IIBA ECBA – Business Analysis Elicitation and Collaboration (IIBA -ECBA) Part 3

11. Conduct Elicitation: Stakeholders and Outputs

Conduct elicitation Stakeholders and Outputs after completing this topic, you should be able to distinguish between the roles of stakeholders involved in conducting elicitation. As mentioned earlier, the domain subject matter expert has relevant expertise or knowledge in the area under analyzes. He or she assists in locating information sources and will work with others in their respective departments to arrange research and experiments.

Along with the business analyst, the implementation subject matter expert has specialized knowledge, including the one in the area of information technology. He or she designs and implements and tests the solution. These stakeholders assist in clarifying information and offering suggestion on solution components. The project manager is responsible to ensure the solution is delivered. He or she will work with a business analyst to ensure stakeholder involvement. The project manager will also coordinate the elicitation activities against the project plan. The Customers is an excellent source of information. While I was working on a large project for a bank, we held focus groups.

That’s one example I remember. Using Customers and paperbased prototypes, we documented feedback on the new online banking. Operational Stakeholders operational stakeholders include the domain subject matter expert who has relevant expertise or knowledge, assists in locating information sources and the ranges research and experiments the implementation subject matter expert who has specialist knowledge, designs and implements solutions and assists in clarifying information and offering suggestions and a project manager who ensures stakeholder involvement and authorizes elicitation activities.

Other Stakeholders other stakeholders include the customer who is a valuable source of information, the end user who uses existing and future solutions and is an important participant in elicitation, and other stakeholders who may have applicable knowledge. The end user will utilize the current processes and technologies and the resulting solution. They provide valuable information on challenges using the current solution and provide suggestions for improvement. Other stakeholders include compliance, human resources, finance and those external to the organization who are impacted by the solution.

Unconfirmed Elicitation Results are the notes, diagrams and concerns discovered during the session. The format is based on the elicitation activity. A focus group will result in answers to a series of questions. A workshop will produce flip charts, notes and diagrams. The information is raw and must be reviewed and categorized to determine if there are any complex or missing information prior to sending it to the stakeholders for confirmation. Unconfirmed Elicitation Results Unconfirmed Elicitation Results is captured information in a format that is specific to the elicitation activity. This information is unconfirmed.

12. Exercise: Conducting Elicitation

Exercise conducting Elicitation after completing this topic, you should be able to demonstrate your understanding of the task, techniques and roles involved in conducting elicitation. Therefore, in this exercise, you are required to demonstrate your understanding of the task, techniques and roles involved in conducting elicitation. And there are several tasks involved in conducting elicitation identifying the inputs and elements used to conduct elicitation describing how each of the guidelines and techniques are used to conduct solicitation identifying the output of conducting elicitation and matching the description of the roles to the stakeholders involved in conducting elicitation.

To conduct an elicitation activity as a Business Analyst, you need to review your Elicitation Activity plan. Which statements identify the inputs and elements used to conduct elicitation. Here you have the options. The Elicitation Activity Plan is the single input of the conduct solicitation task. The Business Analyst guides elicitation activities by performing tasks that keep it on the track. The Business Analyst records information gathered from stakeholders during elicitation activities to ensure it’s available for future reference. The Elicitation Activity Plan is created during the elicitation session and is guided by the Business Analyzes Plan. And finally, the Elicitation Activity Plan is guided by who will use the information. Here you have the answer.

Option one that’s correct. The Elicitation Activity Plan includes elicitation events, information sources, the techniques that will be used, and information about when, how long and who will be in attendance, as well as where the events will take place. Option Two that’s also correct the Business Analyst uses the Elicitation Plan to guide the activities, ensuring the right information and the right level of information is captured. Option three. That’s correct. Capturing elicitation outcomes allows the Business Analysts to ensure that information is available for future use, such as for creating a prototype or modeling data. Option Four that’s incorrect the Elicitation Activity Plan is created during preparation for the session and not during the actual session. Option Five that’s incorrect the Elicitation Activity Plan is guided by the Business Analysis Plan and not by who will use the information gathered.

Several guidelines and sourcing techniques are available to assist the Business Analyst with conducting elicitation. Which statements identify how each of the guidelines and techniques are used to conduct elicitation? Here you have the options. The Business Analysis approach can be used to identify the types of outcomes needed to describe the solution. The Stakeholder Engagement approach can be used to optimize communication and inter collaboration between stakeholders. Supporting materials can help prepare both the Business Analyst and the stakeholders for elicitation events. Interface Analyzes and information sourcing technique can be used to review existing policies, regulations, contracts and procedures. Supporting materials may be used by the Business Analyst, but not the stakeholders to prepare elicitation events. Here we have the answer.

Option one. That’s correct. The Business Analysis approach helps the Business Analyst identify the types of outcomes needed to describe the solution. Option two. That’s also correct. For example, the Stakeholder Engagement approach may contain directions regarding how to conduct a meeting to launch business analyze activities or how to communicate roles, responsibilities and expected outcomes. Option Three that’s correct supporting materials include tools and equipment needed to conduct the session. Option Four that’s incorrect interface Analysis is used to understand how two or more people, departments or systems interact.

Document Analyzes is the technique used to review existing policies, regulations, contracts and procedures. Option Five that’s Incorrect supporting materials can help prepare both the business analysts and the stakeholders for elicitation events. The input for the Conduct solicitation task is the Elicitation activity Plan. What is the output? Here we have the options and Confirmed Elicitation Results confirmed Elicitation Results results that are ready for stakeholder confirmation, and finally, results that have been filtered for relevancy. Here you have the answer. Option One this is the correct option. The output of the Elicitation activity plan is unconfirmed results such as the notes, diagrams and concerns discovered during a session.

Option Two that’s Incorrect elicitation results are confirmed at a later stage. Option Three that’s incorrect the output of an elicitation activity must be checked to determine if there is any complex or missing information prior to sending it to the stakeholders for confirmation. Option Four that’s Incorrect also, information in the output is raw and would still need to be reviewed and categorized. Every stakeholder has a different role in conducting elicitation.

Match the stakeholders to the description of the role they play in conducting elicitation. Here you have the options domain, subject matter expert, implementation, subject matter expert, project manager, customer and end user and here you have the targets has relevant expertise or knowledge in the area under analysis designs, implement and test solutions. Is responsible for ensuring the solution is delivered, is considered as an excellent source of information and finally, provides suggestions for improvement utilizing the current processes and technologies. And here you have the answer.

The domain Subject Matter Expert has relevant expertise or knowledge in the area under analytics and assists in locating information sources. The Implementation subject Matter Expert designs, implements and test solutions and assist in clarifying information and offering suggestions on solution components. The project manager is responsible for ensuring that the solution is delivered, ensures stakeholder involvement, and coordinates the elicitation activities against the plan.

The customer is considered an excellent source of information and provides valuable information that can be used in the elicitation process. The end user is an important participant in elicitation who provides suggestions for improvement utilizing the current processes and technologies, and also valuable information on challenges changes using the current solution.

13. Confirm Elicitation Results: Inputs and Elements

Confirm elicitation results. Inputs and Elements After completing this topic, you should be able to recognize inputs and elements used to confirm elicitation results. The purpose of the knowledge area Confirm Elicitation Results is to check that the information you received as a business analyst during a session is accurate and consistent with other confirmed elicitation results.

The input is unconfirmed elicitation Results this is information that you have elicited and discovered during various sessions. They could be discovered during a workshop, a meeting with prototypes through a survey, and this information needs to be evaluated in the task Confirm Elicitation results and the output is Confirmed Elicitation Results.

Collaboration with stakeholders ensures that information captured is accurate and complete. The information could be reviewed in a meeting or through email with follow up clarification confirm Elicitation Results Overview the task Confirm Elicitation Results has one input unconfirmed recitation results and the output is confirm the recitation results. Compare recitation results against source information stakeholders compare recitation results.

This may be done in a meeting to confirm results. Sources may include document or stakeholder. Knowledge sources for Clarification could include stakeholders or other documentation. It could include reviews with implementation subject matter experts as well as the person who provided the information to you. Elicitation results are compared against confirmed elicitation results from other sessions. The business will address the business analysts any variances with stakeholders which may require additional elicitation sessions.

The more information you get, the more information you need. Modeling the information received will help to identify any inconsistencies or additional information which may require additional elicitation sessions. Compare Elicitation Results against against other Elicitation results compare elicitation results with recent or historic iterations. Variation of results will be addressed and any inconsistencies will be uncovered using specifications or models.

14. Confirm Elicitation Results: Guidelines and Techniques

Confirm elicitation results. Guidelines and Techniques After completing this topic, you should be able to recognize guidelines and techniques used to confirm elicitation results. The Elicitation Activity Plan is typically formatted with a list of various activities, who will attend and how it will be conducted, but it also will provide insight for the business analyst on which sources of elicitation results will be compared. As the Business Analyst progresses through the Elicitation Activity Plan, he or she will look to the plan to determine which sources and elicitation results will be compared.

For example, the business analyst may have notes from a preview session that lists stakeholder needs and add another session to the activity plan to compare and follow up with those same stakeholders using a prototype to ensure that the needs align. Existing business analyze information is used to confirm activity results and determine if there are any inconsistencies. Inconsistencies can occur between express requirements written in text to diagrams from another sessions. Minutes for meetings will also provide information about which requirements were agreed to. Guidelines and Tools The Elicitation Activity plan indicates which sources and elicitation results will be compared.

Existing business analysis information will confirm activity results and develop followup questions to draw greater detail. This analysis may result in the need to develop followup questions to draw a greater detail and remove ambiguity. Remember, elicitation is iterative, and as you continue to elicit information and compare those results, you will get to a greater level of detail and a greater level of currency. Document analysis is used to compare elicitation results to source information and other documents.

For example, the business analyst compares the business rules defined in a station to those held with existing policies. Reviews are used to confirm the elicitation results actually reflect the stakeholder need. This ensures consistency and removes any potential errors for the resulting solution. This activity could also identify missing or inaccurate elicited business analyze information. Confirmation is an Iterative activity and may take a few sessions to gain agreement from your stakeholders. Reviews can be formal or informal depending on the level of risk.

One informal approach is to send an analyzed list of needs to the respective stakeholders by email with additional questions. You can include a pool question asking for confirmation agreement or for follow up. The pool results will be stored for future reference. Confirming Elicitation Results Techniques document analysis compares results to the source information and other documents. Reviews confirm a collection of elicitation results. This can be formal or informal depending on the level of risk. Interviews facilitate a review of elicited results, send information in advance and provide an agenda to be sure to advise stakeholder that he or she will be required to provide further feedback leading to an agreement. Workshops are a great way to review drafted solicitation results.

In a workshop, the business analyst could break the participants into purse to discuss the information. This is a great way to encourage participation and feedback. An agenda provides clear direction on what is expected in the session, what is expected of the review, and keeps the session on track. Scenarios help to put the business analyzes information into context. This usually results in change or new information, confirm information and review drafted results. Interviews confirm business to analyze information and ensure proper integration. Workshops allow the reviewing of drafted elicitation results, create formality through an agenda, use scripts and scenario tests, and encourage and record feedback.

15. Confirm Elicitation Results: Stakeholders and Outputs

Confirm elicitation results. Stakeholders and Outputs After completing this topic, you should be able to identify the key stakeholder in confirming elicitation results. Because domain subject matter experts will be a prime source of elicitation results, they will confirm the results of often. Once a subject matter expert has time to think about the results, he or she will provide additional or corrected information. As mentioned earlier, scenarios are a great way to help the domain subject matter expert work through the requirements in the context of what they do on a day to day basis, other stakeholders will review and confirm the results.

They may or may not be in the session, but may provide insight into the information. I often have an implementation subject matter expert review any requirements for an automated solution. A meeting is a really great way to work with this type of stakeholder, as the business analyst will be able to ask clarifying questions and find out if there are any technical constraints or nonfunctional requirements. Stakeholders Who Confirm Results Stakeholders who confirm results include a domain subject matter expert who provides expertise, confirms results, and identifies omissions and other stakeholders who assist in confirming results a regulator will look at the requirements and a list of business analyze this information to determine if the requirements meet regulatory and legal requirements.

The objective of confirming elicitation results is to ensure that all stakeholders agree on the results and confirm that they are valid and accurate, appropriate to the context in which they work and provide value that they are relevant to. The respective department and more so, they are useful as input to further work for the business analysis such as conducting requirements, analysis and designs and assessing the solution output. Confirmed Elicitation Results Confirmed solicitation results means that all stakeholders agree the results are valid, appropriate, relevant and useful as input to future work.