BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis

Stepping into the World of Business Analysis

Understanding the Duties of A Business Analyst
Learn to Develop Business Strategies
Evaluate and Model Business Systems using various techniques
High Salaries Post Certification
Learn the concepts from Certified Instructors and Globally known Training Providers

The world around us is made up of a vast number of things with each of them being provided by one business or another. How does it become possible for a business to know what the customer wants and what will benefit both the customer and the business as well? This precisely is the job of a Business Analyst. Business Analysis is not a new thing in the world of business, but yes, it is the new buzz word. Earlier the job was done by anybody working at a managerial level in an organisation. Now Business Analyst is a job profile itself.

We at Pentagon Training provide this course so that the delegates can understand the concepts of Business Analysis right from those who know Business Analysis inside-out.

Who should take this course

Project Managers
System Analysts

Prerequisites

The course has no prerequisites. The delegates should, however, have the abilities and knowledge to understand the objectives of this course.

What Will You Learn

After course completion the delegates will have gained an insight of the following modules:

The Role And Competencies Of A Business Analyst
Strategy Analysis
Business System And Business Process Modelling
Stakeholder Analysis
Investigation And Modelling Techniques
Requirements Engineering
Business Case Development

Tutor Support

Certificate

Courseware

Key Learning Points

Course Overview

This certification provides a foundation for BCS specialist BCS certificates in the areas of Business Analysis, IS Consultancy and Business Change. The certification forms a part of the expert module for the Diploma in Business Analysis and also lays the foundation for professional courses in other disciplines, notably Project Managers and System Developers. It is also one of the courses that can be covered as a part of the Knowledge-based modules for the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis.

Exams

During the exam, the candidate is required to answer 40 questions in 60 minutes. Though it is not mandatory, delegates are required to have attended the accredited training for this course. The exam for this course can be given both on paper as well as on-line. To get the certification, the candidate must score 65% i.e. 26 out of 40 minimum pass marks. BCS does not allow using calculators during the exam.

What is Business Analysis?
- The origins of business analysis
- The development of business analysis
  - The impact of outsourcing
  - Competitive advantage of using IT
  - Successful business change
  - The importance of the business analyst
  - Business analysts as internal consultants
- The scope of business analysis work
  - The range of analysis activities
  - Strategic analysis and definition
  - IT systems analysis
  - Business analysis
- Taking a holistic approach
- Business Analyst – Roles and Responsibilities
  - Description of the business analyst role
  - Further aspects of the business analyst role
The Competencies of a Business Analyst
- Personal qualities
- Business knowledge
- Professional techniques
- The development of competencies
Strategy Analysis
- The context for strategy
- The definition of strategy
- Policy development
- External environment analysis
  - PESTLE analysis
  - Porter’s five forces model
- Internal environment analysis
  - MOST analysis
  - Resource Audit
  - Boston Box
- SWOT analysis
- Executing strategy
  - The McKinsey 7-S model
  - The Balanced Business Scorecard
  - Critical Success Factors and Key Performance Indicators
The Business Analysis Process Model
- An approach to problem-solving
- Stages of the business analysis process model
  - Investigate the situation
  - Consider the perspectives
  - Analyse the needs
  - Evaluate the options
  - Define the requirements
- Objectives of the process model stages
- Procedure for each process model stage
- Techniques used within each process model stage

Investigation techniques
- Interviews
  - Advantages and disadvantages of interviewing
  - Preparing for interviewing
  - Conducting the interview
  - Following up the interview
- Observation
  - Pros and Cons of observation
  - Formal observation
  - Protocol analysis
  - Shadowing
  - Ethnographic studies
- Workshops
  - Pros and Cons of workshops
  - Preparing for the workshop
  - Facilitating the workshop
  - Techniques
  - Following the workshop
- Scenarios
  - Situations - Advantages and disadvantages
  - Process for developing scenarios
  - Documenting scenarios
- Prototyping
- Prototyping - Advantages and disadvantages
- Quantitative approaches
  - Surveys or Questionnaires
  - Special Purpose Records
  - Activity Sampling
  - Document Analysis
- Documenting the current situation
  - Rich Pictures
  - Mind Maps
Stakeholder Analysis and Management
- Stakeholder categories and identification
  - Customers
  - Partners
  - Suppliers
  - Competitors
  - Regulators
  - Owners
  - Employees
  - Managers
- Stakeholders Analysis
  - The Power/Interest Grid
- Stakeholder management strategies
  - No interest and no power
  - Some or high interest but no or little
  - No or low to high interest but some power (or influence)
  - Very less interest but high power
  - Some interest and high power (or influence)
  - Keen interest and high power (or influence)
- Managing stakeholders
  - Stakeholder plan/assessment
- The Stakeholder Perspectives – An Understanding
  - Soft Systems Methodology
  - Analysing the perspectives
  - CATWOE
- Business activity models
  - An Overview Of business activity model
  - Learn About Activity Types
  - Forming a consensus model
Modelling Business Processes
- Organisational context
  - Functional view of an organisation
- An alternative view of an organisation
- The corporate view of business processes
- Value propositions
- Process models
  - Business events
  - Developing the business process model
- Analysing the as-is process model
- Improving business processes (to-be business process)
  - Business rules
  - Simplify the process
  - Remove bottlenecks
  - Change the sequence of tasks
  - Redefine process boundary
  - Automate the processing
  - Redesign the process
Defining the solution
- Gap analysis
  - Pointing Out Focus Areas
  - The Gap Analysis Framework
  - Formulating options
- Introduction to Business Architecture
- Definition of Business Architecture
- Business Architecture techniques
  - Definition of a capability model
  - Definition of a value stream
Making a Business and Financial Case
- The business case in the project lifecycle
- Identifying options
- Assessing project feasibility
  - Business feasibility
  - Technical feasibility
  - Financial feasibility
- Structure of a business case
  - Contents of a business case
  - Categories of costs and benefits
  - Impact assessment
  - Risk assessment
- Investment Assesment
  - Payback – An Overview
  - Discounted cash flow and Internal Return Rate
Establishing the Requirements
- A framework for requirements engineering
- Actors in requirements engineering
  - The business representatives
  - The project team
- Requirements elicitation
  - Tacit and explicit knowledge
  - Requirements elicitation techniques
- Requirements analysis
  - Requirements filters
  - SMART requirements
- Requirements validation
Documenting and Managing Requirements
- The requirements document
  - Structure
  - Content of the requirements document
- The requirements catalogue
  - Types of requirements
    - functional and non-functional
    - general
    - technical
  - Hierarchy of requirements
  - Recording requirements
- Manage requirements
  - Elements of requirements management
Modelling Requirements
- Modelling system functions
  - Use case diagrams
- Modelling system data
  - Entity Relationship Diagrams
    - Entities, attributes and relationships
    - Types of relationships
  - Class Models
    - Objects and classes
    - Attributes
    - Associations
Delivering the Requirements
- Providing the solution
- Context
- Lifecycles
  - The waterfall lifecycle
  - The ‘V’ design lifecycle
  - Incremental lifecycle
  - Iterative systems development lifecycle
Delivering the Business Solution
- BA role in the organisation change lifecycle
- Design stage
  - Information and Technology
    - Design
    - Development
    - Testing
  - Implementation stage
    - SARAH model
  - Realisation stage
    - Contents of the benefits plan

About Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is largest city located in Scotland and third largest in the United Kingdom. Earlier, it was a part of Lanark shire which is now one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. Glasgow is located on River Clyde in country’s west central lowlands. People of Glasgow are referred as Glaswegians. Glasgow developed from a small rural settlement on River Clyde. Glasgow had become largest seaport in Britain. In the 18th century, it became a major centre of Scottish Enlightenment. From the 18th century, Glasgow has grown as one of the Great Britain’s central hub of trade including West Indies and North America. Glasgow focused on its heritage to attract tourists from various countries. Tourism is also a source of employment in Glasgow. In 1980, Hunter Ian Art Gallery was opened. In 1983, Collection of Burrel went on display in a museum in Pollock House grounds. In 1985, Scottish Exhibition and Conference centre was built. Clyde Auditorium was also added in 1997.

In the period of 1980’s and 1990’s, traditional manufacturing industries of Glasgow dropped. Service industries grew in Glasgow like retail, tourism and finance. In 1990 Glasgow School Museum of Education was opened. St Mungo's Museum of Religious Life and Art was opened in the year 1993. In 1999, Buchanan Galleries Shopping centre and Clyde Maritime centre was opened. In early 21st century, Glasgow thrived. IMAX cinema was opened in 2000 and Clyde Arc Bridge in 2006. At present, the population of Glasgow is 588,000.

Education

Glasgow has four universities within 1.5km area of city centre. These universities are a major centre of academic and higher research. Name of the Universities are:

University of Glasgow

University of Strathclyde

Glasgow Caledonian University

The University of West of Scotland

Saltire centre located at Glasgow Caledonian University is one of the busiest university libraries in the UK. Three further education colleges are there in the city that includes Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow School of Art and Teacher training courses. In 2011 Glasgow had around 53,470 students which is higher than any other town in Scotland. Many live away from home in Dennistoun, Shawlands and West End of City. City council handles 29 secondary schools, 149 primary schools and three special schools. Special schools including Glasgow Gaelic school, Glasgow school of sport and Dance school of Scotland. Glasgow has various independent schools like Hutchesons Grammar School which was founded in 1639. Hutchesons Grammar School is one of the oldest school institutions in Britain. The oldest school in Scotland are Glasgow Academy, Kelvinside Academy, High School of Glasgow, Fernhill School and Craigholme School.

Economy

Glasgow has the largest economy in Scotland and third highest GDP per capita of any city in the UK. The city itself provides 410,000 jobs in over 12000 companies. Between 2000 and 2005 around 153,000 jobs were created and growth rate reached 32%. The annual economic growth rate of Glasgow is 4.4% and is now second to London. Dominant industries like shipbuilding, heavy engineering gradually got replaced. Major manufacturing industries in the city are Clyde Blowers, Linn Products, William Grant and Sons, Aggreko, Weir Group, Whyle and Mackay, Albion Motors, British Polar Engines and Edrington Group. Glasgow was once a most important city in the UK for manufacturing which generated great wealth for the city. Glasgow is now the second most popular foreign tourist destination in Scotland. In the 21st century, some call centres in Glasgow grew substantially. City’s primary manufacturing industries include engineering, construction, shipbuilding, brewing and distilling, printing and publishing, chemicals, textiles and new growth sectors like software development, biotechnology and optoelectronics.