Course Description
Business Value Analysis
Overview
The Business Analyst’s role changes significantly as
organizations rapidly replace their traditional system-development
methodologies with more iterative or agile approaches. More and more companies
are realizing the benefits of faster product deployment at a lower cost, with
less rework due to missed requirements. Effective business analysis is key to
developing those requirements and keeping projects on track. This indispensable
course explores the contributions of good requirements development in an Agile
environment and equips business analysts with the critical thinking, analytical
skills, and necessary people skills they need to add value to every Agile
project.
This practical workshop provides participants with an
understanding of the changing role of the business analyst, the tools and
techniques best suited to Agile, and the timing for performing key tasks and
events. Explanatory, demonstrations, and practice exercises will provide you
with the experience needed to create user stories that meet business needs.
Iterative development methods such as Agile require a
paradigm shift from the traditional approaches used for business analysis.
Agile moves the analysis away from gathering big up-front requirements and
towards iterative and incremental techniques. The analyst becomes the “keeper
of value” -- the value conscience for the team. To designate the difference in
skills and focus, the Agile business analyst is referred to as the Business
Value Analyst (BVA). The BVA must guide the team through iterative and rapid
product development to maximize business value. To do so requires a mindset
shift for the business analyst.
As a stepping-stone towards becoming a Value Manager, the
BVA course focuses not only on skills and techniques but also on the mindset
shift for the analyst in an Agile environment. The course includes tools and
techniques to gather requirement details in an iterative fashion – at the right
time and at the right level. The learner will develop an appreciation for Value
Management as an Agile discipline and craft.
The ICP-BVA is one of two Continuous Learning
Certifications (CLCs) on ICAgile’s Value Management Track. The certification
focuses on value-driven software delivery, the accompanying mindset, and key
agile practices designed to emphasize customer value. It also looks at creating
organizational and team environments that are conducive to frequent and
transparent collaboration between the business and development teams. The
learning objectives highlight specific techniques and practices such as
lightweight requirements, prioritization methods, progressive elaboration,
roadmapping, story mapping, effective user stories, and acceptance criteria.
Participants who complete this certification will gain an excellent foundation
in value-based agile solutions delivery.
The Business Value Analysis course gives you a jump-start
on your agile journey. It provides the essential, value-based analysis skills
needed to lead teams towards greater agility.
Substitution & Cancellation Policy:
You may cancel or reschedule up to 21 days prior to the start date of the class at no penalty. For any cancellation or reschedule requests within 21 days, the full course tuition is still due and not eligible for refund. Any paid tuition will be credited towards a future class and must be used within 12 months.
*Partner delivered courses may be subject to different cancellation terms
Agenda
Section 1: Welcome and Introductions
· Summary: Opening and general logistics for the class.
· To get started we will get to know each other and understand the objectives of the course. We will model the creation of Working Agreements that contribute to building trust on a team.
· Topics covered:
o Opening
o Course Objectives and Agenda
o ICAgile Certification Overview
o Introductions
o Working Agreements
Section 2: The Need for Value Management
· Summary: Value management is a distinct discipline that applies at many levels, crosses many initiatives, and is embodied in many roles. In this section we will understand how the Agile Manifesto influences the way we undertake Value Management & Business Analysis on Agile projects. We will also refresh our knowledge of various Agile "flavors" and describe where BVA fits within them.
· Topics covered:
o What is Value Management?
o Levels of Value Management
o Relating to the Agile Manifesto
o Value Management in Various Agile “Flavors”
Section 3: Role, Scope, and Diversity
· Summary: The scope of the BVA role in an Agile organization is to identify the most valuable business needs. This requires differentiating between the most valuable and the less valuable outcomes. The BVA must communicate so the team can deliver the right change and make the right decisions. Understand how to actively create and support an environment where open, honest interpersonal communication focused on the delivery of value occurs. Apply techniques that enable an understanding of both the big picture view and how the current work aligns with the big picture.
· Topics covered:
o Role, Not Job Title
o Adapting the Role to the Context
o Bridge not Ferry
o Keeper of Responsible Decisions
o Big Picture View
Section 4: Skills and Behaviors
· Summary: Critical to the BVA role is being able to think critically, to challenge assumptions and the assumptions of the people providing information. In this section we will understand how to look “beyond the borders” in order to determine the effects of systems on decision making and value realization. The BVA needs to be prepared to be the value conscience of the team, to tackle the "elephant in the room" questions, challenge assumptions and identify critical success factors.
· Topics Covered:
o Thinking Skills
o Flexibility of Thinking
o Behaviors
o Show, Don’t Tell
Section 5: Seeking Value
· Summary: Value has different meanings in different contexts. The BVA must understand how to define value and how it may change over time.
o The planned value must be understood and agreed before work commences. This includes identifying both tangible and intangible results. As scope changes over time; the BVA must actively manage and communicate these changes.
· Topics covered:
o Defining Value
o Determining Planned Value
o Defining Scope
o Identifying Measurable Outcomes
Section 6: Project Initiation
· Summary: Experience the activities involved with the initiation of an Agile project. Agile follows an Adaptive, Just-in-Time planning model. In this section we will learn different approaches to developing visions and roadmaps. In addition, better understand your customers with roles and personas.
· Topics Covered:
o Agile Planning
o Vision
o Product Roadmap
o User Roles and Personas
Section 7: Backlog Management
· Summary: The Agile vehicle for communicating requirements is the User Story. The BVA is central in the process of writing and elaborating User Stories. This section will cover User Stories and how to write and elaborate good User Stories. After User Stories are written, they need to be prioritized and estimated. As part of the Customer side team, the BVA has a major role in prioritization. As a member of the Development side team, the BVA will ensure that there is an appropriate level of details for the developers to begin work. Both of these come with low cost, low waste techniques that allow us to do this quickly and get on to the important work of implementing requirements.
· Topics Covered:
o The Product Backlog
o User Stories
o Prioritization
o Enabling Value Delivery
Section 8: Understand What is Doable
· Summary: The BVA needs to understand what the team can do at a sustainable pace. Learn how to plan releases, assist with iteration planning, and lead Story Reviews.
· Topics covered:
o Release Planning
o Iteration Planning
o Story Maps
Section 9: Analyze to Determine Value
· Summary: Backlog Refinement is where the BVA is really worth their weight in gold. User Stories represent very thin statements of Customer wants and needs but they do not contain the details until the development team is close to working on them. As that time approaches, the details are filled in. The BVA is the central figure in requirements elaboration.
· Topics covered:
o Agile Documentation
o Value Context
o Balanced Scorecard
Section 10: Exploring the Solution
· Summary: When Requirements are ready to go – ready to go does not mean mountains of documentation. Much of the details are maintained as tacit knowledge with the BVA and the others who have been involved with the Conversation. Continued collaboration is essential to turning what we learned about the needs of the customer into working software.
· Topics covered:
o Setting the Scene
o Modeling and Elicitation Techniques
o Specification by Example
o Continuous Discovery of Value
o Managing Artifacts
o Inspect and Adapt
Section 11: Summary
· Summary: Summarize key takeaways from the course and pull it all together.
· Topics Covered:
o Review Key Takeaways
o Review ICAgile Learning Objectives and Video
o References
o Survey Information
Delivered by ASPE, ICAgile Member Organization. The International Consortium for Agile has worked with experts around the world to develop an education roadmap of training and certification
for all specialties involved in Agile development.
This course, delivered by ASPE, ICAgile Member Organization has been approved and earns all students the Certified ICAgile Professional designation upon completion of the course.