Example Analyse this User Story: “As a Data Analyst, I want an anonymised copy of our 2025 sales data, so that I can use it for customer research without risking exposure of individual identities.” While this may look like a well-written User Story that follows the INVEST (Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small and Testable) criteria, there is some ambiguity that carries potential legal, ethical and reputational implications. Whether we use AI simply to assist with some of the tasks or…
Continue ReadingBusiness Analyst Interviews
06/03/2019 |
By IRM Training
Business Analyst Interviews Why Should a Business Analyst Hold an Interview? The first purpose for an interview would have course be to explore the existing system. This is usually the first thing we have to do when beginning a new project, that is to understand the existing system which will be replaced by a new one or enhanced in some way. Other contexts may be to define the business goals and objectives of the project, or to drill down…
Continue ReadingIntroduction to Agile (and Scrum)
20/03/2018 |
By IRM Training
Introduction to Agile (and Scrum) What Is Agile? There are many definitions given for Agile. The one we have selected, is the one provided in Wikipedia. “Agile software development describes a set of values and principles for software development under which requirements and solutions evolve through the collaborative effort of self-organising cross functional teams”. Notice first of all that it is concerned with values and principles, rather than a new technique which we can learn from a textbook. We must…
Continue ReadingMost Popular Business Analysis Techniques
17/02/2017 |
By IRM Training
It can be difficult to keep up with the most popular business analysis techniques. Do you know which methodology analysts have the most experience using? How about diagramming techniques? We conducted a survey of over 1,100 business analysts (68% with over 5 years experience) which gave some interesting results as to what business analysis techniques are the most popular. Methodologies When it comes to software development methodologies, 68% said they had experience with waterfall development, 46% said iterative whilst object-oriented…
Continue ReadingIs Business Analysis Low Tech?
13/07/2013 |
By IRM Training
Many course attendees ask us – what are the best business analysis tools, what software should I use, can we have computers in the training room? The reality is, the more sophisticated the software you’re using, the greater the chance it will hinder, rather than help, the business analysis process. Almost 10 years ago, an article by Scott Ambler, Software Modeling on Whiteboards, argued that the modelling tool with the greatest installed base in the world was the whiteboard. Scott…
Continue ReadingFrom Mission Statement to Business Process
19/05/2011 |
By IRM Training
Most business analysts will never interview a CEO and many don’t understand how a company’s real objectives cascade down to the little bit of requirements they’re doing for a particular system. How does my system fit into the company’s business strategy? What is my role in the big picture? To understand this we need to start at the beginning – or rather at the top. Everyone knows a company’s objective is to make money (if we’re a commercial organisation)…
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