September 14, 2013

Tips For Business Process Improvement

September 14, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

I once came across a trainer who equated process specialists to purple squirrels because of how hard they are to come by. Process specialists have the ability to interview stakeholders effectively, analyze feedback and have a deep understanding of at least one improvement methodology. Another course I attended recently on strategic business process improvement struck a cord so I’ve compiled some fundamental nuggets analysts should be aware of in improving business processes.

September 04, 2013

How to Improve Stakeholder Relationships

September 04, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

Someone once asked me, “How do you handle a difficult stakeholder?”. It’s never a pretty situation managing a stakeholder who is obviously opposed to your project for whatever reason. It’s even worse when the stakeholder goes the extra mile to ensure your project doesn’t succeed. Managing stakeholders is no different from managing personal relationships with people.

September 01, 2013

Proof of Concept: Benefits & Risks of Prototyping in Business Analysis

September 01, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

I once worked on a project that involved a series of discussions and consultations on whether to build or buy software. After extensive analysis, the decision was made to build the system in-house. To get started however, we had to prove that it could be done. We did this through a proof of concept (POC).

August 22, 2013

Applying the Kano Analysis Model to Requirements Identification & Prioritization

August 22, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

Because stakeholders make decisions both at conscious and unconscious levels, they are unable to express everything they want in a solution. The Kano Model is a technique that allows the analyst elicit and categorize requirements along two axes: How well requirements are executed and the level of customer satisfaction.

August 17, 2013

Applying the H-Method to Stakeholder Interviews

August 17, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

I 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.

July 30, 2013

Is Automated Software Testing the Way to Go?

July 30, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

Testing is a crucial part of software development projects as it reveals the true quality of software products. If there are any bugs or coding errors in the system, software testing can reveal those flaws and help to deliver effective applications. However, deciding whether to take the manual or automated testing route is usually the challenge - Guest Post By Prashant Chambakara.

July 26, 2013

15 Tips For Writing Better Requirements

July 26, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

There’s a world of information available on how to write “good” requirements. Good requirement writing must be learnt and continually practised in order to deliver good solutions. You can use the ideas in this post as a checklist for verifying your Requirements Specification Documents.

July 18, 2013

Effective Interview Sessions: Before, During and After

July 18, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

Interviews 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.

July 11, 2013

Stakeholder Profiling in Business Analysis: Why it Counts

July 11, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

One of the 48 Laws of Power, as stated by Robert Greene, an American Author, is to always know who you're dealing with. You cannot assume that different people will react the same way to your strategy or plans. That's why it's important to gather as much information about a person that either support or contradict your beliefs about them when dealing with them.

July 07, 2013

Can A Tester Without Coding Skills Perform Testing?

July 07, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

To meet the demands of quick product delivery, companies want to perform testing at a faster pace. At present, recruiters are torn between demanding for testers with good coding knowledge and those without. It is obvious that a tester who has to spend time writing automated test codes will take a longer time. So, the question is - Can a tester without coding skills perform testing? Guest Post By Prashant Chambakara

July 04, 2013

4 Steps to Getting a Head Start on Requirements Elicitation

July 04, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

Consider 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?

June 23, 2013

Problem Solving: Unveiling the Multiple Faces of the PIECES Framework

June 23, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

In a quest to prevent solving the wrong problem, numerous techniques like the cause and effect diagram and 5 Whys have been introduced. One problem solving tool that shouldn’t go without a mention is the PIECES framework. What makes it so unique is that it can be applied to analysis at multiple levels to deliver different results, depending on how you apply it.

June 19, 2013

Why Non-Functional Requirements Matter

June 19, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

I’d always thought that if the ICT Department delivered a system that satisfied all the functional requirements of users, one could call it a successful system. I thought that if the system worked exactly the way stakeholders said they wanted it to work, everyone could call it a day. You can imagine my reaction when I came across an article that challenged this view.

June 12, 2013

Body Language & The Importance of Non-Verbal Cues

June 12, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

Have you ever spoken to someone who wouldn't look you in the eyes? A lack of eye contact can indicate insincerity or uncertainty. Body language is an extremely crucial form of communication that is often taken for granted. When was the last time you read someone’s body language?

June 02, 2013

Getting Requirements Right: 5 Mistakes to Avoid

June 02, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

There’s no one formula for getting requirements right. Projects are different and come with various challenges, opportunities and methodologies to contend with. Having an idea of what mistakes to avoid can improve the quality and accuracy of your requirements. This post is a continuation of 5-Step Plan to Eliciting Accurate Requirements, and it points out the missteps to avoid when eliciting requirements.

May 26, 2013

Resolving A Messy Situation: Soft Systems Methodology

May 26, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

It is not in all cases that a project is launched from a clearly defined problem statement and plan of action. In some cases, the situation requires careful study aimed at resolving conflicting views on the causes of a problematic situation. Soft Systems Methodology when applied, can make all the difference.

May 20, 2013

Where Do Requirements Come From?

May 20, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

In a perfect world, all stakeholders would be able to completely articulate what they need, making life much easier for analysts. In reality however, they aren’t always in a position to provide information on what their requirements are. This is because they don’t always know what to request for.

May 12, 2013

The 5 - Step Plan to Eliciting Accurate Requirements

May 12, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

In the real world, business analysts often have to go the extra mile to elicit requirements, regardless of the circumstances. Despite the difficulty of identifying these elusive requirements, business analysts are expected to rise up to the challenge - every single time. This post outlines 5 steps that can be taken to improve the accuracy of requirements.

May 02, 2013

The Project Manager and Business Analyst Collaboration

May 02, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

The BA and PM roles are complementary and support each other. To hire one without the other introduces the risk of losing the benefits that come with having these two specialists support each other to deliver a solution of the right quality, at the right time and within the available budget.

April 29, 2013

Common Problems Faced by Business Analysts and Possible Solutions

April 29, 2013/ Stephanie Famuyide

Business Analysts are communicators and facilitators brought on projects to elicit requirements by sifting through masses of information and relating these requirements to the technical team. This role is extremely vital but comes with unique difficulties that every BA should know about and endeavour to rise above. Being aware of the pitfalls that come with the profession will prepare you to tackle them if and when they arise.

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