BAV111 - Core Competencies for the Business Analyst (Virtual)
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Course description

All class schedules are in Eastern Time.

While specific functions of business analysts vary depending on the industry and on the size and structure of an organization, there are nonetheless core competencies required of the business analyst (BA) as he or she attempts to understand the business needs of stakeholders and determine solutions to business problems.

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is an international not-for-profit association for BA professionals. Its Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) identifies best practices for the business analyst in six Knowledge Areas.

This virtual course explores the BA role, core BA functions, and the BABOK. Practical tasks and techniques are presented to equip the BA with the skills and knowledge required to practice all the Knowledge Areas of the BABOK, from identifying potential future projects to validating implemented solutions.

Our virtual platform includes many interactive features to help you learn the content and apply your new skills immediately back on the job:

• Group and individual learning activities utilizing break-out rooms and whiteboards
• Discussions and chats
• Quizzes and polling
• Facilitator and student video via webcam
• Sharing of files in real time
• Tools, templates, and job aids to use back on the job

Key characteristics that differentiate this course from others include:

Mapping to the IIBA Body of Knowledge
Boston University Corporate Education Center (BUCEC) is designated by the IIBA as a Charter Endorsed Education Provider. This course supports understanding of the following Knowledge Areas and is 100% compliant with IIBA's current Business Analysis Book of Knowledge (BABOK):

• Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring
• Elicitation
• Requirements Management and Communication
• Enterprise Analysis
• Requirements Analysis
• Solution Assessment and Validation

Experiential Training
Two case studies are integrated into the course to allow participants to view demonstrations of work products and techniques and then apply learned skills within a consistent context. Much of the class time is devoted to exercises in which participants can practice the skills being taught.

Experience
The course is written and delivered by professionals with extensive experience in business analysis.

Applied Focus
The Participant Guide includes many job aids that are referenced throughout the course and available to the participant after training; these include work product templates and samples, as well as checklists for processes and best practices.

Who should attend

The course is intended to serve several audiences and meet a variety of needs. The material in the course is directed at both the novice looking to enter the field and the self-taught veteran looking to fill gaps in his or her skills or knowledge. Individuals who perform business analysis in organizations are known by various titles including business analyst, systems analyst, business/systems analyst, functional analyst, project manager, and tester. Individuals who will benefit from this course include:

• Entry-level business analysts and their managers
• Self-taught business analysts requiring a course that fills in the gaps and puts all the pieces together
• Systems analysts and programmers interested in expanding their roles into the business area
• Quality assurance professionals
• Project managers

What you will achieve

• Describe what the BA does and how the BA interrelates with other roles and responsibilities within the organization.


• Participate in a structured brainstorming session to generate and prioritize ideas.


• Describe the BA’s role within a range of lifecycle models including sequential (waterfall), iterative, and agile.


• Describe how the BA role contributes to organizational goals and strategic plans via Enterprise Analysis activities including the development of the business case.


• Analyze stakeholders to determine their potential as a source of requirements..


• Plan and conduct an effective requirements elicitation interview.


• Understand the range of modeling techniques available to enable the BA to uncover different perspectives and levels of detail about the requirements.


• Analyze and document requirements with use case diagrams.


• Understand the BA's role in Solution Assessment and Validation activities, from reviewing technical design deliverables in design and construction to supporting quality assurance activities and production rollout.

What you will learn

• Key tasks for each BABOK Knowledge Area


• Properties of effective requirements


• Strengths and weaknesses of the most widely used system development life cycles: sequential, iterative, and agile


• How enterprise level strategic planning informs the work of the BA


• Components of an effective Business Case


• Stakeholder analysis


• How to manage solution scope


• Business Analysis planning


• Brainstorming


• Interviews


• Use case diagrams


• Requirements reviews


• Quality control and quality assurance activities