# Business Analysis Guidebook
## Guidebook Introduction

This Business Analysis Guidebook is designed to facilitate a consistent approach in the use of the tools and techniques contained within the Business Analyst profession. The primary goal is to provide a simple "how to" guide for new and non-Business Analysts for gathering (eliciting) and documenting business requirements--whether they are at the process, project or enterprise level. The material linked below was initially authored by a group of Business Analyst professionals within NYS Government, and it is hoped that the list of contributors (included in later chapters) will grow. We are currently weaving our content together--so please pardon our duplication and inconsistent formatting. It is our intent to have this material be licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License and the GNU Free Documentation License, both included at the end of this document.

## Contents

* Introduction
** Foreword
** About this Book
* The Business Analyst Role
** What is a Business Analyst
** The Evolution of the Business Analyst Role within NYS
** Project Manager versus Business Analyst and When You are Both
* Keys and Barriers to Business Analyst Success
* Maturity Models for Business Analysis and Self-Assessment
** Analyst Maturity
*** Business Analyst Aptitude Questionnaire
** Organizational Maturity
*** Business Analysis Maturity Model
*** Capability Maturity Model Integration
*** Business Analysis Center of Excellence
** Further Reading
** References
* Stakeholder Analysis
* Building a Business Case
** Why Create a Business Case?
** Why a Sponsor is Critical for the Project
** Parts of a Business Case
*** Why the Project is Necessary
*** Options Considered
*** Benefits of Doing the Project
*** Costs
*** Timeframe
*** Cost Benefit Analysis
*** Risks
*** Evaluate the Proposal
* Documenting and Managing Requirements
** Requirements Development
*** Gather/Elicit Requirements
**** Learn How the Organization Operates
**** Learn How to Speak the Organization's Language
**** Plan to Capture Requirements
*** Requirements Sources
**** Business Rules vs. Project Requirements
**** Business Case/ITIR
**** Constraints (Policies, Standards, Legal)
**** Existing Applications
**** Business Users/Stakeholders
*** Analyze Requirements
**** Categorization
**** Dependencies
**** Impact and Feasibility Analysis
** Requirements Management
*** Capture Requirements
*** Validate Requirements
*** Manage Requirements
*** Trace Requirements
*** Communications
**** Appropriate
**** Artifacts
**** Delivery Method
**** Communication Changes
* Requirement Gathering Tools
** What are the Tools?
*** Process Models
*** Use Cases, User Stories, Business Scenarios
*** Graphical Illustration
*** Prototypes and Mockups
*** Data Dictionary
*** Glossary
*** Business Forms
** Why Use These Tools?
** How to Use These Tools
*** Focus for Requirements Facilitation and Elicitation
*** Other Uses for Tools
** How to Create Some Diagrams
*** Visio - Templates, BPMN Stencil Template
*** Excel - Formatting, Page Setup
*** Microsoft Word
** General tips
* Business Analysis Within a Typical System Development Life Cycle
** Introduction
** System Development Lifecycle Methodologies (Workflow Patterns)
** System Development Lifecycle
*** System Initiation Phase
*** System Requirements Analysis Phase
**** Prepare for System Requirements Analysis
**** Determine Functional and Non-Functional Requirements
***** Functional Requirements
***** Non-Functional Requirements
***** Non-Functional Requirements Deliverables
***** Requirements and SDLC Methodologies
**** Define Process Models
**** Define Logical Data Model
**** Reconcile Functional and Non-Functional Requirements with Models
*** System Design
*** System Construction
*** System Acceptance
*** System Implementation
** Software Quality Assurance (SQA)
** Project Roles and Responsibilities
** SDLC at a Glance
** References
* Data Modeling and Data Documentation
** Business Data
*** Data Governance and Security
*** Business Ownership
*** Eliminate Redundancy
** Data Documentation
*** Data Flow Diagrams
*** Data Definitions
*** Common Data Matrix
*** Modeling Data Requirements
* Test Strategy, Test Planning and System Acceptance
** Testing Roles and Responsibilities
** Test Planning - The Test Strategy Document
** Developing the Test Plan
** Priority Testing
** Regression Testing
** Positive and Negative Testing
** Volume and Load Testing
** Environments
** Defect Management and Tracking
** User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
** System Acceptance
* Implementation and Training
** Implementation
*** Implementation Plan
*** Communication and Coordination
*** Migration Scheduling (Pre- and Post-Migration Testing)
** Training
*** Planning - Scope, Resources, Webinars, Site Visits, Facilities
*** User Documentation - Manuals, Training Documentation, Release Notes
* User Experience
** Usability vs. User Experience (UX)
** Why is UX important?
** Business Analysis and UX
** Steps for Implementing UX
*** Understand Your Audience
*** Profiles and Scenarios
*** Organize your Content
** References
* Business Process Improvement Models
** What is Business Process Improvement (BPI)
** What is Business Process Machine Notation (BPMN)
** Life Cycle
** How Does Business Analysis Fit in?
** Best Practices
** Performance Metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
* Root Cause Analysis
** What is Root Cause Analysis and Why is it Important?
** When is it Used?
** Questions to Consider
** Sources of Problems
** Methods
*** Fishbone Diagram
*** Ask Why 5 Times
*** Check Sheets and Pareto Chart
*** Interrelationship Diagram
*** Rapid Problem Resolution
** Summary
** References
* Strategic Analysis and Planning
** Strategic vs. Tactical vs. Operational
** Strategic Planning Components
*** Mission and Vision
*** Values and Behaviors
*** SWOT Analysis and Environmental Scans
*** Goals and Objectives
*** Metrics
*** Strategic Projects
** Enterprise Analysis - Strategic Alignment of Business and IT Goals
** Session Planning Guidelines
** Techniques to Engage Staff
** Facilitating the Generation/Acceptance of the Plan
*** Writing and Communicating the Plan
*** Implementing the Plan
* LEAN
** LEAN
** Six Sigma
** LEAN for Government
** Value Stream Mapping
** For More Information
* Facilitation and Elicitation Techniques
** Introduction
** Facilitation Basics
*** Planning
*** Conducting
*** Follow Up
** Facilitation Techniques
** Troubleshooting and Dealing With Difficult Behaviors
** Requirements Elicitation Techniques
*** Vision Development Techniques
*** Definition Techniques
*** Analysis Techniques
*** Other Techniques
* Prioritization Techniques
** Prioritization and When to Use?
** Prioritization Techniques
*** Strategic Alignment
*** High-Medium-Low or Small-Medium-Large
*** Weighted
*** Ranking
*** Criteria
*** Matrix
*** Impact Analysis
** Validating
* BA Software Tools
** Introduction
** Business Process Management (BPM) and Diagramming Tools
*** Microsoft Visio
*** Open Text - ProVision
*** Global 360
*** BizAgi
*** Tibco
*** iGrafx
*** IBM Tools
*** Adobe Live Process Management
*** Progress Savvion Modeler
** Requirements Management Tools
*** Rational Requisite Pro
*** Microsoft Word and Excel
*** PPM Studio
*** Blueprint
*** Accompa
** Drawing Tools
*** Microsoft Visio
*** SmartDraw
* Communication Skills
** Introduction
** Communication Types
** Communication Skills
** Acquiring Communication Skills
* Building Relationships and Trust
** Why Trust is Important in Organizations
*** What is Trust and what it is Not
*** What Creates a Culture of Mistrust?
*** How to Build Trust over Time
* Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving
** Underlying Competency (Assess, Understand, Make Judgments on a Solution)
*** Creative Thinking
*** Decision Making
*** Problem Solving
* Creativity
** Creativity and Its Role in Business Analysis
*** Importance of Creativity
*** Balancing Left Brain and Right Brain Thinking
** Creativity Techniques
*** Brainstorming and Brainwriting
*** Checklists
*** What-If Scenarios
*** Reformulating the Problem
*** Role Playing
*** Provocation Techniques
*** Mapping
*** Reverse Engineering
* Procurement, Including RFPs, RFIs and IFBs
** Procurement Guidelines
*** Types of Procurements - Including Pros and Cons
*** Key Steps and Timelines
*** Guidelines for Writing a Statement of Work (SOW)
*** Considerations When Evaluating Proposals
* Business Intelligence and Performance Management
** Information as an Asset
*** Business Intelligence
*** Business Performance Measurement (BPM)
** Information Management and Architecture
*** Governance
*** Data Warehousing
* Requirements Templates
** SDLC Deliverables
*** System Initiation Phase
*** System Requirements Analysis Phase
*** System Design Phase
*** System Construction Phase
*** System Acceptance Phase
*** System Implementation Phase
** SDLC Process Deliverable Definitions
** Description of SDLC Security Activities
* Glossary
* Resources
* Noted Contributors
* Contributors
* List of Figures
* Licenses
** Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License
** GNU Free Documentation License