Course Description

The role of a Business Analyst (BA) is full of variety and is broad in scope. This certificate is introduces a range of concepts, approaches and techniques that are relevant in business analysis today.

This certificate provides a foundation for the range of BCS Practitioner Certificates in various Business Analysis related specialisms and may be used as the knowledge-based specialist module in the BCS Diploma in Business Analysis.

Pre-requisites

While there are no prerequisites, a good command of written English is essential.

Target Student

This certification is ideal for aspiring and current Business Analysts seeking to enhance their skills.

Relevant job roles include:

• Business Analyst
• Junior Business Analyst
• Change Manager
• Project Manager

Course Materials

We'll send a printed copy of the latest comprehensive course manual to your home address well before your course begins. Additionally, you'll receive an email with a link to access a digital version of the same manual, ensuring you have both physical and electronic references for your convenience and future use.

Exam

The course prepares delegates for the BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis 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 Core BA Diploma modules, Business Analysis Practice and Requirements Engineering.

The exam is accessible only at the registered date and time. Candidates with disabilities or special considerations, including English as a second language, may request adjustments or additional time in line with BCS reasonable adjustments policy.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion, learners should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The role and competencies of a Business Analyst.
• The strategic context for business analysis and the BA service framework.
• How to investigate the current and target business states.
• Defining a solution and preparing a business case.
• Eliciting and managing requirements.
• Delivering a solution.

Course Content

What is Business Analysis?

• The business change lifecycle
• Business analysis principles
• Variants of the Business Analyst role

The Competencies of a Business Analyst

• The T-shaped business analyst
• Personal, business and professional competencies

The Strategic Context for Business Analysis

• SWOT analysis
• PESTLE analysis
• VMOST analysis
• Executing strategy: the POPIT™ model
• Executing strategy: the business model canvas

The Business Analysis Service Framework

• Situation investigation and problem analysis
• Feasibility assessment and business case development
• Business process improvement
• Requirements definition
• Business acceptance testing
• Business change deployment
• Stakeholder engagement

Investigating the business situation

• Workshops and Observation
• Interviews
• Scenarios and Prototyping
• User role analysis
• Quantitative investigation techniques
• Documenting the current situation

Analysing and Managing Stakeholders

• Identifying and categorising stakeholders
• Analysing stakeholders
• Managing stakeholders over time
• RACI analysis

Improving Business Services and Processes

• The business process hierarchy
• The enterprise level
• The event-response level
• As Is business process models
• The actor-task level
• Improving business processes
• Customer journey maps

Defining the solution

• Gap analysis
• Formulating options
• Design Thinking

Making the Business Case

• The business case in the project lifecycle
• The business case in Agile projects
• Assessing project feasibility
• Contents of a business case
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Impact and risk assessment
• The CARDI log
• Investment appraisal techniques

Establishing the Requirements

• A framework for requirements engineering
• Actors in requirements engineering
• Types of requirements
• Hierarchy of requirements
• Tacit and explicit knowledge
• Elicitation techniques
• Building the requirements list
• Requirements analysis

Documenting and Modelling Requirements

• Documenting requirements: the requirements catalogue; user stories
• Modelling requirements: use case diagrams; class models
• The product backlog
• The business requirements document

Validating and Managing Requirements

• Approach to validating requirements
• Managing requirements

Delivering the Requirements

• Deciding the delivery approach
• Development/delivery lifecycles
• Pros and cons of the lifecycles

Delivering the Business Solution

• The business analyst and the business change lifecycle
• Design, Implementation and Realisation
• The benefits plan