BABOK Chapter 2: BA Planning &

MonitoringThe Business Analyst’s

Business Analysis

Campbell FerenbachOctober 18, 2011

Project BA work is a business process with:◦ Inputs◦ Outputs◦ Tasks◦ Stakeholders◦ Actors

As-Is is our toolbox and methodology

To-be changes with each project

Sounds like PM work…

Each project, release and sprint needs:◦ Elicitation◦ Analysis◦ BPR◦ Actors/ Stakeholders◦ Documentation◦ Performance Measurements

To-Be BA Process

Each project, release and sprint needs:◦ Elicitation

What’s in this project?

Where are the Stakeholders?

How are we delivering it?

When are we due?

To-Be BA Process

FOR THE BA, this is like “What is the business

domain?”

SOUNDS LIKE some NFRs & technical constraints on the business processes…

Each project, release and sprint needs:◦ Elicitation◦ Analysis

What outputs are the ‘user’/BA needing to produce to communicate with the project teams? Consider practical needs, plus project and client

standards

What data do they already have?

What inputs do they receive from outside?

To-Be BA Process

SOUNDS LIKE communications and data flows…

More NFRs!

Each project, release and sprint needs:◦ Elicitation◦ Analysis◦ BPR

Assuming our BA/user has mature, regular processes that they know how to follow…

How are those processes going to be tailored to fit the specifics of the ‘new world’ (this project!)?

Who needs to know how the process is going to work? Participants, suppliers, consumers, auditors….

To-Be BA Process

Works for ‘No As-Is’

too!

Each project, release and sprint needs:◦ Elicitation◦ Analysis◦ BPR◦ Actors / Stakeholders

Who are the users/BAs and other stakeholders? Where are the constraints and bottlenecks?

are more or different resources needed? Are some fixed resources creating constraints on

others? Will training be needed?

To-Be BA Process

Each project, release and sprint needs:◦ Elicitation◦ Analysis◦ BPR◦ Actors / Stakeholders◦ Documentation

Who needs to know about all this BA process and data and rules and stuff?

How do we communicate with them?

Who needs to validate that these outputs will be right for the business (this project!)

To-Be BA Process

Each project, release and sprint needs:◦ Elicitation◦ Analysis◦ BPR◦ Actors / Stakeholders◦ Documentation◦ Performance Measurements

How will we know if the process has been correctly engineered and solutioned?

Who wants to know how it’s running? Why?

What measures are useful and practical? measureable, reportable, timely and actionable

To-Be BA Process

What does the BABOK say?

BABOK Chapter2: In’s and Out’s

Start with the Type of Project…◦ Feasibility studies◦ Process improvement◦ Organizational change◦ New software development (in-house)◦ Outsourced new software development◦ Software maintenance or enhancement◦ Software package selection

Methodology affects most planning elements Pre-Set vs Open to Tailoring? Plan-driven vs Change-driven?

2.1 Plan Business Analysis Approach

2.1.4. Elements:

◦ .1 Timing◦ .2 Formality & Level of Detail◦ .3 Prioritization◦ .4 Change Management◦ .5 BA Planning Process◦ .6 Communication with Stakeholders◦ .7 Analysis and Management Tools◦ .8 Project Complexity

2.1 Plan Business Analysis Approach

2.2 Conduct Stakeholder Analysis The basics:

◦ Who’s out there? ◦ What do they do? ◦ How are they involved?

Attitudes

Influence & Authority

2.2 Conduct Stakeholder Analysis

Identify business analysis deliverables

Determine the scope of work for the business analysis activities

Determine which activities the business analyst will perform and when

Develop estimates for business analysis work.

2.3 Plan Business Analysis Activities

2.3 Plan Business Analysis Activities

The Elements:◦ Where are Stakeholders?

Co-located vs Dispersed? ◦ Type of project/initiative?◦ Deliverables

Begin with the end(s) in mind…◦ Activities Needed

What actions & tasks are in the process? Is a WBS just a formatted process flow? Details: assumptions, dependencies, milestones

◦ Organize the Activities by deliverable, phases/iterations, other?

2.4 Plan Business Analysis Communication

“proposed structure and schedule for communications regarding business analysis activities”

“setting expectations for business analysis work, meetings, walkthroughs, and other communications.”

“how best to receive, distribute, access, update, and escalate information from project stakeholders, and determining how best to communicate with each stakeholder”

2.4 Plan Business Analysis Communication

Plan for:◦ what needs to be communicated◦ who is the appropriate audience◦ what is the appropriate delivery method◦ and when the communication should occur.

2.4 Plan Business Analysis Communication

Consider needs and constraints:◦ Physical locations, time zones◦ Communication approach for the stakeholder.◦ What types of communications will be required ◦ What types of requirements will be elicited and

how best to elicit them.◦ How best to communicate requirements

conclusions/packages.◦ Time and resource availability constraints.

For more info, check sections 4.4, 4.5 & 8.4

2.5 Plan Requirement Management

Purpose:

“approve requirements for implementation”

“manage changes to the solution or requirements scope”

2.5 Plan Requirement Management

Repository(ies)◦ WIP, in review, approved◦ Whiteboards

Traceability – if & how◦ Adds overhead◦ Manages risk if correct and consistent (see Sect 4.2)

Requirements Attributes◦ Meta-data: unique ID, status, ownership, priority, …

Prioritization◦ Formality, frequency, techniques, participants

LAN folders Sharepoint big tools

2.5 Plan Requirement Management

Change Management◦ Approach depends on methodology & culture

Change-driven vs Plan-driven Large-scale, Contractual vs small, informal

◦ Consider: Process for requests – create, assess, approve Participants: impact assessment & approval Impact analysis: who, how detailed, consolidation Prioritization and integration into scope

Tailoring the Reqmts Mgmt process

2.6 Manage BA Performance Which metrics and how to capture, assess and

report on them?◦ Approach depends on methodology & project type

Change-driven vs Plan-driven Large-scale, high risk vs small, low-impact

Consider:◦ How will we know we’re on or off track?◦ KPIs, KSFs,… Quality, Speed, Efficiency

what matters? what can be measured?◦ How to report and to whom◦ Risk of missing targets vs Costs of tracking &

monitoring

Project BA work is a business process with:◦ Inputs◦ Outputs◦ Tasks◦ Stakeholders◦ Actors

As-Is is our toolbox and methodology

To-be changes with each project

We started with the claim that…

Each project, release and sprint needs:◦ Elicitation◦ Analysis◦ BPR◦ Actors/ Stakeholders◦ Documentation◦ Performance Measurements

And the To-Be BA Process in…

2.1 Plan Business Analysis Approach

2.2 Conduct Stakeholder Analysis

2.3 Plan Business Analysis Activities

2.4 Plan Business Analysis Communication

2.5 Plan Requirements Management Process

2.6 Manage Business Analysis Performance

In other words, we…

Asks you to be a:

Business Analystto the

Business Analysts

So, BA Planning & Monitoring

Questions?

Questions?