Putting the Business Analyst in context Programme/Project Manager “The sponsor will get it all, now and for free” Owner/sponsor “I want it all I want it now I want it for free” BUSINESS ANALYST Solutions developers “Given all the other projects we are already doing for you, the best we can do is a bit, in 6 months and it will of course cost a bit” Subject Matter Experts/Users “We must have this - and soon! - or our business will fail”

Sponsor: We’re going to the moon! Project Manager: ok, we have to plan…first off, SME’s, what do you need? SME: We’ll need a spaceship and spacesuits! Business Analysts: Do we need anything else? Business Analysts: to answer your question I need to know… Why are we going to the moon? (Problem analysis) How will we know it was a worthwhile trip? (Objectives analysis) Therefore - what will we need to ensure it is worthwhile? (Requirements analysis) Developer: in that case we need to develop solutions for the following requirements…

Scope of the Business Analyst role www.smart-BA.com Scope of the Business Analyst role There is a chain of reasoning that leads from the statement of a problem to the implementation of solutions… …involving up to 10 groups of people… Owners defines measures of success and $targets …Business Analysts confirm & document $Money! Strategists determine the strategy to hit the targets …Business Analysts help research, create strategy, challenge & document Sponsors establish a Programme that delivers the strategy …Business Analysts document Programme TOR and help build the Business Case Programme Managers Institute Projects that implement the programme …Business Analysts document the Project TOR Project Stakeholders …Business Analysts specify requirements for Projects (in the Business Model) Design Analysts design solution that satisfies the requirements …Business Analysts write functional specifications, protect requirements & document compromises Solution Builders build solution …Business Analysts protect requirements & document compromises Solution Builders & Business test solution …Business Analysts ensure tested against requirements Project managers Implement solution …Business Analysts help with Process and data migration Cutover planning Rollout Users Accept solution …Business Analysts help with $MEASURING $BENEFITS $REALISATION POST-IMPLEMENTATION Business Analysts feed back to the Owner how well their measure of success has been achieved Copyright smart-BA 2008 3

www.smart-BA.com Chain Of Reasoning: There is a chain of reasoning that leads from the sufficient definition of the problem to the sufficient definition of the requirements for the solution. Break any one link in the chain and the rest of the chain is unsupported: un-provable. There are (almost!) infinitely more ways to get a solution wrong than right. BLACK HOLE – projects that get it wrong REQUIREMENTS – wrong until PROVED right…so HOW do you PROVE that? Change Requirements must be assumed to be wrong until they are proved to be right Copyright smart-BA 2008 4

Scope of analysis of change requirements www.smart-BA.com Change requirements can be for (amongst others) Processes Organisation units Locations Channel Data Applications Technologies Non-functionals …oh – and the valid intersections!!! IF: All change projects must consist of changes to business capabilities THEN: all analysis methods must analyse changes to business capabilities Copyright smart-BA 2008 5

Requirements Scope - Example We need to change how we take orders (process)… …by the tele-orders team (organisation unit)… …at our Leeds contact centre (location)… …by phone or email (channel) …to capture alternate delivery addresses (data)… …on the Chordiant system (application)… …running on the intranet (technology)… …and make it available 24/7/365 (non-functional).

All the Links in the Chain Of Reasoning www.smart-BA.com Driver The problems / opportunities that the business face Key Many One Addressed as measured by The measures and targets that will enable us to declare the change project has been successful Project Objective Delivered by Definitions of what changes are required that will affect the measures of success (objectives) sufficiently for the project to be declared successful Change Requirement Driver: Problems that the business must solve Opportunities the business can exploit Rules that the business must conform to …etc Vision: The ideal state of the business after the drivers have been addressed Objective: The measures of success that will DEFINE if a project has been successful: Increase [measure] to the value of … Decrease [measure] to the value of … Maintain [measure] at the value of … Deliverable: The output of a project that affects the Objectives in the desired way. Function Business Procedure Technology Skill Proof of compliance Benefit: Which (and how much?) Deliverable contributes to which Objective Requirement: Functional Non-functional Scope (Org, App and Tech) Data Requirement Benefit: Which (and how much?) each Requirement contributes to which Benefit Business Rule: Process model Data model Rule definition Business logic Requirement Business Rule: Which rules are utilised within which Requirements EXAMPLE: Driver: Don’t know how to get to Olympia on the tube Taxi arriving in 20 minutes My computer is packed up Vision: I have no problems knowing which tubes to get when I arrive at Euston, and where to change, to get to Olympia Objective: I have the knowledge to get me from Euston to Olympia the time the taxi arrives Deliverable: A map of the tube stations from Euston to Olympia Requirement To know which tube line and direction I need from Euston To know at which tube station to change tube trains and lines To know what direction of travel I need To know when I have arrived at Olympia Business Rule The tube line is highlighted for all tube stations The tube lines I need to take is highlighted The tube stations I need to use are highlighted The direction of travel is indicated from any tube station I need to depart from for the relevant tube line Kensington is the tube stop for Olympia Enforces What rules must be implemented by the changes specified in the requirements Business Rule Copyright smart-BA 2008 7

How to forge links in the Chain Of Reasoning www.smart-BA.com How to forge links in the Chain Of Reasoning Key Many One Driver Problem / opportunity analysis Addressed as measured by Specific – there is a precise definition of the objective Measurable – there are units that the objective will be measured in Achievable – the measures can be achieved ‘in the real world’ Relevant –this project will actually affect this objective To-die-for – the project has failed if it does not achieve the objective Project Objective SMART objectives Delivered by Business… Functional… Non-functional… …high level …mid level Change Requirement Driver: Problems that the business must solve Opportunities the business can exploit Rules that the business must conform to …etc Vision: The ideal state of the business after the drivers have been addressed Objective: The measures of success that will DEFINE if a project has been successful: Increase [measure] to the value of … Decrease [measure] to the value of … Maintain [measure] at the value of … Deliverable: The output of a project that affects the Objectives in the desired way. Function Business Procedure Technology Skill Proof of compliance Benefit: Which (and how much?) Deliverable contributes to which Objective Requirement: Functional Non-functional Scope (Org, App and Tech) Data Requirement Benefit: Which (and how much?) each Requirement contributes to which Benefit Business Rule: Process model Data model Rule definition Business logic Requirement Business Rule: Which rules are utilised within which Requirements EXAMPLE: Driver: Don’t know how to get to Olympia on the tube Taxi arriving in 20 minutes My computer is packed up Vision: I have no problems knowing which tubes to get when I arrive at Euston, and where to change, to get to Olympia Objective: I have the knowledge to get me from Euston to Olympia the time the taxi arrives Deliverable: A map of the tube stations from Euston to Olympia Requirement To know which tube line and direction I need from Euston To know at which tube station to change tube trains and lines To know what direction of travel I need To know when I have arrived at Olympia Business Rule The tube line is highlighted for all tube stations The tube lines I need to take is highlighted The tube stations I need to use are highlighted The direction of travel is indicated from any tube station I need to depart from for the relevant tube line Kensington is the tube stop for Olympia Enforces Process model Process specification Non-functional specifications Data model Attribute specification …low level Business Rule Copyright smart-BA 2008 8

EXAMPLE way of documenting… www.smart-BA.com Driver Problem / opportunity analysis Driver: Problems that the business must solve Opportunities the business can exploit Rules that the business must conform to …etc Vision: The ideal state of the business after the drivers have been addressed Objective: The measures of success that will DEFINE if a project has been successful: Increase [measure] to the value of … Decrease [measure] to the value of … Maintain [measure] at the value of … Deliverable: The output of a project that affects the Objectives in the desired way. Function Business Procedure Technology Skill Proof of compliance Benefit: Which (and how much?) Deliverable contributes to which Objective Requirement: Functional Non-functional Scope (Org, App and Tech) Data Requirement Benefit: Which (and how much?) each Requirement contributes to which Benefit Business Rule: Process model Data model Rule definition Business logic Requirement Business Rule: Which rules are utilised within which Requirements EXAMPLE: Driver: Don’t know how to get to Olympia on the tube Taxi arriving in 20 minutes My computer is packed up Vision: I have no problems knowing which tubes to get when I arrive at Euston, and where to change, to get to Olympia Objective: I have the knowledge to get me from Euston to Olympia the time the taxi arrives Deliverable: A map of the tube stations from Euston to Olympia Requirement To know which tube line and direction I need from Euston To know at which tube station to change tube trains and lines To know what direction of travel I need To know when I have arrived at Olympia Business Rule The tube line is highlighted for all tube stations The tube lines I need to take is highlighted The tube stations I need to use are highlighted The direction of travel is indicated from any tube station I need to depart from for the relevant tube line Kensington is the tube stop for Olympia Copyright smart-BA 2008 9

EXAMPLE way of documenting… www.smart-BA.com EXAMPLE way of documenting… Driver Problem / opportunity analysis Addressed as measured by Project Objective SMART objectives Driver: Problems that the business must solve Opportunities the business can exploit Rules that the business must conform to …etc Vision: The ideal state of the business after the drivers have been addressed Objective: The measures of success that will DEFINE if a project has been successful: Increase [measure] to the value of … Decrease [measure] to the value of … Maintain [measure] at the value of … Deliverable: The output of a project that affects the Objectives in the desired way. Function Business Procedure Technology Skill Proof of compliance Benefit: Which (and how much?) Deliverable contributes to which Objective Requirement: Functional Non-functional Scope (Org, App and Tech) Data Requirement Benefit: Which (and how much?) each Requirement contributes to which Benefit Business Rule: Process model Data model Rule definition Business logic Requirement Business Rule: Which rules are utilised within which Requirements EXAMPLE: Driver: Don’t know how to get to Olympia on the tube Taxi arriving in 20 minutes My computer is packed up Vision: I have no problems knowing which tubes to get when I arrive at Euston, and where to change, to get to Olympia Objective: I have the knowledge to get me from Euston to Olympia the time the taxi arrives Deliverable: A map of the tube stations from Euston to Olympia Requirement To know which tube line and direction I need from Euston To know at which tube station to change tube trains and lines To know what direction of travel I need To know when I have arrived at Olympia Business Rule The tube line is highlighted for all tube stations The tube lines I need to take is highlighted The tube stations I need to use are highlighted The direction of travel is indicated from any tube station I need to depart from for the relevant tube line Kensington is the tube stop for Olympia Copyright smart-BA 2008 10

EXAMPLE way of documenting… www.smart-BA.com Driver Problem / opportunity analysis Addressed as measured by Project Objective SMART objectives Delivered by Business… Functional… Non-functional… …high level …mid level Change Requirement Driver: Problems that the business must solve Opportunities the business can exploit Rules that the business must conform to …etc Vision: The ideal state of the business after the drivers have been addressed Objective: The measures of success that will DEFINE if a project has been successful: Increase [measure] to the value of … Decrease [measure] to the value of … Maintain [measure] at the value of … Deliverable: The output of a project that affects the Objectives in the desired way. Function Business Procedure Technology Skill Proof of compliance Benefit: Which (and how much?) Deliverable contributes to which Objective Requirement: Functional Non-functional Scope (Org, App and Tech) Data Requirement Benefit: Which (and how much?) each Requirement contributes to which Benefit Business Rule: Process model Data model Rule definition Business logic Requirement Business Rule: Which rules are utilised within which Requirements EXAMPLE: Driver: Don’t know how to get to Olympia on the tube Taxi arriving in 20 minutes My computer is packed up Vision: I have no problems knowing which tubes to get when I arrive at Euston, and where to change, to get to Olympia Objective: I have the knowledge to get me from Euston to Olympia the time the taxi arrives Deliverable: A map of the tube stations from Euston to Olympia Requirement To know which tube line and direction I need from Euston To know at which tube station to change tube trains and lines To know what direction of travel I need To know when I have arrived at Olympia Business Rule The tube line is highlighted for all tube stations The tube lines I need to take is highlighted The tube stations I need to use are highlighted The direction of travel is indicated from any tube station I need to depart from for the relevant tube line Kensington is the tube stop for Olympia Copyright smart-BA 2008 11

EXAMPLE way of documenting… www.smart-BA.com Driver Problem / opportunity analysis Addressed as measured by Project Objective SMART objectives Delivered by Business… Functional… Non-functional… …high level …mid level Change Requirement Driver: Problems that the business must solve Opportunities the business can exploit Rules that the business must conform to …etc Vision: The ideal state of the business after the drivers have been addressed Objective: The measures of success that will DEFINE if a project has been successful: Increase [measure] to the value of … Decrease [measure] to the value of … Maintain [measure] at the value of … Deliverable: The output of a project that affects the Objectives in the desired way. Function Business Procedure Technology Skill Proof of compliance Benefit: Which (and how much?) Deliverable contributes to which Objective Requirement: Functional Non-functional Scope (Org, App and Tech) Data Requirement Benefit: Which (and how much?) each Requirement contributes to which Benefit Business Rule: Process model Data model Rule definition Business logic Requirement Business Rule: Which rules are utilised within which Requirements EXAMPLE: Driver: Don’t know how to get to Olympia on the tube Taxi arriving in 20 minutes My computer is packed up Vision: I have no problems knowing which tubes to get when I arrive at Euston, and where to change, to get to Olympia Objective: I have the knowledge to get me from Euston to Olympia the time the taxi arrives Deliverable: A map of the tube stations from Euston to Olympia Requirement To know which tube line and direction I need from Euston To know at which tube station to change tube trains and lines To know what direction of travel I need To know when I have arrived at Olympia Business Rule The tube line is highlighted for all tube stations The tube lines I need to take is highlighted The tube stations I need to use are highlighted The direction of travel is indicated from any tube station I need to depart from for the relevant tube line Kensington is the tube stop for Olympia Enforces Process model Process specification Non-functional specifications Data model Attribute specification …low level Business Rule Copyright smart-BA 2008 12

Process execution rules EXAMPLE PROCESS RULES A BA can request one of 4 types of support: Phone or email based query about a specific point Informal review of a project deliverable Formal review of full set of project deliverables Facilitated workshop of how to apply analysis to a specific project 1. In the case of phone or email query about a specific point the BA poses the question and the training provider will provide guidance for how the technicalities of Business Analysis apply to the problem Informal reviews of project deliverables will be done by email and will only discuss the technicalities of Business Analysis in relation to the document Formal reviews will involve the BA sending the full set of Analysis deliverables to the training provider who will critique them from a technical perspective and then deliver the feedback in a one-to-one structured feedback session on the client site Facilitated workshops will be initiated by the BA - the training provider will supply workshop agenda and prerequisites which the BA will use to organise the workshop. The training provider will then facilitate the workshop for the project. Process execution rules Who is interacts with process Where they are Availability of process Volumetrics Performance of process Security & Authorisation levels Non-functional Rules Time to start Training course BA requests support Conduct Training Provide BA support Analysis Phase Of Project concludes Monitor Analysis quality Process dependency rules

Data relationship rules EXAMPLE DATA RULES Attributes Name Start Date Course duration Contact details Content Review feedback Description Course.Start Date Definition: the date/time the course is scheduled to start Data type: Numeric Size: 12 Domain: Datetime Data rules: Format is DD/MM/YYYY HH:MM When created must be in the future Cannot be a Saturday or Sunday or Bank Holiday Data content rules Who is allowed access to the data? How long must this data be kept? How many instances of it must be supported? Non-Functional Rules Course Attends Delegate Support Type receives Supplies Data relationship rules Analysis Deliverable