Delivering business analysis : The BA service handbook

Business analysis (BA) is an important business operation, and with some coordinated effort, it can become an efficient and valuable business service. This book takes you through the creation and management of a BA service, from setting strategy to recruiting business analysts, to continuous improvement, through to useful supporting tools and technology. Top tips, case studies and worked examples are included throughout. Cover Copyright Page CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES AUTHORS FOREWORD ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABBREVIATIONS GLOSSARY PREFACE 1 INTRODUCING THE BA SERVICE INTRODUCTION BUSINESS ANALYSIS AS A SERVICE THE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE CONCEPT SITUATING THE BA SERVICE THE ROLE OF THE BUSINESS ANALYST THE 3RD WAVE MODEL FOR BUSINESS ANALYSIS CHALLENGES FACING THE BA SERVICE CONCLUSION 2 INTRODUCING THE BA SERVICE FRAMEWORK INTRODUCTION THE NATURE OF SERVICE THE NATURE OF VALUE APPLYING THE BASF THE BASF AND THE PORTFOLIO BUSINESS ANALYST THE BUSINESS CASE FOR THE BA SERVICE CONCLUSION 3 RECRUITING AND RETAINING BUSINESS ANALYSTS INTRODUCTION RECRUITMENT STRATEGY RECRUITMENT PLANNING SEARCH SELECTION APPROACH INDUCTION RETENTION SUCCESSION PLANNING CONCLUSION CASE STUDY 1: RECRUITING IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET 4 DEVELOPING THE BUSINESS ANALYSTS INTRODUCTION THE T-SHAPED PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS ANALYST SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORKS SERVICE VIEW OF SKILLS DEVELOPMENT THE BA SERVICE AS A LEARNING ORGANISATION CONCLUSION CASE STUDY 2: GREEN-FIELD BA SERVICE 5 ENABLING A HIGH-PERFORMANCE BA SERVICE INTRODUCTION APPRAISAL AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT APPROACHES TO FACILITATE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT UNDERSTANDING PERSONAL MOTIVATION PROVIDING FEEDBACK REMOVAL CONCLUSION CASE STUDY 3: MANAGING PERFORMANCE WITH EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING 6 STANDARDISING THE BA SERVICE INTRODUCTION THE ROLE OF STANDARDS AND TEMPLATES SELECTING THE STANDARDS MODELLING STANDARDS CREATION AND MAINTENANCE OF TEMPLATES ADOPTION OF STANDARDS CONCLUSION CASE STUDY 4: PROVIDING CONSISTENT BUSINESS ANALYSIS 7 APPLYING SOFTWARE TOOLS TO SUPPORT THE BA SERVICE INTRODUCTION SUPPORT TOOL CATEGORIES SUPPORT TOOL MATURITY ASSESSMENT SELECTING BUSINESS ANALYSIS SUPPORT TOOLS REASONS TOOLS CAN FAIL CONCLUSION CASE STUDY 5: REALISING BENEFITS FROM INVESTMENT IN SUPPORT TOOLS 8 LEADING THE BA SERVICE INTRODUCTION WHAT IS A LEADER? ROLE OF THE BA LEADER EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORKS AND STYLES CHALLENGES FACING BA LEADERS CONCLUSION CASE STUDY 6: LEADING A BA SERVICE TRANSFORMATION 9 OPERATING THE BA SERVICE INTRODUCTION GAP ANALYSIS OF THE MANAGEMENT PROCESSES BUSINESS ANALYSIS CONSULTANCY MANAGEMENT BUSINESS ANALYSIS DEMAND MANAGEMENT BUSINESS ANALYSIS PLANNING BUSINESS ANALYSIS PROCESS MANAGEMENT CONCLUSION CASE STUDY 7: OPERATING A LARGE-SCALE BA SERVICE 10 DELIVERING A CUSTOMER-ORIENTED BA SERVICE INTRODUCTION IDENTIFYING THE ‘CUSTOMER’ CATEGORIES OF CUSTOMER WORKING WITH CUSTOMERS ANALYSING CUSTOMERS CONCLUSION 11 FOSTERING A BA SERVICE CULTURE INTRODUCTION THE ESSENCE OF CULTURE CULTURAL FRAMEWORKS THE BA SERVICE CULTURE CONCLUSION 12 IMPROVING BA SERVICE QUALITY INTRODUCTION QUALITY AND IMPROVEMENT CULTURE CONTINUAL SERVICE IMPROVEMENT (CSI) QUALITY MANAGEMENT QUALITY MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES CONCLUSION CASE STUDY 8: INSTILLING A QUALITY FOCUS TO ENABLE BUSINESS ANALYSTS TO SUCCEED AND THRIVE 13 MEASURING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE BA SERVICE INTRODUCTION THE IMPORTANCE OF METRICS AND MEASUREMENT TYPES OF MEASURES FINANCIAL METRICS CUSTOMER METRICS LEARNING AND GROWTH METRICS INTERNAL PROCESS METRICS CONCLUSION AFTERWORD APPENDICES REFERENCES INDEX Back Cover