LinkedIn 
EmailCore Competencies for the Business Analyst
- Traditional Classroom: 2-day
- Virtual Instructor-led: Four 3-hour sessions
Core Competencies for the Business Analyst is a well-rounded introduction to the role of the business analyst. The course is intended to serve several audiences and meet a variety of needs. The material in the course is directed at both the novice looking to enter the field and the self-taught veteran looking to fill gaps in his or her skills or knowledge.
The course is aligned with A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide) and provides a high-level overview of all the BABOK® Guide knowledge areas.
The course is part of a curriculum offered by the Corporate Education Group (CEG). It is the first of four courses that form the foundation of the curriculum. CEG offers a certificate upon successful completion of these four courses. Additional electives are offered for the business analyst who is seeking advanced training.
In keeping with the philosophy of CEG, experienced business analysts teach this course and much of the class time is devoted to exercises in which participants can practice the skills being taught. Job aids introduced in the course can be used by participants when they return to the workplace to help them apply their new skills in the performance of job tasks.
Target Audience
Individuals who will benefit from this course include:
- Entry-level business analysts and their managers
- Self-taught business analysts requiring a course that fills in skills gaps
- Systems analysts and programmers interested in expanding their roles
- Quality assurance professionals
- Project managers
Learning Objectives
- Describe the role and responsibilities of the business analyst.
- Describe three life cycle models commonly used in solution development.
- Describe the purpose of each BABOK® Guide knowledge area.
- Describe key tasks, inputs, outputs, tools, and techniques for each of the BABOK® Guide knowledge areas.
- Define key terms and principles fundamental to understanding business analysis.
Course Outline
Module 1: Key Concepts: Business Analysis Roles and Responsibilities
- Overview of Business Analysis
- Business Analyst Role
- Requirement Types
- Properties of Effective Requirements
- Introduction to IIBA® and the BABOK® Guide
- Exercise: Identify Requirements-Related Challenges
Module 2: Life Cycles
- Project Life Cycles
- Characteristics of Life Cycles and Phases
- Formality and Timing
- Comparison of Life Cycle Types
- Predictive Approach
- Iterative Approach
- Adaptive (Agile) Approach
Module 3: Strategy Analysis
- Strategy Analysis and the Business Analyst Role
- Strategic Planning and Project Selection
- Analyze Current State
- Business Needs
- Enterprise Architecture
- Case Study Overview: Scenic Hotels Case Study
- SWOT Analysis
- Define Future State
- Goals and Objectives
- Business Case
- Exercise: Identify and Quantify Benefits for the Case Study
- Assess Risks
- Risk Analysis
- Define Change Strategy
- Modeling Solution Scope – Use Case and Context Diagrams
Module 4: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring
- Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring and the Business Analyst Role
- Plan Business Analysis Approach
- Exercise: Identify Requirements-Related Risks
- Plan Stakeholder Engagement
- Exercise: Analyze Stakeholders for the Case Study
- Exercise: Determine Communication Needs for the Case Study
- Plan Business Analysis Governance
- Elements of the Business Analysis Plan
- Plan Business Analysis Information Management
- Requirements Attributes
- Identify Business Analysis Performance Improvements
- Requirements Attribute Report
Module 5: Requirements Life Cycle Management
- Requirements Life Cycle Management and the Business Analyst Role
- Trace Requirements
- Backward and Forward Traceability
- Maintain Requirements
- Requirements Reuse
- Prioritize Requirements
- Assess Requirement Changes
- Managing Solution Scope
- Approve Requirements
- Conflict and Issue Management
- Requirements Signoff
Module 6: Elicitation and Collaboration
- Elicitation and Collaboration and the Business Analyst Role
- Applying Elicitation Techniques
- Brainstorming
- Interviewing
- Exercise: Conduct Interview for the Case Study
- Survey
- Observation
- Additional Techniques
- Selecting Elicitation and Collaboration Techniques
- Selection Criteria
- Exercise: Select Elicitation Techniques for the Case Study
- Delivering the Requirements Package
- Requirements Presentation
- Requirements Reviews
- Communication ad Review of Requirements
Module 7: Requirements Analysis and Design Definition
- Requirements Analysis and Design Definition and the Business Analyst Role
- Using Modeling Techniques for Requirements Analysis and Design Definition
- Modeling Perspectives
- Modeling Techniques
- Applying Analysis Techniques
- Case Study: Parkview Public Library
- Context Diagram
- Use Case Diagram
- Use Case Brief
- Use Case Description
- Exercise: Write a Use Case Description for the Scenic Hotels Case Study
- Activity Diagrams
- Exercise: Create an Activity Diagram for the Scenic Hotels Case Study
- Model Selection Guidelines
Module 8: Solution Evaluation
- Solution Evaluation and the Business Analyst Role
- Solution Evaluation Tasks
- Measure Solution Performance
- Analyze Performance Measures
- Assess Solution Limitations
- Assess Enterprise Limitations
- Recommend Actions to Increase Solution Value
- Exercise: Review Requirements-Related Challenges
BAV311 Course Code
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