Business analysts, customer journey managers, project managers, product owners, service designers, business change managers and anyone who requires a thorough understanding of strategic business analysis. Business Analysis Practice is also a core module for the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis.

The Business Analysis Practice course introduces the essential skills of business analysis. The emphasis throughout is on practical learning, using real-life case studies to introduce key skills including strategic analysis, stakeholder management, business activity modelling, gap analysis and making a business case.

The course is presented by one of our expert training consultants, pictured below. Every member of the Business Analysis (BA) training team offers extensive professional knowledge and wide-ranging experience of BA projects.

The Business Analysis Practice course introduces the essential skills of business analysis. The emphasis throughout is on practical learning, using real-life case studies to introduce key skills including strategic analysis, stakeholder management, business activity modelling, gap analysis and making a business case.

The course is presented by one of our expert training consultants, pictured below. Every member of the Business Analysis (BA) training team offers extensive professional knowledge and wide-ranging experience of BA projects.

AssistKD's Business Analysis Practice eLearning course provides participants with a practical introduction to a wide range of BA techniques and approaches. This course is designed to provide delegates with the key skills required to become effective Business Analysts. These include:

• SWOT analysis
• Stakeholder management
• Business activity modelling
• Investigation of the business situation
• Analysis of key issues and their root causes
• Gap analysis
• Identification and evaluation of possible solutions

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

•    The strategic context for business analysis
•    The business analysis service framework
•    The need for holistic analysis of business change
•    How and when to select and apply a range of techniques and tools to analyse the current and target state 
•    The principles of gap analysis and option identification
•    The value of stakeholder engagement and perspective analysis
•    The purpose and contents of a business case

To give you an overview of what you’ll learn, here’s a quick guide to the three days of the course.

To give you an overview of what you’ll learn, here’s a quick guide to the three days 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.

Delegates attending face:face classroom courses will receive their printed manual on Day 1 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.

Delegates attending face:face classroom courses will receive their printed manual on Day 1 of the course.

Yes. The course prepares delegates for the BCS Practitioner Certificate in Business Analysis Practice examination. If this course is part of your BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis programme you have a choice of further modules which include the other Core BA Diploma module, Requirements Engineering. 

For delegates attending a classroom, virtual classroom or eLearning course, the exam may be taken remotely using our online proctoring service TestReach. This 1 hour exam consists of 40 multiple-choice questions with a pass mark of 26/40.

If this course is part of your BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis programme you have a choice of further modules which include the other core BA Diploma module, Requirements Engineering. Candidates who have already completed the Core modules can take one Practitioner specialism, which includes Benefits Management and Business Acceptance, Systems Modelling Techniques, Modelling Business Processes, Systems Development Essentials or Data Management Essentials. Before taking the Oral exam, candidates must also pass one of the Foundation Specialisms; in Business Analysis, IS Project Management or Business Change. 

Business Analysis Practice (a three-day course)
Course Content
Business analysis rationale

• The scope of business analysis.
• Definition of business analysis services.
• The use of Design Thinking in business analysis.

Strategic context for business analysis

• External analysis – PESTLE, Five Forces Analysis.
• Internal analysis – Resource Audit, VMOST.

Business performance measurement

• Critical success factors and key performance indicators.
• Measuring performance – the Balanced Business Scorecard.

A project approach to business analysis

• Initiating a business analysis study.
• Defining terms of reference.

Understanding the business situation

• Investigation techniques.
• Documenting the business situation:
  • Customer journey maps.
  • Empathy maps.
  • Rich pictures.
  • Mind maps.

Stakeholder engagement and business perspectives

• Identifying stakeholders.
• Analysing stakeholders – Power/Interest Grid, RACI.
• Stakeholder management strategies.
• Defining business perspectives – CATWOE.

Analysing and modelling the business activities

• Types of business activity.
• Building a conceptual business activity model.
• Consolidating perspectives and building consensus.

Establish the target state

• Gap analysis.
• Business event analysis.
• Target Operating Model (POPIT™)

Making the business case

• The lifecycle for a business case.
• Contents of a business case.
• Feasibility assessment.
• Options.
• Costs and benefits.
• Investment appraisal.
• Impacts and risks.

©Assist Knowledge Development Ltd.

Business Analysis Practice (a three-day course)
Course Content
Business analysis rationale

• The scope of business analysis.
• Definition of business analysis services.
• The use of Design Thinking in business analysis.

Strategic context for business analysis

• External analysis – PESTLE, Five Forces Analysis.
• Internal analysis – Resource Audit, VMOST.

Business performance measurement

• Critical success factors and key performance indicators.
• Measuring performance – the Balanced Business Scorecard.

A project approach to business analysis

• Initiating a business analysis study.
• Defining terms of reference.

Understanding the business situation

• Investigation techniques.
• Documenting the business situation:
  • Customer journey maps.
  • Empathy maps.
  • Rich pictures.
  • Mind maps.

Stakeholder engagement and business perspectives

• Identifying stakeholders.
• Analysing stakeholders – Power/Interest Grid, RACI.
• Stakeholder management strategies.
• Defining business perspectives – CATWOE.

Analysing and modelling the business activities

• Types of business activity.
• Building a conceptual business activity model.
• Consolidating perspectives and building consensus.

Establish the target state

• Gap analysis.
• Business event analysis.
• Target Operating Model (POPIT™)

Making the business case

• The lifecycle for a business case.
• Contents of a business case.
• Feasibility assessment.
• Options.
• Costs and benefits.
• Investment appraisal.
• Impacts and risks.

©Assist Knowledge Development Ltd.

This course was written by our team of training consultants, who bring their substantial experience of business analysis projects to the programme.

Watch the video below to find out more about our eLearning.

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