BABOK V2 CHAPTER 9 - Techniques Part 2

Disadvantages of Problem Tracking

If prioritization and management is not done on a regular basis, the list becomes outdated and irrelevant. If key team members are not available to discuss the lists and take action, progress to resolve them may become slow. If there is a strict deadline to deliver the solution, then problem management may become a lower priority.

Problem Tracking Metrics

Number of problems by status and priority, age of each problem

Advantages of Structured Walkthroughs

Promotes discussion. Effective at identifying ambiguity and misunderstanding

Description of Prototyping

Prototyping details user interface requirements and integrates them with other requirements such as use cases, scenarios, data and business rules.

Advantages of Observation

Provides realistic and practical insight into the business. Elicits details of informal communication.

Elements of Structured Walkthroughs

Prerequisites -A complete requirements package -List of reviewers (who are knowledgeable) -A meeting vehicle Process -Review Scope -Organize and schedule -Conduct the Review -Compile Notes and Results -Review if necessary Rules to be followed during the review

Risk Neutrality

Probable benefits gained from the risk response must equal or outweigh the costs in order to justify the action

Elements of Problem Tracking

Problem Record Problem Management Metrics

Elements of Sequence Diagram

Procedural Asynchronous (signal)

Description of Sequence diagram

Models the logic of usage scenarios, by showing the information passed between system classes and objects through the execution of the scenario.

Advantages of Process Modeling

Most stakeholders are comfortable with basic concepts in model. Effective at showing large number of scenarios / branches Likely to have value in their own right as they can be used by stakeholders for training and coordination.

Elements of Scenarios and Use Cases

Name Actors: a person, system or event external to the system. Temporal events. Preconditions Flow of Events Post-conditions Relationships: Extend, Include

Elements of Process Modeling

Notational Elements Process Improvement Common Changes

Introductions for Observe

Reassures user that their work is not being questioned. Informs the user that the observer is present only to study Explains to the user that they may stop the observation process any time. Suggests to the user that they may think aloud while they are working away to share more information

Common Changes

Remove non-value-add activities Reduce time required by a task Improve interface Reduce bottlenecks

Five Why's

Repeatedly ask questions to explore the nature and cause of a problem.

Transitions

Represents a dynamic behavior that moves an item from one state to another.

States

Represents a unique condition that an object can be in or status that it may have

Problem Record

Description Raised By Date Identified Impact Priority Need by Date Owner Status Action Needed to Resolve Responsible for Action Outcome

Prepare for Observation

Determine what sampling of users to observe and which activities. Prepare questions to ask during or after the shadowing.

Advantages of State Diagrams

Domain SME's have deep knowledge of state and lifecycle

Elements of SWOT Analysis

Draw Grid SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats

Disadvantages of State Diagrams

Easy to unintentionally expand scope

Conduct the workshop

Elicit, analyze, document requirements, obtain consensus

Disadvantages of Prototyping

Eliciting requirements may be time consuming if process defines how's rather than what's. Assumptions about underlying technology need to be made May lead user to unrealistic expectations. May focus on design specifications rather than requirements.

Advantages of Organization Modeling

Every organization should have one

Events

External - Happen in an external entity in a context diagram Temporal - Driven by time

Elements of Root Cause Analysis

Fishbone (Ishikawa, Cause and Effect) Five Why's

Procedural Flow

Flow that transfers to the receiving object.

Post requirement workshop wrap up

Follow up on action item, distribute documentation

Organizational Structures

Functions - group staff based on shares skills or areas of expertise Markets - group staff based on serving a particular customer segment Matrix - group staff under a manager of each functional area and for each product, service, or customer group

Advantages of Scenarios and Use Cases

Good at clarifying scope and providing high level understanding`

Advantages of SWOT Analysis

Helps quickly analyze various aspects of the current state of the organization and its environment prior to identifying potential solution options.

Functional Scope

Horizontal - wide and shallow view of system functionality Vertical - narrow and deep view of system functionality

Prepare for Workshop

Identify stakeholders, define agenda, schedule, logistics, send materials, pre-workshop interviews.

Advantages of Prototyping

Supports users who are more comfortable seeing the future of the system interface. Encourages early user interaction and feedback A prototype is an inexpensive means to quickly uncover / confirm requirements.

Elements of Risk Analysis

Risk Tolerance Assessment Response

Fishbone (Ishikawa, Cause and Effect)

Used to identify and organize the possible causes of a problem

Usage of Requirements Workshops

1.Conduct Stakeholder Analysis - To Identify additional stakeholders 2.Prepare for elicitation - To identify issues / stakeholders / topics for subsequent workshops. 3.Conduct Elicitation Activity - To elicit requirements form large number of people in short period of time 4.Document Elicitation Results - To create artifacts for further analysis 5.Communicate Requirements - To familiarize stakeholders with the requirements.

Risk Tolerance

1.Risk aversion 2.Neutrality 3.Risk Seeking

Disadvantages of Sequence Diagrams

A diagram must be defined for each possible scenario

Description of SWOT Analysis

A framework for strategic planning, opportunity, analysis, competitive analysis, business and product development. Tool to quickly analyze various aspects of the current state of the business process undergoing change.

Description of Survey / Questionaire

A means of eliciting information from many people, sometimes anonymously, in a relatively short period of time. Closed or open-ended

Observation Description

A means of eliciting requirements by conducting an assessment of the stakeholder's work environment.

Feature

A service that the solution provides to fulfill one or more stakeholder needs.

Description of Root Cause Analysis

A structured examination to determine the underlying source of a problem. Current business thinking and processes are challenged.

Advantages of Root Cause Analysis

A structured method to identify the root causes, ensuring complete understaning

Description of Requirements Workshops

A structured way to capture requirements. May be used to scope, discover, define, prioritize and reach closure on requirements for the target system. One of the most effective ways to deliver high quality requirements quickly. They promote trust and understanding May be used to generate ideas, review requirements or reach consensus.

Positive Risk Response

Acceptance - No effort to deal with the risk is made Share - Work with third party to increase the probability the positive outcome will occur and agree to share in the benefits Enhance - Increase probability of the risk occurring and the potential benefit if the risk occurs Exploit - Works to ensure that the event does occur.

Negative Risk Response

Acceptance - No effort to deal with the risk is made Transfer - Responsibility for dealing with the risk and the possible effects of the risk are moved to a third party Avoidance - Take measures to ensure risk cannot occur. Mitigation - Reduce the probability of the risk occurring or the possible negative consequences.

Notational Elements

Activities Decisions Events Flow Roles Swimlanes and Pools Terminal Points

Asynchronous Flow

Allows the object to continue with its own processing after sending the signal.

Description of Problem Tracking

An organized approach to tracking, management, and resolution of defects, issues, problems, and risks throughout business analysis activities. Problems may include issues, questions, risks, defects, conflicts, or other concerns that need to be tracked to resolution.

Advantages of Problem Tracking

An organized method for tacking and resolving risks, issues, and defects. A mechanism to communicate problems across the team and helps to maintain focus on open problems until they are resolved

Usage of SWOT Analysis

Assess Capability Gaps - To identify how current capabilities and limitations compare against the influencing factors. Determine solution approach - to compare possible approaches Define business case - to demonstrate how the solution will maximize strengths and minimize threats Assess organization readiness - to assess strategies for developing with issues.

Disadvantages or Process Modeling

Can become extremely complex Problems in process cannot always be identified by looking at the model

Disadvantages of Structured Walkthroughs

Can lead to repeated revisions if changes are not carefully managed. Can be lengthy approval process

Advantages of Survey / Questionaire

Close - Ended questions can be effective for obtaining quantitative data for use in statistical analysis. Open-ended questions may yield insights and opinions not easily obtainable through other techniques Does not require significant time from responders Effective and efficient when stakeholders are not located in one location May result in large number of responses Quick and relatively inexpensive to administer.

Usage of Organization Modeling

Conduct Stakeholder Analysis Organize Requirements Specify and Model Requirements Assess Org Readiness Define Transition Requirements

Usage of Scenarios and Use Cases

Conduct Stakeholder Analysis - To assist in identification of stakeholders Organize Requirements - To group the requirements according to the actors and use cases Specify and Model Requirements - To group requirements and document requirements according to use cases and scenarios Allocate requirements - To facilitate allocation, alternative flows, can be separated from the base use case and assigned to later releases.

Usage of Risk Analysis

Conduct Stakeholder Analysis - To identify risks may result from stakeholder attitudes, or inability to participate Plan BA Activities - To assess the risks associated with different Plan Req Management Process - To identify risks associated with the req. management process and risks associated with making or choosing not to make the change Define Business Case - To assess the risks, costs, and benefits associated with the solution Prioritize Requirements - To understand that the risk associated with a requirement can influence the order in which they are developed. Define Assumptions and Constraints - To assess the risk should an assumption prove to be false or a constraint is removed. Validate Requirements - To identify scenarios that would alter the expected value delivered by a requirement. Assess Org Readiness - To assess risks and determine mitigation strategies

Usage of Survey / Questionaire

Conduct Stakeholder Analysis - To identify stakeholders Manage Business Analysis Performance - To collect performance feedback from a large number of stakeholders Prepare for Elicitation - To identify stakeholders, issues, and related background information for elicitation Conduct Elicitation activity - To elicit requirements from individuals where other methods are not feasible Document Elicitation Results - To collate and summarize Assess Org. Readiness - To identify affected stakeholders and their interested Evaluation Solution Performance - To collect qualitative and quantitative feedback from a alrge number of stakeholders regarding the performance of the solution.

Usage of Scope modeling

Conduct Stakeholder analysis - To identify key stakeholders Define Solution - to identify boundaries for the solution Organize Requirements - To group requirements according to the solution component that they are associated with.

Elements of Scope Modeling

Context Diagram Events Features Use Case Diagram Business Process

Description of Structured Walkthroughs

Is a working session where invited participants review, verify, and validate requirements

Disadvantages of Scope modeling

Leaves much of the detailed scope needing to be investigated.

Usage of Root Cause Analysis

Manage Business Analysis Performance - To identify the underlying source of delivery problem. Define Business Need - To determine the underlying source of problem. Validate Solution - To ensure that the underlying cause of the defect is resolved and the outanding issue is resolved.

Advantages of Sequence Diagrams

May be used in object-oriented analysis to validate class diagrams or use cases, or to show the timing of interactions between entities within the system scope.

Advantages of Requirements Workshops

Means to elicit detailed requirements in a short period of time. Means for stakeholders to collaborate, make decisions, develop mutual understanding. Cost lower than several individual interviews Feedback is immediate

Rules for Structured Walkthroughs

Supervisors and managers must exercise caution in attending Reviewers must review and comment on the content, not on the author Participants must review the document before the session.

Passive/Invisible

Observation approach where observer observes the user working through the business routine but does not ask questions. Observer records what is observed but otherwise stays out of the way. Wait until the entire process has been completed before asking questions. Observes the business process multiple times.

Active/Visible

Observation approach where the observer observes the current process and takes notes while having a dialog with the user. The observer asks questions right away as they watch the user perform the business process

Variation of Observation Technique

Observer becomes a temporary apprentice

Variation of Observation Technique

Observer participates in the actual work to get a hands-on feel for how the business process works today.

Variation of Observation Technique

Observer watches a demonstration of how a specific process and / or task is performed.

Post Observation Warap-up

Obtain answers to questions Provide a summary of notes to the user for review

Disadvantages of Observation

Only possible for existing processes Can be time-consuming May be disruptive to the person being shadowed Unusual exceptions and critical situations that happen infrequently man not occur during the observation. May not work well if the current process involves a high level of intellectual activity or other work that is not easily observable.

Disadvantages of Survey / Questionaire

Open-ended questions require more analysis To achieve unbiased results, require specialized skill in statistical sampling Some questions may be unaswered due to ambiguity May require follow up questions. Not suited for obtaining info on actual behavior Response rate is often too low for statistical signifigance

Disadvantages of Organization Modeling

Organization redesign is highly contentious and requires significant executive support. Informal lines of authority and communication are not reflected in the organization chart.

Elements of Organizational Modeling

Organizational Purpose and Structure Roles Interfaces Org. Charts

Org Charts

Organizational Units Lines of Reporting Roles and People

Usage of Process Modeling

Plan BA Approach Conduct Stakeholder Analysis Manage Business Analysis Performance Organize Requirements Specify and Model Allocate Requirements Assess Organization readiness Define transition requirements

Usage of Structured Walkthroughs

Plan BA approach - To review the BA approach with others - collect and incorporate their feedback. Plan BA Communication - To review the strategy for communications. Communicate Requirements - To review the requirements Verify requirements - To inspect requirements, to identify ambiguous requirements Validate requirements - To confirm the stakeholders agree that their needs are met.

Usage of Problem Tracking

Plan Requirement Management Process Manage Business Analysis Performance Document Elicitation Results Manage Solution Scope & Requirements Define Assumptions and Restraints Verify Requirements Assess Organization Readiness Validate Solution

Elements of Workshops

Prepare Conduct Post

Elements of Survey / Questionaire

Prepare Distribute the survey Document survey results

Usages of Observation

Prepare for Elicitation - To identify stakeholders in the project Conduct Elicitation Activity - To collect requirements that may be easier to obtain by watching Document Elicitation Results - To document results of the observation Confirm elicitation results - To validate requirements by observing employees performing the task Evaluate solution performance - To identify issues that have not been reported.

Usage of prototyping

Prepare for elicitation Conduct elicitation activity Document elicitation results Specify and model requirements Validate requirements

Elements of Observation

Prepare for observation Observe Post Observation Wrap-up

Elements of prototyping

Prepare for prototyping: Determine approach Identify function Build prototype: An iterative process Storyboards Screen prototypes Layout Mockup Evaluate the prototype

Process Improvement

Six Sigma Lean BPM Value streaming Statistical Analysis Benchmarking

Description of State Diagrams

Specifies a sequence of states that an object goes through during its lifetime, and defines which events causes a transition between those states.

Usage of Sate Diagrams

Specify and Model Requirements - To provide insights into the flow of a system - defining and modeling requirements for transition.

Usage of Sequence Diagrams

Specify and Model Requirements - To understand the flow of communication between processes helps to define system requirements.

Disadvantages of Requirements Workshops

Stakeholder availability may be difficult Success is highly dependent upon expertise of the facilitator and knowledge of the participants Too few or too many participants can affect results.

Elements of Stage Diagrams

States Transitions

Disadvantages of Scenarios and Use Cases

Temptation to describe all requirements using the use cases, even when not appropriate. Does not facilitate discovery of common elements Additional design is often required

Usage

Throwaway - quickly uncover interface requirements Evolutionary or Functional - extend interface requirements into a fully functional system

Description of Scenarios and Use Cases

To describe how an actor interacts with a solution to accomplish one or more goals. Or to respond to an event. Scenario: one way to accomplish a goal Use Case: All possible outcomes of an attempt to accomplish a goal. Primary and alternate flows.

Description of Organizational Modeling

To describe the roles, responsibilities, and reporting structures that exist within an organization and to align those structures with the organization's goals.

Description of Scope Modeling

To describe the scope of analysis or the scope of a solution

Description of Risk Analysis

To identify and manage areas of uncertainty that can impact an initiative, solution or organization. May be positive or negative.

Description of Process Modeling

To understand how work that involves multiple roles and departments is performed within an organization. Flowchart Swim Lane Activity Diagram

Context Diagram

Top level data flow diagram that uses a single data process to describe the scope and shows the external entities and data stores that provide data to and receive data from the system.

Disadvantages of SWOT Analysis

Very high-level view; more detailed analysis is almost always needed.

Use Case Diagram

Visually depicts the use cases supported by a system, the actors who trigger those use cases, and relationships between the use cases.

Advantages of Scope modeling

Will make it easier to determine what is in / out of scope.

Risk Seeking

Willing to accept relatively high risks in order to maximize the potential benefit

Disadvantages of Root Cause Analysis

Works best when facilitated by someone with formal training. Facilitator must remain objective.

Risk aversion

seek to reduce risks and prefers to approach as close to certainty as possible