Transcript Chapter4_Know Your Business Environment

Chapter 4 – Barbara Carkenord
KNOW YOUR BUSINESS
ENVIRONMENT
 Learn about the environment
 Review materials – reports, plans, documents,
marketing materials
 See things from the business perspective
 Know from the business point of view and IT point
of view
Elicitation Techniques to learn
about the business
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Review existing documentation
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Observation
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Interviews
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Surveys / Questionnaires
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Facilitated sessions – BA is the facilitator
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Focus groups
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Competitive analysis
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Interface analysis
Learn the Current System –
AS IS
Rationale for AS-IS analysis:
 Identify the gaps b/w what is and what should be
 Offers a basis for comparison of new with old
 Allows parallel use of old system in the transition
period
What is a Business Process
 Normally organizations have a business
process template
 Think of business independent of technology
(assumption of perfect technology)
 Ensure that requirements are not constrained by
technology limitations since technology may
advance to meet the need
Essential Business Process
 Core business activity that is described
independently of how it is performed
 Forms the basis to comprehend the business
architecture
 Metrics is important in evaluating a modified
or changed process
Use Cases
 Shows how a software system interacts with
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a user
From the user/external agent’s point of view
Described as a verb (e.g., place order, receive
inquiry)
Shows actors as stick people ; the different
activities/processes are shown as ovals inside
a box which represents the system boundary
Use case diagram shows different use cases
Use Case Diagram