Business analysts, customer journey managers, project managers, business change managers and anyone involved in managing business benefits and facilitating their delivery. Benefits Management and Business Acceptance is also a Specialist Practitioner module on the BCS (ISEB) International Diploma in Business Analysis.

Understand how business benefits are managed and learn how to facilitate their delivery. Our course on Benefits Management and Business Acceptance explains, step-by-step, how systems are tested for business acceptance. Topics covered include user acceptance testing; test design and planning and delivery of business benefits.

The course explains the theoretical concepts, using realistic, practical case studies to reinforce your learning. You will gain experience in applying benefits management and business acceptance techniques.
Presented to you by one of the expert training consultants pictured below. Each member of our Benefits Management and Business Acceptance training team brings substantial experience of benefits management, benefits realisation and business acceptance to the programme.

Upon the completion of this workshop, candidates will be able to:

Benefits Management
•    Describe the contents of a business case. 
•    Explain the importance of the alignment between the business strategy and the business case. 
•    Describe and apply categories of benefits. 
•    Describe the roles involved within benefits management. 
•    Develop a benefits dependency network. 
•    Undertake an investment appraisal. 
•    Describe the benefits management process.

Business Acceptance Testing 
•    Define a framework for effective business acceptance testing. 
•    Develop appropriate acceptance testing test specifications. 

BCS Certificate in Benefits Management and Business Acceptance (a three-day course)
Course Content
Rationale for benefits management and business acceptance

• Lifecycle for business change.
• The role and importance of benefits management.
• The role and importance of business acceptance.

Drivers for business change

• The business change lifecycle.
• Internal and external drivers.
• CSFs and KPIs.
• Value propositions and the value chain.
• Options for business change.

The business case

• Structure and content of the business case.
• Categories of business benefit.
• Measuring benefits.
• Quantifying benefits.

Making the financial case

• Identifying and quantifying costs.
• Investment Appraisal:
  • Payback.
  • Discounted cash flow/Net present value.
  • Internal rate of return.

Planning for benefits management

• Benefit owners.
• The benefits plan.
• Benefit profiles.
• The benefits dependency framework.

User acceptance testing – testing for business acceptance

• Business acceptance in the ‘V’ model.
• Principles and vocabulary of testing.
• Testing roles and responsibilities.
• The test process.
• Functional and non-functional testing.
• Test documentation.

Test design techniques

• Activity diagrams.
• Decision tables.
• Decision trees.
• State machine diagrams.

Test planning, monitoring and control

• Progress monitoring and control.
• Incident management.
• Confirmation testing.

Benefits management reviews

• Gateways – scheduled and unscheduled reviews.
• Assessing the impact of change.

Implementing business changes

• Impact on people and evolving attitudes to change.
• Planning the implementation.
• Implementation strategies.
• Training/learning approaches.
• Lewin’s model of change.

Delivering business benefits

• Embedding business changes.
• Lifecycle for benefits management.
• Project and benefits reviews.
• Disaggregating benefits.
• Fragmentation of benefits.
• Identifying and evaluating further benefits.

©Assist Knowledge Development Ltd.

Here's a quick guide to the topics covered on each day of the course.

For virtual courses a printed copy of the latest edition of the comprehensive course manual will be sent to your home address in good time for the start of your course. Our delegates tell us that having access to a physical document is beneficial as both a reference document and for taking notes during the course. In addition, a link will be emailed to you to enable you to access an electronic copy of the same comprehensive manual for convenient future reference.

Yes. During this three day course you’ll receive all the training you need to prepare for the BCS Benefits Management and Business Acceptance certificate examination. Through a given business scenario, this open-book exam puts your knowledge of benefits, management, business acceptance testing and benefits realisation to the test. A pass means you’re another step closer to achieving the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis – the de facto certification for practicing business analysts. One last thing; this course also enables you to develop SFIA skills BENM, level 5.

For delegates attending a virtual or eLearning course, the exam will be a written, scenario based exam and may be taken at one of our classroom locations in London or Thame. The pass mark is 25/50. Please contact us for further details, available dates and to make a booking.

If this course is part of your BCS Diploma in Business Analysis programme you have a choice of further modules which include the core BA Diploma modules, Business Analysis Practice and Requirements Engineering. Candidates who have already completed Benefits Management and Business Acceptance also need to pass one of the Foundation Specialisms; in Business Analysis, IS Project Management, Business Change or Systems Development. The structure of the certification is shown here.

How do AssistKD’s virtual classroom courses work?

AssistKD’s virtual courses are conducted live and online in a ‘virtual’ classroom space via Microsoft Teams. 
On each day of the course, we ask delegates to log on in time for a 9am start. The courses end at 4.30pm. An hour is ring-fenced for lunch, but timings can vary.

Designed to be interactive, responsive and engaging, our virtual (live) courses are led by trainers who are experts in their fields, with real-life industry experience. 
The benefit of the virtual classroom is that delegates enjoy all the benefits of ‘in-real-time' training, but with no travel requirements or overnight stays. 

Regular comfort breaks, team exercises and break-out sessions keep delegates focused and reinforce learning. 
The courses allow learners to develop their professional toolkits.

Can you attend virtual classroom courses from outside the UK?

Yes, however you will be issued with a digital course manual in advance of the course, not a printed manual. 

When will I receive my joining instructions?

You will receive joining instructions two weeks before the start of your course. One week before the course you will receive detailed instructions on how to log on.

I am concerned about logging on, is there support available?

If you have concerns about logging on and your technology, it is best to address these prior to the day of the course. We can offer you a test call at a time that suits you. To request this please contact support@assistkd.com

I have additional needs, can they be accommodated?

Please provide us with full details of any additional needs in advance of the course so that we can work with you to accommodate them. Please contact enquiries@assistkd.com

When will I receive my course manual?

You will receive your course manual, in both printed and digital form, two weeks before the start of your course.

Can you accommodate a last-minute booking?

Yes, provided there is availability.

Do you offer discounted prices if I am taking more than one course?

Yes, please contact enquires@assistkd.com

What happens if I need to reschedule, do I have to pay twice?

If you need to reschedule, to avoid a cancellation fee please give 10 working days’ notice by contacting enquiries@assistkd.com.

Do the courses run on consecutive days?

Yes. Courses which last for more than one day are delivered on consecutive days from the start date indicated. These are on working days, during Monday to Friday.

Do you offer courses over the weekend?

Our virtual (live) classroom and face-to-face classroom courses run from Monday to Friday only.

Is the exam taken during the actual course?

No. The exam can be taken on a date and time of your choice. You will be provided with exam registration details before the start of your course. We recommend that you take the exam within two weeks of the end of your course, while the knowledge is fresh.

When will I receive my exam results and certificate?

Exams will be taken online you will find out your result immediately on completion. Then, approximately two weeks after the exam this will be confirmed via the BCS portal and you can print out your certificate.