Business Analysis Techniques

Business Analysis Techniques/1© Assist Knowledge Development, 2012

Business Analysis Techniques …you can never have too many tools

Paul Turner

Edinburgh 12th April 2012


Business analysis - definitions

An internal consultancy role responsible for investigating business situations, identifying and evaluating options for implementation business systems, defining requirements and ensuring the effective use of information systems in meeting the needs of the business.

The methodical investigation, analysis, review and documentation of all or part of a business in terms of business functions and processes, the information used and the data on which the information is based. The definition of requirements for improving any aspect of the processes and systems and the quantification of potential business benefits. The creation of viable specifications and acceptance criteria in preparation for the construction of information and communication systems.

Business Analysis 2nd Ed., Debra Paul and Donald Yeates (eds), BCS, 2010

SFIA v5.0, 2011


An alternative definition


The breadth of Business Analysis ?

Business case

Business analysis

Requirements engineering

Solution development

Strategic analysis


The breadth of Business Analysis ?

Business case

Business analysis

Requirements engineering

Solution development

Strategic analysis

Systems Thinking

Agile development

Business Architecture

Solution Architecture


BA techniques in context

Techniques

Context

+ + + LifecycleRationale Roles Deliverables


BA techniques in context

Techniques

Context

+ + + LifecycleRationale Roles Deliverables


Some business analysis techniques


Some business analysis techniquesCritical success factorsContext diagramRich pictureFunction hierarchyNetwork architecture planWorkflow diagramOrganisation chartEntity relationship model (high-level)Business process modelHigh-level data flow diagramBusiness object model

Use case diagramUse case descriptionTechnical architecture modelFunctional dependency diagramBusiness scenario modellingTask analysisBusiness event modelBusiness roles definitionLogical data modelClass modelRelational data analysis

Website navigation modelProcess dependency modellingObject interaction / collaboration diagramObject role modelsUser conceptual modelUser interface object modelScreen navigation designSystem event modellingState transition diagramState machine diagramObject dynamic model

SWOTPESTLEFive ForcesPower/interest gridMOSTResource auditBCG matrixBalanced business scorecardKey performance indicatorsCATWOEBusiness activity modelling

Event analysisPayback calculationDCF/NPV calculationInternal rate of returnBenefits managementBenefits realisationUser acceptance testingSwimlane diagramsBusiness process reengineeringBusiness process management

Process streamliningBusiness process redesignInterviewingWorkshopsQuestionnairesDocument analysisRecord searchingSpecial-purpose recordsActivity samplingWork measurementPrototyping


More business analysis techniques

Give up yet?

BrainstormingRound-robinColumns and clustersBodyguards and assassinsVernissageTalking wallForce-field analysisGreenfield siteTransporterPrioritisationTime beam

Aargh!

Cost/benefit analysisImpact analysisGap analysisStandard costingMarginal costingAbsorption costingRatio analysisMoSCoWOrganisation diagramReport writingPresentation techniques

And even then people said “ You’ve missed …….”


The role of the business analyst

Investigating the situation

Stimulating thinking

Modelling business

processes

Analysing strategy

Specifying information

systems

Developing business

case

Business analyst


Investigating the situation

Workshops

Interviewing

Questionnaires

Document analysis

Record searching

Business analyst

Special-purpose records

Activity sampling

Work measurement

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Analysing strategy

Five forces

MOST

Resource audit

CATWOE

Business analyst

SWOT

PESTLE

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Developing a business case

Business analyst

Payback calculation

IRR

DCF/NPVBenefits

management

Cost/benefit analysis

Impact analysis

Gap analysis

Marginal costing

Standard costing

Benefits realisation

Absorption costing

Ratio analysis

Report writing

Presentation techniques



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Finding reasons not to


Selecting techniques

• The situation:• How much time?• How much money?• How good a job?• Local standards!

• The ‘users’:• Technical literacy• Patience• Decisiveness

• The business analyst:• Personality• Preferences• Knowledge• Experience


•Type - hard, soft

•Usage - analysis, modelling, communication

•Audience - shared, private

•Documentation - core, support

Selecting techniques


Mastering techniques (1)


Courses

Private study

Work Experience

Mastering techniques (2)

Networking


A basic toolkit

BusinessStrategy

and Objectives

InvestigateSituation

ConsiderPerspectives

AnalyseNeeds

Evaluate options

Define Requirements

Manage Change

PESTLE

MOST

SWOT

Resource Audit

POP-IT model

Rich pictures

Interviews

Workshops

Context diagrams

StakeholderManagement

CATWOEPARADE

BAMs

RASCI

Gap analysis

Value chainAnalysis

OrganisationDiagraming

Process Modelling

CRUD Matrix

Feasibility Analysis

ImpactAnalysis

InvestmentAppraisal

Businesscase

Scenarios

Storyboarding

Prototyping

MoSCoW

Timeboxing

Cultural web

Learning cycle

SARAH

BenefitsRealisation


CATWOE

Swimlane diagrams

Use case diagrams

Workshops

Mind maps

Organisation diagram

Cost-benefit analysis

SWOT

Prioritisation

Scenario analysis

Interviewing

From: Business Analysis Techniques 72 essential Tools for Success – Cadle, Paul and Turner (2010)

Business Analysis Techniques – The ‘first eleven’


So why not try some out

for yourself!


Guiding principles for business analysis

• Root causes: not symptoms

• Business improvement: not IT system change

• Creative options: not prescribed solutions

• Feasible requirements: not all suggestions

• Entire lifecycle: not just requirements definition

• Negotiation: not conflict avoidance

• Business agility: not business perfection


BA of the Year Award 2012

• Will be presented at the Business Analysis Conference Europe in London on 25th September 2012

• Five finalists get free entry to the Conference from 24 th to 26th September 2012

• Application form from: [email protected]

• Closing date for entries: 20th July 2012

Award sponsored by:


Business Analysis Techniques …you can never have too many tools

Paul Turner

[email protected]