Summary

This book prepares candidates for both the Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) as well as the new Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA) exam, both offered by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). The book will cover the Business Analysis standards and best practices as defined in the A Guide to Business Analysis Body of Knowledge, Version 2 (BABOK). Candidates will benefit from the detailed discussion of the wide-range of BA topics, concepts, and key terms and will present the material in a logical manner: each section builds upon previous sections and a chapter on previous chapters.Exam candidates will gain the skills to assure exam preparedness, as the book will provide a detailed review of the six Business Analysis knowledge areas and the underlying competencies of successful BAs. The book assists candidates in aligning their business analysis experience with the BABOK. Practice exam questions, topic summaries, and exam tips and tricks will provide a solid framework for personalized study to prepare for and achieve exam success.Topics Covered include: Planning and Monitoring Elicitation Requirements Management and Communication Enterprise Analysis Requirements Analysis Solution Assessment and ValidationEach chapter will include a list of exam topics covered, followed by in-depth discussion of those objectives, complete with hands-on Real World Scenarios sidebars. The chapter will conclude with an Exam Essentials section and comprehensive Review Questions. The companion CD features leading-edge exam prep software with test engine of practice questions and electronic flashcards, as well as 3 full-length bonus exams.

Author Biography

Susan Weese (Monument, CO), CBAP, PgMP, PMP, is founder of Rhyming Planet Inc., a Colorado-based IT Project Management/Business Analysis consulting firm. Susan has over 25 years of software and project management experience, and currently focuses her consulting activities on project management and requirements development. As a trainer and curriculum designer, She designs, builds and delivers standard and customized project, process and requirements development training courses for major IT training firms and individual corporate clients in both public sessions and at onsite client venues.

Terri Wagner (Aurora, CO) CBAP, PMP is owner/managing member of Mentor Source, Inc., a Colorado-based project management consulting and training company. She has co-authored and technical edited several project management and business analysis books, including the Project Manager Street Smarts (978-0470479599) by Sybex. She has also taught project management, portfolio management, program management, business leadership, interpersonal skills, quality management, and other topics to state agencies, governmental entities, corporate clients, and at the graduate level in the university system.

Introduction xix

Assessment Test xxxii

Chapter 1 Foundation Concepts 1

What Is Business Analysis? 2

The Business Analyst's Role 3

Additional Roles: Generalist, Specialist, and Hybrid 4

Essential Skills of Effective Business Analysts 4

The Business Analyst and the Project Manager 6

Dealing with Key Stakeholders 7

Exploring the Business Analysis Knowledge Areas 9

Knowledge Area: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring 10

Knowledge Area: Elicitation 11

Knowledge Area: Requirements Management and Communication 11

Knowledge Area: Enterprise Analysis 11

Knowledge Area: Requirements Analysis 12

Knowledge Area: Solution Assessment and Validation 12

How Are the Knowledge Areas Organized? 13

Exploring Requirements 14

Determining the Business Analysis Approach 15

Defining the Requirements Management Process 15

Classifying Requirements 16

Understanding How This Applies to Your Projects 21

Summary 24

Exam Essentials 25

Key Terms 26

Review Questions 27

Answers to Review Questions 31

Chapter 2 Controlled Start: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring 33

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring 34

The Business Analyst’s Task List 35

When Does Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring Take Place? 35

Plan the Business Analysis Approach 37

Conduct Stakeholder Analysis 49

Plan Business Analysis Activities 59

Plan Business Analysis Communication 67

Plan Requirements Management Process 75

Manage Business Analysis Performance 81

How This Applies to Your Projects 88

Summary 90

Exam Essentials 91

Key Terms 92

Review Questions 93

Answers to Review Questions 97

Chapter 3 Controlled Start: Enterprise Analysis 99

Enterprise Analysis 100

The Business Analyst's Task List 101

When Does Enterprise Analysis Take Place? 102

Define the Business Need 102

Assess Capability Gaps 110

Determine Solution Approach 117

Define the Solution Scope 121

Define Business Case 126

How This Applies to Your Projects 132

Summary 134

Exam Essentials 135

Key Terms 137

Review Questions 138

Answers to Review Questions 142

Chapter 4 Overarching Tasks: Requirements Management and Communication 145

Requirements Management and Communication 146

The Business Analyst’s Task List 148

When Does Requirements Management

and Communication Take Place? 149

Manage Solution Scope and Requirements 150

Manage Requirements Traceability 158

Maintain Requirements for Reuse 166

Prepare a Requirements Package 169

Communicate Requirements 176

How This Applies to Your Projects 181

Summary 183

Exam Essentials 184

Key Terms 186

Review Questions 187

Answers to Review Questions 191

Chapter 5 Controlled Middle: Elicitation 193

Requirements Elicitation 194

The Business Analyst’s Task List 196

When Does Elicitation Take Place? 197

Prepare for Elicitation 197

Conduct Elicitation Activity 203

Document Elicitation Results 219

Confirm Elicitation Results 222

How This Applies to Your Projects 225

Summary 228

Exam Essentials 229

Key Terms 230

Review Questions 231

Answers to Review Questions 235

Chapter 6 Controlled Middle: Requirements Analysis 237

Requirements Analysis 238

The Business Analyst's Task List 240

When Does Requirements Analysis Take Place? 240

Prioritize Requirements 241

Organize Requirements 248

Specify and Model Requirements 253

Define Assumptions and Constraints 271

Verify Requirements 273

Validate Requirements 280

How This Applies to Your Projects 284

Summary 285

Exam Essentials 286

Key Terms 288

Review Questions 289

Answers to Review Questions 293

Chapter 7 Controlled End: Solution Assessment and Validation 295

Solution Assessment and Validation 296

The Business Analyst’s Task List 298

When Does Solution Assessment and Validation Take Place? 298

Assess Proposed Solution 299

Allocate Requirements 303

Assess Organizational Readiness 308

Define Transition Requirements 313

Validate Solution 318

Evaluate Solution Performance 322

How This Applies to Your Projects 327

Summary 330

Exam Essentials 331

Key Terms 333

Review Questions 334

Answers to Review Questions 338

Chapter 8 Underlying Competencies 341

Essential Skills of Effective Business Analysts 342

When Are the Underlying Competencies Used? 343

Analytical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills 344

Behavioral Characteristics 348

Business Knowledge 349

Software Applications 352

Communication Skills 353

Interaction Skills 356

How This Applies to Your Projects 362

Summary 363

Exam Essentials 363

Key Terms 366

Review Questions 367

Answers to Review Questions 371

Appendix A Advice on Completing Your Exam Application 373

CBAP® Experience Requirements 374

CCBA™ Experience Requirements 375

Calculate Your Experience Hours 377

Additional Exam Eligibility Requirements 378

The Exam Application Process 380

Appendix B Knowledge Areas, Tasks, and Elements 383

Review the Six Knowledge Areas 384

Knowledge Areas, Tasks, and Elements 385

Appendix C Mapping Techniques, Stakeholders, and Deliverables to Knowledge Areas and Tasks 391

Techniques 392

Stakeholders 398

Deliverables 403

Appendix D Quick Summary of Business Analysis Techniques 409

Business Analysis Techniques 410

The 34 General Techniques 411

The 15 Knowledge-Area-Specific Techniques 413

Appendix E Quick Summary of Business Analysis Deliverables 417

Business Analysis Deliverables 418

Appendix F About the Companion CD 423

What You’ll Find on the CD 424

Sybex Test Engine 424

Electronic Flashcards 424

PDF of the Glossary of Terms 424

Adobe Reader 424

System Requirements 424

Using the CD 425

Troubleshooting 425

Customer Care 426

Index 427

Supplemental Materials

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