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 Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes also abbreviated as MK is a large town located in Buckinghamshire, England. It was designed as a new town on 23 January 1967 and also an administrative centre of Borough of Milton Keynes. It is located 45 miles that is 72 km away from north-west of London.

Various another town like Bletchley, Wolverton and Stony Stratford exist here along with other 15 villages and farmland. Milton Keynes took its name from existing “Village of Milton Keynes “that is few miles away from the planned centre.

History of Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes has a rich history with proof of human settlement that was found before starting the construction of this city in 1960’s. When UK government decided to establish Milton Keynes, most of the area was farmland, and undeveloped villages and the earlier history was incredibly rich. Until the 10^th century, there was no evidence of occupation in villages. During middle age, 18 villages were present that still form the heart of Milton Keynes districts. With the arrival of London and Birmingham Railway and Grand Junction canal in late 18^th and 19^th century, the area went through many changes and the new town of Wolverton, and New Bradwell emerged.

The greatest change in the history of Milton Keynes was when it was chosen to solve housing problems in London. Milton Keynes was planned as biggest towns and have an area of 89 square kilometres that became home to around 250,000 people. In the beginning, no building was allowed to be tall than the tallest tree, and later Milton Keynes Partnership changed it. Tallest building in Milton Keynes is 14 floors high. Its population will double by the year 2026.

Milton Keynes offers a broad range of opportunities to people to learn new things and get a better education. Bletchley Park code breakers brought innovation to the city in second world war. This team cracked secret codes of Germans. Milton Keynes is a destination that is always passionate about developing minds. It contains some of the best schools and colleges. Milton Keynes College offers a wide range of courses in different domains. It is one of the fastest growing college in the United Kingdom.

Open University offers contemporary learning where degree level education is provided to everyone. The headquarters of the university is located at Walton Hall in Milton Keynes. There is also University Centre Milton Keynes ( UCMK) which is a hub for higher education with new facilities and exciting courses in the middle of the city. This town also contains a solar-powered house that plays a significant role in the development of electric transport. Various courses, classes and opportunities are offered by Milton Keynes Theatre Creative Learning department to young people and adults to explore theatres including makeup, drama, acting and much more.

Sport

Milton Keynes has various professional teams in football, in ice hockey and in Formula one. It is also home to Xscape indoor ski slope, Formula Fast Indoor Karting Centre, Airkix Indoor Sky Diving facility and National Badminton Centre.

Economy

At Borough level, data of Milton Keynes economy, demography and politics is collected. Milton Keynes is one of the most successful economies in Southeast along with gross value added per capita index which was 47% higher than the national average. According to 2015 data, average wages place it in top five nationally.

Just 0.6% of businesses employ people more than 250 which include Open University, Volkswagen Group, Mercedes-Benz and Network Rail. Remaining enterprises around 81.5% employ near about 10 people. Milton Keynes professional, technical and scientific sector contributes large employment. Milton Keynes has a high number of business start-ups in England and start-up levels remained high even during the period of recession 2009/2010. Most of the population is younger. 22.6% of Borough population is under 16, 12.1% are aged 65+. According to 2011 census report, Milton Keynes Urban area comprises of 8.7% South Asian, 78.4% white, 3.5% Mixed Race, 7-5% Black, 1.2% Chinese, 6.7% other ethnic group and Asian.