       •       Classify stakeholders as –  Very high–  Medium–  Low 
     • Map & Decide
       • - Map the stakeholders in a suitable matrix                   –  Decide on strategy for each stakeholder    
       • Stakeholder Involvement
         • RACI Matrix
           • Responsible – does the work Accountable - decision maker for work Consulted - during work Informed - notified of outcomes    
   • Techniques
     • Start
       • Stakeholder Mapping
       • RACI Matrix
     • During
       • Organisation Modelling
       • Process Modelling
     • Input
       • Output

3. PlanBAActivities

   • To determine activities to be performed and how these have to be done –  To determine the deliverables to be produced–  To determine the effort for each activity and the timeframe allowed to complete that activity –  To decide on the management tools that will aid in monitoring and controlling progress    
   • Considerations
     • Locations
       • Location of the Stakeholders – Collocated • Lendsitselftoface-to-facemeetings – Dispersed • Have to decide on teleconferencing or video conferencing;will require additional and extensive documentation and therefore these will add additional activities    
     • Type
       • Type of Project / Initiative influences the activities to be carried out    
       • Feasibility studies; process improvements; organisational change; new software development (in house); outsourced new software development; software maintenance and enhancement; software package selection etc.    
     • Deliverables
       • Depends on what BA Methodologies / Techniques that are required to be used; these may include    
       • - Process and functional Modelling Techniques • Behavioural Modelling Techniques • Structural Modelling Techniques • User Stories (in an Agile environment)    
   • Techniques
     • Estimating Techniques
     • Functional Decomposition
   • Input
     • Output

4. PlanBACommunication

   • o make the Right Business Analysis Information available in the Right Format to the Right Stakeholder at the Right Time using the Right Means and Right Media in a Cost Effective manner.    
   • Considerations
     • Geographical location
       • Communication requirements will vary depending on the  geographical location e.g. Not possible to have a daily short stand-up meeting when participants are in different time zones    
     • Culture
       • - Language barriers           –  Time: some cultures look at deadlines as firm commitments while  in some other cultures deadlines are considered as goals to achieve–Taskcompletion requirestrustandhumanrelationship          –  Contracts–letterofthelaworspiritofthecontract–  Formal and informal authority – centralised power structure vs involve all stakeholders in making and approving decisions    
     • Project types
       • New customised software development project – Requires all requirements to be specified in sufficient detail  • Upgrading technology infrastructure of a current system – Requires only the technical requirements to be included  • Change in business process or new data for an existing application – Requires the new process, data, business rules, functional and technical requirements  • Purchase of a Software Package through a RFP – Requires the specifications for business, technical and functional requirements  • Short focussed agile style iterations of software development   –  Specify very little or no formal requirements documentation –  Uses white boards, flip charts and user stories –  Focus in Agile is in creating minimum documentation during the progress of the project  –  Documentation is produced after the solution is delivered     
   • Techniques
     • Information Requirement Analysis
       • Technique to analyse the information required by each stakeholder based upon his / her role and responsibility    
     • Input
       • Output

5. PlanRequirement ManagementProcess

   • deals with managing the process of business analysis    
   • - to ensure BA plans are adhered to • to ensure the resources, tools and techniques required for carrying out business analysis are made available    
   • Considerations
   • Techniques
     • - Decision analysis • Problem tracking • Risk analysis    
     • Input
       • Output

6. ManageBA Performance

   •       – To measure using an appropriate metric the work performed by the Business Analyst – To track, assess and report on the quality of work performed by the Business Analyst    
   • Considertion
   • Technique
     • Input
       • Output

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