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The Business Analysis Competency Model(R) version 4 is a research and reference guide that provides the foundational information business analysis professionals need to continuously develop skills in real-time in order to meet the needs of organizations and for career growth.
What does it mean to be a business analyst? What would you do every day? How will you bring value to your clients? And most importantly, what makes a business analyst exceptional? This book will answer your questions about this challenging career choice through the prism of the business analyst mindset — a concept developed by the author, and its twelve principles demonstrated through many case study examples. "Business analyst: a profession and a mindset" is a structurally rich read with over 90 figures, tables and models. It offers you more than just techniques and methodologies. It encourages you to understand people and their behaviour as the key to solving business problems.
Recent research has shown that organizations continue to experience project issues associated with the poor performance of requirements-related activities a core task for the practice of business analysis. In fact, poor requirements practices are often cited as a leading cause of project failure in PMI's Pulse of the Profession surveys. Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide provides practical resources to tackle the project-related issues associated with requirements and business analysis and addresses a critical need in the industry for more guidance in this area.
The Standard for Business Analysis – First Edition is a new PMI foundational standard, developed as a basis for business analysis for portfolio, program, and project management. This standard illustrates how project management processes and business analysis processes are complementary activities, where the primary focus of project management processes is the project and the primary focus of business analysis processes is the product. This is a process-based standard, aligned with A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, and to be used as a standard framework contributing to the business analysis body of knowledge.
A must-have resource for anyone preparing for the version 2.0 of the CBAP exam As organizations look to streamline their production models, the need for qualified and certified business analysts is growing. The Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP) certification is the only certification for this growing field and this study guide is an essential step towards preparation for the CBAP exam. With this resource, you?ll benefit from coverage of both the CBAP as well as the CCBA (Certification in Competency in Business Analysis) exam. Each chapter covers the Business Analysis standards and best practices and includes a list of exam topics covered, followed by in-depth discusses of those objectives. Real-world, hands-on scenarios help take the learning process a step further. Covers Version 2 of the Business Analyst Body of Knowledge (BABOK) Offers invaluable preparation for both the CBAP and CCBA exams Includes a list of exam topics and presents detailed discussions of each objective Features real-world scenarios, best practices, key terms, and a wide range of helpful topics that will prepare you for taking the exams Shares practice exam questions, topic summaries, and exam tips and tricks, all aimed at providing a solid foundation for achieving exam success This valuable study guide provides you with the preparation you need to confidently take the CBAP and CCBA exams.
Praise for Modeling for Insight "Most books on modeling are either too theoretical or too focused on the mechanics of programming. Powell and Batt's emphasis on using simple spreadsheet models to gain business insight (which is, after all, the name of the game) is what makes this book stand head and shoulders above the rest. This clear and practical book deserves a place on the shelf of every business analyst." —Jonathan Koomey, PhD, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Stanford University, author of Turning Numbers into Knowledge: Mastering the Art of Problem Solving Most business analysts are familiar with using spreadsheets to organize data and build routine models. However, analysts often struggle when faced with examining new and ill-structured problems. Modeling for Insight is a one-of-a-kind guide to building effective spreadsheet models and using them to generate insights. With its hands-on approach, this book provides readers with an effective modeling process and specific modeling tools to become a master modeler. The authors provide a structured approach to problem-solving using four main steps: frame the problem, diagram the problem, build a model, and generate insights. Extensive examples, graduated in difficulty, help readers to internalize this modeling process, while also demonstrating the application of important modeling tools, including: Influence diagrams Spreadsheet engineering Parameterization Sensitivity analysis Strategy analysis Iterative modeling The real-world examples found in the book are drawn from a wide range of fields such as financial planning, insurance, pharmaceuticals, advertising, and manufacturing. Each chapter concludes with a discussion on how to use the insights drawn from these models to create an effective business presentation. Microsoft Office Excel and PowerPoint are used throughout the book, along with the add-ins Premium Solver, Crystal Ball, and Sensitivity Toolkit. Detailed appendices guide readers through the use of these software packages, and the spreadsheet models discussed in the book are available to download via the book's related Web site. Modeling for Insight is an ideal book for courses in engineering, operations research, and management science at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It is also a valuable resource for consultants and business analysts who often use spreadsheets to better understand complex problems.
The BABOK Guide contains a description of generally accepted practices in the field of business analysis. Recognised around the world as a key tool for the practice of business analysis and has become a widely-accepted standard for the profession.
"This volume in the Business Analysis Professional Development Series presents all the standard practices for performing business analysis work across seven steps, five perspectives, and 74 techniques. It will help business analysts at all levels further develop their skills and capabilities and master the next, or intermediate, level of competency in business analysis needed to advance their careers. This reference provides valuable guidance to everyone who performs BA work, uses BA deliverables, reviews or approves BA deliverables, or manages or mentors BA practitioners. It will help readers comprehend the BA role, responsibilities, and deliverables that ensure business analysis success. For instructors, trainers, and students, the supplemental Mastering Business Analysis Standard Practices Workbook, designed to be used in conjunction with the main text, enables readers to practice the seven-step process they are learning with a realistic case study, exercises, and suggested solutions. It helps facilitate self-learning and course instruction effectively where users can engage the processes before applying them on their own projects. Key Features [bullet] Presents a structured step-by-step process for performing business analysis that any new or experienced practitioner could follow, rather than having to piece the process together themselves [bullet] Addresses stakeholder identification and thoroughly examines stakeholder analysis and management to ensure a deep understanding before planning or engaging stakeholder involvement [bullet] Discusses how to perform situational needs analysis and prepare situational justification for decision makers within the business context [bullet] Demonstrates how to plan the business analysis work effort and develop and execute communication and information management plans [bullet] Shows how to set up a project for success with a clear and concise scope definition boundary, maintain agreement on scope, and control scope in an ever-changing environment [bullet] Provides detailed guidance on developing solution requirements and design definition for building the solution to meet stakeholder needs [bullet] Details the business analysis practitioner's role as the solution is being bui
Product Ownership Analysis (POA) is a discipline that can be used to assist teams in creating and delivering exceptional products and services for their customers. The Guide to Product Ownership Analysis provides a foundational understanding of the Product Ownership Analysis discipline and outlines a defined framework, techniques, and case studies for practical application. Look for the Certification for POA at IIBA.org.
One of the objectives of this book is to incorporate best practices and standards in to the BA role. While a number of standards and guidelines, such as Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN), have been incorporated, particular emphasis has been placed on the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK), the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), and the Unified Modeling Language (UML).
