CBAP Study Guide for the
Business Analyst Body of
Knowledge (BABOK) Version 2.0
Sections 2.1: Plan Business Analysis Approach
2.2: Conduct Stakeholder Analysis
2.3: Plan Business Analysis Activities
Kris Hicks-Green
April 23, 2013
IIBA Austin

Chapter 2 emphasizes BA planning and
monitoring as it applies to software
application development, but the lessons
can be applied to other work as well.
Chapter 2 Overview
It (and the rest of BABOK) consistently uses the following
approach:
Also provides info on Elements (factors to plan for); Techniques;
Stakeholders
 Sections 2.1 – 2.3 have four such diagrams: BA Planning and
Monitoring (overview); Plan BA Approach; Conduct Stakeholder
Analysis; Plan BA Activities

Chapter 2 Overview (Cont.)
Everything a BA does—
 the process followed
 how and when the tasks are performed
 the techniques used
 the products that result
—can differ by project.
To develop an appropriate approach, the BA
must understand the organizational process
needs and objectives that apply to the project.
Chapter 2 Overview (Cont)
Inputs to Consider
 Business Need
◦ Problem/Opportunity  Risks  Timeframe

Expert Judgment
◦ You  Stakeholders  Ctrs of Comp  Other

Organizational Process Assets
◦ BA/Process Change/Software Dev Approaches 
Stakeholder Tools  Governance Standards 
Templates  Guidelines
Section 2.1: Plan BA Approach
Plan-driven (Waterfall)
W
h
y
Minimize up-front uncertainty
Maximize control
Minimize risk
W
h
o
Sponsors approve
W
h
e
n
BA work mostly at beginning
or one specific project stage
Change-driven (Agile)
Exploratory/incremental
Rapid delivery
Frequent feedback points
Project Owner approves
List of Req. created early
Detail reqs. when ready for dev.
What Methodology Fits Input?
Plan-driven (Waterfall)
H
o
w
Change-driven (Agile)
High ceremony, detailed
deliverables
Limited documentation, may come
after product completion
Formal approval req’d to
advance
Define reqs., obtain approval
through team interaction
Changes occur only when
necessary & justified.
Changes as “mini projects”
Changes integrated into
production: prioritized alongside
other features
Formal, frequently written,
predefined communication
methods
Frequent, informal.
Documentation follows
implementation to “catch up”
What Methodology Fits Input?

Project Complexity
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Number of stakeholders
Number of business areas affected
Number of business systems affected
Amount and nature of risk
Uniqueness of requirements
Uncertainty of requirements (e.g., new venture vs.
accounting project)
◦ Number of technical resources required
◦ Need to maintain solution knowledge over long
term
Further Approach Considerations

Decision Analysis
◦ Rates available methodologies against org
needs and objectives

Process Modeling
◦ Defines and documents BA approach

Structured Walkthrough
◦ Validates a created, selected, or tailored BA
approach
These are discussed in detail in Chapter 9
Techniques to Determine Approach






Customer, Domain SME, End User or
Supplier
Implementation SME
Project Manager
Tester
Regulator
Sponsor
Identify Stakeholders

The definition of the approach that will be
taken for business analysis in a given
initiative. It may specify:
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Team roles
Deliverables
Analysis techniques
Timing & frequency of stakeholder interactions
More
Output: BA Approach
Business Needs
 Enterprise Architecture

◦ Org units, incl. roles and relationships, and
those units’ interactions, customers, suppliers,
responsibilities

Organizational Process Assets
◦ Policies and procedures, forms, methodologies,
templates, guidelines
2.2: Stakeholder Analysis: Inputs
Identification
 Complexity

◦ Number and variety of direct end users
◦ Number of interfacing business processes and
automated systems
Attitude
 Influence

◦ Influence on project, in org, needed for the
good of project, with other stakeholders
Stakeholder Assessment Elements
Brainstorming
 Interviews
 Organization Modeling
 Requirements Workshops

These and more are described in detail in Chapter 9
Stakeholder Analysis: Techniques

Describes roles of those involved in BA
activities:
[R]esponsible – Does the work
[A]ccountable – The decision maker (limit to one)
[C]onsulted – To be consulted prior to work; gives input
[I]nformed – To be notified of outcome
Change Request Process
RACI
Executive Sponsor
A
Business Analyst
R
Project Manager
C
Developer
C
Tester
I
Trainer
I
Technique: RACI Matrix

Diagrams that depict the relationship of
stakeholders to the solution and one
another.
Technique: Stakeholder Map
Determines activities that must be
performed and deliverables to be
produced
 Defines scope
 Estimates effort required
 Identifies management tools to measure
progress

2.3: Plan BA Activities

Plan incrementally or on a “rolling wave”
basis. (Plan-driven Projects)
◦ High-level plan for long term
◦ Detailed plan for near-term activities
◦ Communicate need (and method) for long-term
plans to change as more is known

Follow a well-defined, time limited process
for developing requirements. Limit each
iteration to work that can be completed in
time allotted. (Change-driven Projects)
To Accommodate Change
BA Approach
 BA Performance Assessment

◦ Prior experience

Organizational Process Assets
◦ May mandate particular deliverables
◦ Lessons learned from previous efforts

Stakeholder List, Roles, Responsibilities
Plan BA Activities: Input





Geographic Distribution of Stakeholders
Type of Project or Initiative
Deliverables
Determine Activities (Work Breakdown
Structure)
Optional: Assumptions, Dependencies,
Milestones
Plan BA Activities: Elements

Estimation
◦ Typically developed in conjunction with PM and
other team members
◦ Makes use of org. methodology and templates

Functional Decomposition
◦ Breaks down the tasks in a project or product
to facilitate understanding of the work to
enable estimation

Risk Analysis
◦ Identify risks that might impact the business
analysis plans
Plan BA Activities: Techniques

Customer, Domain SME, End User, Suppliers

Implementation SME

Operational Support

Project Manager

Tester

Sponsor
◦ Likely the major source of requirements
◦ May need assistance understanding process, goals
◦ Availability is crucial
◦ Can participate to better learn stakeholder needs,
deliverable form and schedule
◦ May use BA deliverables for planning support work
◦ BA Plan integrated with overall project plan
◦ Can participate to learn deliverable form and schedule
◦ Must participate in approval of BA deliverables
Plan BA Activities: Stakeholders

Business Analysis Plan(s). May include:
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Scope of Work
Work Breakdown Structure
Activity List
Estimates for each activity and task
How and when plan should be changed
Plan BA Activities: Output

18% of the CBAP exam questions are drawn
from BA Planning and Monitoring Section.

Tables and diagrams are particularly
important to remember (see pps. 17, 19, 25,
30, 33).
Good to Know!