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	Business Analysis and Requirements Gathering
	Business Analysis and Requirements Gathering

Course Outline and Objectives
Course Philosophy and Approach
Public Class Schedule

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	4 Days

The target audience includes project leaders, business/system 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
JI Overview of JAD/JAR Requirements Gathering
BP Model the Business Perspective
BD Defining Business Data
UI Introduction to The Unified Modeling Language (UML)
BR From Business Rules to System Requirements
TI Testing Based on Business Requirements

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.

This seminar is designed to enable novice business analysts to:

	defend the need for business decisions to drive technology decisions
	apply a consistent set of techniques for gathering, analyzing and documenting business requirements
	have a working understanding of common acceleration techniques, UML diagrams, and testing concepts
	determine the business use of emerging technology as a primary driver of the project
	empower business analysts to get their job done cheaper, better, faster


	Requirements Engineering for Beginners

	This seminar will teach you the most commonly used techniques for analyzing business technology solutions and defining quality business requirements. The evolving role of business and systems analysts is explained. Current information gathering and documentation techniques from the effective use of JAR/JAD sessions to the concepts of the Unified Modeling Language (UML) are introduced.

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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

Overview of JAR/JAD Requirements Gathering
Module JI : Duration ~ 2 hours


	Decreasing time and cost to deliver information technology that the business community can use has been the goal of the information industry since it was born. Joint Application Requirements/ Development (JAR/JAD) is a powerful option if your situation is right. Given the state-of-the-art, how can this consensus-building approach help your project and your organization?

		Why do technology projects (still) take so long?
		The promises of accelerated techniques
		What are the risks of acceleration?

		Identify projects that are suitable JAD/JAR candidates
		Recognize the risks of accelerating the analysis and design phases
		The promises of accelerated techniques

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

Introduction to the Unified Modeling Language (UML)
Module UI : Duration ~ 2 hours


	The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is currently viewed as the future method for developing and delivering information technology. This new language enables analysts, developers and end-users to work from a set of standard models that are created at the beginning of analysis and evolve to become the solution that is delivered. The challenge here is to understand the complex models and figure out how to implement them in your organization.

		What diagrams does the UML encompass?
		How can a business/system analyst start the project right?
		Where can you get help for this cutting edge approach?

		List the 9 diagramming types that compose the UML
		Determine when each diagram is created and why
		Interpret what the diagrams say and what they don’t

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

Testing Based on Business Requirements
Module TI : Duration ~ 2 hours


	Testing is your primary weapon in the war against errors. To define good requirements, you need to understand the testing process that will ultimately determine whether or not the solution fits your needs. If you don’t know how you will test a requirement when the system is delivered, you need to know more about the requirement.

		Which testing deliverables does the business/system analyst have to understand?
		What is a testing strategy and why do you care?
		When are you done testing?

		Use business requirements to define test cases
		Differentiate between 8 types of integration and system tests

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 )
	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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