 |
Manamgement support | Trainings | Analysis | Software Services | Standards | About Us |
All about the business analysis, project management and software process improvement.
The questions we've got are both in Czech and English as well as answers. The Czech part of the blog can be found here.
Do you have a question about the business analysis, process standards, business management or business in the Czech Republic? Use the contact email which is in the left panel and send us a question.
I started doing process scoping and used the Prime PMG methodology (not sure if anyone has heard/used it, thoughts?) then moved on to draw my BPMN. The goal? The business already has in mind what they want to do, but want to analyse the overlapping functions across the different systems that they know. I can't seem to demonstrate that in my BPMN. Am I missing something? Joyce
If the Prime PMG methodology is a start from the business goals and vision (Corporate level) going through the Function level (Functional plans) to the Operational level (Business processes and relation) as is presented at the Prime PMG . com page, than it shall be clarified what is a Functional Plan & Strategy. In the TOGAF / BABOK vocabulary there is a business element capability that is fulfilled by the corporate functional ability (naturally: a company has an internal functionality that provide and serve some capability).
If you start with the capability mapping to the process mapping, business won’t slide to the system functionality and overlapping. That shall be solved after the process definition.
However as I understand you role you are in the middle of the project having functionality of the three system defined, the organization processes defined and people that shall see how these two models match each other.
In my practice, I don’t use business use-cases together with the process definition because they often duplicate the activities in the processes. I directly link process activities with the functional requirements that in represents the system functionality. An each process activity that is system-supported has dependency links to the system uses-case that represents the required system functions. If an activity shall be supported by two or more system, it has dependencies to two or more system uses-cases.
In many cases a company has solutions that overlapping in their functionality (probably your case). During the process mapping only one of the system shall be selected to be used for the processes and so uses-case that represents not used functionality of another solution remains spare without a link to the process activity. Those spare functionalities can be pruned or at least marked as unused.
March 21st, 2012
Which are the mandatory documents / records to be maintained for software / project management department as per ISO 9001 & ISO 27001 standards??
The ISO 9001 does not define documents for software projects but it requests mandatory documents generally and those are mandatory for all departments that accomplish fulfil the standard.
According to the Guidance on the Documentation Requirement ISO/TC 176/SC 2/N 525R the quality management system according to the ISO 9001 shall include:
Requisite documented procedures (minimal limit) are these:
Requisite records are these:
The numbers in the lists aboce reference appropriate articles of the ISO 9001 standard that establish the commitment.
It is a long list - you shall go trough the list and consider if they are relevant for your situtation. E.g. records about "lost customer property" are somtimes irrelevant because you might not have any customer property. But most software companies have: sometimes they have a copy of customer database and mostly they have user specification that includes the customer know-how and should be carefully guarded.
Other records are requisite always although many quality managers neglect it. E,g, unique product identification is very important in the SW/IT world because it requires unique identification of the software module, versions, patches etc. This part of the standards requires versioning, packaging and proper identification of all work inputs and outputs. Other parts requires traceability (see section 7.5.3 of the standard) etc. In a nutshell, ISO 9001 requires pretty detailed and complete documentation from start to the end of the process.
The ISMS and security management standard ISO 27001 requires nearly the same documentation as ISO 9001 but focused to the information security processes and maintenance. As well as with ISO 9001, the team shall manage processes, incidents (security incidents), improvements etc. Above the standard processes use shall deeply consider security and system risks. The SW/IT companies that produce software products should carefully consider security of their own products and if they assemble the product from components (almost all current software uses components) they shall also consider security threads in the components - which is very exacting when freeware or shareware components are used. All these activities shall be planned, monitored and evaluated and plans and other artefacts are documents that an auditor will ask for.
November 25, 2011
Business Analysis: Art or Science?
Business analysis is mostly (90 per cent) an engineering work. Analysts have given rules and procedures, the results should follow project or organization guidelines. There are several common standards like TOGAF or Zachman Framwork that describe how BA works and what he proceeds. Indeed, a piece of art can be in the imagination about the best solution but I would rather talk about the sense for complex systems.
Creativity is not in a contradiction with engineering. The engineer developing new building should also apply knowledge, creativity as well as the technical skills. Design the best business solution should grow up from experience and wide knowledge of the area instead of fantasy.
Art - An artist typically does not follow common work procedures and the result has significant footprint of the artist fantasy and style. Even the fantasy is mostly dominant factor influencing the result. Contrariwise, analytical results cannot follow the BA fantasy.
Science - A scientist follows the scientific standards but the result is unknown. A scientist often starts with some hypotheses that shall prove or disprove and can finish the work with the negative results (no discovery). BA might also cancel some prototypes but shall finish with usable results. At the beginning BA has assignment not hypothesis as the scientist has. Business analyst does not provide proves. It might be the tester’s task.
November 17, 2011
New investor is relocating to Czech within next months. He is searching for small and medium sized business to start. He is concerning about entertainment such as restaurants, cafe shops, and bazar. as you are the expert local there, would you advise which one is the best? and where he can start, which city? and what is missing there so he can think about such Arab restaurant or Arab style bazaar or cafe? or any other ideas ? Appreciated responses at earliest.
Arabian products are almost unknown in the Czech Rep. and there is a large space for business success. But few conditions should be filled:
I am not an expert for Arabian goods but I believe that food and home equipment with strong origin can be the best start.
Be lucky and contact me if you want some support with the business start.
November 9, 2011
What's the difference between programmers and business analysts? What's the difference between programmers and business analysts? Business analysts are a subclass of programmers that are less brilliant, but who have social skills.
Provocative question requires a provocative answer: The programmer is an analyst that is not able to see a house because he solves how to put tiles on the roof frame. The difference between analysts and programme is similar with the difference between a civil engineer and well-paid roofer.
The best business analysts I know have no IT/SW history but economical or mathematical background and managerial experience. They perfectly understand the business and its needs. They are able to describe precisely business capabilities, processes and derive the business requirements. They know how to prioritize them and justify the project scope. They are respected partners not only for designers and a development team but primarily for a top management that understand them. And really good analysts are able not only programme the organization (meaning define processes) but they are able to develop the strategy. They are business visionaries and formulate enterprise architecture strategy. It goes far behind step-by-step analytical approach.
I think people with these skills do not build up a programmer career. They mostly do not know anything about operator overlapping, abstract classes, inheritance, stateless components, migrating agents, TDD, SOAP, etc.
Business analysts / architect cannot and mustn’t substitute managers in the decision role. Top management should decide how to turn the trick wheel. But an analyst with a wide business experience enables a potential that managers typically have no idea about. The analyst that creates models and follows new trends in the company organization and strategies is an invaluable assistant that a manager can reckon on. The analyst recommends solutions but managers make decisions.
October 11, 2011
What prevents Enterprise architect from being effective? What is the most important skill?
The problem is more general - some guys are too much oriented to IT solutions whilst others want to see the business side only and do no stain with technologies.
In my practice I’ve never seen an enterprise analyst with the responsibility for the whole EA. Small companies do not feed standalone EA and larger companies are to complicated that all parts - business, IS solutions, data and technology - cannot be covered by one guy. And the roadblock is in the communication between IT and business experts who do not build up common Enterprise Architecture model and do not effectively cooperate in projects.
So that I see the efficiency in the communication across all parts of the business from CxO level to the IT helpdesk. In a nutshell, efficiency of EA/BA is in the communication and cooperation.
September 28
What is the best business analysis related book you have read lately?
Albeit most of the (business) analysts that I?ve met were under skilled in the analytical work theory and practice, the most important issues have been always hidden in the real interest about the business area that the work on. Even IIBA certified analyst with BPMN/ UML/ ZF/ PetriNet/ TOGAF/ ArchiMate... experience produces unsatisfactory results if he/she is not lack of experience, understanding and deep penetration to the business area. And this is the most common issue - more or less skilled guy that does not understand the business domain.
Regardless the mentioned experience I recommend BABOK / Zachman Framwork / TOGAF as a standard for overview and BPMN / UML and Petri Nets for modelling tools experience. Since I am not a fan predigest information I recommend source materials (IIBA, The Open Group publications, etc.)
Petri Nets might look old-dated and outclassed but this is a beautiful modelling language that simplifies understanding of many process and technical issues. However it is intended for people skilled in theoretical thinking :-)
For those who have real interest and intellect are these materials sufficient and I recommend invest more time to the business sector studying.
The best book I recommend? Some lecture book or even the standard TOGAF, BABOK and some books of the modelling languages. And plenty of articles, studies and web information about the business area and its processes (There are no books typically available). Petri Nets as the second step for those who have reel ambition and potential to go deep under the basic knowledge.
September 23, 2011
Are there any other methodologies you would recommend along with TOGAF that may be helpful for me? I am transferring my process improvement and PM skills toward BA positions, so I am definitely coming from the business side and do not have an IT background. I find different BA descriptions and defintions across the board. This is probably one of the few professional areas that I find hard to define. Thank you.
. I frequently use Zachman Framework as a clear tabular overview of the enterprise architect competency. Albeit a little bit old-style, ZF is still the most navigable well-known EA methodology. Business architect operates typically on the 2nd and 3rd level of the ZF hierarchy, company architects that works for the C-level management typically operates on the 1st and 2nd level.
On the other hand I?ve never worked with a guy with full competency for all areas of EA - from business motives through the business rules till the hardware technology topology. ZF as well as other methodologies are frameworks that cover more than a competency of one guy.
Another question is how much methodologies/frameworks helps the learn up the BA/EA work practically. ZF is totally useless, TOGAF is slightly better. BABOK is a good style guide over the required BA competencies and skills probably the best collected official material. I?ve build up my lectures for business analyst from many sources piece by piece but the most useful is experience with the management of the business. It helps me understand the business and managers needs better than any methodology or study material. In a nutshell the most important source for analyst education is constant desire to understand how the business operates. Less bother about formal methods and work approaches and more focus on the business sources. E.g. eTOM process standards and all relating documentation help a guy to become a good BA for telecommunication area.
Experience with negotiation techniques like structured interview / 6 hat method etc. help to gather ideas and opinions. Knowledge of BPMN/UML and other models are requisite to be able to documents thoughts and results. But only the knowledge of the business domain helps to become real expert.
11.07.2011
Does an analyst has a reason using BPMN in the business analysis where UML/Activity Diagrams are used?
We'd used activity diagram as a standard for process description in the workflow automation system as well as BA tool for process description on both business and technical level. Nevertheless we were annoyed by lack of synchronization and collaboration elements that are not included in the activity diagram standard (let us mention that events are considered only as terminals).
BPMN solves most of the issues and provides better support for the process description both on the enterprise and technical level. Events and messages are well understandable not only for BA but also for domain experts that shall check and verify the proposal. The second significant advantage is a support for parallelism description.
We still use activity diagram for description of complex procedures (both software and person handled) that have no interaction beyond the borders. It has advantage in integration with other UML elements and tus it is easier to use within the UML framework (system desing). And it is also easy to understand (especially the Guard controls that are missing in the BPMN) even for face-to-face procedure description.
24.06.2011
Why people start up their own business in the Chech Republic?
As far as I know, my business colleagues and me had one of the following original reasons:
2.06.2011
What are your top interview questions to ask a BA candidate?
Sounds stupid but the most important question is verification of the declared skills and competences. Most of the candidates declare knowledge of 10+ structural languages and BA frameworks (UML, BPMN, ZF, IAF,?) but when we ask them about it they rarely know more than few basic entities.
After this start they are half-naked and much more honest and describe themselves in the right colours.
In the next stage we ask about the hardest point in their recent practices which shows which level of complexity they are able to solve. Some of them are even in the unconscious incompetence about real issues of business and technical analysis.
(Although as a external consultant I never have real decision responsibility, mostly internal HR specialist do not have anything to continue with after this first part of the interview.)
7.05.2011
What are your thoughts on instructor-led training programs?
Virtual methods like eLearning, virtual class, videoconferencing etc. are great tools but my best experience is with face-to-face communication. Although it is replaceable the quality and efficiency is always affected.
My educational programmer are based on a close cooperation with the whole team (BA, PM and even developers, documentarist or testers if available). We improve not only individual skills but also communication and teamwork. I can?t do that without real life experience with it - watching their everyday communication, quality of the documents and quantity of emails I can understand bottlenecks much better than from remote discussion.
The training programme consists of seminars (education) supplemented by the mentoring and coaching sessions individually with each team member and with small groups (2-4 persons) of close co-workers. Direct communication about actual project, tasks and issues that I can monitor on site is indispensable part. It is hard to imagine for me to provide such support remotely. It is the most effective ground of the programme. Not slides but two ways communication about concrete problems helps to get practice. Applicants directly use new techniques and methods and have instant experience and self-feedback how it works and helps.
5.05.2011
How to become a Business Analyst? Let's help those new to your profession...
Most of the BA have work based on a collection of the experience and some fragments of a methodology. However, that?s a final state of experienced users that constantly develops their skills in their business area and neglect overall scope of the BA.
I recommend starting with some common BA methodology (e.g. TOGAF but others are also good - RUP, Zachman Framework, IAF) and then focus on the tools for concrete tasks.
If the BA is already working in the job than I?d recommend to start with deep studying of the tools for the current tasks. It provides quick wins in the current job and brings immediate improvement. Simultaneously focus on the study of a methodology in the background in order to get complex overview about the BA scope. After that, continue with other tools as mentioned earlier.
Although I am not a big fan of any methodology they are great for the entrant to get the scope. For experienced BA they are good to check from time to time that nothing is neglected.
28.04.2011
What are the best practices to follow for small projects like 3-4 months long projects (mobile application)?
Keep the team as small as possible. For small projects it raise high overcost when you involve many people that should study requirements, transfer knowledge, coordinate among themselves etc.
Try to keep customer involved as much as possible - 3-4 months is not tool long and customer might stay tuned. You can significantly reduce cost using SCRUM (3 turns) and XP development team that directly transfer requirements from the customer to the architects and developers. Reduce forma validation of the documents and put the stress to the peer-reviews with direct customer involvement.
Be careful about the non-functional requirements. Hardware limitations like screen size or processor power (especially for Micro Java application) can have fatal ramifications on the projects when considered too late. Look at the and from the early start.
Do not believe that 12 moms can give births within a month. Even a small project requires time for dreaming about the best possible solution and architecture. Flutter the keyboard at the soonest of the project is the best way to fail at the end.
Make at least two or three turns/phases with presentable results. 3 month is enough to make steps and present a half-way solution.
15.11.2010
Can a project manager serve as a business analyst in the same project?
Two guys (PM as well as BA) are always useful and for larger project always needed. Even when the project is so small that one guy has may have capacities to serve in both roles, one man show has significant drawbacks in missing reflexion and assistance. In the best projects BA and PA are like twins that pull at the same end of the rope all the time.
We have bad experience with project managers that do not understand the system specification and have no experience in both software and business areas. A manager that does not understand the guts of the developed solution is a clerk that does not manage but simply administer the project. He is not able to solve any issue on the way. Such guy is often a drawbacks for the project.
22.9.2010
Does the business analyst should have the programming skills?
There is a large bag of work between pure business analysts output and programmer work. It is obvious from the Zachman Framework that we take as a business analyst (BA) work structure:
|
Scope Definition |
Definition of the project goals and scope. Consist of Paper work, mind work and a lot of communication with the top and mid managers in the enterprise Pure business analysis, the major skills are experience, business knowledge and vision |
|
Enterprise Modelling |
Modelling of the processes and objects interaction using tools like BPMN, data model etc. Typically work for business analyst, experience with the business is a must. Experience with the system definition is essential as well but might be substitute by the cooperation with the system architect (if available). |
|
System Modelling |
Modelling systems, modules, connectors interface - UML is a right tool for that, E-R diagrams etc. - system and architecture analysis Typically work for the system architect if nominated to the project. |
|
Technology Model |
Data modelling, system design (patterns come on the board), detailed business rule description (formalized language is a good handtool) In small companies / teams analyst might do that, sometimes skilled programmers do it themselves. It is beneficial when the BA at least understand the model. |
|
Detailed Representation |
Detailed description how to implement the model (exception, cycles etc.) Simply programmers' world |
|
Functioning Enterprise |
Nice to have result of the project - functioning system filling the customer will Work for administrators, not BA |
Well, if BA needs programming skills he drills over almost all layers of the work. It might have sense only in small projects where analysts and programmes are only. Good system architecture skills are much more useful for BA than understanding catching, template classes or even building releases.
On the other hand a BA without a practical knowledge of the system modelling and architecture design will never be a partner for pure programmers that have no global view over the solution. Such specialist always needs a system analysts / architecture designer among themselves.
BA without practical knowledge of the software architecture is usable in the corporations like banks, large enterprises and government institutions but rarely in a software company.
28.7.2010
What tool do you recommend for the requirement analysis?
As a business analyst I am asking my clients which tool they are comfortable to work with. Even if they are used to use Open Office for the internal collaboration I?ll use it for the requirements communication with them.
I would not be happy with the Architect tools but they mostly do not support changes highlighting which makes the facilitation much easier. Although, for review and approval, is the linear form (document) much more comfortable, because it can be more easily managed by the client. That?s why I always put the requirement to the linear document even when they are developed in some graphical tool.
Nevertheless, the technical requirements are for the development team. So that I am asking the team what they are used to use. Here is the mentioned UML tool as well as any other appropriate. Technical requirements should be clearly transferred to the technical analysis and so they should be in the system that supports it.
As you can see, for the business analysis tasks I typically use two different tools according to the client and team experience and knowledge. I can imagine to come with my own solution only in case that partner does not have its own but it is not common except in start-up or really small companies.
A couple of years ago there was a great tool Telelogic free for download. But the big capitalist came :-) and the tale has finished. And this page is not an advertisement for any commercial solution.
28.6.2010
Should the project manager sit with the Business Analyst on requirements discovery meetings?
During last months I helped a SW company establish a functional project management processes. On of the major question was "How much should the project manager understand the software that is subject of her/his project?" It is very close to understanding and participation on the requirements development (RD).
According to my experience any investment of the PM to the understanding of the project definition and scope is valuable and often saves time during project plan negotiation. PM is neither partner for customer IT nor for its own team if does not understand the project.
Doubling people at any activity might look as a overloading the task. For small projects it is definitely right. But staffing "low cost" facilitator helping the BA and they pay time when PM study requirements afterward (typically during the document revision) is probably even more expensive!
We have found a better model - when the project is small like the enhancement of the running system to a minor functionality the PM/BA role is shared ? simple RD can be made by the PM as well as small project can be managed by the BA. There is no exact limit of the project size that decides if both BA and PA are nominated. It depends on the customer, project type and available resources. If the project is for a new customer, both BA and PM should be there and both cooperate on the REQM and RD.
Personally, I have very bad experience with "general project manager" handling projects without understanding its goals, scope and challenges. Those managers are like blinded persons totally driven by the project team (BA, designers, programmers) and their scope and problem assumptions because they are not able to have own professional opinion. Skilled manager should interest about the project and thus participation on the requirements development meeting with the customer is a must.
16.6.2010
Do you believe there is a difference between a Business Analyst, Technical Analyst, and Systems Analyst?
I think, most of us feel there is significant difference between mentioned roles. But - why so many business analysts study UML? I guess that over 80% of those who have business analyst role at the visiting card knows at least basics of UML but knows nothing about BABOK, Zachman Framework or other useful tools / methodologies that relates to the real "business" role. Even the simple and old BPMN (a language for the process description) is much less known that the software oriented UML.
We've made a selection procedure for the business analyst recently and it proved that even the analysts itself confuse the roles. In a small company it is often hard to distinguish between analyst and designer and the partitioning of the analyst role is far behind their recognition - the companies simply needs more universal people that do not bother to switch between enterprise and system focus. Only large companies and project have comfort / trouble of splitting the role.
What the business analyst should have in the pouch? I guess that the most important is the experience with the several kinds of business models, managerial styles and business information needs. They should also have imagination and should perfectly understand the organizational structure, competencies and responsibilities. Furhtermore, they should not only know it and understand it, they should know how to work with it, explain it and model changes ? so that they need skills and tools for that.
Software skills are nice-to-have additional skills but it should remain at the second stage. The business analyst sank in the software issues are as not a business but a software analyst.
From the useful tools, the formerly mentioned BPMN is good tool for the process management, but the most important are spreadsheet, word processor and presentation tools. And they should be able to use them really professionally. They should communicate with both non technical and technical people and thus they often translate information between them and should know both languages. Back to the UML: good language but it should be the bottom end of the business analyst not the mainstream.
Are you a business analyst that loves the UML? Do you disagree with me? BTW, are you really business analyst? If yes, we are looking forward to hear your opinion.
10.6.2010
Which software are you using for business analysis?
Which type of UML Diagrams you make (Sequential/State/Colaboration/use cas diagram etc.)
At least in our region (CEE) Enterprise Architect is a default/primary option. All analytics I know have an experience it this tool is a standard among all business sectors. However, I don't want to make an advertisement to this tool because I am not a fan of it (e.g. support for change management and maintenance phase of the software is totally missing) but its prices politics opened CASE tools to everyone.
I use all UML diagrams sometimes but I am not a fan of UML either. As a business analyst I mostly use E-R model for entity modelling since it is easier understandable for the non-IT customers than class diagram and BPMN for process modelling. UML is good for OO modelling of the SW systems but not for communication with the business. Unfortunately many analysts never understood the proper sense of UML.
How to be well prepared for software maintainability?
According to my experience the most critical for the future maintainability is the quality of the original design. Neither developer nor documentarist nor the quality manager might rectify lazy or non-experienced analyst that has experience and vision of the possible future of the system.
Well-proposed design should be visible mostly in:
Good database structure designed in the independent modules with limited binding
Good system structure with perfectly designed, strictly documented and adhered module interfaces. All well designed systems I have ever seen have used both multilayer and module structure
Strong utilisation of the standard patterns that significantly simplifies understanding of the code
Strong maintenance module that allows set as much of the internal constants and behaviour as possible. When defined well, it significantly reduce the necessity of the code changes that are always more risky than setting change.
Detailed requirements traceability is a must
Spiral Model for teaching Software Engineering
After all these years of teaching undergraduate software engineering, I just realized I have always organized my course as a "waterfall" with sequential progress through the topics. Instead, this coming semester, I plan a quick (~2 -week) first pass through everything for perspective, followed by a more thorough (~10-week) study, and then a final (~2-week) integration. Plan-Do-Check-Act throughout, with iterative work for individual students as they improve their mastery of different topics. Your thoughts?
Just a two month ago I have turned my lecture about metrics in the software development process inside out in the similar way.
Originally, I have started with the definition of the metrics, then methods of definition, using and validation. Finally I have a real-practice example of using metrics during my testing experience. What happened? Students were out of focus until the end example.
I've completely changed the structure: It starts with small introduction of the metrics using real-world examples out of software world (house building). Then the theme shifted to the software area and explained the theme using part of the mentioned example. After this introduction it returns back to the roots and explain definitions and theory with some dose of statistic background. The turn concludes with the details of the example. The third round focuses on the risks of using metrics and how to mitigate them. The turn finishes with the ?false examples? of metrics misuse.
What is the result of the change? The audience is more attracted and keeps attention most of the time. On the other hand less motivated participants felt that the first turn was enough and switched off when the topic returned back to the beginning (why bother about the formal definition when we know how to use it?). However, I still feel that the change significantly helped the theme. I will definitely change my other courses in the same way.
Who is chief innovation officer (CIO)?
Innovation officers recruit from 3 different groups:
Officers that manage a team of "innovators". However good she or he might be, such group will nob be useful without members from the second group - "visionaries"
Visionaries - people who are active in development of new technologies / ideas / break out improvements. Such people are mostly out of management because they have no managerial skills and company do not want to waste their potential for any kind of managerial work. On the other hand they often need supporting team to develop real solutions from their visions. Sometimes they become managers of such team. Great deal to have such person in the company! Unfortunately about 90% of people working in the improvement / development groups have no such skills and are able to propose and rollout small improvements or new technology implementation but no crack the ices.
Honorary managers - guys that were successful for the company but are tired to stay in everyday operation battle field but company do not want to loose them. Such people often work as innovators commuting within the company without tangible role or responsibility. If they are active, they provide good think-bank as well as working potential for company development and organization improvement. They seldom come with truly new business. Partly because they mostly have managerial and no visionary skill and partly because that if they find really a new opportunity, they start up their own business.
I would recommend each company to cultivate some visionaries but they also should develop improvement culture among all workers. Maintain a visionary office that comes with small improvement only or adopt a technology that has already been developed by somebody else is really not effective. If the officer is not able to come with break-through innovations, it is only a very expensive gaud.