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	Business Analysis, Requirements Definition, and Testing Techniques

Course Outline and Objectives
Course Philosophy and Approach

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	4 days

The target audience includes project leaders, business analysts, managers and end-users who are not information system experts but are interested in using information technology to create a competitive advantage.

Our instructors have extensive experience in applying these techniques on projects with business experts from a wide variety of fields.

GI Introduction
BA Defining Business Problems
BP Diagram the Business Perspective
BD Defining Business Data
BR From Business Rules to System Requirements
UT Define Tests Based on Business Risks
UD Document the Tests for Improved Performance
UP Creating and Following Test Plans

This seminar introduces a set of techniques for identifying problems in business processes, analyzing work flows, creating business process and data models based on business rules and identifying how to effectively test the delivered technology from the business perspective.

This Course Presents You with Business Analysis Techniques to Help You:

	analyze work flow problems
	design efficient manual solutions
	recognize how information technology can be used effectively
	communicate your needs to information system experts and
	evaluate whether their solution meets your needs


	From Problems to Solutions

	The seminar presents an integrated set of techniques that will help you from the beginning of an information system project to the end. Each technique is explained in non-technical language and demonstrated on a simple example. Working with others, you will try it out on a clearly defined case study. Your results are then evaluated, discussed and compared to the desired results. In extended workshops, you will apply the technique to situations from your real-life environment with instructor guidance.

printer friendly syllabus

Course Outline and Objectives

Introduction
Module GI : Duration ~ 1.5 hour


	In a competitive world, the company that gets the goods to the customer with the highest quality at the lowest cost will survive. This is true whether you sell products or services. It implies an organization with a cost-effective work flow that adds value to the goods at every step. Information technology can help, if it is efficiently designed with the business need in mind.

		Why Is It Difficult To Get Good Information Systems?
		What Is a Business Analyst?
		What Tools and Techniques Can a Business Analyst Use?

		Define the Evolving Role of Today’s Business Analyst
		Identify the Critical Skills Required By Business Analysts
		Organize Questions, Issues and Assumptions Efficiently

Defining Business Problems
Module BA : Duration ~ 3 hours


	Jobs are usually not designed, they evolved. The people doing the work do whatever they have to do to get the job done. Quite often, that means being creative and figuring out how to get the job done in spite of the "system". There is nothing wrong with that approach, unless the solution they pick causes problems somewhere further down the line. The business analyst has to figure out if the cure was worth the price.

		What Is the Problem?
		Can You Separate Symptoms and Solutions From "Real" Problems?
		Who Is Affected By the Problem and Who Can Fix It?
		What Questions Should You Ask?

		Write Clear, Easy-To-Understand Problem Statements
		Determine Which Problems Are Worth Solving
		Plan and Conduct Effective Interviews

Diagram the Business Perspective
Module BP : Duration ~ 3 hours


	Process models help people without business expertise understand how things work. A work flow diagram makes problem areas visible and shows the impact of proposed changes. The diagram can be modified and tested without affecting the real world. Used effectively, it will reduce the probability of omitting critical aspects of your solution. To be effective, all involved parties have to understand what the model represents and what it ignores.

		What Is a Work Flow Diagram?
		How Will the Diagram Help You Identify Problems?
		What Other Benefits Do Process Models Provide?
		Which Analysis Techniques Use the Model and Why Do You Need Them?

		Present Business Processes in Work Flow Diagrams
		Identify Timing Problems and Requirements
		Analyze a System For Potential Short-Term Or Quick Fixes

Defining Business Data
Module BD : Duration ~ 3 hours


	With or without computers, you can't do a good job if you don't know what you need to know. Data describes everything in a company from the initial customer order to the final invoice and beyond. Getting correct data when you need it lets you meet or exceed your customers' expectations. Inaccurate, late and missing data causes expensive rework and delays. As a business analyst, you have to understand the role of data.

		What Is a Business Data Model?
		Why Do You Need One?
		What Are the Long-Term Benefits of a Data Model?
		How Can You Create a Business Data Model?

		Recognize How a Data Model Impacts Business Decisions
		Understand the Role of Data in Work Flow Problems
		Make Better Business Use of Data As a Resource

From Business Rules to System Requirements
Module BR : Duration ~ 3 hours


	The purpose of a requirement is to communicate a business need to a technical expert. It has to enable the technical expert to recognize the technological impact. Missing or misunderstood requirements cost considerably more than programming or testing errors. Fortunately, the ability to define usable requirements is a learnable skill.

		Why Is Requirements Definition So Difficult?
		What Does a Business Requirement Really Say?
		How Can You Prioritize Requirements?
		Can You Test What the Requirements Imply Before the Solution Is Developed?

		Write Clear, Verifiable Requirements
		Prioritize Requirements Based On Business Needs
		Discuss the Technological Impact of Business Requirements

Define Tests Based on Business Risks
Module UT : Duration ~ 3 hours


	Testing is your primary weapon in the war against errors. It does not require knowledge of the technology. You need to enter data and recognize the difference between a good response and a bad one. But, before you think about how to test, you need to know what to test.

		Where Can You Find Test Cases?
		How Do the Test Cases Relate To the Requirements?
		Can You Rely On Your Business Expertise To Identify Test Cases?
		Which Test Cases Will Give You the Biggest Bang For the Buck?

		Expose Business Risk Associated with Change
		Define Test Cases From Business Requirements
		Reduce the Risks with a Limited Selection of Test Cases

Document the Tests for Improved Performance
Module UD : Duration ~ 3 hours


	Careful selection of the data you enter will drastically reduce the number of test cases that you need to thoroughly test a solution. Engineered data exercises the critical parts of the solution without unnecessary repetition.

		What Is a Test Script?
		How Do You Engineer Test Data?
		How Can You Identify the Best Data For Each Test?
		Where Will You Keep Track of All of This Stuff?

		Write Test Actions and Expected Results in Test Scripts
		Engineer Test Data Using Equivalence Groups
		Optimize Test Cases with Boundary Value Analysis

Creating and Following Test Plans
Module UP : Duration ~ 3 hours


	The test plan is your road map to success. It helps you select, sequence, resource, schedule and manage your test cases. A good test plan also lets you identify problems before they occur and fix them before they get expensive.

		What Is in a Test Plan?
		Which Test Cases Should You Choose?
		How Can You Compress Testing Time?
		When Have You Tested Enough?

		Assemble Test Cases into Test Plans
		Determine the Resources Needed For Each Testing Activity
		Recognize When Testing Is Finished

Visit our Business System Analyst Bookstore
for books on the topics covered in this seminar.

	Data Analysis ( Miscellaneous , Data Models , Data Normalization , Data Repository , Entity Relationship Diagrams )
	Methodologies ( Information Engineering , Miscellaneous , Structured System Development , System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) )
	Process Analysis ( Data Flow Diagrams , Decision Tables , Event Response Diagrams , Flowcharts , Miscellaneous , Process Models )
	Related Topics ( Knowledge Management , Philosophies , Request for Proposal (RFP) , Risk Management , Six Sigma , Software Reuse , Strategic Planning )
	Requirements ( Business Rules , Prototyping , Miscellaneous , Requirements Analysis , Requirements Definition , Requirements Documentation , Requirements Elicitation , Requirements Engineering , Requirements Management , Requirements Traceability , System Specifications , User Interfaces )
	Test Management ( Defect Tracking , Miscellaneous , Test Planning , Testing Methodologies , Testing Tools , Validation & Verification )
	Testing Phases ( Acceptance Testing , Configuration Testing , Integration Testing , Performance Testing , System Testing , Unit Testing , Usability Testing )
	Testing Techniques ( Black Box Testing , Object Oriented Testing , Regression Testing , Test Cases , Test Data Engineering , Walkthroughs , White Box Testing )
	Problem Analysis
	Workflow Analysis

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