Synopsis

At the project’s earliest stages the business analyst is key to defining the requirements, as well as planning, defining and validating project scope. It’s important to have an understanding of the breadth of knowledge that a business analyst brings to the project team when developing business solutions.

This introductory course provides participants with a basic understanding of the benefits, functions and impact of this critical role. The target audience for this course includes those who are new to the business analyst role or those who supervise and/or work with business analysts. This course provides a special focus on the business analysis function as it relates to developing IT solutions, given that such an understanding is essential for project success.

The course discusses the business analysis process as it is applied throughout a project, including the pre-project activities that comprise enterprise analysis. Delegates will learn how a business analyst supports the project throughout the solution development lifecycle, from establishing the solution vision and scope in the analysis phase to validating that requirements have been met in the testing phase.

After completing this course, attendees will understand why and when to involve the business analysis function. 

This course is aligned with version 2.0 of A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide)™.

Learn

• Identify the roles and responsibilities of the business analyst
• Define requirements 
• Explain the importance of managing risk
• Define the solution vision and scope
• Plan the requirements elicitation process
• Recognise the importance of analysing and documenting requirements
• Explain the role of modelling for documenting and communicating requirements
• Perform requirements validation and traceability  

This course uses digital materials.

Topics

• Analysing and Documenting Requirements

  Analysing requirements

  Characteristics of effective requirements

  The Business Requirements Document (BRD)

  The BRD vs. the technical specifications document

  Components of the BRD

  BRD validation techniques

   

  
  
   
• Assessing and Validating Requirements

  Validation and verification

  V-Model of testing

  Levels and types of testing

  The master test plan

  Test scenarios and test cases

   

• Developing the Solution Vision and Scope

  Defining solution vision and scope

  Vision and scope report

  Conducting a visioning workshop

  Validating solution scope

  Traceability

   
• Introduction

  What is business analysis?

  Best practices in business analysis

  Benefits of business analysis

   
• Modeling Requirements

  Modelling requirements

  Models vs. diagrams

  AS-IS vs. TO-BE modeling

  Types of models

  Models and the BRD

• Planning and Eliciting Requirements

  The Requirements Work Plan (RWP)

  Components of the RWP

  Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

  Elicitation keys to success

  Elicitation techniques

  Preparing for change

   
• Supporting the Project Portfolio

  The project portfolio

  Strategic enterprise analysis

  Solution Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

   
• The Role of the Business Analyst

  The business analysis process

  BA role vs. project manager role

  BA competencies

  The BA career path

   
• Understanding Requirements and Business Rules

  Functional, nonfunctional and implementation requirements

  Requirements vs. specifications

  Requirements vs. business rules

  Risk management and risk response strategies