Business requirements gathering and writing works best when the business analyst doesn’t throw the requirements over the cubicle wall to IT!  Using collaborative requirements gathering sessions for scoping, high level requirements and detailed requirements should be conducted.  If you involve the technical team in the detailed requirements sessions, you will have less churn and less chaos.  Below is a description of the focus group sessions the Business Analyst can conduct:

• The first step would be to review the requirements use cases from the requirements sessions previously conducted.
• Once you have reviewed the high level requirements, you are ready to identify how the system will work with the SMEs, and Technical Leads.  Using the requirements use cases, develop the detailed steps of the flows on the use cases.  Using a ping-pong method, identify what the user will do and what the system response should be and document.  The Business Analyst can use an Activity Diagram with swimlanes technique to help identify the detailed steps in the use case.
• While you are identifying the detailed steps, you can also note where you have screens and reference them on the use case.  The Business Analyst should lead the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and the Technical Team in a brainstorming session using the storyboarding technique to collaboratively build screen mock-ups.
• The Business Analyst should then further define the screen specifications by capturing the details of the data fields on the screens with the team. 

A good article that supports the importance of collaborative detailed requirements sessions as described above is as follows:  http://advice.cio.com/jim_vaughan/10442/project_managers_need_to_engage_it_at_the_right_time

In this economy it’s hard to stay affloat and ahead of the game. This past year so many companies have gone out of business and the ones that are predicted to go under this coming year are astonishing. T Mobil, Reader’s digest, and Blockbuster are but a few of the listed companies that are in too much trouble to dig out of.

However, one of the best ways to make sure you have a superior company with better customer service is to constantly test and re-test your employees and your methods.

Employing a business analyst within your company is a great way to keep day to day tabs on what is being done well and what needs improvement. These individuals are sharp, focused, and diligent. The great ones are trained by Pierson Requirements Group.

Pierson aims to make you and your people run at their absolute best through targeting weak areas, retraining and even overhauling of old processes and methods.

Review the many ways in which they can offer your business the tools needed to stay in the black for years to come by making sure no one out there does what you do better or more efficiently.

Contact Pierson Requirements Group for more information on seminars and training classes today.

The key to understanding where you want your business to go is simple. Set goals and then aim for them. Don’t stop until you have your company in the position where you want it. However, the key to getting from goal setting to goal reaching is more difficult to define. Pierson Requirements Group out of CT is a company of experts on bridging that specific gap.

Pierson will aid your company in taking your long term goals and breaking them down into daily steps involving analyzing, training, and execution.

They use some very specific methods which they have honed to near perfection.

“Pierson can provide you with a customized methodology for Object-Oriented development projects using the notation of the Unified Modeling Language (UML) and the Unified Process. This customized methodology can be placed on your intranet to serve as a handbook or guide for the software system development teams. This document defines the steps and phases that should be followed, technical modeling options, and refers to quality procedures which should be employed

Pierson can also provide your company with a methodology to evaluate and select a vendor for outsourcing and for evaluation and selection of software packages.” - Pierson

Check out the pages of explanations and definitions to better understand what role Pierson can play in your business plan and how big that role is going to be.

Understanding the importance of someone who can identify issues within your company is the true key to success.

Training courses that target specific areas within your company are one of the components to a great and growing empire. If your small business wishes to grow beyond it’s current reach, Pierson Requirements Group can help you do just that.

They have specialized trainers and training courses so that your employees can be better equip to handle whatever your professional niche throws at them.

They have courses such as the two day seminar entitled ‘Agile Training’. The course aims to focus on training the product owners and business users how to be an effective testers. This class will:

• Provide an understanding of the different testing techniques and methods and when to use them
• Learn how to identify and write test scenarios and test cases using UML and Use Cases
• Learn how to quality check requirements documents and use cases
• Define a repeatable process for User Acceptance Testing

and much more! Each participant receives a handbook for later referencing and Pierson remains in contact with your offices  should further questions become pertinent. See a full class breakdown here.

Contact Pierson today and watch how they can make your company faster, more efficient, and better at everything.

The objectives of the seminar are to:

• Define best practices and standards for writing requirements and solutions documents
• Provide practical exercises for using requirements gathering techniques using UML diagrams and use cases
• Writing and critiquing requirements and system specifications using industry standards and best practice guidelines and checklists

The Pierson Requirements Group has been a consulting and training company since 1990 and they’ve helped many businesses realize their potential by using practices to uniquely steer your company down the road to success. Their business analysts can help you take your idea from inception to full fruition in a clear and concisely planned way which will aide the smooth running of your ship.

1. Hallmark
2. Experian
3. Dell Professional Services
4. The US Department of Energy
5. the list goes on!

Detailed Use Case

Quality Assurance Checklist

Use Case Name:                    Verb/noun 

Use Case Number:                Follow current standards? (i.e. references to related systems) 

Iteration:                                Is iteration level noted? 

Description:                            Does the description:

1.      Begin with “the purpose of this use case is…”

2.      Clearly state the value provided to the actor

3.      Clearly state the purpose/goal of the use case                                 

Generic Scenario:                  The generic course of events should:                 

1.      Clearly state how the use case starts and ends (i.e. this use case starts when and ends when)

2.      Be written in the appropriate perspective (system perspective)

3.      Have a minimum of 3 steps identified

4.      Be consistent with description and within the scope of the description

5.      Use the active voice to describe the end user or system interface performing the steps

6.      Document the system solution, using ping pong, to identify the system interface responses clearly

7.      Identify links to other use cases, by underlining the use case name and reference the use case number

8.      Not document GUI but instead attach a prototype or an activity diagram

9.      Have no more than 9 or so steps

10.  Provide a step by step flow of events from the actor’s perspective.

Actors:                                    Are the correct actors identified?

1.      Are the users and/or systems that communicate with the solution identified?

2.      Are the actors a person or system other than the support system under development?

3.      Are the actors identified only involved in this use case? 

Alternate Scenario:                Are the alternate paths identified correctly?

1.      Is the path intentional by the actor and within the actor’s control?

2.      Does the title of the alternate describe the alternate path and tell why it is an alternate.

3.      Is the alternate using the appropriate numbering scheme and is referenced in the basic course of events section? (A1)

4.      Does the alternate successfully complete the use case?

Exceptions:                             Are the system exceptions identified?

1.      Do the exceptions result in a different outcome of the use case?

2.      Is the exception unintentional, an anticipated failure that needs a recovery plan?

3.      Is the exception using the appropriate numbering scheme (E1) and is referenced in the basic course of events section?

Trigger:                                 

1.      Is the event that causes the use case to occur present?

2.      Is the active voice used?

3.      Is the trigger a business event, not a system event? 

Assumptions:

1.      Is the item outside the control of development (including the out of scope) AND must be in place before the use case can run? 

Preconditions:                       

1.      Ensure the precondition is not the first step of the basic course of events.

2.      Is the item inside the control of development and in place prior to the execution of the use case?   

Post conditions:

1.      Ensure post condition is not the last step of the basic course of events.

2.      Does the post condition declare the state after the use case execution?  

Related Business Rules:

1.      Are the business rules specific to this use case?

2.      Is it a business related rule rather than a system rule?

3.      Should be written as a declarative statement

Issues:                                               

Should be NONE

Business Analysts are responsible for facilitating requirements analysis, requirements validation and business process improvement.  Below are some qualities and traits of a good Requirements Lead and Business Process Improvement Facilitator that a Business Analyst should develop to be effective.

·        Communicates well

·        Processes ideas from people

·        Shows a natural interest

·        Listens well

·        Maintains control

·        Empowers the group

·        Handles uncertainty

·        Is quick to connect with the group

·        Focuses on the business not their own solutions

·        Communication skills

§         Negotiating

§         Group dynamics

§         Listen/draw conclusions

·        Business Savvy

§         Running meetings

§         Systems Analysis & Design

§         Relates well to people

·        Management skills

§         Project Management

§         Manages people’s expectations

·        Reputation

·        Impartial

·        Devoted to the process

§         Understands and constantly sells the process

Pierson Requirements Group provides training in effectively leading requirements and business process improvement initiatives.  Some popular classes for improving the Business Analyst facilitation skills are the Business Requirements Gathering & Writing Seminar using JAD, Use Cases and UML Techniques and the Business Process Management Facilitation.   

To learn more about training that is available for these collaborative techniques and methodologies click on Pierson’s Requirements Group’s agendas for JAD Facilitation & Requirements Gathering using Use Cases and Business Requirements Gathering & Writing Seminars.

3 Step Method

This is a good technique for identifying risks and issues.  Use this technique for the beginning of the session.

1.                 Individual- Write ideas and thoughts on flip chart paper/whiteboard.  Be creative and draw pictures.

2.                 Small Group- Break up into groups of 3 – 5 people.  Each person in the group should present their results.  As you listen to the presentation note the common themes.  Each group creates a consolidated group list.  Each group presents their results and gets feedback from the larger group.

3.                 Large Group- Facilitator leads the group and consolidates decisions from each group getting consensus for the final lists.

Implementation of the process change

Prepare an Implementation Plan-

·          Recommend a specific course of action

·          Identify the potential problems and risks

Measure the success

Identify how you would measure the success of the new business state (new process).  What mechanisms would you put in place to monitor the success? (Follow-up with customer, questionnaires, etc.)  How will you ensure the performance measurements were “fit for the purpose’? (Use the business intent)

Monitoring the performance and effectiveness

What is the effectiveness of the new systems or procedures through the appropriate control mechanisms?  Identify the procedures to a standard sufficient to achieve the defined objectives by routine checks, and corrective action.