1. Business Analysis
Presented by QA Department

2. Project Life Cycle
Initiation
1. Planning
7. Implement
the solution 2. Scope
Project the project
Life
Cycle
6. Test the
solution 3. Gather requirements
and analyze
5. Build the
solution 4. Design a
solution

3. WHAT IS A BUSINESS ANALYST?
Subject Business Technical
Matter Analyst Team
Experts

4. EMERGING ROLE
OF THE BUSINESS ANALYST
 Introduction: What is a Business Analyst?
 How has the Role of the BA changed?
 Why has the Role of the BA changed?
 What are the Essential Skills of a Business
Analyst?
 Why is the Business Analyst a Key Role?
 Conclusion

5. WHAT IS A BUSINESS ANALYST?
A Business Analyst is a person who acts as a
liaison between business people who have a
business problem and technology people who
know how to create automated solutions.
Business IT

6. Work performed by A BA
 Analyzing business needs
 Gathering business requirements
 Analyzing and Refining requirements
 Documenting requirements
 Communicating requirements
 Assisting with implementation of
requirements

7. EMERGING ROLE
OF THE BUSINESS ANALYST
 Introduction: What is a Business
Analyst?
 How has the Role of the BA
changed?
 Why has the Role of the BA changed?
 What are the Essential Skills of a
Business Analyst?
 Why is the Business Analyst a Key Role?
 Conclusion

8. How Software Development has
Changed
 Mainframe – 1970s
 Centralized, shared software
and data
 PC – 1980s
 Individual software
applications
 Decentralized data
 Client/server – 1990s
 Interfaces from PC to
mainframes and servers
Inter/Intran
et
 Significant coordination
required between components
 Web applications – 2000s
 Centralized, shared software
and data
 Customizable access

9. HOW HAS THE ROLE OF THE
BA CHANGED?
 In 1980’s emphasis on structured
methodologies and CASE tools
 Role primarily staffed from IT
 In 1990’s Quality Initiatives (CMMI, ISO
9000, Six Sigma) required focus on
standards and documentation
 Shift of role to Business Area Expert

10. HOW HAS THE ROLE OF THE BA
CHANGED? (CONT.)
 In 2000’s emphasis on eCommerce and
Object Oriented Development
 Emphasis on:
 Shorter timelines and lower cost
 Rigorous techniques
 New methodologies

11. HOW HAS THE ROLE OF THE BA
CHANGED? (CONT.)
Today, the Business Analyst’s role
continues to grow and requires:
 Excellent communication skills
 Thorough understanding of business
 Standards and Methodology
 Tools and Modeling
 Emphasis on verification and validation

12. EMERGING ROLE
OF THE BUSINESS ANALYST
 Introduction: What is a Business
Analyst?
 How has the Role of the BA changed?
 Why has the Role of the BA
changed?
 What are the Essential Skills of a
Business Analyst?
 Why is the Business Analyst a Key Role?
 Conclusion

13. WHY ROLE HAS CHANGED
 Industry Trends
 IT Under Fire
 Quality Initiatives
 Outsourcing

14. INDUSTRY TRENDS
 66% of software projects are not
expected to finish on time and on budget
 Completed projects had only 52% of
proposed functionality
 82% of projects had time overruns
 Average cost overrun – 43% over budget
 Source 2003 Standish Chronicles

15. INDUSTRY TRENDS – (CONT.)
Defect Origination:
 56% Requirements Phase
 27% Design
 7% Coding
 Source 2002 Quality Assurance Institute

16. IT UNDER FIRE
 72% of CIO’s surveyed by CIO Magazine said
their Number One Priority is to improve the
customer relationship.
 Only 10% of CIO’s surveyed said that
technical proficiency is an important skill to
be successful. The most important personal
skills:
 Communication – 70%
 Understanding the Business – 58%

17. QUALITY INITIATIVES
 CMMI
 ISO 9000
 Six Sigma

18. QUALITY INITIATIVES – (CONT.)
 CMMI
 Developed by Software Engineering Institute
of Carnegie Mellon University
 A scale for assessing the degree of built-in
documentation and discipline in a process,
from level 1, with no formal process, to
Level 5, with a continuous, rigorous and
self-improving process
www.sei.cmu.edu/cmmi

19. QUALITY INITIATIVES – (CONT.)
 ISO 9000
 Developed by International Organization
for Standardization
 A series of performance and quality
management system standards for
industrial organizations
www.iso.ch

20. QUALITY INITIATIVES – (CONT.)
 Six Sigma
 Developed by Motorola Engineers
 Literally refers to the reduction of errors to
six standard deviations from the mean
www.motorola.com/motorolauniversity

21. OUTSOURCING
 Obtaining goods or services by contract from
an outside source
 Ideally this source can provide the service or
good for far less cost and at higher quality
 McKinsey study estimates 58 cents cost
reduction per dollar in IT sector
 Most SW development companies in India
are at CMM Level 5

22. OUTSOURCING – (CONT.)
One result: American programmers are becoming
BAs.
Business Week, March 2004, suggests that the role of a
Business Analyst is a “relatively safe haven” for programmers
IF…
…they have communication skills
AND a grip on business
Another result: Detailing requirements is of
paramount importance.
 Moving away from “captive” IT departments
 Moving toward geographically-separated business and IT units
 “Over-the-wall” is commonplace

23. EMERGING ROLE
OF THE BUSINESS ANALYST
 Introduction: What is a Business
Analyst?
 How has the Role of the BA changed?
 Why has the Role of the BA changed?
 What are the Essential Skills of a
Business Analyst?
 Why is the Business Analyst a Key Role?
 Conclusion

24. ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR THE BUSINESS
ANALYST
CUSTOMER DRIVEN
TECHNICAL SCOPE DEFINITION and
AWARENESS CHANGE MGMT
VERIFICATION METHODOLOGY
& VALIDATION
& VALIDATION PRACTICES
COMMUNICATION
ELICIT EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT
ANALYTICAL SKILLS
ANALYTICAL SKILLS
REQUIREMENTS
BUSINESS PROCESS DOCUMENT
RE-ENGINEERING REQUIREMENTS

25. EMERGING ROLE
OF THE BUSINESS ANALYST
 Introduction: What is a Business
Analyst?
 How has the Role of the BA changed?
 Why has the Role of the BA changed?
 What are the Essential Skills of a
Business Analyst?
 Why is the Business Analyst a Key
Role?
 Conclusion

26. WHY IS THE BUSINESS ANALYST A
KEY ROLE?
The BA is “Communications Central”:
Project
Manager Technical
Team Member
Technical
Subject Matter Team Member
Business
Expert
Analyst
Subject Matter
Expert
Business
Subject Matter Information
Expert

27. WHY IS THE BUSINESS ANALYST A
KEY ROLE? (CONT.)
 The BA holds a Unique Role:
 Enterprise-wide awareness
 Understanding of the business problem or
opportunity
 High level and detailed project knowledge
 Business Analyst toolkit

28. IIBA
International Institute for Business Analysis
http://www.iiba.com
IIBA Definition of Business Analysis:
Business Analysts are responsible for identifying business needs.
The Business Analyst is responsible for requirements development
and requirements management.
The Business Analyst is a key facilitator within an organization,
acting as a bridge between the client, stakeholders and the
solution team.
Business analysis is distinct from financial analysis, project
management, quality assurance, organizational development,
testing, training and documentation development.

29. WHY IS THE BUSINESS ANALYST A
KEY ROLE? (CONT.)
 Now more than ever, Industry
Emphasis on:
 Scope Definition and Change
Management
 Requirements Gathering,
Documenting and Management
 Process Improvement and
Reusability
 Validation and Verification

30. EMERGING ROLE
OF THE BUSINESS ANALYST
 Introduction: What is a Business
Analyst?
 How has the Role of the BA changed?
 Why has the Role of the BA changed?
 What are the Essential Skills of a
Business Analyst?
 Why is the Business Analyst a Key Role?
 Conclusion

31. WHO MAKES A GREAT BUSINESS
ANALYST?
 Must be an outstanding communicator
 Must understand the SDLC
 Must enjoy very detailed research and recording
 Must be skilled at organizing and managing large
amounts of information in various forms
 Must be customer-focused
 Must be flexible
 Must come prepared with a toolkit of techniques to
elicit excellent requirements

32. What is a Business Analyst?
IIBA Definition of a Business Analyst:
Business Analysts are responsible for identifying business needs.
The Business Analyst is responsible for requirements development and
requirements management. Specifically, the Business Analyst elicits,
analyzes, validates and documents business, organizational and/or
operational requirements. Solutions are not predetermined by the Business
Analyst, but are driven solely by the requirements of the business.
Solutions often include a systems development component, but may also
consist of process improvement or organizational change.
The Business Analyst is a key facilitator within an organization, acting as a
bridge between the client, stakeholders and the solution team.
Business Analysis is distinct from financial analysis, project management,
quality assurance, organizational development, testing, training and
documentation development.
International Institute for Business Analysis
http://www.iiba.com

33. Thank You All
 Following E-mail ID has been created with
an intention of having a repository of files
related with Business Analysis
justin.amtexsystems@gmail.com
Password - businessanalysis
1] Interview questions for Business Analysts
2] Body of Knowledge – Business Analysis
and more …………….