The document discusses the history and development of business analysis as a profession. It emerged in the 1980s-1990s during the information technology boom, as businesses needed a new way to analyze changes brought about by advances in information management and communication. The document outlines the key knowledge areas, responsibilities, and skills of business analysts. It also discusses the relationship between business analysts and project managers, and provides resources for further reading.

1. Different Random Stuff on
Information Technology
Sayed Ahmed
BSc. Eng. in Computer Science & Engineering
MSc in Computer Science

2. Business Analysis: An Overview
• Before 19th century no one systematically studied the effectiveness
o f the different approaches of management
• Business Analysis - is a very recent profession. Due to the radical
change in information management and communication businesses
needed a new way of analysis - hence, the profession came into
play
• The profession came into existence during the information
technology boom in 1980 - 1990
• When businesses created a new profession to serve the purpose
that a System Analyst does in IT - the profession became the
business analyst
• Though, nothing can guarantee success, understanding the core
concepts of the Business Analysis area will help you to work more
effectively as a business analyst

3. Knowledge Areas of BA
• Six knowledge areas of Business Analysis:
– Enterprise Analysis
– Requirements Planning and Management
– Requirements Elicitation
– Requirements Analysis and Documentation
– Requirements Communication
– Solution Assessment and Validation

4. Responsibilities of a BA
• Responsibilities of a Business Analyst
– Identify Business Problems and Opportunities
– Eliciting, Analyzing, Communicating, and
validating requirements for changes to business
processes
– Recommending solutions to help businesses
achieve their goals

5. Analysts and Project Managers
• The role of the project managers and business
analysts may seem similar. Really, there are
some overlapping areas such as, identifying
goals and requirements, risk analysis, and
finding strategies for project success.
However, the project manager is responsible
for the timely completion of the project within
the budget. The business analyst ensures that
the project is completed correctly with the
defined requirements.

6. Core Skills in Business Analysis
• Knowledg e Skills:
– Analysis knowledge skill set,
– Business knowledge skill set,
– IT knowledge skill set
• Collaboration Skills:
• Interpersonal skills collaboration skill set,
• Diplomacy collaboration skill set,
• Organizational development collaboration skill set
• Leadership Skills:
– Mentoring leadership skill set,
– Forward-thinking leadership skill set,
– Elicitation and analysis leadership skill set,
– Designation leadership skill set

7. The Areas of Business Analysis
Knowledge
• Six Areas
– enterprise analysis: the environment of the
organization at large
– requirements planning and management:
– requirements gathering areas : requirements
elicitation, requirements analysis and
documentation, and solution assessment and
validation.
– requirements communication

8. Enterprise Analysis and Making a
Business Case
• The Zachman framework: A formal, highly
structured way to define intricate systems.
Allows the business analyst to organize
collected data and analyze it effectively The
Zachman framework: A six by five matrix.
rows: the different perspectives of the
enterprise, columns: questions to be asked to
design a business entity Example:

9. POLDAT Framework
• The POLDAT framework:
– A model that looks like a hexagon , having six
different areas with tables, graphs, and other
documentation. Each section depicts an area of
change. If one section is changed, change must
also take place in the other five areas

10. Related Skills
• Related Skills/Activities
– Enterprise Analysis
– Creating the Business Architecture
– Feasibility Study Techniques
– Defining Project Scope
– Developing a Business Case
– The Risk Assessment
– Project Decision Making
– Supporting the Project

11. Resources
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_analysis
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_design

12. Resources
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structured_Syste
ms_Analysis_and_Design_Method
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structured_Anal
ysis_and_Design_Technique
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object_oriented
_analysis_and_design
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service-
oriented_analysis_and_design

13. Resources:
A program on Systems Analyst
• Computer Systems Technology - Systems
Analyst
– http://www.sheridancollege.ca/programs-and-
courses/full-time-programs/programs-a-z-
index/computer-systems-technology-systems-
analyst-co-op.aspx

14. Tools
• http://www.sparxsystems.com/products/ea/in
dex.html
• http://www.sparxsystems.com/
• http://uml-
tutorials.trireme.com/uml_tutorial_5.htm

15. Books: System Analysis and Design
• http://books.google.ca/books?id=XiJTWMRPZi
4C&pg=PA658&lpg=PA658&dq=System+Archit
ect+CASE+Tool&source=bl&ots=fpnqYsRG_r&s
ig=9wsWRYpU9dpVFX10mjAsRPoXdbs&hl=en
&sa=X&ei=aI18UemXOND_4AOmmYHQCA&ve
d=0CGMQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=System%2
0Architect%20CASE%20Tool&f=false

16. Tutorial Systems Architect: How to
model
• http://highered.mcgraw-
hill.com/sites/dl/free/0073052337/315745/Sy
stems_Architect_Tutorial.pdf

17. CASE Tools
• Eclipse Plugin for Systems Architect Case tool
– http://www.antepedia.com/detail/p/230168.html
;jsessionid=7F11D9B39896EA8E42F13AEFBD7713
9B
• A list of case tools
– http://www.unl.csi.cuny.edu/faqs/software-
enginering/tools.html

18. Overview on System Analysis and
Design
• http://www.ddegjust.ac.in/studymaterial/pgd
ca/ms-04.pdf

19. Structured System Analysis and Design
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structured_syste
ms_analysis_and_design_method

20. Tool: Enterprise Architect
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprise_Archi
tect_%28program%29