Hi Cathy,
[Just a bit of my background first - Iv'e been doing IT since the 1984 working as a programmer,anlayst,business systems analyst, architect, data administrartor, team leader have BTech (comp Sci) and Dip Comp Prog. Now I have the urge to cross the line to BA and have been looking for about 2 months (very part time) to gain the knowledge. I bought 4 texts and have looked for courses to start (there is a provider in Britain that offers several introductory BA courses, one being a Cert Course with no great practical component, but then articulates to Dip? etc that does have a practical component). You can find the provider an the net and view the course outline for ideas. I cant remember the URL it off the top of my head. The only book I recommend of my 4 is CBAP Certification Study Guide 2.0 Richard & Elizabeth Larson and this re achieving point 2 below. It is the only book (of my 4 on the subject) that lets you jump in anywhere and pick up the context and walk away knowing what to-do. I should mention that half of my work experience is as a contractor so that I may be required to start at any point]
In my opinion your approach should be broad based and aimed at ensuring 2 major objectives:
1) Your students have the necessary skills and techniques to do the job of analysis and producing the required documentation, and;
2) Have the knowlwdge of the full BABOK process framework and be able to jump in at any point:
o know what parts of the process should already be performed and what artifacts feed into it the current task;
o also for the current task know what the deliverables are: what tasks must be performed and how to do them for that outcome.
If your students have done Bsc computer science than point 1 should not be a problem.
RE pt 2 choose a great study guide and advance your students so that thaey are able to answer the CBAP questions. That should give you entry level.
The cognitive structure requires I think a practical component 10 months long.
Do a meaningful good size project and follow it right through the BABOK framework. Produce all the deliverables, test all the skills & techniques or a very usable subset.
If you do all that I reckon that you will have a Junior BA on your hands ready to start in any Organisation (its pointless specialising at the start right!).
Greg Barber.
Hey its my opinion and it's important to me OK.