Course benefits:
How many developments fail because analysis did not reveal the true
needs, or the development team solved the wrong problem? How often do
users find that the system is not what they expected? Why do projects
go wrong? No matter what development approach or technologies an organisation
employs, without effective analysis the solution will not be the optimum.
To achieve effective but timely analysis requires skilled staff who
know how to elicit needs and how to confirm them. Without the necessary
skills analysis is either not conducted, or perhaps worse, conducted
incorrectly.
Proficient analysis pays for itself in time saved later in the project.
Cancelled projects and those that require major modification after implementation
cost organisations dearly, not just in the direct and visible costs,
but in the lost opportunity for the business and the loss of respect
with users. Good analysis identifies problems and potential solutions
early in the development life cycle, allowing omissions and errors to
be identified and resolved at negligible cost. Getting requirements
correct at the outset can save 50 to 200 times the cost of trying to
correct for mistakes downstream (Boehm and Papaccio, 1988). This is
the sort of saving that every organisation wants to achieve.
Who should attend:
This world-renowned course is a non-technical but intensive and participative
introduction to the skills required during analysis. Its simple message
- that effective systems result from sound problem and opportunity analysis
- is aimed at any staff involved in business analysis, business re-engineering
and systems analysis work.
- Business Managers and Staff
- Business Analysts
- Systems Analysts and Designers
Prerequisites:
There are no specific prerequisites for this course. Some experience
of business or analysis would be useful but is not essential.
What you will learn:
On successful completion of this course, attendees will be able to:
- Initiate a business systems analysis project
- Investigate and document requirements
- Employ interactive workshop techniques to compress timescales and
agree requirements
- Investigate and document requirements
- Analyse the problems and weaknesses of the current system
- Investigate and document requirements
- Identify business-oriented solutions together with opportunities
for IS/IT support
- Investigate and document requirements
- Present clear statements of findings and recommendations, and gain
acceptance of proposals for further work
What you will cover:
- Project Initiation - Understanding business objectives and constraints;
information requirements; problems and weaknesses in the current system
- Information Gathering - Meetings and interviews; observation; questionnaires;
interview technique; checklists and guides; listening, and analysing
responses; discovering exceptions; note-taking and summarisation
- Interactive Workshop Planning and Execution - Workshop content,
agenda and preparation; workshop dynamics and logistics; gaining consensus;
follow up and resolving issues
- Analysis Documentation - Flow diagrams; collating and summarising
quantitative data; identifying anomalies; walkthroughs and reviews
- Problem Analysis - Identifying, quantifying and analysing business
problems; critical success factors; problem ownership; critical examination
and cause effect analysis
- Outline Design - creative thinking; problem solving and potential
problem analysis; right brain and left brain thinking; designing in
teams; design constraints and validation
- Effective Communication - one way and two way communication; elements
of the communication process; explaining and gaining acceptance of
proposals; written and verbal communication skills
How you will learn:
This is a course where learning is achieved through practice. A case
study runs throughout the week, culminating in a presentation of findings
and proposals for change. Role play interviews and simulations allow
attendees to practice gathering requirements and confirm their understanding.
Instructors provide feedback on achievement but allow teams to find
their own solutions.
Duration and availability:
Five days non-residential. In-house only.
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