How to Plan and Monitor Business Analysis Activities

Business analysis is one of the most critical aspects of any information technology project. Without the right requirements, you cannot deliver the right solution. Unfortunately, analysis is by its nature a process of discovery, meaning you cannot know what you will find until you find it. This uncertainty makes the business analysis activity particularly challenging to plan and manage. As a result, planning and managing the Business Analysis part of a project is its own Knowledge Area within the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge^® (BABOK^® v2.0).

Basically, defining the business requirements is a sub-project within the project to deliver the solution. This course presents minimalist project management techniques that can help you plan and monitor the seemingly chaotic process of business analysis. At the same time, these techniques are fully compatible with methods for managing any size project.

IIBA^®, the IIBA^® logo, BABOK^® and Business Analysis Body of Knowledge^® are registered trademarks owned by International Institute of Business Analysis. These trademarks are used with the express permission of International Institute of Business Analysis.

1. Introduction to Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring

Planning and Monitoring Business Analysis Activities

Key Concepts in this Course

Business Analysis Planning

Monitoring Business Analysis Activities

Keys to a Successful Course

Exercise: Your priorities for this course

2. BABOK Knowledge Area 2

KA2 Plan and Monitor Business Analysis Activities

Introduction to the IIBA® Body of Knowledge

BABOK Structure: Knowledge Areas, Tasks, and Techniques

Knowledge Areas of the BABOK®

Requirements a la BABOK®

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring

Business Analysis Planning & Monitoring

Key Concepts in this Knowledge Area

Business Analysis in Your World

Exercise: Requirements Risks

3. Planning the Business Analysis Approach

Finding the Right Approach

Goals of this Module

Project Management Plans

Business Analysis Approach

Inputs to Determining the Business Analysis Approach

Spectrum of Project Life Cycles

Discussion: Plan-driven or change-driven?

Timing of BA Work

Formality of BA Deliverables

Level of Detail

Requirements Prioritization

Change Management

Interaction with Stakeholders

Requirements Traceability

Exercise: Plan the Business Analysis Approach

4. Discovering and Quantifying Business Analysis Risks

Dealing with Requirements-Based Risks

Exercise: Risk Experienced

What is Risk?

Uncertainty

Impact

It’s Not Always Negative

How to Describe a Risk

You Can’t Fix Everything

Risk Assessment

Exercise: Requirements Risks

Exercise: Risk Planning

5. Planning Business Analysis Activities

Getting Down to Business Analysis Activities

Example Work Breakdown Structure

Information Gathering Activities

Example WBS with Activities

Exercise: WBS for your Deliverables

Discussion: Business Analysis Activities

Exercise: Identify WBS and Activities

Exercise: Decompose Activities

Exercise: Plan when the Activities Will Occur

Divide Up the Work

Exercise: Update the RACI

6. Stakeholder Analysis

Understanding and Preparing Stakeholders

A Stakeholder Is….

Identify Stakeholders

Using an Org chart

Stakeholder List

Discussion: Who Are the Stakeholders?

Stakeholder Analysis

Stakeholder Map: Show Communication Links

Stakeholder Analysis: Needs and Expectations

Stakeholder Analysis: Influence and Attitude

Force Field Analysis

Stakeholder Analysis: Complexity

Informal Stakeholder Analysis

Exercise: Conduct a Stakeholder Analysis

Stakeholder Roles

Example of a RACI Matrix

Exercise: Develop a RACI Matrix

7. Creating a BA Communication Plan

Dealing with Project Communications

Nature of Communication

Example BA Communications Plan

Exercise: Create a BA Communication Plan

8. Developing a Requirements Management Plan

Preparing for Requirements Management

What is in a Requirements Management Plan?

Key Aspects of Requirements Management

Where Does the Requirements Management Plan Fit?

Requirements Repository

Traceability

Requirements Attributes

Change Management

Exercise: Create a Requirements Management Plan

9. Monitoring Business Analysis Activities

Business Analysis Performance Metrics

Concepts in This Module

Metrics, Measurements and Baselines

Business Analysis Performance Measurement

Discussion: Business Analysis Performance Measurements

To Implement a Measurement Program

Discussion: What Do You Want to Measure and Why?

State Your Goals

Define Measurements to Compare to the Goals

Determine How to Collect and Store the Data

Feedback

Root Cause Analysis using a Fishbone Diagram

Risks Associated with Performance Measurement

Exercise: Root Cause Analysis

10. Wrapup and Closure

Course Closing

Discussion: Course Review

Exercise: Lessons Learned

• Defend the need for planning and monitoring business analysis activities
• Distinguish between change-driven and plan-driven initiatives
• Select the best fit business analysis approach based on project and organizational parameters
• Recognize and prepare for risks related to business analysis activities
• Plan business analysis activities based on project variables
• Use Onion Diagrams and RACI matricis to facilitate stakeholder interactions
• Plan stakeholder interaction based on individual stakeholder characteristics
• Pave the way for low-effort requirements management throughout the project
• Use quantifiable metrics to monitor business analyst performance

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