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…]
October 12, 2009 by tapuniversity
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…]
October 9, 2009 by tapuniversity
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…]
October 8, 2009 by tapuniversity
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…]
October 7, 2009 by tapuniversity
Part of working successfully on a project is understanding who has an interest in the project. These stakeholders may have a positive or negative influence over the project, or simply have an interest or concern over the project. The Stakeholder List, Roles, and Responsibilities document is an output of the BABOK®’s Conduct Stakeholder Analysis task.… [Read more…]
October 6, 2009 by tapuniversity
The Onion Diagram is a type of stakeholder map. At a glance, it shows stakeholders in the layers of their closeness to a project. In this example, the innermost layer includes the project team, followed by those whose work is directly affected by the project, the organization as a whole, and then external stakeholders such… [Read more…]
August 28, 2009 by tapuniversity
The Requirements Traceability Matrix is a tool that organizes a project’s requirements by linking them to their origins and tracing them throughout the project. It is the purpose of the Manage Requirements Traceability process in the BABOK® 2.0 and it is an output of the fourth edition PMBOK®’s Collect Requirements process – a perfect example… [Read more…]
August 18, 2009 by tapuniversity
The Mind Map is a diagram that illustrates brainstorming around a central word or idea. This method encourages creativity and can be applied to numerous situations, such as generating ideas, classifying them, and visualizing them. It is less constraining than the traditional outline-form of documenting ideas. It can be used to consolidate the brainstorming of… [Read more…]
August 17, 2009 by tapuniversity
The Nominal Group Technique is a group decision-making technique that strives to obtain input from all group members. Before having everyone share their ideas, it can be helpful to have them first write their ideas on pieces of paper. While people are taking turns sharing their ideas, it may inspire group members to have even… [Read more…]
August 14, 2009 by tapuniversity
A Facilitated Workshop is one of the most effective methods of requirements elicitation. Key stakeholders meet together in a focused session, usually lasting one to several days, to define the requirements for a product. They may be originating new ideas for requirements, reviewing existing requirements, or trying to reach agreement on conflicting requirements. Bringing together… [Read more…]
August 12, 2009 by tapuniversity
The tool of Stakeholder Analysis examines the interests, expectations, and influences of a project’s stakeholders. It is a tool and technique of the fourth edition PMBOK®’s Identify Stakeholders process and it is the purpose of the BABOK®’s Conduct Stakeholder Analysis process. First, the stakeholders need to be identified and important information about the documented, such… [Read more…]
August 4, 2009 by tapuniversity
The Requirements Management Plan, a subsidiary of the Project Management Plan, describes how requirements will be “analyzed, documented, and managed throughout the project” (Project Management Institute’s fourth edition PMBOK®). This document is created through the Collect Requirements process, which has just been introduced in the fourth edition PMBOK. This process concerns business analysis activities, and… [Read more…]
July 17, 2009 by tapuniversity
An interview is a straightforward method of gaining information and opinions from others in a verbal manner by the interviewer asking an interviewee a set of questions. It is listed as a technique both of the fourth edition PMBOK®’s Collect Requirements process and as a technique of the BABOK® 2.0. In the fields of project… [Read more…]
July 16, 2009 by tapuniversity
The questionnaire is a commonly used tool utilized across many fields, including project management and business analysis. It is listed as a technique both of the fourth edition PMBOK®’s Collect Requirements process and as a technique of the BABOK® 2.0. It can be a cost-effective way to gather large amounts of data from individuals. Questionnaires… [Read more…]
July 14, 2009 by tapuniversity
The summer of 2009 brings changes to two certification exams for which TAPUniversity provides preparation. Both the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP®) exam and the International Institute of Business Analysis’s (IIBA) Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®) have version changes this summer. As of July 1, the PMP exam is based on the… [Read more…]
June 25, 2009 by tapuniversity
The Business Case document presents the reasoning for performing a project or activity from a business standpoint. The content, formality, and length will vary across situations and organizations. For external projects, the customer may be the author of this document. The Business Case is an input into the fourth edition PMBOK®’s Develop Project Charter process,… [Read more…]
June 23, 2009 by tapuniversity
The Communications Management Plan as outlined in the fourth edition PMBOK® describes how communications will be accomplished throughout a project. It is a subsidiary of the Project Management Plan and is developed through the Plan Communications process. It is specifically listed as an input to the Plan Risk Management process. The Communications Management Plan is… [Read more…]
June 19, 2009 by tapuniversity
For projects that have a product as a deliverable (as opposed to a service or result), product analysis may be performed. Product analysis is a tool and technique of the Define Scope process described in the fourth edition PMBOK®. It means gaining a deep understanding of the product. Because there are so many different types… [Read more…]
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October 13, 2009 by tapuniversity
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