The business analyst's handbook

433 Pages·2009·2.49 MB·English

by  Howard Podeswa

THE BUSINESS
ANALYST’S
HANDBOOK
Howard Podeswa
Course Technology PTR
A part of Cengage Learning
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The Business Analyst’s Handbook © 2009 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning.
Howard Podeswa
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ISBN-13: 978-1-59863-565-2
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Printed in Canada
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11 10 09
This book is dedicated to Joy Walker, my partner in
both life and business. It has been my greatest for-
tune to find someone who enriches every area of my
life—and who does it with such style, beauty, and
grace. Joy had a particularly important role with
respect to this book, as it was she who saw the need
for it and encouraged me to write it. For that, and
much more, I am most grateful.
Acknowledgments
A
special thank you goes to:
■ My editor,Mitzi Koontz.I can’t imagine a better,more effective,tougher (when she
needs to be),and,at the same time,more supportive editor.Any author is lucky to
have her in his or her corner.
■ Kim Benbow,copy editor,for doing a great job on one ofher more “challenging”
assignments—and,in particular,for putting up with my penchant for multiple and
last-minute revisions.In the midst ofit all,she kept an eye on the ball,indulging
me when it served the book and keeping me in line when it didn’t—and did it all
with warmth and humour.
■ Rick Guyatt for his invaluable insight into ITIL and its implementation in the pub-
lic sector.
■ Chris Reynolds for the benefit ofhis rich experience in BA best practices within the
private sector.
■ Ken Clyne ofNumber Six for the deep perspective he provided on many issues
and,in particular,those related to the agile approach,the UML,RUP,and iterative
development.
■ Keith Sarre,a fellow reviewer ofthe BABOK®,for his valuable input regarding the
BABOK® and best BA practices.
■ John Welch for drawing my attention to the existing gap between ITIL and the BA
role.John is the visionary who,early on,saw the importance ofmaking the ITIL-
BA link and who worked tirelessly to ensure it was addressed.
■ Beth Brook (OPSI) for her help in expediting the applications to license the ITIL
material in this book.
■ Mike Bonamassa ofNumber Six.
■ My kids,Yasha Podeswa and Samantha Stillar.
■ My parents,Yidel and Ruth Podeswa,for giving me the confidence to do anything I
put my mind to.
iv
In Memory
A
nd finally,a note in memory ofBrian Lyons,a founder ofNumber Six.I met Brian
years ago in Toronto,while we were both working with a telecommunications
client.Brian was one of the most brilliant and unconventional people I had ever
met in this business.We had kept in touch since then and,when my previous book was
about to come out,he consented to act as technical editor.As this book was nearing com-
pletion,I was looking forward to another round,when I learned that he had died in a tragic
motorcycle accident.He has been an inspiration to me and many others.
v
About the Author
H
oward Podeswais the co-founder ofNoble Inc.,a business analysis training and
consulting company.He has 29 years ofexperience in many aspects ofthe soft-
ware industry,beginning as a developer for Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.and
continuing as systems analyst,business analyst,consultant,and author ofcourseware and
books for business analysts, including UML for the IT Business Analyst. Directly, and
through his company,he has provided training and consulting services to a diverse client
base covering a broad range ofindustry sectors,including health care,defense,energy,gov-
ernment,and banking and financial institutions.Podeswa has developed BA training pro-
grams for numerous colleges,universities,and corporate education centres.He has been a
subject matter expert in Business Analysis for NITAS—a BA apprenticeship program for
CompTIA—and a contributing reviewer for the IIBA’s Business Analysis Body ofKnowledge
(BABOK®).For more information on the Noble Business Analysis curriculum,please visit
www.nobleinc.ca or e-mail [email protected].
Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xv
Chapter 1 Overview of BA Activities Throughout the Life Cycle . . . . . .1
Adapting the Noble Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
How to Use the Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Initiation Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Discovery Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Construction Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Final V & V Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Closeout Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Placing the IT Project Life Cycle in Perspective: The Spectrum
Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Chapter 2 Meeting Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Planning for the Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Checklist: Who to Invite to Requirements Workshops . . . . . . . . .43
Contribution to Meeting by Role and Stakeholder Type . . . . . . .44
Types of Meetings That a BA May Be Asked to Participate In . . .45
Facilitated Meeting Work Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Meeting Readiness Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Standard Meeting Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Facilitated Meeting Rules and Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Facilitated Meeting Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Approvals Process Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
vii
viii Table of Contents
Review Meeting (Structured Walkthrough and Gate Review) . . . . . .51
Prerequisites, Timing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Who to Invite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Checklist: Questions for the Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Structured Walkthrough Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Meeting Objective: (Kick-Off Meeting) Identify Opportunities
and Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Prerequisites, Timing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Input Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Deliverables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Who to Invite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Checklist: Questions for the Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Meeting Objective: Identify Stakeholders and Interests . . . . . . . . . . .56
Prerequisites, Timing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Input Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Deliverables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Who to Invite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Checklist: Questions for the Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Meeting Objective: Analyze Impact on Business Services
and Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Prerequisites, Timing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Input Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Deliverables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Who to Invite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Checklist: Questions for the Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Meeting Objective: Analyze Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Prerequisites, Timing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Input Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Deliverables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Who to Invite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Checklist: Questions for the Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Meeting Objective: Requirements Management—Setup and
Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Prerequisites, Timing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Input Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Deliverables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Who to Invite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Checklist: Questions for the Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Table of Contents ix
Meeting Objective: Define Internal Workflow for End-to-End
Business Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Prerequisites, Timing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Input Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Deliverables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Who to Invite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Checklist: Questions for the Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Meeting Objective: Describe Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Prerequisites, Timing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Input Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Deliverables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Who to Invite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Checklist: Questions for the Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Meeting Objective: Identify User Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Prerequisites, Timing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Input Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Deliverables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Who to Invite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Checklist: Questions for the Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Meeting Objective: (Static Modeling) Define Business Concepts,
Objects, and Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Prerequisites, Timing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Input Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Deliverables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Who to Invite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Checklist: Questions for the Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Meeting Objective: Define Non-Functional SLRs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Prerequisites, Timing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Input Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Deliverables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Who to Invite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Checklist: Questions for the Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Meeting Objective: Gather Detailed User Requirements . . . . . . . . . . .86
Prerequisites, Timing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Input Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Deliverables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Who to Invite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Checklist: Questions for the Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87