The Business Analysis Standard PDF

v.1.0 Nov. 2022 The Business Analysis Standard: A Preface Business analysis has continued to grow and evolve since the 2017 release of the IIBA® Global Business Analysis Core Standard. This has created a need and an opportunity to revisit its content and structure to better serve toda...

v.1.0 Nov. 2022 The Business Analysis Standard: A Preface Business analysis has continued to grow and evolve since the 2017 release of the IIBA® Global Business Analysis Core Standard. This has created a need and an opportunity to revisit its content and structure to better serve today’s needs in the business analysis community. Evolving the Standard The Business Analysis Standard is the foundation of professional business analysis and summarizes concepts and proven practices as the benchmark for creating business value. The Business Analysis Standard is aligned with the key principles for standard development described by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO): – It was co-created with IIBA’s global business analysis community using a multi-stakeholder process. – Business analysis leaders and professionals were sourced from: – the business analysis’ global community; – different organizations representing various industry sectors; – those who have worked on a variety of initiatives. – Multiple review cycles were used to ensure global expert opinion was incorporated, and this feedback was included to ensure a worldwide representation. – A consensus-based approach was followed. The Business Analysis Standard provides the direction for the future of the Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge®. It gives a comprehensive view of the foundation for effective business analysis. It will be updated regularly to align with evolving business analysis community needs. Summary of Changes The Business Analysis Standard is an update to and replaces the Global Business Analysis Core Standard. It provides: – a simplified, comprehensive view of business analysis; – summarized foundational information; – information about the mindset required to focus on value creation; – integration of agile business analysis to address hybrid approaches; – addition of: – key competencies that are critical for effective analysis; – key techniques that are fundamental to performing good analysis; – “design” with requirement tasks and activities as appropriate; – managing the delivery of business analysis; – sustainability as a requirement classification; and – key terms of reference; – incorporation of: – the Business Analysis Core Concept Model™ (BACCM™) to support the work to be done; and – other knowledge products that help describe business analysis work; – removal of numbering so there isn’t an implied sequence for tasks. The Business Analysis Standard: Preface i  What Didn’t Change The six knowledge areas and the thirty business analysis task descriptions have not been changed. Anyone studying for certifications should reference the BABOK® Guide and the appropriate Certification Guides for detailed information. How to Gain the Most from The Business Analysis Standard The Business Analysis Standard identifies the foundation of good business analysis. It is meant to be a summarized representation of concepts and practices that are essential to creating good business outcomes. It is best used as a starting point to our detailed knowledge sources, which illustrate usage with examples (see embedded links in the Standard). The business analysis community uses The Business Analysis Standard as: – the foundation for understanding business analysis work; – a mentoring tool for people new to business analysis and new to an initiative; – an education tool for stakeholders who may not understand the depth and breadth of business analysis work; – a simplified, comprehensive view of business analysis; – a pathway to our future integrated knowledge sources; – an easy-to-use view of business analysis tasks. ii The Business Analysis Standard: Preface About IIBA International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®), founded in 2003, is a professional association dedicated to supporting a global network of business analysis professionals. As the voice of the business analysis community, IIBA maintains internationally acknowledged standards of practice, certifications, professional development, and engagement opportunities through a network of business analysis professionals, organizations, and strategic alliances. Want to Know More? Learn how IIBA and business analysis can help you succeed in your career and support your organization deliver better business outcomes. Join the business analysis global community. The Business Analysis Standard is a free publication providing the foundation for the discipline of business analysis. As a member of IIBA, you receive: – a Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), which includes expanded business analysis tasks, techniques, competencies, and perspectives; – relevant business analysis resources and information; – access to a global network of IIBA Chapters. For further information visit www.iiba.org or contact [email protected]. International Institute of Business Analysis, Pickering, Ontario, Canada. © 2022 International Institute of Business Analysis. All rights reserved. ISBN- IIBA®, the IIBA® logo, BABOK® and Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® are registered trademarks owned by International Institute of Business Analysis. No challenge to the status or ownership of these or any other trademarked terms contained herein is intended by the International Institute of Business Analysis. The Business Analysis Standard: About IIBA iii  Contents Preface.............................................................................................................................. i Evolving the Standard............................................................................................................................................. i Summary of Changes............................................................................................................................................. i How to Gain the Most from The Business Analysis Standard...................................................................................ii About IIBA....................................................................................................................... iii Want to Learn More?..............................................................................................................................................iii 1. Understanding Business Analysis..................................................................................... 1 Defining Business Analysis.................................................................................................................................... 1 Importance of Business Analysis........................................................................................................................... 1 A Model for Good Analysis - BACCM™.................................................................................................................... 2 2. Mindset for Effective Business Analysis............................................................................ 5 The Importance of Mindset.................................................................................................................................... 5 The Way to Think About Business Analysis............................................................................................................ 6 Principles to Adopt................................................................................................................................................ 6 3. Performing Business Analysis.......................................................................................... 8 Who Performs Business Analysis........................................................................................................................... 8 Approaches to Your Work...................................................................................................................................... 8 Value to be Delivered............................................................................................................................................10 Organizational Considerations..............................................................................................................................15 Managing the Delivery of Business Analysis..........................................................................................................15 4. Tasks and Knowledge Areas...........................................................................................16 Introducing Business Analysis Tasks.....................................................................................................................16 Task Cards...........................................................................................................................................................16 The Six Knowledge Areas.....................................................................................................................................17 How to Navigate Tasks and Knowledge Areas.......................................................................................................17 A) Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring..........................................................................................18 B) Elicitation and Collaboration.............................................................................................................. 24 C) Requirements and Designs Life Cycle Management.............................................................................. 30 D) Strategy Analysis............................................................................................................................. 36 E) Requirements Analysis and Design Definition........................................................................................41 F) Solution Evaluation........................................................................................................................... 48 5. Summary..................................................................................................................... 54 6. Glossary and Key Terms................................................................................................ 56 7. Contributors................................................................................................................. 57 IIBA Product Development................................................................................................................................... 57 Workshop Participants........................................................................................................................................ 57 Expert Review...................................................................................................................................................... 58 Public Member Review........................................................................................................................................ 58 iv The Business Analysis Standard: Table of Contents 1. Understanding Business Analysis Defining Business Analysis Business analysis enables change in an enterprise by defining needs and recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders, while considering context. There are several important concepts to understand in this definition: Change: The act of transformation in response to a need. Need: A problem or opportunity to be addressed. Solution: A specific way of satisfying one or more needs in a context. Value: The worth, importance, or usefulness of something to a stakeholder within a context. Stakeholder: A group or individual with a relationship to the change, the need, or the solution. Context: The circumstances that influence, are influenced by, and provide an understanding of the change. Together, these concepts form the Business Analysis Core Concept Model™ (BACCM™). Business analysis is a researched and studied discipline with well-defined principles, concepts, and practices. These drive frameworks, approaches, processes, procedures, techniques, and competencies that together help business analysis professionals and organizations create desired outcomes. When effectively applied, business analysis ensures that every person achieves more. Importance of Business Analysis Business analysis: – enables an enterprise to: – understand rationale for change; – identify and prioritize business needs; and – design solutions that deliver the desired value; – can be used in different contexts and viewed through many lenses; – can be performed on strategic, tactical, and operational initiatives; – may be performed to: – support strategic decision-making; – ensure successful organizational transformation; – redesign business processes; – connect project or product outcomes to strategy; – ensure requirements are aligned with strategic, tactical, and operational objectives; – support enterprise evolution through continuous improvement initiatives. The Business Analysis Standard: Understanding Business Analysis 1 Effective business analysis is critical for: – helping align the enterprise’s strategic objectives, operational goals, and tactical execution through well-defined business architecture; – designing business intelligence solutions to transform data into meaningful, value-added information; – optimizing and managing end-to-end business processes; – ensuring an organization is using data to drive effective business decision-making; – creating successful products with effective product ownership analysis; – assessing, analyzing, improving, or implementing information technology solutions; – supporting an organization’s digital transformation initiatives; – helping an organization accelerate its business agility goals. A Model for Good Analysis - BACCM™ The six core concepts highlighted in the definition of business analysis — Change, Need, Solution, Value, Stakeholder, and Context — form a powerful model for effective business analysis, the Business Analysis Core Concept Model™. Each core concept is: – a building block for business analysis; – equally important and necessary to all the other concepts; – defined by the other five and is best understood in relation to the other concepts. These concepts help understand how the information is elicited, analyzed, and managed in business analysis tasks. Core Concept Description Change The act of transformation in response to a need. – Change typically works to improve the performance of an enterprise. – These improvements are managed and completed through business analysis activities. Need A problem or opportunity to be addressed. – Needs can cause changes by motivating stakeholders to act. – Changes can also cause needs by reducing or increasing the value delivered by existing solutions. 2 The Business Analysis Standard: Understanding Business Analysis Core Concept Description Solution A specific way of satisfying one or more needs in a context. – A solution satisfies a need by: – resolving a problem faced by stakeholders; or – enabling stakeholders to take advantage of an opportunity. – A solution can include a combination of components that deliver the desired value, for example: – technology-based; – manual procedures; – process changes; – business model updates; – improving organizational capabilities, etc. Stakeholder A group or individual with a relationship to the change, the need, or the solution. – Stakeholders (both internal and external) are often defined by their interest, impact, and influence over the change. – Stakeholders are grouped based on their relationship to the needs, changes, and solutions. Value The worth, importance, or usefulness of something to a stakeholder within a context. – Value can be: – potential or realized returns, gains, and improvements; or – avoiding a decrease in value in the form of losses, risks, and costs. – Value can be tangible or intangible: – Tangible value is directly measurable and often has a significant monetary component. – Intangible value is measured indirectly and often has a significant motivational component (e.g., company’s reputation or employee morale). – Value can be assessed in absolute or relative terms (e.g., one solution option is more valuable than another from the perspective of a group of stakeholders). Context The circumstances that influence, are influenced by, and provide an understanding of the change. – Context is everything within the environment relevant to the change, including: – attitudes; – goals; – projects; – behaviours; – history; – regulations; – beliefs; – industry; – sales; – competitors; – infrastructure; – seasons; – culture; – losses; – structure; – demographics; – processes, – technology; – geopolitics; – products; – weather, etc. The Business Analysis Standard: Understanding Business Analysis 3 Using the BACCM™ The BACCMTM is a “thinking model” and “organizing model” for effective business analysis. It is used to: – describe effective and efficient business analysis; – communicate about business analysis with a common language; – identify professional development opportunities for individuals; – perform better business analysis by evaluating the relationships among these six concepts; – evaluate the impact of these concepts and relationships; – establish both a foundation and a path forward; – consider the quality and completeness of work being done. The Business Analysis Core Concept ModelTM provides guidance for business analysis professionals and organization leaders to understand the required change and how to create value for any type of initiative. 4 The Business Analysis Standard: Understanding Business Analysis 2. Mindset for Effective Business Analysis The Importance of Mindset A “mindset” is the established set of attitudes or habits a person brings to various situations. Mindset influences how we think and act in various situations. It is important to maintain a flexible, adaptable view of how business analysis can be used to create desired value. Every situation is unique, and there is no single analysis approach. There are a variety of techniques, processes, and tools that can be used in different combinations, depending on the context. It requires habits, attitudes, behaviours, and practices to confidently approach a situation where it is impossible to know exactly what needs to be done. An empowering mindset can be developed with a deliberate practice focused on: – the value to be created; – how to think about the outcomes to be created; – adopting appropriate business analysis principles; – deciding how to approach the work; – actively developing foundational competencies; – being able to use some foundational techniques. Collectively, these provide the business analysis professionals with the ability to: – prioritize value delivery; – empathize with impacted stakeholders; – collaborate to build allies for change; – assess context and adapt to realities; – constantly learn from stakeholders; – simplify building and sharing of knowledge; – reflect on feedback and adapt; – strive to create high-quality outcomes; – deliver measurable value rapidly. The Way to Think About Business Analysis Business analysis is a human-centric, exploratory, and creative endeavour to create desired outcomes. Business analysis work enables changes to the organization. Specific ways of thinking, including maintaining an open mind, help guide the work to be done. Teams are best served when they select techniques, processes, and tools that fit their context and help create the desired value. Applying the BACCM™ helps develop and share information about the outcome to be created. Shared values help drive this work, including: – respect; – courage; – collaboration; – continuous learning and improvement; – customer focus; – value maximization. The Business Analysis Standard: Mindset for Effective Business Analysis 5 A flexible, adaptable mindset supports the work of: – influencing strategy; – empathizing with real customers; – changing processes; – engage stakeholders within the business ecosystem; – driving feedback and learning based on evidence; – leveraging technology to implement and support the changes needed. Principles to Adopt The following business analysis principles are important ingredients for an effective mindset: – See the whole; – Think as a customer; – Analyze to determine what is valuable; – Get real using examples; – Understand what is doable; – Stimulate collaboration and continuous improvement; and – Avoid waste. These are detailed in the Agile Extension to the BABOK® Guide but apply to all business analysis work. Understand what is doable Stimulate collaboration Get real and continuous using examples improvement Analyze to determine See the what is valuable whole Think as a Avoid waste customer 6 The Business Analysis Standard: Mindset for Effective Business Analysis Principle Description – Analyze needs in the big picture context and identify why a change is necessary. See the Whole – Desired outcomes are created by understanding the context, the solution and the stakeholders. – Understand customer experience needs in order to build solutions that address those needs. Think as a Customer – The team starts with a high-level view of customer needs and breaks them down into detailed understanding that is used to evolve the emerging solution. – Continuously assess and prioritize work to maximize the value being delivered. Analyze to Determine – The value in the change is realized by understanding the context, What is Valuable the needs, the stakeholders, and the solution possibilities. – Assessing real examples is important for building a shared understanding of the need and how the solution will satisfy that need. Get Real Using Examples – Examples can also be used to derive acceptance criteria, help design the solution, and provide a foundation for testing the solution. – Understand how to deliver a solution within constraints by continually analyzing needs and the solutions that can satisfy a prioritized need. Understand What is Doable – Constraints also need to be considered within the operational environment to ensure that the solution delivers the value intended. – Help create an environment where all stakeholders contribute to Stimulate Collaboration and value on an ongoing basis. Continuous Improvement – Use continuous feedback to adapt the solution and its processes to increase the delivered value. – Identify activities that add value and those that don’t. Avoid Waste – Remove activities that do not contribute to satisfying the need. The Business Analysis Standard: Mindset for Effective Business Analysis 7 3.Performing Business Analysis Who Performs Business Analysis People in various roles use business analysis concepts, practices, and tasks to create high-value deliverables or results. The term “Business Analysis Professional” refers to any role that performs business analysis, including but not limited to: – Business analyst; – Enterprise architect; – Business architect; – IT analyst; – CIO; – Process analyst; – Consultant; – Product manager; – Cyber security analyst; – Project manager; – Data analyst; – Product owner; – Digital strategist; – Requirements engineer; – Enterprise analyst; – Systems analyst. Anyone performing the following activities will benefit from applying business analysis: – developing enterprise strategy, goals, or objectives; – understanding enterprise problems and goals; – creating new or improved value propositions; – driving change in an organization; – analyzing needs and designing solutions; – facilitating stakeholder collaboration; – creating innovative products and services; – designing new or improving existing processes; – streamlining and improving operational activities. 8 The Business Analysis Standard: Performing Business Analysis Approaches to Your Work Business analysis professionals can perform their work in different enterprises, organizations, and environments. Each may require different policies and procedures, methodologies, and standards, so business analysis professionals need to become familiar with various approaches to perform their work in the way that is best suited to the specific context. There are various approaches to enable change in an enterprise, including: – predictive; – adaptive; or – hybrid. Each approach can be valuable depending on the context for the change. It is important to understand how to create value with any of these approaches. Predictive Approach Predictive approaches start with a plan. They are considered predictive because they try to identify all the information needed to create the desired value. – Plan all the work upfront and then work your plan. – Consider everything that needs to be done. – Create documents and models to describe what will be built, including: Step-by-step – scope statement; – requirements documents; – design documents; – schedule baseline; – cost baseline; – test plans. – Track progress against the plan. Adaptive Approach Adaptive or iterative approaches focus on delivering value in small, prioritized increments. – Prioritize high-value outcomes or deliverables. – Plan for the upcoming iterations first. – Create the outcome defined for each increment (just enough and just-in-time documentation). – Focus on: Learn and adapt – value creation; – workable solutions; – speed of delivery; – the time it takes to create the desired value. – Share what’s created with stakeholders to elicit feedback. – Use that feedback to help the team learn and adapt the solution. Refer to: The BABOK Guide: Perspectives: Agile Perspective: Approaches – for information on various Agile approaches. The Business Analysis Standard: Performing Business Analysis 9  Hybrid Approach Hybrid approaches describe work in an organization where: – some initiatives use a predictive approach, and other initiatives in the organization use an adaptive approach; – parts of an initiative use a predictive approach and parts of the same initiative use an adaptive approach. Use what works best In some cases, an approach will be imposed on the team. Whenever the business analysis professionals can choose the approach to use, they should consider: – using a predictive approach where the work is: – well-defined; – heavily regulated; – relatively straight-forward; or – can be completed sequentially; – using an adaptive approach when a solution is being built to: – address business needs that are complex; – find solutions for poorly defined challenges; – deal with uncertainty; or – manage emerging needs as the solution is being built; – becoming knowledgeable about how to create value using any of the approaches. Refer to: “How do I…Identify What Needs to Be Done” – This provides additional information about both predictive and adaptive approaches, including case study examples. (For IIBA members) Value to be Delivered Business analysis professionals should help enterprises to create value for their business and stakeholders. Effective business analysis focuses on: – understanding the enterprise strategy; – clarifying business problems and opportunities to clearly identify and understand business needs; – identifying the potential value to be created; – translating business needs into goals that support the development of high-value solutions; – discovering, interpreting, and communicating business information; – understanding and sharing knowledge of the value to be created; – identifying who: – the value is being created for; – can contribute to the creation of value; and – may be impacted; – helping stakeholders to stay focused and make decisions about: – approaches; – priorities; and – trade-offs; 10 The Business Analysis Standard: Performing Business Analysis – balancing value creation within: – constraints; – different opinions; – risks; and – complexity. Applying the BACCM™ helps business analysis professionals to: – clarify business needs with stakeholders; – define the value to be delivered through solutions; and – implement the desired change within the context. Once defined, applying competencies and techniques helps maximize the value efficiently and effectively. Foundational Competencies The more an individual is proficient in a competency, the more he is able to apply it in the right context—and the more he is able to create the desired value. Underlying competencies are applied in many contexts and on different types of initiatives, including but not limited to: – process redesign; – business architecture; – technology solutions implementations; – digital transformation initiatives; – data warehousing initiatives; – cyber security initiatives; – business data analytics; – product ownership analysis related work. IIBA Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge Version 3 (BABOK® Guide v3) describes 29 underlying competencies that support business analysis tasks. IIBA’s Business Analysis Competency Model® v4 describes how competencies can be applied when executing those tasks. Ongoing stakeholder engagement is necessary for building a shared understanding of the change effort, the value to be created, and the actual work to enable the change. The following five competencies were identified by the global community as important for any type of initiative and should be developed by all business analysis professionals: Adjusting behavioural style to increase effectiveness. Adaptability See: BABOK Guide v3, 9.2.5 Adaptability Facilitating workshops, negotiating, and helping resolve conflicts. Facilitation See: BABOK Guide v3, 9.5.1 Facilitation The Business Analysis Standard: Performing Business Analysis 11  Building consensus, recommending solutions, and guiding stakeholders Leadership and to the desired value. Influencing See: BABOK Guide v3, 9.5.2 Leadership and Influencing Problem Ensuring that created value addresses the root cause of problems. Solving See: BABOK Guide v3, 9.1.4 Problem Solving Holistically understanding the enterprise and context to maximize the value Systems delivered. Thinking See: BABOK Guide v3, 9.1.5 Systems Thinking Foundational Techniques There are more than 90 business analysis techniques in total, described in the following: – BABOK® Guide; – Agile Extension; – Guide to Business Data Analytics; and – Guide to Product Ownership Analysis. Each technique can be beneficial in the right context to help create the desired value. The following techniques were identified by the global community as applicable for many different types of initiatives and are a good starting point for new business analysis professionals: Backlog The planned approach to record, track and prioritize the remaining work items. Management See: Agile Extension to the BABOK Guide v2, 7.1 Backlog Refinement Customer Visually defining the end-to-end customer experience, including motivations and Journey experience when they’re interacting with the solution. Mapping See: Guide to Product Ownership Analysis, 6.4 Customer Journey Map Providing business context or highlighting key insights from data with an engaging Data narrative drives better business decisions. Storytelling See: Guide to Business Data Analytics, 3.7 Data Storytelling Analyzing processes for their efficiency and effectiveness and identifying Process opportunities for creating greater value. Analysis See: BABOK Guide v3, 10.34 Process Analysis Collaborating with stakeholders to learn, teach, assess, or review important Workshops/ business information and drive the desired value. Interviews See: BABOK Guide v3, 10.50 Workshops, and BABOK Guide v3, 10.25 Interviews 12 The Business Analysis Standard: Performing Business Analysis Understanding Requirements and Designs To ensure the delivery of the expected value by the change initiative, business analysis professionals translate the needs of stakeholders into more detailed requirements and designs. Working with Requirements and Designs Requirements and designs can be a document, a set of documents, or various models. The distinction between requirements and designs is not always clear. The same techniques are used to elicit, model, and analyze both. Requirements Designs – A requirement is a usable representation of a need. – A design is a usable representation of a solution. – Requirements focus on understanding what kind of – Design focuses on understanding how value might value could be delivered when fulfilled. be realized by a solution if it is built. Requirements leads to designs which, in turn, may drive the discovery and analysis of more requirements. The back-and-forth shift in focus between requirements and designs is often subtle and not always linear. Requirements may be used to define a design. That design may then be used to elicit additional requirements that can lead to more detailed designs. In some cases, requirements and designs are handed off to others who may further develop these designs. Example: Requirements — the need Designs — the potential solution – Capture six-month sales data across multiple – A sketch of a dashboard. departments in a view – Reduce the amount of time to pick and pack a – Process model customer order – Record and access a medical patient’s history – Screen mock-up showing specific data fields – Develop business strategy, goals, and objectives – Business Capability Model for a new business – Provide information in English and French – Prototype with text displayed in English and French Requirements’ Classification As mentioned above, a requirement is “a usable representation of a need.” The BABOK® Guide lists four main requirement types – Business, Stakeholder, Solution (including functional and non- functional requirements), and Transition requirements. In addition to these, business analysis can help an enterprise meet its commitment to sustainability. The Business Analysis Standard: Performing Business Analysis 13  Business Requirements are: Statements of goals, objectives, and outcomes for why a change has been initiated. They can apply to Business Sustainability Requirements the whole enterprise, a business area, or a specific Requirements Transition Requirements initiative. Stakeholder Requirements are: Stakeholder The needs of stakeholders that must be met to Requirements achieve the business requirements. They may serve as a bridge between business and solution requirements. Solution Solution Requirements are: Requirements The capabilities and qualities of a solution that meet the stakeholder requirements. They provide the detail to allow for the development and implementation of the Functional Non-Functional solution. Solution requirements can be: Requirements Requirements Functional Requirements: the capabilities a solution must have for the behaviour and information the solution will manage. Non-functional Requirements or Quality of Service Requirements: conditions or qualities a solution must have. See BABOK Guide v3, 10.30 Non-Functional Requirements Analysis Sustainability Requirements are: Assessment and description of goals that connect business, stakeholder, or solution requirements to an enterprise’s sustainability objectives. They describe how a business area or a specific initiative will deliver on those objectives. See Sustainability Transition Requirements are: The capabilities and the conditions needed to facilitate a transition from the current to the future state. They are temporary and address areas such as data conversion, training, business continuity, etc. Tracing Requirements and Designs Traceability is the ability for tracking the relationships between requirements and designs from the original stakeholder need to the actual implemented solution. Traceability supports change control by ensuring the source of a requirement or design can be identified and other related requirements and designs potentially affected by a change are known. – Glossary It is difficult to accurately represent needs and solutions without considering their relationships. The traceability of requirements and designs is used to identify and document the lineage of each requirement and design, including its backward traceability to the original business need, its forward traceability to the solution components, and its relationship to other requirements and designs. Traceability can help ensure that the solution conforms to requirements and designs and can assist in scope, impact, change, risk, time, cost, and communication management. Organizations often trace their requirements and designs using a traceability matrix structure. A traceability matrix enables bi-directional tracking of requirements and designs by linking them to the business need and solution components. Using a traceability matrix helps to detect missing requirements and designs or to identify solution components that are not supported by any requirement or design. 14 The Business Analysis Standard: Performing Business Analysis Organizational Considerations Organizational considerations include topics that influence how senior leaders think about their organizations’ impact on the world around them. These topics are often important societal issues and very important to stakeholders. There are numerous considerations and some of the most important today are the topics of diversity, equity, inclusivity, and sustainability. Increasingly, stakeholders (including employees and customers) are holding organizations accountable for what they do, how they do it, and the impact they make. Sustainability Although there are several definitions of sustainability, they all refer to some version of executing an organization’s business model to meet current needs while preserving or conserving natural resources for future generations. Sustainability also includes optimizing social equity, health, and economic viability to achieve desired outcomes. Business analysis professionals need to apply this view to their work and deliver on the organization’s sustainability objectives. Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity (DEI) We live and work in diverse societies, and organizations create products and services for various stakeholders. It can be challenging to create successful outcomes within this complex context. However, the research is clear: building diverse teams leads to greater innovation and better outcomes. Inclusivity means developing a sense of belonging for every member of these diverse teams. The third piece of the puzzle involves equity, where every team member is treated and rewarded fairly. These concepts can not just be marketing labels but must be incorporated into how teams are built and outcomes delivered. The challenge for business analysis professionals is how best to support and deliver on the organization’s goals in these key areas through their work. For example, consider an initiative to replace desktop computers where the original equipment could be donated to a worthy cause instead of being thrown away. Or, for example, think about how to ensure diverse representation in a workshop focused on creating an innovative new product. Managing the Delivery of Business Analysis Organized delivery of business analysis services allows an organization to establish standards of practice (define processes, templates, guidelines, etc.) that best work in their context. Business analysis can be managed within an organization in different ways, including: – in a Centre of Excellence (CoE); – in a Community of Practice (CoP); – as Business Analysis as a Service (BAaS); or – dispersed within different business units. Some organizations use a combination of these approaches to manage the critical services that business analysis offers with different degrees of success. The key to an organization’s success is the ability to take advantage of The Business Analysis Standard to establish consistency, quality, and standards. This supports organizations in producing desired outcomes as effectively as possible, regardless of the approach used. Additionally, implementing practices that enable business analysis professionals to continuously learn from each other is gradually improving the quality of work being performed. By empowering business analysis professionals to collaborate, to share knowledge, tools, and experiences, a higher degree of quality and strategic alignment can be achieved. The Business Analysis Standard: Performing Business Analysis 15  4. Tasks and Knowledge Areas Introducing Business Analysis Tasks Business analysis concepts and practices can be applied by many organizations working in different contexts and can include many different activities. These activities are described in 30 business analysis tasks and grouped within six knowledge areas (for details, please refer to the BABOK Guide v3). The importance of these tasks has been reaffirmed with the global business analysis community and are presented below as summary task cards. Business analysis professionals should make an informed decision about which tasks will be performed and the order in which they will be performed, depending on the context. Each change initiative is unique, and business analysis professionals should keep in mind that: – Most tasks are not sequential, and several tasks can be conducted simultaneously. – Some tasks have outputs that are essential as input for another task. – Tasks are generally iterative and help build knowledge about the change and the desired value. – Some tasks need to be managed, reviewed, and repeated. – Tasks can be used to build and share knowledge about the six core concepts of the BACCM™. – Tasks can be: – performed by anyone in any role; – used for any work that can benefit from good business analysis; – started by one person and completed by others. These tasks apply to all types of change initiatives, including but not limited to: – defining requirements and designs for a solution; – implementing business intelligence solutions; – designing or implementing info-tech solutions; – defining or maintaining business architecture; – building or managing enterprise architecture; – managing business process initiatives; – redesigning business processes; – business data analytics initiatives; – product ownership analysis related work. Task Cards The tasks are structured into easy-to-reference, one-page cards and align with the BACCM™. For each task, the following is defined: – purpose or the need; – value, – solution (output or outcome); – stakeholders; – description of change - with an input-task-output diagram; – frequently used techniques in context; – a “Consider” box that provides contextual information and supporting knowledge references. Each task card also includes a reference to any related IIBA certifications. 16 The Business Analysis Standard: Tasks and Knowledge Areas The Six Knowledge Areas Knowledge areas are the way tasks are grouped. They are not meant to imply a sequence of tasks. The six knowledge areas are: – Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring; – Elicitation and Collaboration; – Requirements and Designs Life Cycle Management; – Strategy Analysis; – Requirements Analysis and Design Definition, – Solution Evaluation. Each knowledge area: – starts with the BACCM™, which contains information specifically for that knowledge area; – contains a diagram of the tasks; – has a table showing the tasks with the inputs and outputs to present the relationships between them. How to Navigate Tasks and Knowledge Areas Anyone doing business analysis work knows that each initiative is unique, and often organizations, and even business units, have their own way of doing things. Tasks can be performed in a variety of orders and sequences, simultaneous, iteratively, some multiple times, and some not at all, depending on the objectives and initiative. Understanding the tasks enables business analysis professionals to undertake them at the right time and in the right context to achieve the results needed. Business Analysis Planning Strategy Analysis Solution Evaluation and Monitoring – Plan Business Analysis – Analyze Current State – Measure Solution Performance Approach – Define Future State – Analyze Performance – Plan Stakeholder Engagement Measures – Assess Risks – Plan Business Analysis – Assess Solution Limitations Governance – Define Change Strategy – Assess Enterprise Limitations – Plan Business Analysis Information Management – Recommend Actions to Increase Solution Value – Identify Business Analysis Performance Improvements Requirements and Designs Requirements Analysis Elicitation and Collaboration Life Cycle Management and Design Definition – Prepare for Elicitation – Trace Requirements and Designs – Specify and Model – Conduct Elicitation – Maintain Requirements and Requirements and Designs – Confirm Elicitation Results Designs – Verify Requirements and Designs – Communicate Business – Prioritize Requirements – Validate Requirements Analysis Information and Designs and Designs – Manage Stakeholder – Assess Requirements – Define Requirements Collaboration and Designs Changes Architecture – Approve Requirements – Define Design Options and Designs – Analyze Potential Value and Recommend Solution The Business Analysis Standard: Tasks and Knowledge Areas 17  A) Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring This knowledge area includes tasks that organize and coordinate the efforts of business analysis professionals and stakeholders. These tasks produce outputs that are used as guidance for the other tasks. BACCM™ for Planning and Monitoring Solution Need Business analysis professionals Business analysis professionals evaluate if business analysis choose a business analysis approach performance was a key contributor to that provides adequate analysis for the successful implementation of a the change. solution. Context Value Business analysis professionals Business analysis professionals ensure a complete understanding conduct performance analysis to of the context under analysis to ensure business analysis activities develop an efficient business analysis continue to produce sufficient value approach. for the stakeholders. Stakeholder Change Business analysis professionals Business analysis professionals are perform a stakeholder analysis to responsible for determining how ensure planning and monitoring changes to business analysis results activities reflect stakeholder will be requested and authorized. needs and account for stakeholder characteristics. Competencies Business Analysis Tasks To define and conduct the tasks in Planning and Monitoring business analysis professionals need to have strong competency in Behavioural Characteristics Plan Plan Plan Business Analysis Stakeholder Business Analysis including Organization and Time Management. Approach Engagement Governance See: BABOK Guide v3, 9.2 Behavioural Characteristics Plan Identify Business Analysis Business Analysis Information Performance Management Improvements Input and Output Relationships Business Business Stakeholder Information Performance Governance Analysis Needs Analysis Engagement Management Objectives Approach Performance Approach Approach Approach (External) Assessment Plan Business Input Output Analysis Approach Plan Stakeholder Input Input Output Engagement Plan Business Input Input Output Analysis Governance Plan Business Analysis Information Input Input Input Output Management Identify Business Analysis Performance Input Input Output Improvements 18 The Business Analysis Standard: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring — Knowledge Area  Plan Business Analysis Approach Plan Business Analysis Approach Purpose or Need To define an appropriate method to conduct business analysis activities. Value Solution Ensure the efficient performance of all A defined business analysis approach that business analysis activities with a stakeholder- includes planned activities, tasks, and supported approach. deliverables. Techniques Stakeholder Frequently used techniques: Typically involves sponsors, project managers, – Business Cases; domain subject matter experts, regulators, and – Financial Analysis; any additional stakeholders identified. – Functional Decomposition; – Item Tracking; – Risk Analysis and Management. Refer to the BABOK Guide v3 for the complete list of techniques. Description of Change Plan Business Analysis Approach describes the overall method that will be followed when performing business analysis work, what business analysis tasks will be performed, how and when business analysis tasks will be performed, and the business analysis deliverables that will be produced. Reference (Guidelines and Tools) Task Inputs and Outputs The following resources, if they exist, can be used to transform the inputs into the outputs: Input Task Output or Deliverable – Business Analysis Performance Assessment Plan Business Business Analysis from previous initiatives; Needs Analysis Approach Approach – Business Policies; – Expert Judgment; – Methodologies and Frameworks; – Stakeholder Engagement Approach. Consider... The Plan Business Analysis Approach provides a plan to follow in business analysis activities. This task is equally important for an adaptive approach. Shorter-term execution steps are planned and aligned with what needs to be created during each iteration. This means repeating planning activities during each iteration and focusing on near-term delivery goals. See Guide to Product Ownership Analysis – Sec 4.3 POA and Agile Planning Horizons Certifications: ECBA, CCBA, CBAP – Refer to the BABOK® Guide for study purposes © 2022 International Institute of Business Analysis. The Business Analysis Standard: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring — Knowledge Area 19 Plan Stakeholder Engagement Plan Stakeholder Engagement Purpose or Need To plan an approach for establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with the stakeholders. Value Solution Understanding who the stakeholders are, the A defined stakeholder engagement approach impact of proposed changes on them, and the that includes the list of the stakeholders, their influence they may have on the change is vital roles and responsibilities, main characteristics, to understanding what needs and expectations and also a collaboration and communication must be satisfied by a solution. approach. Techniques Stakeholder Frequently used techniques: Typically involves sponsors, project managers, – Document Analysis; domain subject matter experts, customers, – Interviews; and anyone that will impact or be impacted by – Organizational Modelling; the initiative. – Scope Modelling; – Stakeholder List, Map, Persona. Refer to the BABOK Guide v3 for the complete list of techniques. Description of Change Plan Stakeholder Engagement describes identifying which stakeholders are relevant to the change, what is their role in the change, what are their main characteristics, what information business analysis professionals need from them, what information they need from business analysis professionals, and the best way to collaborate with them, having in mind their communication needs. Reference (Guidelines and Tools) Task Inputs and Outputs The following resources, if they exist, can be used to transform the inputs into the outputs: Input Task Output or Deliverable – Business Analysis Performance Assessment; Business Analysis Plan Stakeholder Needs Stakeholder Engagement – Change Strategy; Approach Engagement Approach – Current State Description. Consider... Effectively engaging stakeholders is critical for a success. Example: Consider a business data analytics initiative where data is sourced, assessed, and analyzed to drive key insights. Getting approval for a team’s recommendations often depends on how engaged stakeholders have been throughout the process. See Guide to Business Data Analytics – 2.1.2 Identify and Understand the Stakeholders Certifications: ECBA, CCBA, CBAP – Refer to the BABOK® Guide for study purposes © 2022 International Institute of Business Analysis. 20 The Business Analysis Standard: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring — Knowledge Area  Plan Business Analysis Governance Plan Business Analysis Governance Purpose or Need To define how decisions are made about requirements and designs, including reviews, change control, approvals, and prioritization. Value Solution Clarifying who decides what and when helps A defined governance approach that includes ensure that decisions are made properly and the list of decision-makers, a description of the consistently during the initiative. change control, prioritization, and approvals processes. Techniques Stakeholder Frequently used techniques: Typically involves sponsors, project managers, – Document Analysis; domain subject matter experts, regulators, and – Interviews; any additional stakeholders identified. – Organizational Modelling; – Process Modelling; – Workshops. Refer to the BABOK Guide v3 for the complete list of techniques. Description of Change Plan Business Analysis Governance defines the decision makers, change control process, prioritization approach, approval process, and information required to make a decision. It helps ensure that decisions about requirements and designs are made properly and consistently and follow a process that ensures decision makers have the information they need when they need it. Reference (Guidelines and Tools) Task Inputs and Outputs The following resources, if they exist, can be used to transform the inputs into the outputs: Input Task Output or Deliverable – Business Analysis; Performance Assessment; Business Analysis Stakeholder Plan Business Governance Engagement Analysis – Business Policies; Approach Approach Governance Approach – Current State Description; – Legal/Regulatory Information. Consider... Governance processes, practices, and responsibilities are critical for different types of initiatives. Example: Consider a business intelligence initiative where it’s important to promote an enterprise-wide view of information. Supporting this involves developing infrastructure services in the organization, such as data governance and metadata management. See BABOK Guide – 11.2 The Business Intelligence Perspective – 11.2.1 Change Scope Certifications: ECBA, CCBA, CBAP – Refer to the BABOK® Guide for study purposes © 2022 International Institute of Business Analysis. The Business Analysis Standard: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring — Knowledge Area 21 Plan Business Analysis Information Management Plan Business Analysis Information Management Purpose or Need To develop an approach for how business analysis information will be stored and accessed. Value Solution Information management helps ensure that A defined information management business analysis information is organized approach that describes how business in a functional and useful manner, is easily analysis information will be stored, accessible to appropriate personnel, and is accessed, and utilized during and after the stored for the necessary length of time. change is completed. Techniques Stakeholder Frequently used techniques: Typically involves sponsors, domain subject – Interviews; matter experts, regulators, and any additional – Item Tracking; stakeholders identified. – Lessons Learned; – Mind Mapping; – Process Modelling. Refer to the BABOK Guide v3 for the complete list of techniques.. Description of Change Plan Business Analysis Information Management defines how all the information developed by business analysis professionals (including requirements and designs) should be captured, organized, stored, traced, and integrated with other information for long-term use. Reference (Guidelines and Tools) Task Inputs and Outputs The following resources, if they exist, can be used to transform the inputs into the outputs: Input Task Output or Deliverable – Business Analysis; Business Analysis Stakeholder Governance Plan Business Analysis Information Engagement Management Performance Assessment; Approach Approach Approach Information Approach Management – Business Policies; – Information Management Tools; – Legal/Regulatory Information. Consider... Effectively managing information relevant to any change effort is an important element of success. Example: From redesigning business processes — to ensuring all business data is appropriately referenced and available in the new process — to creating enterprise-level standards around data management. See Guide to Business Data Analytics – 2.6.3 Data Strategy Certifications: ECBA, CCBA, CBAP – Refer to the BABOK® Guide for study purposes © 2022 International Institute of Business Analysis. 22 The Business Analysis Standard: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring — Knowledge Area  Identify Business Analysis Performance Improvements Identify Business Analysis Performance Improvements Purpose or Need To assess business analysis work and to plan to improve processes where required. Value Solution Create opportunities to understand and Business analysis performance assessment improve the performance of business analysis that includes the results of the assessment, processes. identified root causes of variances from the expected performance, and proposed approaches to improve performance. Techniques Stakeholder Frequently used techniques: Typically involves sponsors, project managers, – Lessons Learned; domain subject matter experts, and any – Metrics and KPIs; additional stakeholders identified. – Process Analysis; – Process Modelling; – Root Cause Analysis. Refer to the BABOK Guide v3 for the complete list of techniques. Description of Change Identify Business Analysis Performance Improvements describes managing and monitoring how business analysis work is performed to ensure that commitments are met and continuous learning and improvement opportunities are realized. Reference (Guidelines and Tools) Task Inputs and Outputs The following resources, if they exist, can be used to transform the inputs into the outputs: Input Task Output or Deliverable – Organizational Performance Standards. Business Analysis Performance Identify Business Analysis Business Analysis Objectives Performance Approach Performance (External) Assessment Improvements Consider... Improving the process of how outcomes are created is a mainstay of adaptive approaches and is equally important for predictive and hybrid approaches. Change should only ever be embarked on, to add value. To ensure value, the performance of the Business Analysis efforts needs to be measured. Example: Constantly looking for ways to improve both individual and team performance allows teams to create greater value, faster. See Guide to Product Ownership Analysis – 5.7.2 Optimize Value Delivery Certifications: ECBA, CCBA, CBAP – Refer to the BABOK® Guide for study purposes © 2022 International Institute of Business Analysis. The Business Analysis Standard: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring — Knowledge Area 23  B) Elicitation and Collaboration Elicitation is how information is derived or drawn from the stakeholders to discover the requirements and designs for the solution. Collaboration describes two or more people working together to achieve a common goal or objective. BACCM™ for Elictation and Collaboration Solution Need Business analysis professionals elicit, Business analysis professionals elicit, confirm, and communicate necessary confirm, and communicate needs or desired characteristics of proposed and supporting business analysis solutions. information. As elicitation is iterative and incremental, the understanding of needs may evolve over time. Value Business analysis professionals Context collaborate with stakeholders to assess the relative value of Business analysis professionals apply information provided through a variety of elicitation techniques to elicitation and apply a variety identify business analysis information of techniques to confirm and about the context that may affect the communicate that value. change. Change Stakeholder Business analysis professionals use Business analysis professionals a variety of elicitation techniques manage the collaboration with to identify the characteristics of the stakeholders who participate the change including concerns that in the business analysis work. All stakeholders have about the change. stakeholders may participate in The change may determine the different roles and at different times types and extent of elicitation and during a change. collaboration. Competencies Business Analysis Tasks To elicit and collaborate, business analysis professionals need to have strong competency in Communication Skills Prepare for Conduct Confirm Elicitation Elicitation Elicitation Results and Interaction Skills. See: BABOK Guide v3, 9.4 Communication Skills and BABOK Guide v3, 9.5 Interaction Skills Communicate Manage Business Analysis Stakeholder Information Collaboration Input and Output Relationships Business Business Stakeholder Elicitation Elicitation Elicitation Business Analysis Analysis Stakeholder Needs Engagement Activity Results Results Analysis Performance Information Engagement Approach Plan (unconfirmed) (confirmed) Information Assessment (Communicated) Prepare for Input Input Output Elicitation Conduct Elicitation Input Output Confirm Elicitation Input Output Results Communicate Business Analysis Input Input Output Information Manage Stakeholder Input Input Output Collaboration 24 The Business Analysis Standard: Elicitation and Collaboration — Knowledge Area  Prepare for Elicitation Prepare for Elicitation Purpose or Need To understand the scope of the elicitation activity, select appropriate techniques, and plan for (or procure) appropriate supporting materials and resources. Value Solution The plan that will ensure that information A defined elicitation activity plan that includes is elicited from stakeholders in the most the planned elicitation activities and their scope, suitable way. activity logistics, and anticipated participants. Techniques Stakeholder Frequently used techniques: Typically involves sponsors, domain subject – Brainstorming; matter experts, project managers, and any – Document Analysis; additional stakeholders identified. – Estimation; – Interviews; – Stakeholder List, Map, or Personas. Refer to the BABOK Guide v3 for the complete list of techniques. Description of Change Prepare for Elicitation defines the desired outcomes of each elicitation activity, and ensures that the stakeholders have the information they need to provide and understand the nature of the activities they will participate in. It should include understanding the scope of the elicitation activity, determining what will be produced using the elicitation results, which techniques are best suited to produce those results, defining and planning the elicitation logistics, identifying any materials needed, and fostering collaboration during an elicitation activity by preparing stakeholders for the activity. Reference (Guidelines and Tools) Task Inputs and Outputs The following resources, if they exist, can be used to transform the inputs into the outputs: Input Task Output or Deliverable – Business Analysis Approach; Stakeholder Prepare for Elicitation Activity Engagement Needs – Business Objectives; Approach Elicitation Plan – Existing Business Analysis Information; – Potential Value. Consider... Building knowledge about the desired change is a prerequisite to creating value as quickly as possible. Preparing effectively for elicitation is relevant whenever interactions are needed to draw out information from stakeholders and applies to any type of initiative. Example: it is important to prepare for elicitation sessions to identify requirements for a new technology solution. See BABOK Guide – 11.3 The Information Technology Perspective – 11.2.1 Change Scope Certifications: ECBA, CCBA, CBAP – Refer to the BABOK® Guide for study purposes © 2022 International Institute of Business Analysis. The Business Analysis Standard: Elicitation and Collaboration — Knowledge Area 25 Conduct Elicitation Conduct Elicitation Purpose or Need To draw out, explore, and identify information relevant to the change. Value Solution To gain a deep understanding of the initiative, Unconfirmed elicited information that is stakeholders, and their needs. captured in a format best suited to the elicitation activity used. Techniques Stakeholder Frequently used techniques: Typically involves any stakeholders that could – Benchmarking and Market Analysis; have relevant knowledge or experience to – Document Analysis; participate in elicitation activities. – Interviews; – Focus Groups; – Workshops. Refer to the BABOK Guide v3 for the complete list of techniques. Description of Change Conduct Elicitation is the work to be performed to understand stakeholder needs and identify potential solutions that may meet those needs. This involves: – guiding stakeholders and collaborating with them through the elicitation activity; – doing research or running experiments; – capturing elicitation outcomes. Reference (Guidelines and Tools) Task Inputs and Outputs The following resources, if they exist, can be used to transform the inputs into the outputs: Input Task Output or Deliverable – Business Analysis Approach; Elicitation Conduct Elicitation Results – Existing Business Analysis Information; Activity Elicitation (Unconfirmed)