Agile & Business Analysis: A Successful Combination

AGILE & BUSINESS ANALYSISA Succesful Combination

By Luiz Claudio Parzianello

Santa Cruz de la Sierra, March 12

About the Speaker

Luiz C. Parzianello holds a BSc. in Electrical Engineering from

Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS)

and a MSc. in Systems Engineering from São Paulo University

(USP). He’s the President of the IIBA Porto Alegre Chapter

(Brazil) and member of the core team who developed the

Agile Extension to the BABOK. He has been acting as an IT

professional for 25 years and as an Agile Coach and Trainer

for 9 years. Currently, he’s a Management Consultant at the

RBS Group (Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil).

TwitterTwitterTwitterTwitter @@@@lcparzianellolcparzianellolcparzianellolcparzianello

Principles Behind the Agile Manifesto

1) Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through

early and continuous delivery of valuable softwarevaluable softwarevaluable softwarevaluable software.

2) Welcome changing requirements, even late in

development. Agile processes harness change for the

customer's competitive advantagecompetitive advantagecompetitive advantagecompetitive advantage.

3) Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of

weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the

shorter timescaleshorter timescaleshorter timescaleshorter timescale.

4) Business people and developers must work togetherwork togetherwork togetherwork together

daily throughout the project.

5) Build projects around motivated motivated motivated motivated individualsindividualsindividualsindividuals. Give them

the environment and support they need, and trust them

to get the job done.

6) The most efficient and effective method of conveying

information to and within a development team is

facefacefaceface----totototo----face face face face conversationconversationconversationconversation.

7)7)7)7) Working softwareWorking softwareWorking softwareWorking software is the primary measure of progress.

8) Agile processes promote sustainable development.

The sponsors, developers, and users should be able

to maintain a constant paceconstant paceconstant paceconstant pace indefinitely.


9) Continuous attention to technical technical technical technical excellence andexcellence andexcellence andexcellence and

good good good good designdesigndesigndesign enhances agility.

10)Simplicity -- the art of maximizing the amount of

work work work work not not not not donedonedonedone -- is essential.

11)The best architectures, requirements, and designs

emerge from selfselfselfself----organizing teamsorganizing teamsorganizing teamsorganizing teams.

12)At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to

become more effectivebecome more effectivebecome more effectivebecome more effective, then tunes and adjusts its

behavior accordingly.


What is Business Analysis (BA)?

Business analysis involves understanding how organizations

function to accomplish their purposes, and defining the

capabilities an organization requires to provide products and

services to external stakeholders.

It includes the definition of

organizational goals, how those goals

connect to specific objectives,

determining the courses of action that

an organization has to undertake to

achieve those goals and objectives,

and defining how the various

organizational units and stakeholders

within and outside of that organization

interact.

What is Business Analysis (BA)?

The focus is to determine

the BA activities


the BA activities


the BA activities

The focus is to identify

and understand needs

and concerns



and concerns



and concerns

The focus is to define a

solution scope that can

feasibly be implemented

by the business




by the business




by the business


which solution best fits the

business need



business need



business need

The focus is to ensure that

stakeholders and the project

team remain in agreement on

the solution scope




the solution scope




the solution scope

The focus is to enable the project

team to implement a solution that will

meet the needs of the sponsoring

organization and stakeholders




organization and stakeholders




organization and stakeholdersBABOK® Guide Version 2.0BABOK® Guide Version 2.0BABOK® Guide Version 2.0BABOK® Guide Version 2.0

What about Business Analysts?

� A business analyst is any person who performs businessany person who performs businessany person who performs businessany person who performs business

analysis activitiesanalysis activitiesanalysis activitiesanalysis activities, no matter what their job title or

organizational role may be.

� Business analysis practitioners include not only people Business analysis practitioners include not only people Business analysis practitioners include not only people Business analysis practitioners include not only people

with the with the with the with the job title of business analystjob title of business analystjob title of business analystjob title of business analyst, but may also include

business systems analysts, systems analysts,

requirements engineers, process analysts, product

managers, product owners, enterprise analysts, business

architects, management consultants, or any other person

who performs the tasks described in the BABOK® Guide,

including those who those who those who those who also perform also perform also perform also perform related related related related disciplines such disciplines such disciplines such disciplines such

as project as project as project as project management, software developmentmanagement, software developmentmanagement, software developmentmanagement, software development, , , , quality quality quality quality

assuranceassuranceassuranceassurance, and , and , and , and interaction designinteraction designinteraction designinteraction design.

Business Analysis and Scrum?

The The The The Product OwnerProduct OwnerProduct OwnerProduct Owner is responsible for

maximizing the value of the product

and the work of the Development Team.Development Development Development Development Teams are crossTeams are crossTeams are crossTeams are cross----functionalfunctionalfunctionalfunctional,

with all of the skills as a team necessary

to create a product Increment;

Scrum recognizes no titles for Development Team members no titles for Development Team members no titles for Development Team members no titles for Development Team members

other than Developerother than Developerother than Developerother than Developer, regardless of the work being performed

by the person; there are no exceptions to this rule;

Development Development Development Development TeamsTeamsTeamsTeams do not contain sub-

teams dedicated to particular domains

like testing or business analysis.The Sprint GoalThe Sprint GoalThe Sprint GoalThe Sprint Goal may be a milestone in

the larger purpose of the product

roadmap. The Product BacklogThe Product BacklogThe Product BacklogThe Product Backlog is often ordered by

value, risk, priority, and necessity.

Some examples from Scrum GuideScrum GuideScrum GuideScrum Guide

(Oct 2011)


BusinessBusinessBusinessBusiness

VisionVisionVisionVision

PrioritizationPrioritizationPrioritizationPrioritization

ProductProductProductProduct

VisionVisionVisionVision

PrioritizationPrioritizationPrioritizationPrioritization

Value ManagementValue ManagementValue ManagementValue Management Value Manag.Value Manag.Value Manag.Value Manag.

1 to 4 weeks cycle

1 to 4 weeks cycle

Based on Tom Based on Tom Based on Tom Based on Tom GilbGilbGilbGilbhttp://stakeholdervalues.com/Value+Product+Owner

Business

Owner

Product

Owner

Bu

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Stakeholders

Development ManagementDevelopment ManagementDevelopment ManagementDevelopment Management

SCRUMSCRUMSCRUMSCRUM

Product Owner

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How could we work?

Bu

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Business

Owner

Product

Owner

Software

Engineers

Ma

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Bu

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nd

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lea

ses

Bu

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rvice

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Systems

Engineers

Business

Analysts

UX

Designers

Scrum

Master

Testing

Analysts

SEO/Data

Analytcs

BVIBVIBVIBVI MVPMVPMVPMVP MMFMMFMMFMMF

VisionBusiness

Strategy

Product

Strategy

Product & Dev

Strategy

ReleaseReleaseReleaseRelease

CusBizProDevOpsCusBizProDevOpsCusBizProDevOpsCusBizProDevOps

What could be done?

Sprint 1 Sprint 2 Sprint 3 Sprint 4 Sprint 5

ProductProductProductProduct Perspective

Minimum Marketable FeaturesMinimum Marketable FeaturesMinimum Marketable FeaturesMinimum Marketable FeaturesMinimum Marketable FeaturesMinimum Marketable FeaturesMinimum Marketable FeaturesMinimum Marketable Features Release Minimum Viable ProductMinimum Viable ProductMinimum Viable ProductMinimum Viable ProductMinimum Viable ProductMinimum Viable ProductMinimum Viable ProductMinimum Viable Product

Project Project Project Project Perspective

Integration, Acquisitions, Costs & RisksIntegration, Acquisitions, Costs & RisksIntegration, Acquisitions, Costs & RisksIntegration, Acquisitions, Costs & RisksIntegration, Acquisitions, Costs & RisksIntegration, Acquisitions, Costs & RisksIntegration, Acquisitions, Costs & RisksIntegration, Acquisitions, Costs & Risks

managesmanagesmanagesmanages

ProcessProcessProcessProcess Perspective

PDCL PDCL PDCL PDCL PDCL Better PerformanceBetter PerformanceBetter PerformanceBetter PerformanceBetter PerformanceBetter PerformanceBetter PerformanceBetter Performance

Business Business Business Business Perspective

New Capabilities Launch Business Value IncrementBusiness Value IncrementBusiness Value IncrementBusiness Value IncrementBusiness Value IncrementBusiness Value IncrementBusiness Value IncrementBusiness Value Increment

suportssuportssuportssuports

Va

lue

Va

lue

Va

lue

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lue

TimeTimeTimeTime

resultsresultsresultsresults

The Basic Principle of Agile BA ...

The The The The Dude’sDude’sDude’sDude’s LawLawLawLaw

Value = Why

How

By DavidHussman

Seven Guidelines to the Agile BA ...

http://tinyurl.com/AgileExtensionBABOK

1) Learning to see ...

UsefulUsefulUsefulUseful TechniquesTechniquesTechniquesTechniques

� Business Capability Analysis

� Personas

� Value Stream Mapping

SeeSeeSeeSee thethethethe wholewholewholewhole!!!!

“In an agile context, business analysis views the entire system of people,

process, and technology to find where true value lies and to help

organizations maximizes the likelihood of delivering a

valuable and valued solution.”

DISCOVERY

2) Learning to think ...

ThinkThinkThinkThink as a as a as a as a customercustomercustomercustomer!!!!


� User Stories

� Story Elaboration

� Story Decomposition

� Story Mapping

� Storyboarding

“Agile analysis pays special attention to the voice of the

customer to understand their values and expectations. Backlog items

represent work to be done and convey customer thinking, and can be

represented through prototypes, user stories, epics, MMFs, etc.”

DISCOVERY

3) Understanding value ...

Analyze to determine what is valuable!Analyze to determine what is valuable!Analyze to determine what is valuable!Analyze to determine what is valuable!


� Backlog Management

� Business Value Definition

� Kano Analysis

� MoSCoW Priorization

� Purpose Alignement Model

“The agile approach is distinct in that value is continuously assessed and

prioritized to ensure that the most valuable work is delivered at any point

in time, always using the end customer perspective. It is also imperative

to challenge those requirements that do not support the business goals.”

DISCOVERY

3) Understanding value ...

People & Processes Market & Financial

ReduceReduce

AvoidAvoid

Losses Gains

IncreaseIncrease

ProtectProtect

Resultscan guaranteeCapabilities

Effectiveness

Compliance

Quality

Efficiency

Oportunities

Productivity

DISCOVERY

4) Getting real ...

Get real using examples!Get real using examples!Get real using examples!Get real using examples!


� Behaviour Driven Development

� Prototyping

“To confirm what is valuable, it is common to use concrete examples to

both elicit and validate product needs. Models may be useful for the team

but examples are more concrete for the customer. These techniques

engage customers in requirements elicitation, analysis, and validation.”

DELIVERY

5) Getting done ...

Understand what is doable!Understand what is doable!Understand what is doable!Understand what is doable!


� Estimation

� Planning Workshop

� Real Options

DELIVERY

“Technology stakeholders are empowered by effectively analyzed needs.

It helps them determine how much work they can deliver at any given

point in time, identify product requirements options, and provide

recommendations to business partners on solutions.”

6) Getting better ...

Stimulate Collaboration Stimulate Collaboration Stimulate Collaboration Stimulate Collaboration & Continuous & Continuous & Continuous & Continuous Improvement!Improvement!Improvement!Improvement!


� Collaborative games

� Retrospectives

DELIVERY

“Facilitative techniques enable efficient and effective collaboration and

accelerate a team's ability to define and deliver products. We actively

create an environment where all project stakeholders can contribute to

the overall project value, ideally in face to face facilitated workshops.”

7) Avoid waste!


� Lightweight Documentation

DELIVERY

“Always be on the lookout for, and avoid, anything wasteful.

Any activity that does not contribute directly to ensure that

the needs of the customer are understood and that the team

delivers what the customer really need is waste.”

“Ensure “Ensure “Ensure “Ensure that all documentation that all documentation that all documentation that all documentation

produced through business produced through business produced through business produced through business

analysis is intended to fulfill an analysis is intended to fulfill an analysis is intended to fulfill an analysis is intended to fulfill an

immediate need, has clear immediate need, has clear immediate need, has clear immediate need, has clear

value for stakeholders, and value for stakeholders, and value for stakeholders, and value for stakeholders, and

does not create unnecessary does not create unnecessary does not create unnecessary does not create unnecessary

overheadoverheadoverheadoverhead.”.”.”.”

3 Final Messages ...

1) Business Analysts shouldn’t be order takers ...

Business Analysts should be transformation

agents for both customers and team members!

2) Business Analysis is not exclusive to Business

Analysts ... Learn and practice what could make

you more valuable!

3) Do your best! Understand that you are not only

responsible for discovery but also for delivery.

Thank you!

@lcparzianello@lcparzianello@lcparzianello@lcparzianello

[email protected]

http://www.slideshare.net/parzianello