10 techniques for Business Analysts (BAs) to model and ... · analysis.” - BABOK® v3.0. Process...
Transcript of 10 techniques for Business Analysts (BAs) to model and ... · analysis.” - BABOK® v3.0. Process...
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10 techniques for Business Analysts (BAs) to model and analyze Business Intelligence (BI) requirements
▪ Started Life as a Front-end Web Publisher at Netflix (when it was a start-up) back in 1998
▪ Transitioned to Business Analysis in 2005
▪ Joined Skyline Technologies in 2013
▪ CBAP® certified since 2015
▪ PMI-PBA® certified since 2017
▪ CSM with Scrum Alliance
▪ PSM with Scrum.org
▪ (And I blame my husband for my last name…)
About Me
Rachael Wilterdink
▪ To teach you about the modeling and analysis techniques
for Business Intelligence projects
▪ To add some of these new tools to your toolbox so you can
try them out on your next BI project
Learning Objectives
Anyone who works with identifying,
modeling, and analyzing data and
business requirements for Business
Intelligence projects, regardless of your
official “job title”
Who Is This For?
Business Rules Analysis
1
Business Rules Analysis
"Business Rules analysis is used to identify,
express, validate, refine, and organize the rules
that shape day-to-day business behavior and guide
operational business decision making.“
- BABOK® v3.0
Business Rules Analysis
What are Business Rules?
Directives that serve as criteria to:
▪ Guide behavior
▪ Shape judgments
▪ Make decisions
Business Rules Analysis
What is their source?
May be explicitly found in:
▪ Documented policies
▪ Regulations
▪ Contracts
May also be tacitly found in:
▪ Undocumented stakeholder know-how
▪ Generally-accepted business practices
▪ Norms of the corporate culture
Business Rules Analysis
What are their attributes?
Business rules should be:
▪ Specific
▪ Testable
▪ Explicit
▪ Clear
▪ Accessible
▪ Single-sourced
▪ Practicable (need no further interpretation)
Business Rules Analysis
General principles for Business Rules:
▪ Base them on standard business vocabulary
▪ Express them separately from how they will be enforced
▪ State them atomically and declaratively
▪ Map them to decisions the rule supports (or constrains)
▪ Maintain them so they can be monitored and adapted
Business Rules Analysis
Example from: “Business Analysis for Practitioners, a Practice Guide”, published by PMI®
Data Dictionary
2
Data Dictionary
"A data dictionary is used to standardize a
definition of data elements and enable a
common interpretation of data elements.“
- BABOK® v3.0
Data Dictionary
What is a Data Dictionary?
Detailed list of:
▪ Data elements
▪ Their characteristics
▪ Possible values
NOTE: Also referred to as “metadata repositories”
Data Dictionary
What are the elements?
Primitive (singular) Data elements:
▪ Name
▪ Aliases
▪ Values/Meanings
▪ Description
Composite (combined) Data elements:
▪ Sequences
▪ Repetitions
▪ Optional items
Data Dictionary
How are they used?
▪ To Manage data within context of a solution
▪ To standardize usage and meaning of data elements
NOTE: often used in conjunction with other models, such as ERD (Entity
Relationship Diagrams)
Data Dictionary
Example from: “Business Analysis for Practitioners, a Practice Guide”, published by PMI®
Data Flow Diagrams
3
Data Flow Diagrams
“Data flow diagrams show where data
comes from, which activities process the
data, and if the output results are stored or
utilized by another activity or external
entity.”
- BABOK® v3.0
Data Flow Diagrams
What are Data Flow Diagrams?
Diagrams that depict data’s:
▪ Source
▪ Activities
▪ Inputs/Outputs
▪ Transformations
▪ Temporary or permanent repository locations
NOTE: often used in conjunction with data dictionaries
Data Flow Diagrams
What are the elements?
External components:
▪ Entity – person, system, device
▪ Source – where the data comes from
▪ Sink – where the data goes
Processes:
▪ Manual, or
▪ Automated
Data Stores:
▪ Data at rest
Data Flow:
▪ Holds processes together
NOTE: often used in conjunction with data dictionaries
Data Flow Diagrams
What are the different levels of abstraction?
Level 0
▪ Context Diagram, often used to depict scope
Levels 1+
▪ Break down the major processes from a Level 0 diagram
▪ These include the additional element of data stores
NOTE: often used in conjunction with data dictionaries
Data Flow Diagrams
DFD Level 0 - Context Diagram
Example from: “Business Analysis for Practitioners, a Practice Guide”, published by PMI®
Data Flow Diagrams
DFD Level 1+
Example from: “Business Analysis for Practitioners, a Practice Guide”, published by PMI®
Data Modeling
4
Data Modeling
"A data model describes the entities, classes, or
data objects relevant to a domain, the attributes
that are used to describe them, and the
relationships among them to provide a common
set of semantics for analysis and implementation.”
- BABOK® v3.0
Data Modeling
What are Data Models?
Data models are diagrams typically supported by text descriptions.
They visually represent:
▪ People
▪ Places
▪ Things
▪ Transactions
▪ Associated attributes
▪ Relationships between them
Data Modeling
What types are there?
Conceptual:
Shows how the business
perceives its
information.
Logical:
An abstraction of the
conceptual model plus
rules of normalization for
managing integrity.
Often associated with
design.
Physical:
Used for implementation
to describe how a
database is physically
organized.
Data Modeling
What are their elements?
Entities or Classes represent:
▪ Physical
▪ Organizational
▪ Abstract
▪ Events
Attributes may include:
▪ Name
▪ Values/meanings
▪ Description
Relationships / associations Metadata (data about data)
Data Modeling
ERD - Crow's Foot Notation Example from: https://www.lucidchart.com/pages/er-diagrams?a=1
Data Modeling
UML - Class Diagram
Example from: “Business Analysis for Practitioners, a Practice Guide”, published by PMI®
Decision Modeling
5
Decision Modeling
“Decision modeling shows how repeatable
business decisions are made.”
- BABOK® v3.0
Decision Modeling
What is Decision Modeling?
▪ Models that show how data and knowledge combine to aid decision-
making
▪ Can be used for both straightforward and complex decisions
▪ Linked to processes, performance, and organizations
▪ Represents decisions as analytical insights
Decision Modeling
What are the types?
Decision Tables:
Tabular representation
of inputs to determine
outcomes, with rules
and conditions
Decision Trees:
Also represent business
rules, using nodes
Decision Diagram:
Represents the
decision-making logic
for more complicated
decisions
Decision Modeling
What are the key elements?
▪ Decision
▪ Information
▪ Knowledge
Decision Modeling
Decision Table
Example from: “BABOK® (Business Analysis Book of Knowledge)”, published by IIBA®
Decision Modeling
Decision Tree
Example from: “BABOK® (Business Analysis Book of Knowledge)”, published by IIBA®
Decision Modeling
Decision Requirements Diagram
Example from: “BABOK® (Business Analysis Book of Knowledge)”, published by IIBA®
Glossary
6
Glossary
“A glossary defines key terms relevant to a
business domain.”
- BABOK® v3.0
Glossary
What is a Glossary?
▪ A list of terms used to provide a common understanding between
stakeholders
▪ Provides a common language to communicate
▪ Continuously updated and accessible to all
Glossary
What are the elements?
Terms are included in a glossary when:
▪ They are unique to a domain
▪ There are multiple existing definitions
▪ The definition implied is outside the team’s use
▪ There’s a reasonable chance of misunderstanding
Glossary
Considerations
▪ Definitions should be:
o Clear
o Concise
o Brief
▪ Acronyms should be spelled out
▪ It should be easily and reliably accessible to stakeholders
▪ Limit editing access to a small number of stakeholders
Glossary
Report Table
7
Report Table
“A report table is a model that captures the
detailed level requirements for a single
report.”
- BA Practitioners Practice Guide (PMI®)
Report Table
What is a Report Table?
A set of requirements for a single report
Report Table
What are the elements?
▪ Report Prototype – a sample of the report’s structure and layout
▪ Top-level elements and their descriptions
▪ Field-level items and their descriptions
Report Table
What is this used for?
Modeling the requirements for a report in a way that separates the different
levels of detail needed to develop the report
Report Table
Report Prototype
Example from: “Business Analysis for Practitioners, a Practice Guide”, published by PMI®
Report Table
Top Level
Example from:
“Business Analysis for Practitioners, a Practice Guide”, published by PMI®
Report Table
Field Level
Example from: “Business Analysis for Practitioners, a Practice Guide”, published by PMI®
Metrics & Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
8
Metrics & Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
"Metrics and key performance indicators
measure the performance of solutions,
solution components, and other matters of
interest to stakeholders.”
- BABOK® v3.0
Metrics & Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
What are Metrics & KPIs?
Metric:
Quantifiable levels to
measure progress
Indicator:
Numbers measuring
degree of progress
toward:
▪ Goal
▪ Objective
▪ Output
▪ Activity
▪ Further Output
Key Performance
Indicator (KPI):
Metric used for strategic
purposes
Metrics & Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
What are the elements?
Indicators, that are:
▪ Clear
▪ Relevant
▪ Economical
Structure
▪ Reliable
▪ Valid
▪ Timely
Metrics:
Quantifiable
Reporting:
Visual output
▪ Adequate
▪ Quantifiable
▪ Trustworthy / Credible
Metrics & Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
How is this used?
▪ To compare baseline metrics against current ones, to target difference in
both relative and absolute terms
▪ To identify credible trends
▪ To visually and effectively represent and explain data
Metrics & Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Example from: http://www.pnmsoft.com/resources/bpm-tutorial/key-performance-indicators/
Process Modeling
9
Process Modeling
"Process modeling is a standardized
graphical model used to show how work is
carried out and is a foundation for process
analysis.”
- BABOK® v3.0
Process Modeling
What is a Process Model?
A model describing the sequential flow of work or activities. Types include:
▪ Business
▪ System
▪ Program
They can be depicted at different levels
Process Modeling
What are the elements?
▪ Activities
▪ Events
▪ Directional Flow
▪ Decision Points
▪ Links
▪ Roles
Process Modeling
What are the types?
▪ Flowcharts
▪ Value stream mapping
▪ Activity Diagrams
▪ Data flow diagrams (UML)
▪ Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN)
▪ SIPOC
▪ Etc.
Process Modeling
Flowcharts Example from:
“BABOK®
(Business Analysis Book of Knowledge)”,
published by IIBA®
Process Modeling
Activity Diagrams Example from:
“BABOK®
(Business Analysis Book of Knowledge)”,
published by IIBA®
Process Modeling
Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN)Example from:
“BABOK®
(Business Analysis Book of Knowledge)”,
published by IIBA®
Prototyping
10
Prototyping
“Prototyping is used to elicit and validate
stakeholder needs through an iterative process
that creates a model or design of requirements. It
is also used to optimize user experience, to
evaluate design options, and as a basis for
development of the final business solution.”
- BABOK® v3.0
Prototyping
What is a Prototype?
A way to provide early modeling to identify:
▪ Missing requirements
▪ Improperly specified requirements
▪ Unsubstantiated assumptions
▪ Early stages of design
Prototyping
What are the types?
▪ Throw-away
▪ Evolutionary (or Functional)
Prototyping
What are some examples?
▪ Proof of Concept (or Principle)
▪ Form Study
▪ Usability
▪ Visual
▪ Functional
Prototyping
Low-fidelity High-fidelity
(Throw-away) (Evolutionary)
Example from: https://www.mockplus.com/blog/post/high-fidelity-and-low-fidelity
Questions?
Solutions Consulting
▪ Discovery Services
▪ Product Setup
▪ Better Requirements Training and
Coaching
▪ Business Analysis
▪ Coaching and Mentoring
▪ Maturity Assessments
▪ Staff Aug Opportunities
▪ Agile Enablement Services
For more about Skyline Offerings contact us at [email protected]
Rachael Wilterdink, CBAP®, PMI-PBA®, PSM, [email protected]
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