the business analyst role within solution driven projects
DESCRIPTION
Slides from a presentation given by Stuart Peek to a meeting of IIBA UK's South West branch on 22 October 2014. Many Business Analysts cherish the opportunity to be involved in strategic thinking with business stakeholders. However, what happens when a Business Analyst is engaged in solution-driven projects with little involvement in those early stages? Furthermore, how can a Business Analyst support business change without even a BRD to put their name to? The role of a Business Analyst may differ slightly within these environments, but that does not reduce the value they add. Indeed, solid application of Business Analysis skills is fundamental to enabling success. Attendees will benefit from experience and learnings of the speaker in this field, and be more prepared should they encounter similar scenarios. You will learn: - The importance of Business Analysts in solution driven projects - How Business Analysts needs to adapt - How Business Analysts should engage with stakeholders - The dangers of omitting Business Analysts - The business benefits enabled by effectively utilising Business AnalystsTRANSCRIPT
The Business Analyst role withinSolution Driven Projects
Stuart PeekBusiness Analyst
Wednesday 22nd October 2014
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Agenda •
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Introduction
Objectives & Purpose
Background
Survey
Demand for Business Change
Business Analysis Approach
Benefits of the Correct Approach
Challenges of the Wrong Approach
Summary
Conclusions
Q & A
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Introduction
About me;
– Business Analyst 10+ years
– Experience of different types of projects across different
•
sectors
• About the topic;
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Solution Driven projects are becoming more
Importance of requirements management
Application of the Business Analysis skill set
What works well, and not so well
Case study approach; share my experiences
common
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Objectives & Purpose
•
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To
To
To
share my experiences as a Business Analyst
explain
discuss
the nature of Solution Driven projects
context and implications for the typical BA role
•
•
To
To
share examples, research and learnings
explain how the BA supports ‘Transforming the Business’
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Specsavers Background
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Specsavers; a global eye care and hearing care provider
Founded in 1984, with over 1700 stores across 10 countries
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Specsavers Organisation
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BAs located globally, and sit within functional teams
Most solution driven projects happen within StrategicProjects team
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Company growth through acquisitions
Vast number of systems and processes globally
Need to consolidate to reduce issues and increase
Target Operating Models (TOM) defined
RFI / RFP process to select solution partner
efficiency
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Background
• What is a ‘Solution Driven’ project?
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Build from scratch; traditional BA role
Solution Driven; ‘Commercial Off The Shelf’ (COTS) software
Buildfrom
scratch
Solution
Drivenproject
•
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Evolution of the trend over time;
Case study; IT Solution Business
build → purchase
Change (Master Data)
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Objectives & Purpose
Background
Survey
Demand for Business Change
Business Analysis Approach
Benefits of the Correct Approach
Challenges of the Wrong Approach
Summary
Conclusions
Q & A
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Survey of Business Analysts
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•
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Survey of 36 Business Analysts in August 2014
Gather information and views of other BAs
Goal of underpinning the topic by providing evidence
Aim of understanding the nature ofin other organisations
Solution Driven projects
• Makes this topic more meaningful
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Survey of Business Analysts
• Do you feel you understand • Have you worked in aBusiness Analysis role within a 'Solution Driven'
what a 'Solution Driven'project is?
project in the last year?
4 104Yes
No
Somewhat
Yes
No2628
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Survey of Business Analysts
• If 'Yes', what proportion ofyour Business Analysis time do you normally spend on
• Do you feel 'Solution Driven'projects are becoming more common, when compared to
'Solution Driven' projects? developed solutions?
6 6140-25%
25-50%
50-75%
75-100%
Yes
No
Unsure
186
10 4
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Survey of Business
Analysts
“..it makes nosense to reinvent
the wheel”.
• Other comments;
‘Solution Driven’ isa term I am
hearing more and more frequently”.
“Sometimes a solutiondriven project is the way to go when you
havesevere time constraints…”
“I don't think thedifference is as big “…the
solutionto the
problem is onlywithin the number of
options offered...”
“Never heard theas it's made outbe at times.”
toterm 'Solutiondriven' before.”
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
•
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•
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•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Objectives & Purpose
Background
Survey
Demand for Business Change
Business Analysis Approach
Benefits of the Correct Approach
Challenges of the Wrong Approach
Summary
Conclusions
Q & A
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Case Study Background
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Business driver for change = reduce known
Product Master Data IT Solution
quality issues
Third party IT Solution provider (ERP);
Original
scope
Revised
scope
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
HR
Corp
ora
te Fi
nan
ce S
up
ply
Chain
Log
isti
cs
Reta
il
Demand
for Business Change
• Important for the BA to be involved as early as possiblethe problem statement–
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UnderstandGet common understanding of the need for businessBuild BA relationship with stakeholdersEngage early in Project Lifecycle
change
• RFI / RFP process to select the solution provider– Requirements based selection process
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•
Use solution provider delivery methodology
Knowledge Transfer via the BA– Inbound– Outbound
(OUM)
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Project Organisations
• Project structure and organisation––––
StakeholdersBusiness AnalystsFunctional Consultants
Internal versus external resources
Internal
External
SystemIntegrato
r
Sponsor
Business
UserBusinessAnalyst Regulat
orProjectManage
r
FunctionalConsultant
SME
Tester
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Business Analysis Approach
• Interactions with project stakeholders and third parties––––
Business users have a day job tooAssume Business users have limited working knowledge
Disagreement is common; win the hearts andAssess Business Readiness
minds
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Decide and agree responsibilities
Make use of BA peer reviews
Plan knowledge acquisition
up front
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Known knownsKnown unknownsUnknown unknowns
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Business Analysis Approach
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Maintain flexibility and openness to change
Understand core BA competencies and how to apply them
Typical Work Products; why and when to produce them– Lack of a Business Requirements
Use of BA ‘Toolkit’– Key techniques– Pros and Cons
Equal focus on the as-is & to-be
Conference Room Pilots (CRP)– Iterative and Waterfall combined
Document (BRD)
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The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Business
Analysis
Approach
• CRP process
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
ExtensionConfigurationBusiness
Outside of CRP Analysis of
Gaps
Change to Oracle Oracle
Governance GovernanceBoard Board
Gap Listing - MoSCoW
Desired Result= No
Work through each Scenario
Sign OffDesired Result
= Yes
Business Analysis Approach
• Manage the gaps
Business
Functionality
StandardProduct
Configuration
Extension
The Business Analyst
rolewithin Solution Driven
Projects
Business Analysis Approach
• Third parties have to grow knowledge of your organisation– This will increase as the project progresses– Two-way exchange of understanding
Business Process Reengineering is required
Users are more willing if they contribute to shaping the necessary changes
•
•
• What not to– Too much– Too much
Plan for the
do, and whyreliance on third partiesmodification of the ‘vanilla’ software product
future•
– How to know when knowledge tasks are ‘complete’ – Organisational Process Assets, Work Products and Deliverables
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
•
•
•
•
•
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•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Objectives & Purpose
Background
Survey
Demand for Business Change
Business Analysis Approach
Benefits of the Correct Approach
Challenges of the Wrong Approach
Summary
Conclusions
Q & A
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Benefits of the Correct Approach
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Efficient way of assessing organisational readiness
Increases the positive perception of the BA
Develops the BA and improves BA maturity
Delivers positive business change
Helps to reduce TCO of an IT solution
Enables agility for future business change
The Business Analyst
rolewithin Solution Driven
Projects
Challenges of the Wrong
Approach
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Why have a BA at all?
BA activity driven by external third parties
Reluctance for business to accept change
Desire to short-cut BA effort; rapid implementation
Difficulties with acquiring IT solution knowledge
Apprehension about working within solution-driven
Potentially loose some core BA skills
projects
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Objectives & Purpose
Background
Survey
Demand for Business Change
Business Analysis Approach
Benefits of the Correct Approach
Challenges of the Wrong Approach
Summary
Conclusions
Q & A
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Summary
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Be flexible and open minded to change
Get involved early, and start at the beginning
Grow and develop your BA toolkit
Know the difference between ‘vanilla’
and bespoke
Business users have
Aim for self-reliance
Keep It Simple
Plan for the future
a day job
internally
too
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Conclusions
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Solution Driven projects are becoming more common
Business Analysts underpin the success of such projects
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People; build and maintain key relationships
Process; have equal focus on the as-is and to-be
Technology; understand and manage the gaps
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Q & A
?The Business Analyst
rolewithin Solution Driven
Projects