BCS Foundation in Business Analysis

Course Objectives

• Understand what business analysis is and the competencies of a Business Analyst
• Appreciate the strategic context for business analysis
• Recognise the business analysis service framework
• Investigate the business situation, analyse and manage stakeholders and improve business services and processes
• Understand the making of a business case
• Know the concepts of the definition, documentation, modelling, validation and management of requirements, to deliver a solution
• Prepare for the BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis exam

Who Should Attend?

• Business Analysts and Business Systems Analysts
• Business Managers
• Developers and delivery project roles
• Project Managers and Team Leaders
• Quality Assurance and Quality Control Managers
• Product Owners

Course Content

What is a Business Analyst

• The business change lifecycle
• The six Principles of Business Analysis

Competencies of a Business Analyst

• The T-shaped professional
• The three areas of business analysis competency

Strategic Context for Business Analysis

• Business analysis and strategic context
• Techniques: PESTLE, VMOST, CSFs, KPIs, SWOT analysis, the POPIT model, the business model canvas

The Business Analysis Service Framework (BASF)

• The contents of the BASF, including stakeholder engagement

Investigating the Business Situation

• Techniques: workshops, observation, interviews, scenarios, prototyping, user role analysis, rich pictures and mind maps

Analysing and Managing Stakeholders

• Techniques: the stakeholder wheel, Power / Interest Grid and RACI

Improving Business Services and Processes

• The business process hierarchy
• SIPOC, Value Chain Analysis, Value Propositions
• Event-response level and Actor-task level diagrams
• Process modelling and improving business processes
• Customer journey maps

Defining the Solution

• Gap Analysis and the POPIT model
• Developing options
• Design Thinking and convergent thinking

Making the Business Case

• Lifecycle for business case development
• Feasibility assessment
• Structure and content of a business case
• CARDI log, Payback, DCF, NPV, IRR

Establishing Requirements

• The Framework for Requirements Engineering
• Tacit Knowledge; requirements filters and business rules

Documenting and Modelling Requirements

• Documentation styles, Requirements catalogue
• The Product Backlog and user stories
• Use Cases, Class models

Validating and Managing Requirements

• Formal validation process
• Traceability and change control

Delivering Requirements

• Delivery lifecycles: Waterfall, V model, Agile

Delivering the Business Solution

• Role of the BA in the Business Change lifecycle
• Human responses to change and the SARAH model
• Business readiness assessment and benefits review

Top Reasons To Choose TCC

• Co-developer of the BCS Business Analysis certifications
• Co-author of the official BCS book: Business Analysis
• Our BCS courses are unique and use training materials exclusive to TCC
• Training Business Analysts for over 30 years
• High exam pass rates - over 95%
• Courses delivered by experienced Business Analysts

FAQs

Will I need to do any homework during the course?

Some evening work is required.

Are there any pre-requisites for completing this course?

There are no pre-requisites for the course.

Is there an examination included with this course?

Delegates sit a one-hour multiple choice examination at the end of the course. Successful candidates are awarded the BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis.