1. BABOK® v2.0 Chapter 9:
Techniques
Outline:
High-level overview of the Techniques
referenced in the Knowledge Areas of the
Techniques
BABOK Guide. Techniques alter the way a
business analysis task is performed or
describes a specific form the output of a task
may take.
1
2. Thank you and Contact Info
Special thanks to DAXKO for sponsoring this meeting
Presenter: Tammy S Bishop, CBAP
Business Systems Analyst, Senior
Drummond Company, Inc.
2
3. Techniques
Techniques listed here are a subset of those used by practitioners of
business analysis.
Business analysts who specialize in a particular methodology or business
domain may use only a few of the techniques mentioned or may use
other techniques not described herein.
Techniques listed here are applicable to different situations and business
domains.
3
4. 9.5 Data Dictionary and Glossary
Purpose
Defining key terms and data relevant to business domain
Description
Formally identify and define all terminology used by the
organization or organizational unit
4
5. 9.5 Data Dictionary and Glossary
Elements
Glossary
Data Dictionary
Primitive Data Elements
Name
Aliases
Values/Meanings
Description
Composite Data Elements
Sequences
Repetitions
Optional Elements
5
6. 9.5 Data Dictionary and Glossary
Usage Considerations
Useful for ensuring all stakeholders are in agreement on
the format and content of relevant information
Capturing in a single model ensures terms will be used
consistently.
6
7. 9.6 Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) - Purpose
Purpose
Shows how information is Input, Processed, Stored, and
Output from a system
Description
Visual representation of how info is moved through a system
External Entities that provide data to or receive it from a
system
Processes of system that transform data
Data stores in which data is collected for a period of time
Data Flows by which data moves between entities,
processes, and data stores
7
8. 9.6 Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) - Elements
Elements
External Entities
Data Store
Data Process
Data Flow
8
9. 9.6 Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) - Usage
Strengths
Discover technique for processes or data
Verification of Functional Decomposition or Data Model
Easily understood
Useful analysis deliverable for developers in Structured
Programming Environment
Weaknesses
No responsibility shown
No alternative paths
9
11. 9.7 Data Modeling - Purpose
Purpose
Describe concepts relevant to a domain, relationships
between those concepts, and info associated with them
Description
Diagram supported by Textual description
Represents People, Places, Things, and Concepts
important to the business
Entity Relationship Diagram and Class Diagrams are
most common
11
12. 9.7 Data Modeling - Elements
Elements
Concept
Attributes
Name
Values/Meanings
Description
Relationship
Metadata
12
13. 9.7 Data Modeling - Usage
Advantages
Flexibility of different levels of description
Consistent modeling approach that supports transition
through Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation
Disadvantages
Complex
Concepts may be unfamiliar to people without background
in IS
Difficult to understand if not properly presented
Terms/Definitions vary in use
13
15. 9.12 Functional Decomposition - Purpose
Purpose
To decompose processes, functional areas, or
deliverables into component parts and allow each part to
be analyzed independently
Description
Ensure problem is separated into sub-problems that are
as independent as possible so work can be assigned to
different groups.
Provides ability to scale and manage large projects
15
16. 9.12 Functional Decomposition - Elements
Elements
Identifies high-level functions and then breaks those
functions down into smaller pieces
Represent processes carried out by the organization
Continues until sub-function cannot break down further
Similar to a WBS (Work Breakdown Structure)
Use Hierarchical Diagrams, Tree Diagrams, or numbering
each sub-function
16
17. 9.12 Functional Decomposition - Usage
Advantages
Provides consistent view of scope of effort
Estimates can be made easier
Conceptual model of work needed to deliver solution
Disadvantages
No guarantee all components are captured
Decomposing a problem without understanding the
relationship between the pieces may create an
inappropriate structure that impedes analysis
17
19. 9.21 Process Modeling - Purpose
Purpose
Gain understanding of how work involving multiple roles
and departments is performed
Description
Process linked by sequence
Shows events by people, rules, or passage of time
May include manual or automated activities or both
Complete when objective or goal is completed
Used for Current and Future state processes
19
20. 9.21 Process Modeling - Elements
Elements
Notation Elements
Process Improvement
Six Sigma
Lean
BPM approaches
20
21. 9.21 Process Modeling - Usage
Advantages
Users are comfortable with elements / concepts
Effectively show how to handle large number of scenarios
Used for eliciting, verifying requirements and training
Disadvantages
May be complex and hard to understand when contain too
much activity
Problems are not always readily identifiable by looking at
model
21
23. 9.27 Scope Modeling - Purpose
Purpose
Used to describe scope of analysis or solution
Description
Basis for defining and delimiting scope of business
analysis
Shows boundaries of scope and business domain
23
24. 9.27 – Scope Modeling - Elements
Elements
Context Diagram
Events
Features
Use Case Diagram
Business Process
24
25. 9.27 Scope Modeling - Usage
Advantages
Makes it easier to determine what should be in scope and
out of scope for solution
Disadvantages
Usually leave much detailed scope still needing to be
investigated and detailed
25
Primitive Data Elements:The following information must be recorded about every data element in a data dictionaryGlossary:Documents terms unique to the domain. Created in order to ensure all stakeholders understand what is meant when certain words are used. It consists of a term relevant to the domain and a unique definition for each, as well as cross-referencing aliases.DataDictionary:Include standard definitions of data elements, their meanings, and allowable values. Contains definitions of primitive data elements and how those elements combine into composite data elementsName:Unique name for data element to be referenced by composite data elementAliases:Alternate names for data elements used by various stakeholdersValues/Meanings:List of acceptable values for data elements. May be expressed as enumerated list or as a description of allowable formats for the data, including the number of characters, etc. If values are abbreviated, the explanation of the meaning is included here.Description:Definition of the data element in the context of the solutionComposite Data Elements:Assembled from primitive data elements and include the following:Sequences:Order of primitive data elements which must always occur in the specified orderRepetitions:One or more primitive data elements occur multiple times in the composite elementOptionalElements:May or may not occur in a particular instance of the data element
External EntitiesSource or destination of data.Labeled RectangleData StoreLocation where data is not moving or transforming, but being stored passively for future useLabel between two parallel lines or a labeled rectangle with a squareData ProcessProcess that transforms data in some way, either combining the data, reordering the data, converting the data, filtering the data etc.Data processes with further decomposition models is identified with an asteriskLabeled circle or rectangle with curved cornersVerb-object structure labelingData FlowIdentifies where data is being moved between a data process and an external entity, a data store or another data process. Should be noun phrase identifying data being movedCan be specified into Result Flows, Control Flows and Update FlowsRepresented by Single or Forked line with an ArrowLines must be labeled with Descriptor of data being moved
Concept:Something of significance to the domain being described about which data is neededShould have unique identifier to differentiate between actual instances of the concept.Referred to as entities in ERDs Referred to as Classes in Class DiagramsAttributes:Defines particular piece of info associated with a conceptRelationship:Significant business associations between conceptsDefine how information is used in operation of businessIndicate important linkages to be managed or maintained in the solutionMay indicate cardinality or multiplicity of the relationshipMetadata:Data about dataDescribes context, use, and validity of business info Used to determine when and why info stored in a system was changed
Notation Elements:Activities:Individual steps that must be completed in order to execute the business processDecisions:Forks where there may be two or more flowsEvents:May create, interrupt, or terminate processesMay result from actions taken, messages received, passage of timeFlow:Direction of step-by-step sequence of workflowRoles:Type of person, groupSwimlanes/Pools:Show activities performed by a particular roleVertical or HorizontalPassing of responsibility from one actor to anotherTerminal Points:Process Improvement:Identify and remove activities not adding value to stakeholderReduce time required to complete a processImprove interfaces or handoffs between roles to remove errorsReduce/Eliminate bottlenecks and backlogs
Context Diagram:Top Level data flow diagramUses single data process to describe scope and shows external entities and data stores providing data to and receiving data from the systemEvents:External – happens in external entitiesTemporal – driven by time, usually time related business rulesProcesses are identified after identifying events. The question to ask is “What processes are required to provide a complete response to this event?”Features:Service that solution provides to fulfill one or more stakeholder needsHigh level abstractions of solution that will be expanded into fully described functional and supplemental requirementsUse Case Diagrams:Visual depiction of use cases supported by system, actors who trigger them, and relationships between themBusiness Processes:High Level model used as scope model