Business and System Analyst Skills Assessment
	Part 1: Business Analysis Can-Do's

If you are assessing your own skills, indicate your current and desired skill level for each item on the following list; if you are assessing the skills needed by your group, indicate the required level in the needed column only.

Business Analysis Activity

Current Level

Needed Level

1

Use a system development methodology to translate a deadline into a desired delivery date

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

2

Communicate with a project manager to select an appropriate requirements methodology

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

3

Plan and manage a set of concurrent small projects

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

4

Select the appropriate level of business analysis techniques based on project size

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

5

Implement and enforce change management procedures

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

6

Develop a set of questions to expedite the initial capture of information for a project

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

7

Lead a group of subject matter experts and information technology professionals through a business problem definition process

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

8

Solicit and capture business and information system requirements

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

9

Conduct an effective 1-on-1 needs assessment interview

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

10

Prepare and facilitate a Joint Application Development (JAD) session

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

11

Create models of the project scope based on organization and business processes

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

12

Differentiate between modeling techniques to determine which is appropriate for a project

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

13

Perform a gap analysis using business process diagrams, data models, and requirements

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

14

Use activity, sequence or data flow diagrams to identify performance requirements

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

15

Differentiate between physical and logical process and data to explain the relevance of both to the business community

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

16

Identify business problems and determine which are in scope

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

17

Analyze business problems to separate problems from symptoms and predetermined solutions

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

18

Locate the cause of business problems in business process flows

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

19

Identify weaknesses and propose improvements in how the organization uses its information resource

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

20

Identify and analyze exceptions and errors in business and information system processes

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

21

Organize and document business problems for presentation and discussion

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

22

Maintain a reusable set of business process, data, and requirements documentation

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

23

Document complex business logic and/or business rules using appropriate tools

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

24

Assemble information from a variety of sources to recognize business-relevant connections and missing pieces

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

25

Develop, maintain, and present a business requirements definition document

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

26

Identify and develop verifiable quick fixes to existing processes and data

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

27

Decompose business requirements into functional, informational, performing, constraining, and subjective requirements

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

28

Reengineer a technology-independent business process

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

29

Integrate functional and system controls into a proposed business system design

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

30

Create a preliminary new system design using decomposed requirements

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

31

Schedule and conduct a quality assurance walkthrough of a business requirements document

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

32

Develop an effective project testing strategy based on business risks and contingencies

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

33

Create a test plan for unit, integration, system, and acceptance testing of a software application

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

34

Write test scripts at the appropriate level of detail for the selected audience to ensure reliable reusability

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

35

Identify test scenarios or cases based on the business requirements, system requirements, system documentation, and end-user documentation

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

 

@copy; 1993 - 2006 All rights reserved.