Introduction
This is an introductory training program designed to provide participants with a basic understanding of the benefits, functions, and impact a business analyst has within an organization. The Business Analysis: Essentials training program discusses the business analysis process as it is applied throughout a project as well as the pre-project activities that comprise strategy analysis. Participants learn how a business analyst supports the project throughout the solution development life cycle, from defining business needs and solution scope to validating that requirements have been met in the testing phase and ensuring the solution continues to provide value after implementation.
Topics Include:
- Why requirements are important
- Types of requirements
- Underlying competencies for Business Analysts
- Strategy Analysis Knowledge Area
- Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring Knowledge Area
- Elicitation and Collaboration Knowledge Area
- Requirements Life Cycle Management Knowledge Area
- Requirements Analysis and Design Definition Knowledge Area
- Solution Evaluation Knowledge Area
- The BA curriculum
Training Objectives
Understand the role of the business analyst:
- Discuss industry standards/resources for obtaining more information about business analysis
- Acquire a solid understanding of the various tasks/activities that comprises business analysis
- Recognize the pre and post-project business analysis activities
- Learn how to plan, elicit, analyze, model, and test requirements
Target Audience
The Business Analysis: Essentials Training Program is designed for individuals new to the business analyst role or those who supervise and/or work with business analysts.
- Current and aspiring business analysts
- Executives and managers
- Project managers
- Programmers
COURSE OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS ANALYSIS
- Business analysis defined
- The activities that comprise business analysis
- IIBA/PMI and the goals of a professional association
- IIBA’s BABOK® Guide and PMI’s Practice Guide in Business Analysis
- Exercise: Requirements challenges
THE IIBA AND THE ROLE OF THE BUSINESS ANALYST
- Business analyst defined
- BA role vs. PM role
- Importance of communication/collaboration
- The deliverables produced as part of the business analysis
- The BA career path
- Exercise: Review case Study
STRATEGY ANALYSIS AND CHANGE
UNDERSTANDING AND DEFINING SOLUTION SCOPE
- Defining Solution Scope
- Project scope vs. product scope
- Defining a problem statement
- Techniques for defining scope
- Exercises: Conduct a brainwriting session and create a context diagram
- Optional exercise: Create a Use Case Diagram
UNDERSTANDING REQUIREMENTS
- Define the term requirement
- Understand requirement types
- Present the requirements process
- Requirements vs. specifications and business rules
- Exercise: Identify Requirements
PLANNING & ELICITING REQUIREMENTS
- The Requirements Work Plan (RWP)
- Components of the RWP
- Identifying good questions for elicitation
- Active listening
- Categories and types of elicitation techniques
- Exercise: Planning for elicitation
ANALYZING & DOCUMENTING REQUIREMENTS
- Understanding requirements analysis
- The Business Requirements Document (BRD)
- The BRD vs. the functional requirements specification
- BRD components
- The purpose of packaging requirements
- Exercise: Analyzing Requirements
ELICITATION & PROCESS MODELING
- Why models are created
- Objectives of modeling
- What is process management
- Understanding process modeling
- Modeling using BPMN
- AS-IS vs. TO-BE modeling
- BPMN subclasses
- BPMN simple structure
- Prototyping
- Business Process Modeling case study
- Exercises: Modeling and creating a Prototype of your application
VERIFYING & VALIDATING REQUIREMENTS
- The difference between validation and verification
- Characteristics of good requirements
- Risks associated with requirements
- Types of testing approaches
- Creating a test plan
- Requirements traceability matrix
- Verified and validated requirements
- Exercise: Testing Requirements
About Amsterdam
Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, is a popular destination amongst travelers from all around the world. Once just a little fishing village, Amsterdam is now a major international city after having become an important port during the 1600s. Throughout its history, the city has had many famous residents, including artists, philosophers and other historical figures. There is much to discover along Amsterdam's quaint streets and picturesque canals. So much so that a flight to Amsterdam comes with a guarantee of cultural and historical attractions that will provide memories to last a lifetime. Amsterdam is a hotbed of culture for travelers of all ages and tastes.
Things to do and places to visit in Amsterdam
From the moment passengers step off their flight to Amsterdam, they will find it a friendly city with a lively atmosphere. Its flat geography means that it is perfect for exploring by bicycle. If you're feeling less active, it the city is also well-served by public transport. The so-called Venice of the North has something for every visitor. Culture vultures have museums, galleries and theaters to see, Families can visit the zoo or the Science Center NEMO.
When visiting Amsterdam, be sure to:
- See the picture-perfect and colorful houses of the Grachtengordel district.
- See the iconic works of one of Holland's most famous artists at the Van Gogh Museum.
- Visit the house where Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis.
- Browse through the extensive collection of fantastic art in the Rijksmusem.
- Wander through the blaze of colors that is the Singel Flower Market.
- See the city at a leisurely pace on a canal cruise.
- Marvel at one of the city's many historic churches.
- Learn about life aboard a ship at the National Maritime Museum.
- Discover the Begijnhof's well-preserved medieval architecture.
- See animals of all kinds, as well as the butterfly pavilion and aquarium, at the Artis Zoo.