ANSWER

The interviewee should be familiar with how the Business Analyst supports Solution Evaluation.  The IIBA BABOK Solution Evaluation knowledge area includes a number of tasks to evaluate a solution but is not the only source.  The interviewee should demonstrate a good understanding of how the BA participates in Solution evaluation.

Measure Solution Performance: How does a BA measure solution performance?  Suggestions include, but are not limited to: 

• Agree to the approach used to evaluate the solution: Will the evaluators follow strict test scripts; will the approach be more to “play with the system”
• Establish the scope of the testing: What will be tested; who are the testers; how far can the testers vary outside the scope
• Create objective measurements by which to evaluate the solution: What business processes, functional and non-functional requirements are applicable; how will meeting organizational goals and objectives be measured; how will value be measured
• Establish BA participation then participate accordingly: Will the BA be an active participant during solution evaluation; will they be a passive observer; will they even be present
• Compile measurements of solution evaluation: Compile the measurements of the Solution Evaluation 

Analyze Performance Measures: How does a BA analyze the performance measures just captured?  Suggestions include, but are not limited to:

• Record and categorize solution performance measures: Record the solution performance measurements in a central location
• Categorize solution performance measures: Categorize the solution performance measures based upon established criteria.  Examples may include:
  • Solution performed as expected; solution performed but with additional comments; performance measure failed
  • Tester feedback: Does feedback identify a defect, a fix, or an improvement.  If an improvement, is this within scope out outside scope.  If an improvement, how does this bring value to the solution
  • Prioritize and/or combine similar solution performance measures: Categorize solution performance measures based on common functionality and/or priority
• Review subjective feedback: How did the solution meet “soft” or less tangible requirements established by the organization (considerations like ease of use, understandable workflow)
• Compile analysis of performance measure: Prepare a summary of the performance feedback measures and the analysis.

Assess Solution Limitations: How does a BA assess limitations and/or opportunities for adding value to the solution based on the solution performance measures captured?  Suggestions include, but are not limited to:

• Identify solution dependencies: What solution changes are required to fix a defect or implement an improvement. What defects, fixes and/or improvements can be combined into a single, larger change
• Investigate the source of the feedback: Why does the defect, fix or change request exist
• Evaluate the requested improvement: Evaluate the requested improvement at a high level (Not implementing the improvement at this time is a possible outcome).
• Conduct impact assessment: Assess the value each defect, fix or improvement
  • What is the positive and negative impact of implementing each defect, fix or improvement
  • What is the positive and negative impact of NOT implementing each defect, fix or improvement

Assess Enterprise Limitations: How does the BA assess issues outside the scope of a solution?  Suggestions include, but are not limited to:

• Enterprise culture assessment: How will the enterprise respond to the solution implementation; how is the organization affected?
• Stakeholder culture assessment: How will specific stakeholders respond to the implementation; how are stakeholders affected

Recommend Actions to Increase Solution Value: How does the BA recommend actions the enterprise can take to increase the solution’s value?   Suggestions include, but are not limited to:

• Identify requirements not met: Identify requirements not implemented by the solution
  • Verify with the stakeholders the requirements are still needed
  • If still needed, provide direction incorporate them into the solution
  • If not, update documentation to remove the requirements from the proposed solution
• Identify solution improvements: Propose solution improvement to stakeholders based on Performance Evaluation
  • Demonstrate the value added to the solution
  • Specify whether the improvement is within or outside scope
  • At the direction of stakeholders, further investigate and elaborate on improvements based on the solution evaluation
• Identify organizational changes: Identify what changes the organization may have to make to implement the solution

--

Thomas Slahetka
LinkedIn Profile