Course Overview

Business Analysis is a 5-day, non-residential course which provides you with an understanding of the analysis of business processes to produce a Business Case for Change. You will use current techniques to identify business needs and objectives, model business processes, identify Business Options and create a Statement of Requirements.

We help you apply the course theories and techniques to your current business environment during the course so you will gain practical skills for handling real issues. Class sizes are kept small to facilitate lecturer – student interaction and class discussion.

The course fees include lunch, refreshments, the course book – ‘Business Analysis’, and all other course materials. 

What You Will Learn

Foundations for change

• Purpose of Business Analysis
• 3 key areas of investigation
• Innovation versus change

Strategic Analysis

• External environment analysis
• Internal environment analysis
• Balanced Score Card
• SWOT analysis

Starting the Study

• Project roles
• Terms of Reference
• Study deliverables

Fact Finding

• Technique pros, cons & applicability
• Checking the findings

Understanding Problems

• Stakeholder perspectives
• 80:20 principle
• Balanced Score Card measures

Business Activity Modelling

• Root definition (CATWOE)
• Critical Success Factors
• Key Performance Indicators
• Primary Task Model
• Current system evaluation

Documenting Requirements

• Functional requirements
• Requirement template
• Non-functional requirements

Strategies & Tactics

• Trends in Business Change

Problem solving / Business solutions

• Ishikawa fishbone diagrams
• De Bono 6 hat thinking

Business system Options

• BSO template
• Force field analysis
• Option evaluation

System Analysis

• Business to System analysis interface
• Aspects of systems analysis
• Business change & System requirements
• Use case modelling

Requirements Validation

• Quality reviews
• Prototyping
• Requirements management

Writing the Business Case

• Costs and Benefits
• Investment appraisal
• Discounted Cash Flow (DCF & NPV)

Presenting a Business Case

• What to present
• Handling Stake Holders

Principles of User Acceptance Testing

• Requirements as input
• Understanding a UAT script

Case study

Pre-Requisites

This course is designed for people working as Business Analysts, or who are intending to move into this field, but otherwise there are no pre-requisite requirements. 

Pre-Course Preparation

The course book 'Business Analysis', which is provided as part of the course materials, can be sent to you as soon as your payment arrangements have been finalised. We recommend that you study this book in preparation for the course as the more time you can give to advance reading, the greater the benefit you can gain during your course. 

Examination Details

SCOLL Methods is an Information Systems Examinations Board (ISEB) accredited exam provider for the two OPTIONAL exams associated with this course.

BUSINESS ANALYSIS ESSENTIALS & REQUIREMENTS ENGINEERING

15 minutes reading time is given before the start of each of the 1 hour open book exams, in which you must answer 2 questions on a given scenario, and achieve 50% of the marks in order to pass. The exams can be taken on the fifth day, following the training and you will be advised of your results in approximately 6 weeks and will receive your certificates direct from ISEB as soon as they are available.

BUSINESS SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT DIPLOMA

Success in these 2 exams will provide 4 out of the 6 credits necessary to be eligible to apply for an oral examination to achieve a Business Systems Development Diploma (BSDD) in Business Analysis.

More information on the diploma can be found at the BCS web site on www.bcs.org.uk/iseb/bsd

For further information click here