Scrum Fundamentals:
Analyst to ‘Agilist’
The Agile Business Analyst
• By Louis Molnar
(C) IAG Consulting 2009
By: Louis Molnar
Learning Objectives
• Level Set
– Agile Manifesto
– Mythology
• IIBA Skill Set
• Agile BA Traits
• Inhibitors to Agile
Analysis
• Transition to Agile
Coach
• Growing a More Agile
‘You’
© IAG Consulting 2009
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Webinar is NOT about
Definition/explanation of:
• Scrum/XP/FDD/Lean, etc
• Roles within each Agile
approach
• Most of tools/techniques
• Terminology
© IAG Consulting 2009
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Agile Manifesto
Manifesto for Agile Software Development
We are uncovering better ways of developing
software by doing it and helping others do it.
Through this work we have come to value:
Individuals and interactions over processes and
tools
Working software over comprehensive
documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
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Mythology
Myth #1: We don’t need to follow any development process
…
Agile Value Statement:
“Individuals and interactions over processes and tools”
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Mythology
Myth #2: We don’t need to do any documentation …
Agile Value Statement:
“Working software over comprehensive documentation ”
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Mythology
Myth #3: We don’t need any customer sign-off ..
Agile Value Statement:
“Customer collaboration over contract negotiation ”
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Mythology
Myth #4: We don’t need to produce any kind of plan …
Agile Value Statement:
“Responding to change over following a plan”
© IAG Consulting 2009
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IIBA defines a Business Analyst
• “A business analyst
works as a liaison
among stakeholders
in order to elicit,
analyze,
communicate, and
validate requirements
for changes to
business processes,
policies, and
information systems.”
Source: International Institute of Business
Analysis (IIBA®)
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Natural Fit for a Business Analyst?
• “A business analyst
works as a liaison
among stakeholders
in order to elicit,
analyze,
communicate, and
validate requirements
for changes to
business processes,
policies, and
information systems.”
The Essential Business Analysis
Skills
• Analyze and understand the
business problems
• Identify and document
requirements
• Communicate effectively (written
and spoken)
• Manage client relationships
• Facilitate discussions
• Negotiate and build consensus
• Model data and processes
• Plan and manage activities
• Facilitate and develop business
strategy
• Understand and manage
organizational change
Source: International Institute of Business
Analysis (IIBA®)
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Agile BA Traits
Essential BA Skill
• Analyze and understand
the business problems
Measure Your Agility
1) Are you feedback driven?
2) Do you actively seek to
learn?
3) Do you adapt your
approach to problem
solving?
4) Do you explore the
problem space?
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Agile BA Traits
Essential BA Skill
• Identify and document
requirements
Measure Your Agility
1) Do you continually
estimate & prioritize
requirements with your
stakeholders?
2) Are you quality focused?
3) Are you communications
focused?
4) Are you a documentation
'minimalist'?
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Agile BA Traits
Essential BA Skill
• Communicate effectively
(written and spoken)
Measure Your Agility
1) Are you communications
rich?
2) Are you iterative?
3) Are you using models as
a communications
vehicle?
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Agile BA Traits
Essential BA Skill
• Manage client
relationships
Measure Your Agility
1. Do you integrate
Stakeholders into your
Team?
2. Are you 'change
friendly'?
3. Do you demonstrate
‘servant leadership’
traits.
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Agile BA Traits
Essential BA Skill
• Facilitate discussions
Measure Your Agility
1. Are you a 'facilitator' of
discussions?
2. Are you an enabler of
groups ‘performing’?
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Agile BA Traits
Essential BA Skill
• Negotiate and build
consensus
Measure Your Agility
1) Do you work
collaboratively &
cooperatively with
others?
2) Do you act as a mentor?
3) Are you evolutionary?
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Agile BA Traits
Essential BA Skill
• Model data and processes
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Activity Diagram
Class Diagram
Constraint Definition
CRC Model
Data Flow Diagram
Entity Relationship Diagram
Process Flow Charts
Robustness Diagram
Measure Your Agility
1) Are you satisfied with
artifacts that are 'just
good enough'?
2) Do you use the right
model for the right
purpose?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sequence Diagram
State Transition Diagram
System Use Case
UI Prototype
User Stories
Usage Scenario
Use Case Diagram
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Agile BA Traits
Essential BA Skill
• Plan and manage
activities
Measure Your Agility
1) Do you assist in the
development of the
Product backlog that
utilize A.G.I.L.E. User
Stories?
2) Do you help in the
prioritization of the User
Stories?
3) Do you assist/map out
the release iterations?
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Agile BA Traits
Essential BA Skill
• Facilitate and develop
business strategy
Measure Your Agility
1. Do you treat
requirements like a
prioritized stack?
2. Do you help develop
alternate business
strategies for the
problem domain?
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Agile BA Traits
Essential BA Skill
• Understand and manage
organizational change
Measure Your Agility
1. Are you an effective
'assimilator'?
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Inhibitors to Agile Analysis
•
•
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•
•
•
Viewing agile as a serial or mini-waterfall
methodology
Focusing on expanding artifacts that you
specialize in
Focusing on documentation rather than
communication
Viewing your role as the 'bridge' between
the 'business morons' and the 'tech
weenies’
Protecting your territory "that's my job" &
working to job title
Getting stuck in the traditional BA
paradigm
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Developing more documentation than is
required
Not realizing that models are disposable
Having only one-way of doing things
Unwilling to experience tasks outside of
your comfort zone
Not embracing changing requirements &
continuous improvement
Modeling in isolation
Resistance in using collaborative
techniques
Not accepting & adapting to the fluid
nature of the project
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Transitioning to Agile Coach
• Develop & foster a productive agile Team
• Leading by example
• Educate the Team
• Over come problems using the PrOpER cycle
• Build trust
• Role model
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Growing a more Agile “You”
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Covering the basics
Share with others
Get some training
Make a plan
Build your network
Attend conferences
User Groups
Find a coach/mentor
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Recap
• Level Set
– Agile Manifesto
– Mythology
• IIBA Skill Set
• Agile BA Traits
• Inhibitors to Agile
Analysis
• Transition to Agile
Coach
• Growing a More Agile
‘You’
© IAG Consulting 2009
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Questions & Answers
About IAG Consulting
Objectives
12 Years of living requirements excellence:
Completed over 1,200 requirements projects
Worked with over 300 of the Fortune 500 companies
Trains over 1,200 business analysts annually
Somewhat in excess of 700 clients using our methods
50 staff members all 100% focused on excellence in business
requirements
Annually invested 10% of our revenue in developing our methods,
processes and techniques to assure that these are harmonized and
industry best practices
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IAG Agile Scrum: Services
1. Training:
a. Certified Scrum Product
Owner
b. Certified ScrumMaster
2. Coaching &
Mentoring:
a. Product Owner Coach
b. ScrumMaster Coach
c. Scrum Implementation
Coach
3. Scrum Readiness/
Audit Reviews:
a. Readiness Review
b. Audit Review
© IAG Consulting 2009
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Questions & Answers
Important Information
Garry McGouldrick
Senior Vice President
(gm@iag.biz)
Eric Mark
Regional Manager
(emark@iag.biz)
IAG Consulting
905.842.0123 or 800.209.3616
THANK YOU
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