Slides from a presentation given by Stuart Peek to a meeting of IIBA UK's South West branch on 22 October 2014. Many Business Analysts cherish the opportunity to be involved in strategic thinking with business stakeholders. However, what happens when a Business Analyst is engaged in solution-driven projects with little involvement in those early stages? Furthermore, how can a Business Analyst support business change without even a BRD to put their name to? The role of a Business Analyst may differ slightly within these environments, but that does not reduce the value they add. Indeed, solid application of Business Analysis skills is fundamental to enabling success. Attendees will benefit from experience and learnings of the speaker in this field, and be more prepared should they encounter similar scenarios. You will learn: - The importance of Business Analysts in solution driven projects - How Business Analysts needs to adapt - How Business Analysts should engage with stakeholders - The dangers of omitting Business Analysts - The business benefits enabled by effectively utilising Business Analysts

1. The Business Analyst role within
Solution Driven Projects
Stuart Peek
Business Analyst
Wednesday 22nd October 2014
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

2. Agenda
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Introduction
Objectives & Purpose
Background
Survey
Demand for Business Change
Business Analysis Approach
Benefits of the Correct Approach
Challenges of the Wrong Approach
Summary
Conclusions
Q & A
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

3. Introduction
About me;
– Business Analyst 10+ years
– Experience of different types of projects across different
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sectors
• About the topic;
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Solution Driven projects are becoming more
Importance of requirements management
Application of the Business Analysis skill set
What works well, and not so well
Case study approach; share my experiences
common
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

4. Objectives &
Purpose
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To
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To
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To
share my experiences as a Business Analyst
explain
discuss
the nature of Solution Driven projects
context and implications for the typical BA role
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To
To
share examples, research and learnings
explain how the BA supports ‘Transforming the Business’
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

5. Specsavers
Background
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Specsavers; a global eye care and hearing care provider
Founded in 1984, with over 1700 stores across 10 countries
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

6. Specsavers
Organisation
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BAs located globally, and sit within functional teams
Most solution driven projects happen within Strategic
Projects team
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Company growth through acquisitions
Vast number of systems and processes globally
Need to consolidate to reduce issues and increase
Target Operating Models (TOM) defined
RFI / RFP process to select solution partner
efficiency
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

7. Background
• What is a ‘Solution Driven’ project?
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Build from scratch; traditional BA role
Solution Driven; ‘Commercial Off The Shelf’ (COTS) software
Build
from
scratch
Solution
Driven
project
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Evolution of the trend over time;
Case study; IT Solution Business
build → purchase
Change (Master Data)
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

8. •
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Introduction
Objectives & Purpose
Background
Survey
Demand for Business Change
Business Analysis Approach
Benefits of the Correct Approach
Challenges of the Wrong Approach
Summary
Conclusions
Q & A
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

9. Survey of Business
Analysts
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Survey of 36 Business Analysts in August 2014
Gather information and views of other BAs
Goal of underpinning the topic by providing evidence
Aim of understanding the nature of
in other organisations
Solution Driven projects
• Makes this topic more meaningful
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

10. Survey of Business
Analysts
• Do you feel you understand • Have you worked in a
Business Analysis role
within a 'Solution Driven'
what a 'Solution Driven'
project is?
project in the last year?
4 4 10
Yes
No
Somewhat
Yes
28 26 No
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

11. Survey of Business
Analysts
• If 'Yes', what proportion of
your Business Analysis time
do you normally spend on
• Do you feel 'Solution Driven'
projects are becoming more
common, when compared to
'Solution Driven' projects? developed solutions?
6 6
0-25% 14
25-50%
50-75%
75-100%
Yes
No
Unsure
18
6
10 4
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

12. Survey of
Business
Analyst
s
“..it makes no
sense to reinvent
the wheel”.
• Other comments;
‘Solution Driven’ is
a term I am
hearing more and
more frequently”.
“Sometimes a solution
driven project is the
way to go when you
severe timehacvoenstraints…”
“I don't think the
difference is as big “…the solution to the
problem is only
within the number of
options offered...”
as it's made out to
“Never heard the
be at times.”
term 'Solution
driven' before.”
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

13. •
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Introduction
Objectives & Purpose
Background
Survey
Demand for Business Change
Business Analysis Approach
Benefits of the Correct Approach
Challenges of the Wrong Approach
Summary
Conclusions
Q & A
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

14. Case Study
Background
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Business driver for change = reduce known
Product Master Data IT Solution
quality issues
Third party IT Solution provider (ERP);
Original scope
Revise
d
scope
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
HR
Corporate
Finance
Supply
Chain
Logistics
Retail

15. Demand for Business
Change
• Important for the BA to be involved as early as possible
– the problem statement
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Understand
Get common understanding of the need for business
Build BA relationship with stakeholders
Engage early in Project Lifecycle
change
• RFI / RFP process to select the solution provider
– Requirements based selection process
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Use solution provider delivery methodology
Knowledge Transfer via the BA
– Inbound
– Outbound
(OUM)
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

16. Project
Organisations
• Project structure and organisation
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Stakeholders
Business Analysts
Functional Consultants
Internal versus external resources
Internal External
System
Integrator Sponsor Busines
s
User
Busines
s
Analyst Regulator
Project
Manager
Functional
SM Consultant
E
Tester
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

17. Business Analysis
Approach
• Interactions with project stakeholders and third parties
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Business users have a day job too
Assume Business users have limited working knowledge
Disagreement is common; win the hearts and
minds
Assess Business Readiness
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Decide and agree responsibilities
Make use of BA peer reviews
Plan knowledge acquisition
up front
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Known knowns
Known unknowns
Unknown unknowns
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

18. Business Analysis
Approach
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Maintain flexibility and openness to change
Understand core BA competencies and how to apply them
Typical Work Products; why and when to
them
produce
– Lack of a Business Requirements
Use of BA ‘Toolkit’
– Key techniques
– Pros and Cons
Equal focus on the as-is & to-be
Conference Room Pilots (CRP)
– Iterative and Waterfall combined
Document (BRD)
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The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

19. Busines
s
Analysi
s
Approac
h
• CRP process
Gap Listing -
MoSCoW
Outside of CRP Analysis of
Business Configuration Extension
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects
Gaps
Change to Oracle Oracle
Governance Governance
Board Board
Desired Result
= No
Work through
each Scenario
Sign Off
Desired Result
= Yes

20. Business Analysis
Approach
• Manage the gaps
Busines
s
Functionality
Standard
Product
Configuration
Extension
The Business
Analyst
role
within Solution Driven Projects

21. Business Analysis
Approach
• Third parties have to grow knowledge of your organisation
– This will increase as the project progresses
– Two-way exchange of understanding
Business Process Reengineering is required
Users are more willing if they contribute to shaping the
necessary changes
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• What not to
– Too much
– Too much
Plan for the
do, and why
reliance on third parties
modification of the ‘vanilla’ software product
• future
– How to know when knowledge tasks are ‘complete’
– Organisational Process Assets, Work Products and
Deliverables
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

22. •
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•
Introduction
Objectives & Purpose
Background
Survey
Demand for Business Change
Business Analysis Approach
Benefits of the Correct Approach
Challenges of the Wrong Approach
Summary
Conclusions
Q & A
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

23. Benefits of the Correct
Approach
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Efficient way of assessing organisational readiness
Increases the positive perception of the BA
Develops the BA and improves BA maturity
Delivers positive business change
Helps to reduce TCO of an IT solution
Enables agility for future business change
The Business
Analyst
role
within Solution Driven Projects

24. Challenges of the
Wrong
Approac
h
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Why have a BA at all?
BA activity driven by external third parties
Reluctance for business to accept change
Desire to short-cut BA effort; rapid implementation
Difficulties with acquiring IT solution knowledge
Apprehension about working within solution-driven
Potentially loose some core BA skills
projects
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

25. •
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Introduction
Objectives & Purpose
Background
Survey
Demand for Business Change
Business Analysis Approach
Benefits of the Correct Approach
Challenges of the Wrong Approach
Summary
Conclusions
Q & A
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

26. Summary
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Be flexible and open minded to change
Get involved early, and start at the beginning
Grow and develop your BA toolkit
Know the difference between ‘vanilla’ and bespoke
Business users have
a day job
too
Aim for self-reliance
internally
Keep It Simple
Plan for the future
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

27. Conclusion
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Solution Driven projects are becoming more common
Business Analysts underpin the success of such projects
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People; build and maintain key relationships
Process; have equal focus on the as-is and to-be
Technology; understand and manage the gaps
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects

28. Q & A
?
The Business Analyst role
within Solution Driven Projects