Challenge yourself by keeping up with practical business analysis techniques you can apply on the job.
Group Creativity Techniques are methods for soliciting ideas from a group of stakeholders and can be very useful in elicitation sessions.
Here is a cross section of group elicitation techniques that can come in handy on projects:
Read MoreGroup decision-making can easily become complicated with factors such as groupthink, self-censoring and egos to contend with. Where a decision needs to be made within a group, there are a number of approaches that can be taken in order to arrive at the right decision.
Read MoreFor any change introduced in an organisation, the model may be used to understand how organisational elements are related and identify which elements need to be realigned. The key message behind the model is that all these elements are inter-dependent. Consequently, making changes to one element may have an effect on the other elements
Read MoreFocus Groups can be organised to collect the opinions of stakeholders in relation to a new idea, product or service. This article discusses the different types of moderation that can be employed in focus group sessions.
Read MoreThis article discusses popular question formats that can be applied to surveys. It is recommended to use a minimum of two different formats and a maximum of four different types. It is also advisable to use at least one question type, which allows respondents to provide comments (e.g. the open-ended format).
Read MoreThere are numerous techniques that can be used for identifying and analysing risks. This article discusses techniques that can be applied to managing risks as follows:
Read MoreBenchmarking offers a simplified way for a business to review its business operations by studying what leading organizations are doing and addressing the gap(s) between its current processes and best practice processes.
Read MoreSurveys are the preferred elicitation technique when faced with a large number of stakeholders or when stakeholders are geographically dispersed and you need to gather the same information from them. Surveys can also be used to gather requirements anonymously. A practical application is as follows: using it to gather information on stakeholders’ reactions to existing systems or proposed requirements.
Read MoreRequirements Traceability refers to the degree to which it is possible to link a requirement to other requirements, the objectives from which it emanated, the test cases used to verify its implementation as well as the solution components created as a result.
Read MoreThis article discusses the elements of business process modelling with BPMN 2.0 and also sheds some light on the benefits of business process modelling.
Read MoreThe Value Stream represents all the activities that are necessary to bring a product/service from its raw material state to a final product. Understanding the value stream is essential because it defines exactly where to focus process improvement efforts.
Read MoreThe Six Thinking Hats Technique was introduced by Edward de Bono as a lateral thinking approach. It is particularly useful in assessing the ideas gleaned from brainstorming activities. It facilitates critical thinking and creativity by ensuring that participants are better able to see the different perspectives to an issue before arriving at a conclusion.
Read MoreThe main idea behind the Rule of three is that concepts presented in threes are easy to remember. An interesting benefit that comes from applying the rule of three is that others will remember what you have to say and so will you.
Read MoreBusinesses in today’s world are often faced with complex situations that require an assessment of their position and identification of innovative ways to stay ahead. With the correct strategy in place, the potential of a business can be improved. SWOT Analysis is one technique that can be used to identify that strategy. It can be applied to solving both personal and business problems.
Read MoreConventional techniques like observation and interviews typically take significant time to organize. Joint Requirements Planning techniques on the other hand, have the added advantage of saving time because they involve bringing system owners, analysts, users, designers and builders together to identify problems, define requirements and analyse within a Joint Application Development framework. These workshops can run for 3-5 days with the analyst playing the role of a facilitator.
Read MoreAcceptance Criteria Definition involves specifying the requirements that must be met for a solution to be considered acceptable to stakeholders. It entails defining the data (inputs and outputs), quality attributes and system functionalities that are necessary for the user to accept the system.
Read MoreInterface analysis can also help in determining requirements for interoperability and exposing interfacing stakeholders early on in the project. The last thing you want is to discover at the eleventh hour that there is an application from which the new system will require data.
Read MoreThe purpose of the risk analysis technique is to identify all the uncertainties that may have an impact on your initiative. Risks can come up whether or not you decide to take action in a specific direction. For instance, there could be risks associated with doing nothing.
Read MoreRead MoreA time-bound project is one that is constrained by hard deadlines where the date of delivery is as important as the delivery itself. If the project delivers after the deadline, it loses most of its value. Examples of projects with hard deadlines are exhibitions and government regulations - Eduardo Miranda, Program Director, Ericsson Research Canada
This post is a response to one of my readers who wanted to know how to compare different software options. In her case, she wanted to compare bug-tracking tools and recommend an option to her team members. Since this is a situation that most analysts would face at one point or the other, I decided to share this technique for comparing software, which you may find useful.
Read MoreThis business analyst blog contains practical insights into business analysis, software testing and business process management. I will be sharing business analyst tips, CBAP Certification tips, lessons learnt and insights into all the things I've learnt during my BA career.
