CBAP Certification Training – Office Read 2, Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring (BAPM)

CBAP Certification Training Course – Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring office Read

In the week 1 of CBAP Certification Training, a core area is covered from the BABOK standard. Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring knowledge area covers all those activities that must be performed to successfully execute business analysis on any project. These are those tasks that a good business analyst will think about and consider before starting any business analysis activities on a project.

This office read is a summary that is provided at Education Edge as a part of our CBAP Training. Complete read of BABOK guide is mandatory to succeed in CBAP Certification Exam.

All the knowledge areas will comprise of Tasks. With each task, the follwoing items will be addresses –

The Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring knowledge area includes the following five tasks:

  • Plan Business Analysis Approach: describes the planning of business analysis work from creation or selection of a methodology to planning the individual activities, tasks, and
  • Plan Stakeholder Engagement: describes understanding which stakeholders are  relevant to the change, what business analysts need from them, what they need from business analysts, and the best way to collaborate.
  • Plan Business Analysis Governance: defines the components of  business analysis that are used to support the governance function of the organization. It helps ensure that decisions are made properly and consistently, and follows a process that ensures decision makers have the information they need.
  • Plan Business Analysis Information Management: defines how information developed by business analysts (including requirements and designs) is captured, stored, and integrated with other information for long-term
  • Identify Business Analysis Performance Improvements: describes managing and monitoring how business analysis work is performed to ensure that commitments are met and continuous learning and improvement opportunities are

Plan Business Analysis Approach

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of Plan Business Analysis Approach is to define an appropriate method to conduct business analysis activities.

1.2 Description

Business analysis approaches describe the overall method that will be followed when performing business analysis work on a given initiative, how and when tasks will be performed, and the deliverables that will be produced.

1.3 Inputs

Needs:
  • business analysis approach is shaped by the problem or opportunity faced by the

1.4 Elements

  • Planning Approach

There are various planning methods used across perspectives, industries, and enterprises. Many planning methods fit somewhere along a continuum between predictive and adaptive approaches.

Predictive approaches focus on minimizing upfront uncertainty and ensuring that the solution is defined before implementation begins in order to maximize control and minimize risk. These approaches are often preferred in situations where requirements can effectively be defined ahead of implementation, the risk of an incorrect implementation is unacceptably high, or when engaging stakeholders presents significant challenges.

Adaptive approaches focus on rapid delivery of business value in short iterations in return for acceptance of a higher degree of uncertainty regarding the overall delivery of the solution. These approaches tend to be preferred when taking an exploratory approach to finding the best solution or for incremental improvement of an existing solution.

Formality and Level of Detail of Business Analysis Deliverables

When defining the business analysis approach, consider the level of formality that is appropriate for approaching and planning the initiative.

Other considerations that may affect the approach include:

  • the change is complex and high risk,
  • the organization is in, or interacts with, heavily regulated industries,
  • contracts or agreements necessitate formality,
  • stakeholders are geographically distributed,
  • resources are outsourced,
  • staff turnover is high and/or team members may be inexperienced,
  • requirements must be formally signed off, and
  • business analysis information must be maintained long-term or handed over for use on future
  • Business Analysis Activities

Integrating business analysis activities in the business analysis approach includes:

  • identifying the activities required to complete each deliverable and then breaking each activity into tasks,
  • dividing the work into iterations, identifying the deliverables for each iteration, and then identifying the associated activities and tasks, or
  • using a previous similar initiative as an outline and applying the detailed tasks and activities unique to the current
3 . Timing of Business Analysis Work

Business analysts determine when the business analysis tasks need to be performed and if the level of business analysis effort will need to vary over time.

4. Complexity and Risk

The complexity and size of the change and the overall risk of the effort to the organization are considered when determining the business analysis approach. As complexity and risk increase or decrease, the nature and scope of business analysis work can be altered and reflected in the approach.

5. Acceptance

The business analysis approach is reviewed and agreed upon by key stakeholders. In some organizations, the business analysis process may be more structured and require key stakeholders to sign off on the approach to ensure all business analysis activities have been identified, estimates are realistic, and the proposed roles and responsibilities are correct.

1.5 Guidelines and Tools

  • Business Analysis Performance Assessment: provides results of previous assessments that should be reviewed and incorporated into all planning
  • Business Policies: define the limits within which decisions must be They may be described by regulations, contracts, agreements, deals, warranties, certifications, or other legal obligations. These policies can influence the business analysis approach.
  • Expert Judgment: used to determine the optimal business analysis Expertise may be provided from a wide range of sources including stakeholders on the initiative, organizational Centres of Excellence, consultants, or associations and industry groups. Prior experiences of the business analyst and other stakeholders should be considered when selecting or modifying an approach.
  • Methodologies and Frameworks: shape the approach that will be used by providing methods, techniques, procedures, working concepts, and They may need to be tailored to better meet the needs of the specific business challenge.
  • Stakeholder Engagement Approach: understanding the stakeholders and their concerns and interests may influence decisions made when determining the business analysis

1.6 Techniques

  • Brainstorming: used to identify possible business analysis activities, techniques, risks and other relevant items to help build the business analysis approach.
  • Business Cases: used to understand whether elements of the problem or opportunity are especially time-sensitive, high-value, or whether there is any particular uncertainty around elements of the possible need or
  • Document Analysis: used to review existing organizational assets that might assist in planning the
  • Estimation: used to determine how long it may take to perform business analysis
  • Financial Analysis: used to assess how different approaches (and the supported delivery options) affect the value
  • Functional Decomposition: used to break down complex business analysis processes or approaches into more feasible
  • Interviews: used to help build the plan with an individual or small
  • Item Tracking: used to track any issues raised during planning activities with Can also track risk related items raised during discussions when building the approach.
  • Lessons Learned: used to identify an enterprise’s previous experience (both successes and challenges) with planning business analysis
  • Process Modelling: used to define and document the business analysis approach.
  • Reviews: used to validate the selected business analysis approach with stakeholders.
  • Risk Analysis and Management: used to assess risks in order to select the proper business analysis
  • Scope Modelling: used to determine the boundaries of the solution as an input to planning and to
  • Survey or Questionnaire: used to identify possible business analysis activities, techniques, risks and other relevant items to help build the business analysis approach.
  • Workshops: used to help build the plan in a team

1.7 Stakeholders

  • Domain Subject Matter Expert: can be a source of risk when their involvement is required and availability is The approach taken may depend on availability and level of their involvement with the initiative.
  • Project Manager: determines that the approach is realistic for the overall schedule and The business analysis approach must be compatible with other activities.
  • Regulator: may be needed to provide approval for aspects of the business analysis approach or decisions made in tailoring the process, especially in organizations where the business analysis process is
  • Sponsor: can provide needs and objectives for the approach and ensures that organizational policies are The selected approach may depend on availability and involvement with the initiative.

1.8 Outputs

Business Analysis Approach: identifies the business analysis approach and activities that will be performed across an initiative including who will perform the activities, the timing and sequencing of the work, the deliverables that will be produced and the business analysis techniques that may be utilized

2. Plan Stakeholder Engagement

2.1 Purpose

The purpose of Plan Stakeholder Engagement is to plan an approach for establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with the stakeholders.

2.2 Description

Plan Stakeholder Engagement involves conducting a thorough stakeholder analysis to identify all of the involved stakeholders and analyze their characteristics.

2.3 Inputs

  • Needs: understanding the business need and the parts of the enterprise that it affects helps in the identification of stakeholders. The need may evolve as stakeholder analysis is
  • Business Analysis Approach: incorporating the overall business analysis approach into the stakeholder analysis, collaboration, and communication approaches is necessary to ensure consistency across the

2.4 Elements

1. Perform Stakeholder Analysis Roles

Business analysts identify stakeholder roles in order to understand where and how the stakeholders will contribute to the initiative. It is important that the business analyst is aware of the various roles a stakeholder is responsible for within the organization.

Attitudes
Stakeholder attitudes can positively or negatively impact a change. Business analysts identify stakeholder attitudes in order to fully understand what may impact a stakeholder’s actions and behaviors. Knowing how a stakeholder perceives the initiative allows an opportunity for the business analyst to specifically plan their collaboration and engagement with that stakeholder.
Decision Making Authority
Business analysts identify the authority level a stakeholder possesses over business analysis activities, deliverables, and changes to business analysis work.
2. Define Stakeholder Collaboration

Ensuring effective collaboration with stakeholders is essential for maintaining their engagement in business analysis activities. Collaboration can be a spontaneous event. However, much collaboration is deliberate and planned, with specific activities and outcomes determined ahead of time during planning activities.

3. Stakeholder Communication Needs
The business analyst evaluates:
  • what needs to be communicated,
  • what is the appropriate delivery method (written or verbal),
  • who the appropriate audience is,
  • when communication should occur,
  • frequency of communication,
  • geographic location of stakeholders who will receive communications,
  • level of detail appropriate for the communication and stakeholder, and
  • level of formality of

2.5 Guidelines and Tools

  • Business Analysis Performance Assessment: provides results of previous assessments that should be reviewed and
  • Change Strategy: used for improved assessment of stakeholder impact and the development of more effective stakeholder engagement
  • Current State Description: provides the context within which the work needs to be completed. This information will lead to more effective stakeholder analysis and better understanding of the impact of the desired

2.6 Techniques

  • Brainstorming: used to produce the stakeholder list and identify stakeholder roles and
  • Business Rules Analysis: used to identify stakeholders who were the source of the business
  • Document Analysis: used to review existing organizational assets that might assist in planning stakeholder
  • Interviews: used to interact with specific stakeholders to gain more information or knowledge about stakeholder
  • Lessons Learned: used to identify an enterprise’s previous experience (both successes and challenges) with planning stakeholder
  • Mind Mapping: used to identify potential stakeholders and help understand the relationships between
  • Organizational Modelling: used to determine if the organizational units or people listed have any unique needs and interests that should be Organizational models describe the roles and functions in the organization and the ways in which stakeholders interact which can help to identify stakeholders who will be affected by a change.
  • Process Modelling: used to categorize stakeholders by the systems that support their business
  • Risk Analysis and Management: used to identify risks to the initiative resulting from stakeholder attitudes or the inability of key stakeholders to participate in the
  • Scope Modelling: used to develop scope models to show stakeholders that fall outside the scope of the solution but still interact with it in some
  • Stakeholder List, Map, or Personas: used to depict the relationship of stakeholders to the solution and to one
  • Survey or Questionnaire: used to identify shared characteristics of a stakeholder
  • Workshops: used to interact with groups of stakeholders to gain more information about stakeholder

2.7 Stakeholders

  • Customers: a source of external
  • Domain Subject Matter Expert: may help to identify stakeholders and may themselves be identified to fulfill one or more roles on the
  • End User: a source of internal
  • Project Manager: may be able to identify and recommend stakeholders. Responsibility for stakeholder identification and management may be shared with the business
  • Regulator: may require that specific stakeholder representatives or groups be involved in the business analysis
  • Sponsor: may request that specific stakeholders be involved in the business analysis
  • Supplier: a source of external

2.8 Output

Stakeholder Engagement Approach: contains a list of the stakeholders, their characteristics which were analyzed, and a listing of roles and responsibilities for the change. It also identifies the collaboration and communication approaches the business analyst will utilize during the

3. Plan Business Analysis Governance

3.1 Purpose

The purpose of Plan Business Analysis Governance is to define how decisions are made about requirements and designs, including reviews, change control, approvals, and prioritization.

3.2 Description

Business analysts ensure that a governance process is in place and clarify any ambiguities within it. A governance process identifies the decision makers, process, and information required for decisions to be made. A governance process describes how approvals and prioritization decisions are made for requirements and designs.

3.3 Inputs

  • Business Analysis Approach: incorporating the overall business analysis approach into the governance approach is necessary to ensure consistency across the
  • Stakeholder Engagement Approach: identifying stakeholders and understanding their communication and collaboration needs is useful in determining their participation in the governance The engagement approach may be updated based on the completion of the governance approach.

3.4 Elements

1. Change Control Process
  • Determine how changes will be prioritized: the priority of the proposed change is established relative to other competing interests within the current initiative.
  • Determine how changes will be documented: configuration management and traceability standards establish product baselines and version control practices that identify which baseline is affected by the change.
  • Determine how changes will be communicated: how proposed changes, changes under review, and approved, declined, or deferred changes will be communicated to
  • Determine who will perform the impact analysis: specify who is responsible for performing an analysis of the impacts the proposed change will have across the
  • Determine who will authorize changes: include a designation of who can approve changes and what business analysis information their authority covers.
2. Plan Prioritization Approach

Timelines, expected value, dependencies, resource constraints, adopted methodologies, and other factors influence how requirements and designs are prioritized.

3. Plan for Approvals
An approval formalizes the agreement between all stakeholders that the content and presentation of the requirements and designs are accurate, adequate, and contain sufficient detail to allow for continued progress to be made.

3.5 Guidelines and Tools

  • Business Analysis Performance Assessment: provides results of previous assessments that should be reviewed and incorporated into all planning approaches.
  • Business Policies: define the limits within which decisions must be They may be described by regulations, contracts, agreements, warranties, certifications or other legal obligations.
  • Current State Description: provides the context within which the work needs to be This information can help drive how to make better decisions.
  • Legal/Regulatory Information: describes legislative rules or regulations that must be followed, and can be used to help develop a framework that ensures sound business decision.

3.6 Techniques

  • Brainstorming: used to generate an initial list of potential stakeholder names who may need approval roles in the defined governance
  • Document Analysis: used to evaluate existing governance processes or templates.
  • Interviews: used to identify possible decision-making, change control, approval, or prioritization approaches and participants with an individual or small
  • Item Tracking: used to track any issues that arise when planning a governance approach.
  • Lessons Learned: used to find if past initiatives have identified valuable experiences with governance that can be leveraged on current or future initiatives.
  • Organizational Modelling: used to understand roles/responsibilities within the organization in an effort to define a governance approach that involves the right stakeholders.
  • Process Modelling: used to document the process or method for governing business
  • Reviews: used to review the proposed governance plan with key
  • Survey or Questionnaire: used to identify possible decision-making, change control, approval, or prioritization approaches and
  • Workshops: used to identify possible decision-making, change control, approval, or prioritization approaches and participants within a team

3.7 Stakeholders

  • Domain Subject Matter Expert: may be a possible source of a requested change or may be identified as needing to be involved in change
  • Project Manager: works with the business analyst to ensure that overall project governance aligns with the business analysis governance
  • Regulator: may impose rules or regulations that need to be considered when determining the business analysis governance May also be a possible source of a requested change.
  • Sponsor: can impose their own requirements for how business analysis information should be Participates in change discussions and approves proposed changes.

3.8 Outputs

Governance Approach: identifies the stakeholders who will have the responsibility and authority to make decisions about business analysis work including who will be responsible for setting priorities and who will approve changes to business analysis. It also defines the process that will be utilized to manage requirement and design changes across the initiative.

4. Plan Business Analysis Information Management

4.1 Purpose

The purpose of Plan Business Analysis Information Management is to develop an approach for how business analysis information will be stored and accessed.

4.2 Description

Business analysis information is comprised of all the information business analysts elicit, create, compile, and disseminate in the course of performing business analysis. Models, scope statements, stakeholder concerns, elicitation results, requirements, designs, and solution options are just a few examples.

4.3 Inputs

  • Business Analysis Approach: incorporating the overall business analysis approach into the information management approach is necessary to ensure consistency across the
  • Governance Approach: defines how business analysts manage changes to requirements and designs, how decisions and approvals for business analysis deliverables will be made, and how priorities will be
  • Stakeholder Engagement Approach: identifying stakeholders and understanding their communication and collaboration needs is useful in determining their specific information management.

4.4 Elements

  1. Organization of Business Analysis Information
  2. Level of Abstraction
  3. Plan Traceability Approach
  4. Plan for Requirements Reuse
  5. Storage and Access
  6. Requirements Attributes
Some commonly used requirements attributes include:
  • Absolute reference: provides a unique The reference is not altered or reused if the requirement is moved, changed, or deleted.
  • Author: provides the name of the person who needs to be consulted should the requirement later be found to be ambiguous, unclear, or in conflict.
  • Complexity: indicates how difficult the requirement will be to
  • Ownership: indicates the individual or group that needs the requirement or will be the business owner after the solution is
  • Priority: indicates relative importance of Priority can refer to the relative value of a requirement or to the sequence in which it will be implemented.
  • Risks: identifies uncertain events that may impact
  • Source: identifies the origin of the requirement. The source is often consulted if the requirement changes or if more information regarding the requirement or the need that drove the requirement has to be
  • Stability: indicates the maturity of the
  • Status: indicates the state of the requirement, whether it is proposed, accepted, verified, postponed, cancelled, or
  • Urgency: indicates how soon the requirement is It is usually only necessary to specify this separately from the priority when a deadline exists for implementation.

4.5 Guidelines and Tools

  • Business Analysis Performance Assessment: provides results of previous assessments that should be reviewed and incorporated into all planning approaches.
  • Business Policies: define the limits within which decisions must be They may be described by regulations, contracts, agreements, warranties, certifications, or other legal obligations.
  • Information Management Tools: each organization uses some tools to store, retrieve, and share business analysis These may be as simple as a whiteboard, or as complex as a global wiki or robust requirements management tool.
  • Legal/Regulatory Information: describes legislative rules or regulations that must be followed, and helps determine how business analysis information will be

4.6 Techniques

  • Brainstorming: used to help stakeholders uncover their business analysis information management
  • Interviews: used to help specific stakeholders uncover their business analysis information management
  • Item Tracking: used to track issues with current information management processes.
  • Lessons Learned: used to create a source of information for analyzing approaches for efficiently managing business analysis
  • Mind Mapping: used to identify and categorize the kinds of information that need to be
  • Process Modelling: used to document the process or method for managing business analysis
  • Survey or Questionnaire: used to ask stakeholders to provide input into defining business analysis information
  • Workshops: used to uncover business analysis information management needs in a group

4.7 Stakeholders

  • Domain Subject Matter Expert: may need to access and work with business analysis information, and will be interested in a more specific view of business analysis information which relates to their area of
  • Regulator: may define rules and processes related to information management.
  • Sponsor: reviews, comments on, and approves business analysis

4.8 Outputs

Information Management Approach: includes the defined approach for how business analysis information will be stored, accessed, and utilized during the change and after the change is

5. Identify Business Analysis Performance Improvements

5.1 Purpose

The purpose of Identify Business Analysis Performance Improvements is to assess business analysis work and to plan to improve processes where required.

5.2 Description

To monitor and improve performance, it is necessary to establish the performance measures, conduct the performance analysis, report on the results of the analysis, and identify any necessary preventive, corrective, or developmental actions.

Performance analysis should occur throughout an initiative. Once potential performance improvements are identified, they become guidelines for the next time a task is executed.

5.3 Inputs

  • Business Analysis Approach: identifies business analysis deliverables that will be produced, activities that will need to be performed (including when they will be performed and who will be performing them), and techniques that will be used.
  • Performance Objectives (external): describe the desired performance outcomes that an enterprise or organization is hoping to

5.4 Elements

  1. Performance Analysis
  2. Assessment Measures
  3. Analyze Results
  4. Recommend Actions for Improvement

Once the analysis of performance results is complete, the business analyst engages the appropriate stakeholders to identify the following actions:

  • Preventive: reduces the probability of an event with a negative
  • Corrective: establishes ways to reduce the negative impact of an
  • Improvement: establishes ways to increase the probability or impact of events with a positive

These actions are likely to result in changes to the business analysis approach, repeatable processes, and tools.

5.5 Guidelines and Tools

Organizational Performance Standards: may include performance metrics or expectations for business analysis work mandated by the

5.6 Techniques

  • Brainstorming: used to generate ideas for improvement
  • Interviews: used to gather assessments of business analysis
  • Item Tracking: used to track issues that occur during the performance of business analysis for later
  • Lessons Learned: used to identify recommended changes to business analysis processes, deliverables, templates, and other organizational process assets that can be incorporated into the current initiative and future
  • Metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): used to determine what metrics are appropriate for assessing business analysis performance and how they may be
  • Observation: used to witness business analysis
  • Process Analysis: used to analyze existing business analysis processes and identify opportunities for
  • Process Modelling: used to define business analysis processes and understand how to improve those processes to reduce problems from hand-offs, improve cycle times, or alter how business analysis work is performed to support improvements in downstream
  • Reviews: used to identify changes to business analysis processes and deliverables that can be incorporated into future
  • Risk Analysis and Management: used to identify and manage potential conditions or events that may impact business analysis
  • Root Cause Analysis: used to help identify the underlying cause of failures or difficulties in accomplishing business analysis
  • Survey or Questionnaire: used to gather feedback from stakeholders about their satisfaction with business analysis activities and
  • Workshops: used to gather assessments of business analysis performance and generate ideas for improvement.

5.7 Stakeholders

  • Domain Subject Matter Experts: should be informed about the business analysis activities in order to set expectations regarding their involvement in the work and to elicit their feedback regarding possible improvements to the approach.
  • Project Manager: is accountable for the success of a project and must be kept informed of the current status of business analysis
  • Sponsor: may require reports on business analysis performance to address problems as they are A manager of business analysts may also sponsor initiatives to improve the performance of business analysis activities.

5.8 Outputs

Business Analysis Performance Assessment