Beyond the BACoE: Developing Business Analysis Maturity

What is Business Analysis Maturity? Introduction Agenda What is Business Analysis Maturity? Introduction Assessing Business Analysis Maturity Assessment Framework Assessment Approach Scorecard Improvement Roadmap Case Study Question and Answers Contact Information

Tell us about yourself! Name Company Introduction Tell us about yourself! Name Company Familiarity with Business Analysis Why did you join us today? Brian – lead this slide

What is Business analysis maturity? The History: As the availability and complexity of IT solutions grew, so did the role and importance of the business analyst. The necessity to collaborate and adopt new tools and techniques quickly, inspired the development of business analysis centers of excellence (BACoEs). 1950s Introduction of the Computer 1970s Introduction of Methodology 1990s Rise of the PC The history timeline information comes from the an article from Modern Analyst. The article is embedded above so the speaker can review to get additional talking points. 1960s Management Information Systems 1980s Tool Oriented Approach 2000s Gadgets Rule provided by www.modernanalyst.com

What is Business analysis maturity? Maturity Components: People Components Assesses the level to which BA roles are defined, how new BAs are trained, and the level to which management understands and supports the BA role within the organization Process Components Assesses the level to which the business analysts follow defined processes which represent industry standard best practices This component also assesses the degree to which the business analysts use defined templates that support the processes (e.g., requirements specifications, traceability matrices, etc.). Tools and Technology Components Assesses the level to which the business analysts understand and use analysis tools and techniques (e.g., UML modeling, ROI calculations, requirements management databases, etc.).

BA maturity assessment framework People Role Definition Organizational Placement Competency Building Management Support Organizational Awareness Training Process Planning & Monitoring Enterprise Analysis Elicitation Requirements Analysis Solution Assessment & Validation Req. Management & Communication Tools & Technology Analysis Tools Modeling Tools Requirements Repository Traceability Tools Estimation Tools Software Applications

BA maturity assessment Approach Momentum has developed an easy way to complete Business Analysis Maturity assessments, scorecards, and improvement roadmaps: The Approach Two assessment phases – initial and detailed Scorecard which outlines current capabilities and areas for improvement Improvement roadmap which provides short-term and long-term improvement strategies The Results Customized implementation strategies designed to maximize the value of the business analysis maturity components with a managed, phased approach designed to produce significant benefits

BA maturity assessment Approach While a comprehensive, enterprise-wide implementation of business analysis best practices would be ideal, it is not always practical. There are many benefits of using a phased approach: Easier to “sell” smaller BA methodology enhancements to upper management ROI can be documented at each stage Allows organization to implement improvements coordinated with PMLC and SDLC maturity levels

Assessment Scorecard People Process Tools & Technology Role Definition Organizational Placement Competency Building Management Support Organizational Awareness Training Process Planning & Monitoring Enterprise Analysis Elicitation Requirements Analysis Solution Assessment & Validation Req. Management & Communication Tools & Technology Analysis Tools Modeling Tools Requirements Repository Traceability Tools Estimation Tools Software Applications

Improvement roadmap Identified areas for improvement prioritized to align with overall organizational goals Suggested actions and estimated timeframes to address gaps between current performance levels and desired performance goals Multi-level plan that outlines suggested timeframes to re-assess and re-baseline BA performance

Case study – Understanding the Problem Case Study Timeline: 2007 – Performed business analysis overview training, mentored business analysts, observed performance during pilot project and provided assessment 2008 – Developed applicable templates and outlined business analysis processes aligned with existing PMO processes 2009 – Began joint partnership to provide additional resources and further develop BACoE standards, processes and templates Present – Expanding business analysis services to a greater number of projects and service offerings Future – Will continue training and mentoring newly acquired in-house business analysts to ensure alignment with developed methodology Assessment Results: Lack of Skill Development No Methodology No Monitoring of Task Execution No Process Refinement

Case Study - solving the problem Identifying and implementing strategies that address each component – People, Processes, and Tools & Technology: Skill Development Analysis Skills (e.g., process modeling, estimating, decision analysis, etc.) Underlying Competencies (e.g., leadership, communication, industry knowledge, solution knowledge) Methodology Development Processes (e.g., elicitation, documentation, requirements analysis, etc.) Templates (e.g., requirement specifications, traceability matrices, etc.) BA Task Execution & Monitoring Business Analysis Return on Investment Methodology Refinement

Gain Momentum… Produce Results Thank you! On behalf of Momentum and TechQuest, we sincerely thank you for attending our Lunch and Learn. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments. We will now open the floor for a Q&A session. Presenters: Emily Iem Brad Wastler eiem@m-inc.com bwastler@m-inc.com Momentum, Inc. | 2120 Market Street, Suite 100 | Camp Hill, PA 17011 (717) 214-8000 | http://www.m-inc.com Gain Momentum… Produce Results