my life as a business analyst - presentation to iiba members by: scott a. mackay
TRANSCRIPT
My life as a Business Analyst- Presentation to IIBA Members
By: Scott A. Mackay
Purpose
•Introduce you to the typical things that I do in my work as a Business Analyst. Note that your experiences could be different.
Introduction
•My degree is in Industrial Engineering •I have worked in process improvement &
best practices for over 30 years•Most of my recent work has been in
developing new or improving existing software applications
Most Recent Projects• Health Assessment Tool• Maintenance Man Dispatching Tool• Hotel Reservation Tool• Catering & Banqueting Tool• Vessel & Pipeline Reliability Predictor Tool• Time & Attendance Tool(s)• On-line Training Creation Tool(s)• Truss & Wall Panel Estimating Tool• Prescription Drug Data Publishing Tool• Field Engineering Support Tool• Tax Return Processing System• Business Intelligence Dashboard
Current Project
•Process Surveillance & Analysis Tools▫Business Case▫Business Requirements Document▫Minimal Master Data Management▫Tool Selection & Implementation (as RFP
Lead)▫User Training▫Effectiveness Assessment
These are the artifacts (deliverables) that I create for most projects. Sometimes I work alone, and sometimes the work is distributed across a team of BAs.
Develop a Business Case•Some projects require a Business Case prior
to starting•The Business Case presents:
▫Clear statement of the problem to be solved▫Proposed solutions (with Context Diagrams)▫Cost benefits analysis (Tables & Graphs)▫Risk analysis▫Recommendation▫Project timeline (Gantt Chart)
Create the Project Statement of Work•Statement of Work (aka Business
Requirements Document) should include:▫Goal of project▫Business/User needs to be satisfied▫Features to be added or improved▫Other tasks to be accomplished▫Assumptions & Constraints▫Time line goals
Model the Business Process
•Create Process Maps▫Top level flows with swim lanes
•Create Process Activity Flows▫Lower level flows▫Hierarchical if needed
•Typically focused on the Future State▫Document the As-is if needed
Create Business Object Model
•Build one or more diagrams showing:▫Business Objects▫Business Object Attributes▫Business Operations▫Relationships
Create the Use Case Model
•Build one or more diagrams showing:▫Actors▫Use Case Titles▫Relationships
Create a Storyboard
•Build User Interface Mock-ups showing:▫New screens and operations▫New fields and operations on existing
screens▫Animation of screen flow (Behavior Model)
•Usually done in a workshop setting▫Faster & more effective if done using rapid
visualization technique
Create the Use Cases
•Write User Stories for simple operations such as:▫Open, save, delete, exit, cancel
•Write Use Case Narratives for complex operations such as:▫Creating a Business Object▫Viewing or Editing a Business Object
Create A Glossary
•Write a Dictionary of Unique Terms▫Collect terms unique to the business
process▫Define each term▫Get agreement of each definition
These are the activities I perform most often for each project.
Conduct Stakeholder Workshops•I use these to:
▫Examine a business problem Who are the actors in the business process? How do they do things today? What exactly is the problem to be solved?
▫Brainstorm solutions to a business problem▫Agree on next steps▫Promote support for the project
Conduct Process Assessments
•I use these to:▫Understand the current business process▫Collect current process metrics▫Document all significant inputs & outputs
Conduct Requirements Kick-off
•I use these to:▫Transmit management’s endorsement▫Introduce everyone to the project goals▫Explain the activities that they will be
involved in▫Explain the time commitments that are
needed
Conduct Interviews
•I use these to:▫Flowchart the current process▫Identify activities affected by the project ▫Develop process changes ▫Storyboard the new process▫Promote ownership of the solution
•These can be done:▫1 on 1▫1 with many
Conduct Use Case Reviews
•I use these to:▫Get final inputs▫Promote ownership▫Get concurrence on the solution
Conduct Development Kick-off
•I use these to:▫Transmit management’s endorsement▫Introduce Developers and Testers to the
project goals▫Explain the:
Process Map Activity Flows Use Case Model Object Model Storyboard
Conduct Requirements Peer Reviews•I use these for each requirements
document to:▫Get Stakeholder concurrence▫Get Developer concurrence▫Get Tester concurrence
•Might do many documents as a set▫ex: All User Stories & Storyboards for the
next Sprint
Attend Design Peer Reviews
•I try to assure:▫Proposed designs meet requirements▫Actors are comfortable with the designs▫Any proposed changes are desirable,
acceptable, and followed up by changes to requirements if needed
Conduct Build Reviews
•I use these to:▫Get feedback▫Assess completeness of the business
solution▫Identify things missing▫Identify unexpected things▫Assure business requirements are being
met▫Shake out bugs prior to formal testing
Conduct User Acceptance
•I use these to:▫Get user concurrence with the solution▫Get feedback for future changes or new
features
Conduct User Training
•I use this to prepare users for transition to the new business process:▫Explain the expected benefits of the new
business process▫Introduce each change in the process▫Let each user try the new process in a
training environment
Audit Results
•I use this to:▫Validate that the business process changes
worked as predicted▫Document productivity savings▫Assess user acceptance▫Collect feedback for future changes
Ancillary Activities•I am occasionally asked to do more:
▫Project Estimates & Cost Accounting▫Project Planning & Control▫Lead Requests for Proposals▫Develop Test Plans & Scripts▫Facilitate Customer Acceptance▫Facilitate Daily Scrums
This is an activity that I often get involved with as a consultant coming into a new company
Assess current process
•Assure the best practices are in place:▫Lean Development Methodology▫Project Management Process▫Change Control Process▫Configuration Management Process▫Quality Assurance Process▫Visual Modeling Capabilities▫Peer Review Process
Assess current process steps
•Assure the key validation steps are in place:▫Statement of work peer review▫Requirements peer review▫Design peer review▫Developer’s testing▫User’s build review▫Quality control testing▫User training▫User acceptance
Assess current process steps
•Assure the key management activities are in place:▫Status meetings▫Issues meetings▫Risk assessment updates▫Iteration planning meetings▫Iteration post mortem meetings
Assess current tools
•Assure the needed tools are in place:▫Email & Appointment tool▫Shared document storage tool▫Document editing tool▫Presentation editing tool▫UI modeling tool ▫UML modeling tool▫BPMN modeling tool
Assess Working Environment
•Assure facilities are available:▫Conference Room
PC Projector Speaker phone
▫Quiet workspace
These are the skills that I use most often
My Skills Set is:
•Business process flow charting•Storyboarding •Object & Use Case modeling•Meeting facilitization•Requirements elicitation•Requirements writing•Use Case writing
I also need:
• Imagination•Visualization•Creativity•Patience &
listening•Public speaking•Ego control•Attention to details•Time management
•Motivation•Spelling &
grammar•Math•Leadership
My secrets to success
•Work fast•Work cheaply•Keep quality high•Affect the company’s bottom line•Stay flexible to changes
Questions?