Business Analyst Blog with tips, techniques and resources for every BA.
The relentless pace of technological progress drives businesses to work on increasingly more complex projects. With this increased complexity comes new challenges and roadblocks that business analysts must learn to overcome.
Read MoreBusiness Analysts play a pertinent role in determining what functionality a system should or should not have. If you can ask these questions of every requirement, the implemented solution will have a higher possibility of acceptance:
Read MoreOne of the main goals of business analysis is to uncover unknown risks and requirements during the requirements discovery phase. But as many business analysts will surely attest to, sooner or later, the problem of scope creep inevitably arises, unless concrete steps are taken to prevent it.
Read MoreWe make hundreds if not thousands of decisions every day. Some more important, others less so. With each decision we make, we shape our future and possibly, come closer to the attainment of our goals. One of the most effective ways to increase productivity and make better choices during requirements elicitation is by organizing facilitated sessions among stakeholders.
Read MoreDocumentation of software requirements should not be seen as optional, but a necessity. While the level of detail may vary depending on the approach adopted, be it Agile or Waterfall, it’s important to keep in mind why documentation is needed in the first place, before one goes too far in the wrong direction.
Read MoreNeeds Analysis is similar to business analysis especially in the sense that it is used to determine the needs of the business, and is centred on understanding the issues and opportunities faced by the business with the objective of finding resolutions, defining approaches to resolving issues and exploiting opportunities. In summary, it’s about:
From analysing data and preparing deliverables to supporting stakeholders through other stages of the solution development lifecycle, the role of the BA is certainly key to successful projects. The end of the elicitation event does not signify the end of business analysis activities, but the beginning of the BA’s involvement in other aspects of the project.
Read MoreThis piece is a continuation of Why Do Business Analysts Miss Software Requirements? and provides more reasons why Business Analysts may miss out on key requirements necessary for system development.
Read MoreA project that ends with a deluge of change requests once operations have started can only signify one thing—missed requirements or unmet expectations. Requirements may be missed for many reasons on business projects. This article explores the reasons why requirements can end up as missed and some best practices to keep in mind for successful software implementation.
Read MoreWhile a cruise ship captain is responsible for the vessel, its crew and the passengers, a facilitator is responsible for the outcome of the requirements elicitation event. Still, there are many similarities between a ship captain and an event facilitator:
Read MoreFacilitation takes special effort, skill and experience to master. It is not exclusive to business analysts, however, but it is particularly important to them since they are required to manage requirement elicitation meetings and workshops. Effective facilitation can help stakeholders define and discover their requirements.
This piece discusses 5 key tips for effective facilitation.
Read MoreOf all the soft skills necessary to become a successful BA professional, listening is certainly one of the most important. Professionals that have the capacity to listen to others will always be one step ahead as they will be looked upon as a source of inspiration and strength by others.
Read MoreThough you may catch yourself asking these types of questions from time to time, it’s important to be aware of them so that you can learn to consciously avoid them with some practice.
Read MoreTo avoid project failure, it is extremely important to plan for elicitation events effectively so that any anticipated difficulties can be nipped in the bud. For quick tips on how to increase the chances of your requirements elicitation event (Brainstorming sessions, workshop sessions, etc) through effective planning and visualisation, get a copy of BAL's ebook.
Read MoreRequirements elicitation sessions typically start with the question, “How do things work?”. By gaining an understanding of what works and what the business rules are, analysts are better positioned to identify the business rules from which requirements may be drawn.
Read MoreERP projects are notorious for failure. Research has placed ERP failure rates as high as 60% (See Article by John Cummings). BAs are expected to reduce the risk of failure by eliciting requirements that are accurate, within scope, technically feasible...the list goes on. Poor requirements elicitation can easily lead to a failed effort – a very expensive and public one.
Read MoreBusiness analysts often have to deal with the volatile nature of requirements, scope creep and the difficulties inherent in ensuring that stakeholder groups have a common understanding of requirements. Requirements elicitation at its core is difficult to accomplish, due to the nature of requirements. This post is a compilation of 8 tips you can apply to improve the outcome of your requirements elicitation effort. Guest Post By Melisa Marzett.
Read MoreI came across the H-method a number of years ago while researching analysis techniques. It’s one of those methods that stay with you because of its practicality. it’s particularly useful in framing interview questions.
Read MoreInterviews are a popular technique with analysts. Unfortunately, they’re not that simple. Great interviews do not just happen. They have to be carefully planned with every minor detail ironed out before the day. Without further ado, this post outlines the basic but crucial factors that analysts should be aware of before, during and after an interview session.
Read MoreConsider this scenario: You’ve been charged with introducing a new Information System to support the work of inexperienced stakeholders. Some are inexperienced on the job while others know very little about the technology, opportunities and constraints related to the new information system. In this scenario, techniques such as interviews and workshops (events-based elicitation techniques) may not yield sufficient results. What is the way forward?
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.
