(BSRA)

Analyzing Business Processes and Defining Business Systems Requirements

Overview

The objective of Business Requirement Analysis (BSRA) is to analyze business processes and define both data and functional requirements. It incorporates PDC’s experience of more than two decades on numerous BSRA projects. The seminar provides the necessary bridge between Planning to Design and Implementation. The methodology also addresses situations where there has been no Enterprise Strategy Planning. The output of the BSRA will be used as an input to system and data base designs. The BSRA approach effectively deals with coexistence of Legacy and E-Business systems. It also addresses the issue of process and data integration, which is essential for the success of web-based systems.

PDC’s BSRA methodology is a practical and effective way to analyze business requirements with participation from business users. In the age of the Internet it is essential that business users not only guide but also participate actively in the requirement analysis effort. Even though our method calls for process and data modeling, it is very business oriented and non-technical. We want business users to not only define their requirements but to validate the system when delivered. Business analysts should prepare acceptance test data, user manuals and user training material. This methodology fosters an active partnership between IT and business users for the entire project life cycle.

The seminar will show you how to analyze and model your business using simple modeling techniques. In addition, you will also learn how to utilize the models to facilitate the redesign of your business processes for improved performance and competitive advantage. It guides you in exploring the benefits of new technologies. You will learn about the roles of meta data repositories and modeling tools and how they should be used, along with their strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, the methodology is independent of any tool or technology.

Most importantly, your team will come away with a solid understanding in both the methodology and the techniques necessary to perform Business Requirements Analysis successfully. It helps you deliver a document that can be understood by both users and management.

Questions Answered

• Why is BSRA required?
• How can BSRA affect business thinking?
• Will it help me in designing E-Business systems?
• How do I blend information engineering with business process reengineering?
• Is an Enterprise Strategy Plan required to get started?
• How are processes and work flow charts used?
• Do I need data flow charts or data model diagrams?
• How to structure a project team?
• What are the roles of business users and management?
• How can project scope, schedule and cost be controlled?
• What is the role of automated tools? How do I overcome their limitations?
• How do I address migration, conversion and interfacing issues?
• How can I maintain data integration across multiple projects in absence of enterprise architecture?

Who Should Attend

• Operations Managers
• Business Analysts
• Project Team Members
• Process Owners
• CRM Managers
• Supply Chain Managers
• ERP Managers
• TQM Managers
• IT Managers
• Data Stewards
• IRM Managers
• Data Administrators
• System Analysts
• Application Development Managers
• Technology Implementers

Agenda

Introduction to Business Requirement Analysis

• Business analysis vs. Systems analysis
• E-Business v/s traditional business
• Information Engineering concepts
• Business reengineering
• PDC’s Service Analysis concept

• Scope vs. level of detail
• Taking advantage of enterprise architecture
• Enterprise Strategy Planning (ESP)
• Business Systems Design (BSD)
• Technical Systems Design (TSD)
• Construction and Implementation
• Maintenance and Enhancement
• Balancing between process, data and technology

Planning the BSRA Project

• Scoping the project
• Defining project expectations
• Structuring the project team
• Project sponsor
• Advisory and steering committees
• Developing the work plan and schedule
• Preparing tools to be used
• Education and training requirements
• Preparing a Project Initiation document
• Estimating costs and defining benefits
• Marketing the project
• Change management plan
• Communications plan
  *BSRA Planning Workshop

• Starting with business vision, objectives and goals, and key business drivers
• Developing top down logical model
• Capturing management objectives
• Validating with key stakeholders
  * Process Modeling Workshop

• Understanding expectations and requirements
• Focus groups and/or Interviewing Web based data collection
• Documentation and Modeling tools
• Meta data repository usage

Current Environment Analysis

• Documenting current processes
• Process maps vs. work flow charts
• Defining process profiles
• Documenting problem and disconnects
• Inventory analysis of automated and manual documents
• Soliciting new requirements and opportunities
• Validating current model
  * Workflow Analysis Workshop

Defining Data Requirements

• Collecting data requirements
• Defining business rules
• Developing data model
• Defining relationships
• Data flow charts
• Relational vs. object-oriented modeling
  * Data Modeling Workshop

Process Improvement

• Why is business process redesign important?
  Solving problems and disconnects using Root Cause Analysis techniques
• Identifying and evaluating technology opportunities
• Streamlining procedures
• Incorporating management information needs
• Redesigning processes
• Incorporate business continuity constraints
• Incorporate process quality metrics
• Complying with Regulatory Requirements
• Change impact analysis
• Analyzing business blind spots (myths and biases of the organization)
  * Process Improvement Workshop

Role of Prototyping

• Proof of concept
• Getting users excited and obtaining their commitment
• Benefits and risks
• When to use prototyping
• Who does prototyping?

Prepare Deliverables

• Documenting proposed processes
• Finalizing process and work flow charts
• Developing detailed process profiles
• Revising the data model
• Finalizing business rules
• Finalizing data element definitions
• Documenting technology assumptions
• Cost/benefit analysis (only if required)
• Documenting organizational assumptions
  *Business Rules Workshop

Requirements Validation

• Walk-thru of processes with key stakeholders
• Validating business rules
• Incorporating corporate data standards
• Matching with industry standards
• Data agreement with data stewards
• Validating technology assumptions
• Validating management reporting and decision making needs

Planning Next Phase

• Defining interface requirements
• Defining migration and conversion requirements
• Developing a Business Systems Architecture
• Configuring design projects
• Analyzing project dependencies
• Evaluating project phases
• Developing a Design and Implementation Plan

Organization Issues

• Who manages the project - Business Manager or IT Manger?
• Synergizing the roles of IT and business participants
• Stimulating and retaining management interest
• Addressing issues of ownership and responsibility
• Communicating to the enterprise

Critical Success Factors for BSRA

• What is more important – methodology or tools?
• Appropriate scoping
• Education and Training
• Focus group facilitation
• Business user involvement
• Management commitment