PMBOK Knowledge Area Poll

Multi-Voting

The popcorn, chips, and drinks were ready, but we had a problem…so many choices for movie night and my sisters, cousins, and I just could not agree on which movie to watch. Becky wanted a musical, Damian wanted a war movie, Julie and Felicia were thinking about a horror movie, and I wanted a comedy.… [Read more…]

Hawthorne Effect

You give your workers a cup of coffee in the morning and their performance improves! You give your workers a glass of milk in the morning and their performance improves! You give your workers a glass of water in the morning and their performance is outstanding! What is going on here? It may be that… [Read more…]

Internal and External Failures

Despite the best of efforts, some portion of products will be created with defects. The point in time that this defect is discovered determines whether it is an internal failure or an external failure. If the defective product is discovered while still in the control of the organization that created it, it is an internal… [Read more…]

Baseline Measure

The Baseline Measure documents the state of existence before some type of treatment, solution, or other manipulation. This term is used in research including Six Sigma research. For example, Carl wants to know if the new product DubGal when added to a car’s gas tank really does double the number of miles that can be… [Read more…]

Process Lead Time

To better understand a process, Process Lead Time may be calculated.  This calculation is an foundational metric for both Lean and Six Sigma, or what is commonly referred to now as Lean Six Sigma. The formula for Process Lead Time = Work in Process (WIP) / Average Completion Rate. Work in Process is anything that… [Read more…]

SIPOC Analysis

A SIPOC Analysis is a Lean Six Sigma tool that enables better understanding of a process. To perform a SIPOC analysis, make five columns on paper or your computer and label them Supplier(s), Inputs, Process, Outputs, and Customer(s). It is easy to become too detailed, so be sure to write information about the process using… [Read more…]

Defects per Million Opportunities and Yield

Defects per Million Opportunities (DPMO) is the flip side of Yield. DPMO is the number of defects in a million opportunities and Yield is the percentage of the output that is non-defective. For example, in Katy’s Cookie Factory, exactly one million chocolate chip cookies are made each week. They seem to have a problem with… [Read more…]

What is a Green Belt?

Six Sigma differentiates people’s level of expertise in Six Sigma using the belt system. Supposedly this originated from a Motorola employee who had an affinity for karate. Be aware that different organizations and authors use slightly different definitions. Some organizations may only recognize a Green Belt, Black Belt, and Master Black Belt. Others also recognize… [Read more…]

Six Sigma’s DMAIC Approach

Six Sigma, DMAIC

Ethics in Business Analysis

Ethics is part of the BABOK®’s Behavioral Characteristics competency, which is one of six general competencies that a successful business analyst should possess. For each competency, the BABOK lists effectiveness measures. These effectiveness measures for ethics include: making decisions that consider the interests of all stakeholders, being clear with the reasons for decisions, disclosing potential… [Read more…]

Creativity in Business Analysts and Others

Creativity is part of the BABOK®’s Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving competency, which is one of six general competencies that a successful business analyst should possess. Although some professions such as artist or inventor are heavily dependent on creativity, it is hard to imagine someone in a profession that could not benefit from generating innovative… [Read more…]

Business Analysis Performance Assessment

The Business Analysis Performance Assessment document indicates how well the business analysis activities are being performed during a project. It is created as part of the BABOK®’s Manage Business Analysis Performance task which also plans how the performance of business analysis activities will be measured and reported. The Business Analysis Performance Assessment should contain a… [Read more…]

Business Analysis Communication Plan

Effective communication among team members and other stakeholders is critical for project success. Specifically planning how communication will occur concerning the business analysis component of a project is outlined in the Business Analysis Communication Plan. This document is created through the BABOK®’s Plan Business Analysis Communication task. The Business Analysis Communication Plan describes the requirements… [Read more…]

Requirement Attributes

Requirements (something needed by a stakeholder to meet a solution) have a number of attributes. The BABOK®’s Plan Requirements Management Process task provides a listing of common requirements attributes and their definitions. Documenting the attributes of individual requirements aids in the management of all the project’s requirements. Here is a listing of ten commonly documented… [Read more…]

Business Analysis Plans

The Business Analysis Plan is the roadmap that guides all later business analysis tasks. It describes the scope of the work, which may include a Work Breakdown Structure, and it may contain an Activity List with estimates for these activities. How this plan may be altered during the course of the project should also be… [Read more…]

Conduct Stakeholder Analysis

The Conduct Stakeholder Analysis task described in the BABOK® is performed early during the business analysis work and is often ongoing. It is similar to the PMBOK®’s Identify Stakeholders process. The primary purpose is to understand a project’s stakeholders. There are three elements to this process: identification; categorization; and attitudes and influence. One first needs… [Read more…]

Document Analysis

The technique of Document Analysis is based on the simple concept of reading through existing documentation to find relevant information. In business analysis, it is used to uncover additional requirements. The BABOK® lists a number of common types of documents used in Document Analysis:  “business plans, market studies, contracts, requests for proposal, statements of work,… [Read more…]