BCS Business Analysis Practice

This course is designed for anyone likely to become involved in business analysis at any level, including:

• Business Analysts and Systems Analysts
• Business Managers
• Developers
• Project Managers and Team Leaders
• Quality Assurance and Quality Control Managers

At the end of this course you will be able to:

• Describe how a business strategy is developed
• Use strategic analysis techniques
• Describe the need for project discipline
• Explain techniques to investigate an organisation's business systems
• Describe an approach to improving business systems
• Explain the importance of stakeholder management and use a stakeholder analysis technique
• Use techniques for the analysis and modelling of business systems
• Describe how recommendations for business improvement may be identified
• Describe the contents of a rigorous business case for the development and implementation of business changes
• Identify costs, benefits, impacts and risks for an option in a business case

Important Course Information Important Course Information Prerequisites Prerequisites

• Experience at the level of:
  • Business Analysis Introduction: Defining Successful Projects
  • BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis

Experience at the level of:

• Business Analysis Introduction: Defining Successful Projects
• BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis

Business Analysis Introduction: Defining Successful Projects Business Analysis Introduction: Defining Successful Projects

BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis Exam Information Exam Information

• Open book
• One hour written exam, based on a business scenario
• Passing grade is 50%
• Exam included

Exam included Certification Information Certification Information

• International Diploma in Business Analysis
• The BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, offers this internationally recognized certification, enabling you to take your skills around the world. The four modules required to apply for this certification include one foundation level course, and three practitioner level courses:
  • BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis
  • BCS Certificate in Business Analysis Practice
  • BCS Certificate in Requirements Engineering
• The International Diploma requires a 50 minute oral examination with two examiners. The questions will require you to apply your business analysis knowledge and understanding to scenarios described by the oral examiners. For additional information see: https://www2.bcs.org/certifications/ba/international-diploma-in-business-analysis
• This course is eligible for 15 AXELOS My PRINCE2 CPD points. Learn more now — PRINCE2 CPD Information ›

The BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, offers this internationally recognized certification, enabling you to take your skills around the world. The four modules required to apply for this certification include one foundation level course, and three practitioner level courses:

• BCS Certificate in Business Analysis Practice
• BCS Certificate in Requirements Engineering

BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis

BCS Certificate in Business Analysis Practice BCS Certificate in Business Analysis Practice

BCS Certificate in Requirements Engineering BCS Certificate in Requirements Engineering

The International Diploma requires a 50 minute oral examination with two examiners. The questions will require you to apply your business analysis knowledge and understanding to scenarios described by the oral examiners. For additional information see: https://www2.bcs.org/certifications/ba/international-diploma-in-business-analysis https://www2.bcs.org/certifications/ba/international-diploma-in-business-analysis

This course is eligible for 15 AXELOS My PRINCE2 CPD points. Learn more now — PRINCE2 CPD Information › PRINCE2 CPD Information › BCS Associate Membership BCS Associate Membership

• Candidates receive free of charge BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, Associate Membership for 1 year on successfully passing their first BCS certification. Associate membership.
• Upon passing your exam, BCS will contact you to activate your membership. Once activated you will be a BCS Associate Member and will have access to the wealth of benefits and support to help you in your career.
• BCS Associate membership provides exclusive access to resources, content and opportunities that will enrich your career.
• Note: This offer is only available once to each exam candidate. Exam candidates who have previously benefited from free Associate Membership will not be eligible for this offer again even if you have taken another qualifying BCS exam.

Candidates receive free of charge BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, Associate Membership for 1 year on successfully passing their first BCS certification. Associate membership. Associate membership.

• The Rationale for Business Analysis

• Recognising the business change life-cycle
• Clarifying the role of the business analyst
• Examining other roles in business change
• Understanding the framework for business analysis

• Understanding the Strategic Context

Internal and external analysis

• Analysing the Internal analysis
• Surveying the business landscape with external analysis

Linking to the internal and external business environment analysis

• Performing a SWOT analysis
• Using a SWOT analysis
• Identifying the strategic context

Executing strategy

• Balanced Business Scorecard
• Recognising Critical Success Factors and Key Performance Indicators

Critical success factors and key performance indicators

• Identifying Critical Success Factors (CSFs)
• Creating Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
• Setting performance targets
• Deploying the balanced business scorecard as a frame

• Business Analysis Project Discipline

• Identifying the Terms of Reference and/or Project Initiation Documentation
• Clarifying business and project objectives

• Understanding the Current Situation

Stakeholder identification

• Stakeholder wheel
• Other potential sources of information

Investigative techniques

• Investigating the current business situation
• Interviews
• Observation
• Workshops
• Document Analysis
• Focus Groups
• Questionnaires/Surveys

The Business Analysis Process Model

• Stages of the business analysis process model
• Considering the perspectives
• Analysing the needs
• Evaluating the options
• Defining the requirements

Investigating the situation

• Interviewing stakeholders
• Effective Requirements Workshops

Representing a holistic view of the business situation

• Taking a holistic view
• Using various documentation techniques
• Rich pictures
• Mind maps
• Fishbone diagrams

• Stakeholder Analysis and Management

Identifying, categorising and analysing stakeholders

• Defining stakeholder types
• Deploying the Power/Interest Grid

Stakeholder management strategies

• Levels of power and interest
• Building a communication strategy

Understanding stakeholder perspectives

• Analysing stakeholders with CATWOE
• Creating business activity model

• Modelling Business Processes and Requirements

Creating a process model

• Pinpointing business events
• Developing the business process model

Modelling system functions and data

• Use case diagrams
• Entity Relationship Diagrams and Class Models

• Defining the Solution

Gap analysis

• Identifying areas of concern
• Analysing the gap with POPIT

Introduction to Business Architecture

• Definition of Business Architecture
• Business Architecture techniques

• Making a Business and Financial Case

Structuring the business case

Identifying and shortlisting options for business change

Identifying and categorising costs and benefits

• Tangible and intangible costs and benefits
• Investment appraisal techniques

Identifying and categorising risks

• Identifying risks
• Assessing the impact of the risks
• Assessing the probability of the risks
• Risk management approaches

Identifying impacts

• Organisational culture
• Organisational behaviour

The business case life-cycle