Why terms of reference? Terms of reference are a key tool of business analysis. They are a vital control for: projects activities and work packages within the project project governance and management project team members A useful mnemonic for possible elements of a terms of reference is BOSCARD. It provides a framework for a terms of reference and is the basis of a contract between the business analyst and other project team stakeholders. BOSCARD BOSCARD … [Read more...] about Terms of reference for a better service
Requirements analysis and modelling
Requirements analysis As requirements are discovered (elicited) and captured, they should periodically be analysed; they can be analysed for completeness, correctness, priority, release date, ambiguity, clarity, testability, achievability, cost, risk, scope, cultural feasibility, etc. This is true whether the requirements are captured as user stories, use cases, business tasks or any other format. The requirements analysis process involves checking backwards with the requirements owners … [Read more...] about Requirements analysis and modelling
Requirements discovery is child’s play
Chinese Whispers in requirements discovery The child’s game, referred to in English as Chinese Whispers, is one in which children, typically seated in a circle, receive a whispered message from the person on one side and whisper it to the person on their other side. The last person in the circle has to say out loud what they they heard. To the delight of the children, this usually has nothing to do with the original message. Unfortunately the process of requirements discovery … [Read more...] about Requirements discovery is child’s play
Simplify your business rules with decision tables
Is this you? Have you ever struggled to capture business rules or requirements that involve multiple conditions? If yes, you’re not alone. I’ve met many business analysts struggling to specify business rules and multiple conditions using techniques such as user stories or traditional requirements formats. And they end up in a tangle. When I demonstrate decision tables, it’s like an epiphany. I’ve even had analysts ask if they’re allowed to use the technique – “Shouldn’t we be using … [Read more...] about Simplify your business rules with decision tables
Simple Steps for Better Business Process Design
A Process Hierarchy The adjacent diagram shows a hierarchy of activities. Each is named in the verb noun format, and is singular, i.e. ‘Fulfil Order’, not ‘Fulfil Orders‘ It is common to refer to the activity at the top of such a hierarchy as a ‘Process’ and the activities at the bottom as ‘Tasks’. This suggestion for terminology was made by Sharpe and McDermott in there book, “Workflow Modelling”. The diagram at the right is often referred to as a ‘process hierarchy’. It allows us … [Read more...] about Simple Steps for Better Business Process Design
What is a requirement?
There is no universally agreed, ‘standard’ definition of the term requirement; many groups and individuals will have their own definitions. In general, it is reasonable to assume that a requirement represents something of value to the person or group that expressed it. IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) offers the following definition: A condition or capability – needed by a user to solve a problem or achieve an objective – that must be met by a system or … [Read more...] about What is a requirement?