I am often asked to assist with technology change projects such as tool selection when a company has decided what they have is not working and they have decided to replace it with something else. This session will walk through an example of how a million-dollar software budget was saved and the customer problem was still solved by doing a thorough evaluation and gap analysis of the process to better understand and identify what the business needed. What will you learn: How to perform a process gap analysis and identify business needs

1. CEO of Smarter Consulting
Adjunct Professor/Trainer:
MS Applications, BA, Six Sigma, Leadership
20+ years designing, developing, and managing software
15+ years SharePoint experience
Microsoft Certified Trainer
Six Sigma Black Belt, BSAC Certified
B.G.S Developmental Psychology
sweaver@smarter-consulting.com
@sharoneweaver
Sharon Weaver, MCT, BSAC, SSBB

2. THE GRASS
ISN’T ALWAYS
GREENER
HOW TO USE A PROCESS GAP ANALYSIS…
TO DETERMINE WHAT THE BUSINESS
ACTUALLY NEEDS

3. Objectives
 Learn how to identify business needs
 Understand the problem
 Clarify and identify the requirements
 Learn how to perform a process gap analysis
 Understand the As-Is Process
 Define the To-Be Process

4. What Is a Gap Analysis
and Why Do We Care?
• According to the IIBA BABOK Guide’s Glossary,
gap analysis is defined as
“A comparison of the current state and desired
future state of an enterprise in order to identify
differences that need to be addressed.”
• This skill is essential in order to be able to meet
the core functions of a BA role:
• Analyze information from a variety of
individuals
• Elicit the requirements from stakeholders
• Facilitate communication
• Can help translate between business and IT
Source: https://www.iiba.org/standards-and-resources/glossary

5. THE PROBLEM
 We have an existing software
solution, but it isn’t providing
what we need!
 We have already started a Six
Sigma project, our SS Belt left,
and now we just need to pick
the new software!
 We have a budget of $1.5M to
replace the software!

6. THE CONCERNS
 A different consultant had
done the original analysis
 The decision was already
made to buy a new piece of
software
 There was NO gap analysis
performed or documented

7. THE REQUIREMENTS
 Always do your own discovery
 Play dumb – you don’t know
what you don’t know
 Ask LOTS of questions
 Ask MORE questions
 Write it ALL down

8. Requirement
Gathering
Ideas?

9. PROCESS GAP ANALYSIS: AS-IS
 What are they ACTUALLY doing/using now?
 Ask about every scenario
 What happens first? Then what happens? What next?
 What happens if someone is on vacation or leaves?
 What workarounds or “temporary” processes or tools do they have? Highlight this!
 What do they like about the current process? Highlight this!
 What would they improve about the process if they could? Highlight this!
 EXPERT TIP: Ask about pain points and highlight them while you are documenting
 BONUS EXPERT TIP: Make sure EVERYONE that participates, is responsible, or
accountable for the process participates

10. THE AS-IS
 Using existing software with a basic process
 Ask about every scenario
 Not sure, most didn’t have training
 What workarounds or “temporary”
processes or tools do they have?
 Using other software to fill gaps
 What do they like about the current process?
 Best software on the market, does most of
what they need, hard to use
 What would they improve about the process if
they could?
 More training, everything in one
application, better notifications

11. PROCESS GAP ANALYSIS: TO-BE
 What do they WANT the process to look like?
 Ask about every scenario
 What should happen first? Then what should happen? What next?
 What happens if someone is on vacation or leaves?
 What workarounds or “temporary” processes or tools do they want to change/eliminate?
 What do they want to keep from the current process? Highlight this!
 What would they change about the process? Highlight this!
 EXPERT TIP: Ask about pain points and highlight them while you are documenting
 BONUS EXPERT TIP: Make sure EVERYONE that participates, is responsible, or
accountable for the process participates

12. THE TO-BE
 What do they WANT the process to look like?
 Easy to use software that tracks EVERYTHING
 Alerts and integration
 Ask about every scenario
 Defined new, simplified process
 What happens if someone is on vacation or leaves?
 Backup plans and additional users
 Training!!
 What workarounds or “temporary” processes or
tools do they want to change/eliminate?
 Limit to ONE login and application
 Pain points?
 TRAINING!

13. PROCESS GAP ANALYSIS
 GAP Analysis
 How do we get from the AS-IS to the TO-BE?
 Review ALL highlighted items
 What needs to stay?
 What needs to change?
 What is painful and important? (THESE ARE YOUR CRITICAL TO QUALITY ITEMS)
 Create the TO-BE Process
 Document everything
 Change Management
 Don’t forget the TRAINING!

14. THE ANALYSIS
 Software options
 Current vendor
 Can they provide needed changes?
 Training?
 Other vendors
 Custom application
 TO-BE Process
 Document, implement, and train ALL users
 Highlight CRITICAL TO QUALITY areas

15. THE SOLUTION
 Same vendor
 Same software
 A few additional modules and customizations
 TRAINING
 A few process changes
TOTAL COST?
A LOT LESS THAN $1.5M 
Actually about $300k over 3 years
TOTAL SAVINGS?
Over $1M
CLIENT SATISFACTION:
PRICELESS

16. Group Quiz (Poll)
 In what situations should you NOT do a full
requirements discovery?
 A. If requirements exist
 B. If the client states they don’t need them
 C. You should ALWAYS do a requirements discovery
 What is the primary purpose of a gap analysis according
to the BABOK
 A. To define initial requirements
 B. To determine the differences between the current
and future state
 C. To assist in requirements lifecycle management
 When should you ask about pain points
 A. Never, don’t touch that with a 10-foot pole
 B. At the very end so you know what to watch out for
 C. Throughout the entire discovery process

17. QUESTIONS?

18. sweaver@smarter-consulting.com
@sharoneweaver