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New Post 10/4/2019 4:01 AM
User is offline marcin1666
1 posts
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Business analysis assessment 
Hi all,

How would you perform assessment of as-is business analysis state in company with a variety of departments? I thought about series of interviews with randomly chosen analysts. What would you ask them: Typical day, what other roles does he do in his work, what software he uses, what techniques he knows. Any ideas?

Thanks

 
New Post 10/5/2019 9:03 AM
User is offline Usman_chiefoftheglen
9 posts
10th Level Poster


Re: Business analysis assessment 
Modified By Chris Adams  on 10/7/2019 10:27:12 AM)
 marcin1666 wrote
Hi all,

 

How would you perform assessment of as-is business analysis state in company with a variety of departments? I thought about series of interviews with randomly chosen analysts. What would you ask them: Typical day, what other roles does he do in his work, what software he uses, what techniques he knows. Any ideas?

Thanks


 

Hi, 

Before you start anything, create a plan. This could be high level. But to begin with, you need to know:

  1. Which department to start with? Your manager should be able to help you with this one. 
  2. Which team in that department to start with? You could approach the Head of the department and ask them which team has the biggest impact. 
  3. Who from that team you should speak to? I'd start with the most senior person (e.g. team lead), get their buy-in and then ask them to nominate members of their team. 

Focus on one department and once you have nailed the As-Is then move on to the next. I expect that there will be touch-points/links between the departments. You'll establish these as you work through your plan (e.g. going through each dept). 

In terms of what to ask, I'd focus on the high priority/impact areas of the nominated analyst. For example:

  • Revenue generating processes
  • Tasks which take up most of their week
  • Mandatory processes which they must complete (key part of their job)

I expect this exercise will help you learn the business. Process diagrams are probably a good way to document the business. I wrote about this in detail if that helps

 

 

 
New Post 10/16/2019 1:16 AM
User is offline Stewart F
119 posts
7th Level Poster


Re: Business analysis assessment 

Hi marcin, 

Usman has some good points, but before you follow his "what to ask" questions, I would add that it is critical that you keep it relevant to the point of the project. Is the project to do with reducing headcount in the company, locating areas suitable for automation or seeing which area are more productive than others? 

Dependent on what the answer to that is, you then need to ask questions around that.

Also, as a manager myself, I would be a bit loath to have someone come in and sit with my entire team. I have productivity levels to keep as well ! Instead, the manager of that department or a nominated individual will probably know the whole department. Use them as your SME (Subject Matter Expert) and ask them if it is OK for you to come back to them if you have any further questions (which you will). 

I assume you intend to do Process Maps of some sort to show what information you collect? If not, any potential report written will be quite wordy and hard to follow. Diagrams and Process maps are much easier to follow. Although, having said it does depend on what the point of your project is. 

 
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