Introduction
The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) wrote in their recent report that business analysis career growth has an excellent outlook. In this fast-pacing world, organisations seem to look for professionals who enable and manage business change and are able to provide solutions to challenges that organisations face. Who is a business analyst? What are tasks he performs? What are the tools and techniques in a business analyst’s toolbox? The Foundation in Business Analysis Courseware was created to help anyone make a start in business analysis career. It explains the scope of business analysis work and teaches the range of frameworks, tools and techniques that are applicable when performing business analysis tasks.
1. The Title:
Courseware Foundation in Business Analysis
2. The Basics:
This courseware provides an introduction to the business analysis profession. It is based on the EXIN/BCS Foundation in Business Analysis syllabus and prepares for an examination being a one-hour, ‘closed book’ multiple choice examination leading to the EXIN/BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis.
3. Summary:
The courseware is organised in 14 modules. All modules relate to the Business Analysis Process Model – a framework that helps business analysts to structure their business analysis activities. The framework is presented in the figure below:
Each step in the framework is important to reach a final goal – to deliver changes to the organisation that help it achieving the competitive advantage. Within each step a list of applicable tasks and associated techniques are presented. These tasks and techniques are explained in more detail in the courseware materials.
These six steps are split into 14 modules of the courseware. Here you can find their short summary:
· What is business analysis?
This module explains the origins of business analysis, the scope of business analysis and role and responsibilities of a business analyst.
· The competencies of a business analyst
This module explains the three pillars of competencies of a business analyst: behavioural, domain knowledge and techniques.
· Strategy analysis
This module discusses what strategy is and how it can be developed. It also discusses the role of the business analyst in this process.
· The Business Analysis Process Model
This module discusses problem-solving approaches that can be used during a business analysis assignment.
· Investigation Techniques
This module discusses investigation techniques and their advantages and disadvantages.
· Stakeholder analysis and management
This module explains techniques for identifying, analysing and managing stakeholders.
· Modelling Business Processes
This module teaches the principles of business process modelling and approaches to improve them.
· Defining the Solution
This module focuses on how to perform a gap analysis and how the proposed changes refer to business architecture.
· Making a business and financial case
This module teaches how business analysts can approach creation of a business and financial case for a recommended solution.
· Establishing the requirements
This module introduces the requirements engineering framework and explains each phase in detail.
· Documenting and managing the requirements
This module focuses on how to document and manage requirements throughout their life cycle.
· Modelling requirements
This module introduces requirements models to be used to model dynamic and static aspects of solution.
· Delivering the requirements
This module explains different life cycles used to deliver a solution.
· Delivering the business solution
This module of the courseware focuses on BA’s role in the business change life cycle.
4. Target Audience:
This courseware is relevant to anyone requiring an understanding of business analysis including business analysts, product owners, business managers and their staff, business change managers and project managers. Developers and testers can also benefit from this courseware; it helps them develop new competencies within the context of T-shaped professional development.
5. Relevant reading
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