Application
This unit applies to senior business analysts in medium to large organisations who ensure business analysis activities for a particular business analysis effort are properly initiated, planned and managed.
Their job roles combine high-level management, business and technical skills necessary to manage complex analysis efforts within the information and communications technology (ICT) industry, often as part of business critical IT projects.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Plan business analysis approach | 1.1 Establish organisational process needs and objectives that apply to the initiative and if necessary define the requirements that the process must meet 1.2 Review existing organisational standards, including standards, guidelines and processes relating to the current initiative 1.3 Tailor approach to the needs of a specific business analysis initiative, according to organisational standards if required 1.4 Engage with the appropriate stakeholders to determine how the work will be completed 1.5 Plan the execution of business activities |
2. Conduct stakeholder analysis | 2.1 Recognise stakeholders who may be affected by the business need or a new solution 2.2 Assess stakeholder attitudes toward and influence over the initiative 2.3 Decide which stakeholders will have authority over business analysis activities 2.4 Instigate regular reviews to identify new stakeholders or changed positions as clarity of business needs evolve |
3. Plan business analysis activities | 3.1 Decide the type of project or initiative and the business analysis deliverables 3.2 Determine the scope of work for business analysis activities 3.3 Approve which activities the business analyst will perform and when 3.4 Develop estimates for business analysis work |
4. Plan business analysis communication | 4.1 Determine how best to receive, distribute, access, update and escalate information from project stakeholders 4.2 Decide how best to communicate with each stakeholder according to stakeholder needs and constraints to communication |
5. Plan requirements management process | 5.1 Establish a requirements repository for storing requirements, including those under development, those under review, and approved requirements 5.2 Assess the need and process for requirements traceability based on relevant factors 5.3 Conclude which requirements attributes will be captured 5.4 Determine the process for requirements change management |
6. Manage business analysis performance | 6.1 Determine which metrics will be used to measure the work performed by the business analyst 6.2 Report performance in an appropriate format based on the needs of the project 6.3 Assess performance measures to determine where problems may be occurring in executing business analysis activities 6.4 Identify preventative or corrective actions as required |
Required Skills
Required skills
analytical skills to review organisational and technical business solutions
communication skills to:
conduct focus groups and requirements workshops
conduct research, interviews and liaise with stakeholders
planning and organisational skills to:
develop mitigation strategies
manage an analysis project
manage risk and implement contingency plans
problem-solving and analytical skills to brainstorm requirements and approaches
technical writing skills to develop requirements documents and specifications
technical skills to develop models of systems, processes and solutions.
Required knowledge
business-analysis process, procedures and techniques
project management process, procedures and techniques
risk management strategies
technology and technology solution patterns.
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: plan and monitor business analysis activities, including determining an approach and processes that are appropriate to the circumstances determine business analysis deliverables, tasks and estimates determine metrics that will be used for monitoring business analysis work. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: documentation, including appropriate policies, current business analysis practices, tools and legislation appropriate learning and assessment support when required modified equipment for people with special needs. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: evaluation of a simulated or workplace project in a medium to large enterprise direct observation of the candidate carrying out business analysis work verbal or written questioning to assess required knowledge and skills review of reports and plans prepared for the projects evaluation of a portfolio of the project work undertaken. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, where appropriate. Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed. Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support. In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Initiative may include: | feasibility studies new software development (in-house) organisational change outsourced new software development process improvement software maintenance or enhancement software package selection. |
Approach defines: | approach will also determine how the planning process is performed deliverables life cycle templates and tasks that should be included. |
Appropriate stakeholders may include: | customer, domain SME, end user or supplier implementation SME regulator or other stakeholder with legal or governance authority over the solution or the process used to develop it project manager tester sponsor. |
Business activities may include: | analysis techniques frequency of stakeholder interactions project deliverables project risk project timeframe team roles other elements of the business-analysis process. |
Influence may include: | influence on the project influence in the organisation influence needed to ensure success of the particular project influence with other stakeholders. |
Authority may relate to: | approving the deliverables approving the requirements process that will be used inspecting and approving the requirements requesting and approving changes reviewing and approving the traceability structure vetoing proposed requirements or solutions (individually or in a group). |
Stakeholder needs and constraints to communication may include: | communication approach for the stakeholder how best to communicate requirements conclusions or packages, including authority level (sign-off authority, veto authority or review only) physical location or time zone of the stakeholders time and resource availability constraints what types of communications will be required, such as status, anomalies, issues and their resolution, risks, meeting results and action items what types of requirements will be elicited, such as business, stakeholder, solution, or transition; high level versus detailed and how best to elicit them. |
Requirements repository may include: | diagrams and models requirements management tools and applications whiteboards word-processing documents wikis any other method of recording information that allows requirements to be single-sourced and available to stakeholders for as long as they are needed. |
Relevant factors may include: | complexity of the domain number of views of requirements that will be produced potential impacts from risk costs and benefits involved. |
Requirements attributes may include: | absolute reference via a unique numeric (preferred) or textual identifier author of the requirement cost complexity ownership priority risks associated with meeting or not meeting the requirements source of the requirement stability status urgency resource assignment revision number traced-from and traced-to. |
Appropriate format may include: | verbal presentation writing. |
Sectors
Systems analysis and design
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement but users should confirm requirements with the relevant federal, state or territory authority.