hey Chris, Thank you for the quick reply. am sorry i could not reply earlier, was very busy with my work. Its nice of you to guide me in these matters. what u r saying is absolutely right. even though i might finish this course, job is not guaranteed. what i feel is that this is my 1st step toward becoming a BA and gaining d basics would be great. Rest as they say....Do your Work & Hope For d Best .
Now the Training provider has sent me a long list of Topics & Subjects which i have pasted below. plz do have a look at d subjects and lemme know what you feel about it.
Core Concepts in Business Analysis
Skills in BA
o Knowledge skills-Analysis/Business/IT
o Collaboration skills
o Leadership skills
BA Skills Set
o Business Process Analysis
o Productivity Analysis
o UML Modeling
o Business Process Models
o Use Case Models
o Software Requirements
o JAD Session Facilitation
o RUP Modeling
BA Workflows-RUP
o Business Modeling
o Requirements
o Analysis & Design
o Implementation
o Test
o Deployment
o Project Management
o Configuration & Change Management
o Environment
Business Intent
o Understanding strategic plans, goals and objectives
BA Environment
o Feasibility Study
o GAP Analysis
o Business Architecture framework
Determine Scope of the Project
o Identify scope and define business Opportunities or Problems.
Preparing the Business Case
o What is Business Case?
o Benefit and Cost Assessment
Risk Assessment
o Risk Identification
o Probability and Impact
o Risk Rating
Put Artifact Framework in Place
o SRS, SRS Templates and Check list
o Supplemental Specification
o Use Case Specification and UI Specifications-(Mockups/Screen Designs)
REQUIREMENTS PLANNING & MANAGEMENT
o What is a requirement?
o Importance of Gathering Requirements and documentation
o Requirements used by the software developers for best delivery
o Difference between Business and Technological requirements.
o Understand the business problem before deciding on a solution
Documenting Requirements
o Types of Requirements
Business Requirements
Functional Requirements
Technical Requirements
o Concept of traceability of requirements.
o Review several documentation formats and analysis techniques.
o Business analysts should be aware of the documentation options and be trained in the particular techniques preferred by their organization.
o Textual templates
o Use case diagram and descriptions
o Workflow diagram
o Prototyping
o Consider options for packaging requirements and choosing the appropriate documentation techniques for each project.
o Review currently available software tools that can be used to document requirements. Verification and Validation of Requirement
Identify missing or incomplete requirements.
Identify potential test cases.
Document issues and develop an approach for going forward.
Validate the Requirements
o Introduction to software testing: Why is testing important? What is the business analyst's role in testing? What is the primary objective of testing? What are the phases and types of testing?
o Learn the two main testing documents: test plans and test cases.
o Learn to verify that the business requirements are complete by identifying test cases.
REQUIREMENTS ELICITATION
o Requirements-elicitation techniques
o Document analysis-Strength and Weakness
o Prepare for document analysis phase
Background
Desired situation
Specific problem areas
o Analyze the documents phase
Extracting relevant information
Decontextualizing information
Recontextualizing information
Documenting information
Requirement Elicitation Techniques
o Reverse engineering-Prepare & Perform
o Observation
o Survey
o Interview
o Brainstorming
o Focus group
o Requirements workshop
o Elicitation Best Practices
REQUIREMENTS COMMUNICATIONS
The requirements communication area involves the transfer and exchange of information for the purpose of reaching a common understanding between stakeholders.
Create a requirements communication plan
o FPA Software Estimation techniques
Manage requirements conflicts
o Meetings, Peer Review
o Issue Log
o Determine appropriate requirements format & packages
o Conduct a requirements presentation
o Conduct a formal requirements review-Feedback & Q&A
Obtain requirements signoff
REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS & DOCUMENTATION
The requirements gathering areas consist of requirements elicitation, requirements analysis and documentation, and solution assessment and validation. The information gleaned from stakeholders is exchanged with other areas, most particularly requirements planning.
Joint Application Design (JAD)
o JAD Sessions and Brainstorming
o Use Case Drafting JAD
o Business Object Modeling
o JAD-Analysis of Results
Prototyping
o Low life prototype
o Hi life prototype
o Functionality Prototype
Use cases
o Use cases
o Actors
o Communication Relationship
Use case Realization
o Sequence diagram
o Collaborative diagram
Relationship list
o Includes
o Extends
Pre-conditions
Post-Conditions
Flow of Events
• Basic Flow
• Alternate Flows
• Exception Flows
Business Rules and Special Requirements
Story Board designing-Mockup screens
Data Models
Process/Flow Models
Other UML Modeling diagrams
o Modeling the Static View: The Class Diagram
o Modeling the Static View: The Object Diagram
o Modeling the Functional View: The Activity Diagram
o Modeling the Dynamic View: The Sequence Diagram
o Modeling the Dynamic View: The Collaboration Diagram
o Modeling the Dynamic View: The State chart Diagram
o Modeling the Static View: The Component Diagram
o Modeling the Static View: The Deployment Diagram
Data & Behavior Models
o Business Rules
o Class Model
o CRUD Matrix
o Data Dictionary
o Data Transformation and Mapping
o ER Diagrams
o Metadata Definition
SOLUTION ASSESSMENT & VALIDATION
Develop alternate solutions
o Mapping
o Requirements fulfillment
o Software Development Life cycle-SDLC Models-waterfall, iterative
Build Planning
o Prioritized, approved business requirements & recommendations
o Technical Constraints and their problems, feedbacks
o High level understanding of technology potential-Standards
Facilitate the selection of a solution
o RFP-Request for Proposal/RFQ-Request for Quote
Ensure the usability of the solution
o Usability testing
Support the Quality Assurance process
o Testing for BA- types like System, System Integration & User Acceptance testing (UAT)
o Development of a test plan, test case/strategy for the solution
o Execution of test case based on business scenario
o Document test failures based on by severity and by probability of occurrence
o Defect tracking and resolutions
Support the implementation of the solution
o Implementation & Conversion plan
Communicate the solution impacts
Post implementation review and assessment
PRACTICAL SESSION 1. Case Study
2. MS Viso
OVER VIEW
1. Rational Rose
2. Rational Requisite Pro