IIBA ECBA – Business Analysis Elicitation and Collaboration (IIBA -ECBA) Part 5

21. Stakeholder Collaboration: Inputs and Elements

Stakeholder Collaboration inputs and Elements After completing this topic, you should be able to identify inputs and elements used in managing stakeholder collaboration. The purpose of managing stakeholder collaboration is to ensure that they work as a team toward a common goal and reach consensus. The Business analyst will use the Stakeholder Engagement approach and Business Analyze performance Assessments in order to complete the task of managing stakeholder collaboration, which is continuous throughout the business analysis effort. The output is an engaged stakeholder group.

The Stakeholder Engagement approach describes expected engagement and management of stakeholders and may identify stakeholders who are resistant to change. The stakeholder metrics outlining the impact of the change to the stakeholder and the level of influence each stakeholder has. This helps the business analysts to ensure that all stakeholder levels are engaged and communicated with. Business analyzes performance assessments provides information on task being executed by the business analyst and helps to facilitate improvements.

This includes tasks focused on stakeholder engagement, such as who has influenced their authority levels, keeping in mind the stakeholders roles, responsibilities and attitudes may change as the initiative progresses. Manage Stakeholder Collaboration overview the task manage Stakeholder Collaboration has two inputs the stakeholder engagement approach and the business analyzes performance assessment. The output is stakeholder engagement inputs. The Stakeholder Engagement approach describes expected engagement and management of stakeholders. The Business Analyzes Performance Assessment provides information on task being executed and includes task focused on shareholder engagement.

I had a stakeholder who was very negative at the beginning of an initiative and during elicitation sessions was very negative and provided little input into the discussions. I met with him separately and found out that he had a lot of concerns. I took those concerns seriously and documented some of the solutions to those concerns in the business analysis information package. As time went on, he became an engaged stakeholder who had a more positive outlook on the outcomes of the solution. The Business Analyst goal is to identify and gain agreement to resource commitments as early as possible to mitigate any risk to the business analyzed activities.

As mentioned earlier, your stakeholders are key to your success. If they are not engaged and if their management doesn’t agree to the participation in the initiative, the Business analyst must negotiate with the management and possibly even escalate the issue to senior management in order to ensure that business analyzed activities are on track. Gain Agreement on Commitments Gaining agreement on commitments means identifying and agreeing to resource commitments. Early on, the Business Analyst will negotiate terms and conditions of stakeholder commitments.

This will include the time that’s needed by the stakeholder to provide input on potential needs, to review requirements, and to be engaged in any other activities that a business analyst may deem to be appropriate. It’s up to the business analyst to explicitly specify the expectations of each of the stakeholders who are engaged in the business analyzed effort and ensure that they understand and are willing to take on and deliver the desired outcomes. The business analyst is there to help stakeholders participate effectively. He or she may identify a Stakeholder who is efficient to share information. It is up to the business analyst to reach out to the Stakeholder and make other arrangements with him or her and encourage participation.

The business analyst is there to ensure the attitudes of the stakeholders remain in the best interest of the initiative. Often, negative attitudes may uncover potential issues with a solution that needs to be addressed. After speaking with the Stakeholder who has negative inputs about process changes, he identified that the same approach was tried years before and outlined the failures, resulting in additional requirements. This may be an example. Gain Agreement on Commitments gaining agreement on commitments also means negotiating terms and conditions of commitments and explicitly specify expectations and the desired outcomes.

Monitor Stakeholder Engagement monitor stakeholder engagement means helping stakeholders participate effectively and ensuring that their attitudes remain in the best interest of the initiative. Make sure that agreements and commitments are adhered to true documentation and written agreements in the form of emails or electronic signatures. As mentioned earlier, the Stakeholder is key to your success as a business analyst. The business analyst must ensure stakeholders won’t be distracted by current work obligations. This can be achieved by gaining agreement early from stakeholders manager to allocate the stakeholders time to the initiative. If the required quality of business analyzes information is not being achieved through elicitation activities, other stakeholders with the request knowledge may need to be appointed.

It’s up to the business analyst to ensure approvals are on time and address any concerns the stakeholders may have that may contribute to delays in the business analyzer’s effort. The business analyst will uncover and address issues related to stakeholder buy in, which will often show itself through negativity and absence from business analyzes activities. Monitor stakeholder engagement also means making sure that agreements and commitments are adhere to. Stakeholder Workflow Risk stakeholder workflow risk involves stakeholders work efforts being diverted, the required quality of business analyze, information not being achieved through elicitation activities and approvals for work or task being delayed. Fostering Collaboration Fostering collaboration involves collaborating with stakeholders to ensure buying.

The business analyst encourages a free change of information and ideas, facilitates innovative thinking through the creation of a safe environment and the use of different techniques such as brainstorming and quiet reflection. Quiet reflection gives the Stakeholder an opportunity to provide information anonymously to the rest of the team. Through the use of index cards, the business analyst may compile the information from the cards and engage the stakeholders in a discussion on that content. A good facilitator allows stakeholder voices to be heard and gives credit to their contribution.

This helps to foster a positive experience and the good relationships with the stakeholders. The business analyst facilitates frequent bidirectional communication using active listening and feedback.

22. Stakeholder Collaboration: Guidelines and Techniques

Stakeholder Collaboration Guidelines and Techniques After completing this topic, you should be able to recognize the guidelines and techniques used in managing stakeholder collaboration. The business analyst approach identifies the nature and level of collaboration of each stakeholder. Engaging Stakeholders only you and it’s absolutely necessary. The business objectives direct efforts toward reaching the future state. This focuses the efforts of stakeholders into achieving a common goal. This is done first by ensuring that the goals are understood by each of the stakeholders. I’ve often posted the goals and objectives at the very front of a room during elicitation activity and walked the stakeholders through each of the goals and each of the objectives to ensure that they understood them and how those goals impact them individually.

This ensures that they stay focused on the goals and objectives and don’t provide information that isn’t relevant to the scope of the solution. The future state description identifies the value delivered by the future state. It also focuses stakeholders on a common goal and is used to facilitate and gain agreement. This is often facilitated through a requirements walk through or through a presentation. Business Analyzed Approach and Objectives The business analyzed approach identifies the nature and level of collaboration of each stakeholder. The business objectives direct efforts toward reaching the future state and focus the efforts of various stakeholders onto achieving a common goal. Future State Actions and Risk Analysis The future state description identifies the value delivered by the future state and is used to focus stakeholders on a common goal.

The business analyst will recommend actions to prompt the sharing of ideas to improve solution value and motivate stakeholders to stay focused on the goals. To motivate and maintain stakeholder focus, consider the types of communication and engagement they need. The business Analyst can share anecdotes of how other stakeholders are engaged and the benefits to them if they participate, building relationships and trust with stakeholders will help mitigate stakeholder risk. Trust is often gained when your behavior matches your words, so be sure to deliver what you promised to a stakeholder and help them work through the process.

I will often sit down with a stakeholder to describe what my role is as an advocate for them to ensure that all of their needs are met. I’ll explain the process, what the expectations are of them and get their agreement on moving forward. If the stakeholder sees you as an advocate, they are more likely to trust the process and you. Future State Actions and Risk Analyzes Recommended actions involve sharing ideas to improve the solution value and motivating and maintaining stakeholder focus. Risk Analyzes results address stakeholder related risk.

Stakeholder list maps and personas help you to engage the stakeholder. First, you must understand the stakeholder availability. The business cycle will help you with this. For example, finance is unlikely to be available during months’ end reporting and year end close out. The business analyst can identify informal relationships between stakeholders. Personas help with this stakeholder with the same types of concerns and needs could be paired up to discuss business problems and come up with solutions.

An organization chart and your stakeholder metrics will help you to understand which stakeholders must be consulted for different kinds of information. Personas help me to identify the different types of stakeholders impacted by a change. I made a concerted effort to engage those stakeholders with those persona and characteristics to ensure that the user interface met their needs. This resulted in a prototype that was reviewed in a focus group of those same stakeholders and agreement was reached fairly quickly. Collaborative games are informal interactions in a safe and fun environment which allow knowledge sharing that may not occur during regular interactions. During a workshop, I established work groups to come up with as many ideas to solve a specific business problem.

The competition and resulting prizes engaged the stakeholders and they came up with some really nova TV ideas. Collaboration techniques, stakeholder lists, maps or personas determine stakeholders availability, identify informal relationships between stakeholders and are used to understand which stakeholders must be consulted for various kinds of information. Collaborative games are informal interactions in a safe and fun environment, and they allow knowledge sharing that may not occur during regular interactions.

The business analyst continually monitors and manages risk. He or she does this by working directly with those stakeholders who are not engaged in the effort. The business analyst may have to identify other sources of information. The business analyst focuses on stakeholder involvement and participation. Stakeholders are necessary for the successful outcome of an initiative. Some stakeholders may not have the requires knowledge and may not want to divulge information during an elicitation session. It’s incumbent on the business analyst to determine if stakeholders are knowledgeable enough in the domain under investigation to mitigate any requirements.

Risk Lessons Learned Information helps the business analyst understand the satisfaction or dissatisfaction of stakeholders from past initiatives. Feedback may be given throughout the business analyst’s effort. The business analyst will facilitate opportunities for improving work relationships through active listening, frank discussion, providing evidence, or trustworthiness other techniques.

Risk analysis and management involves identifying and managing risk and focuses on stakeholder involvement, engagement and participation. Lessons learned involves understanding satisfaction or dissatisfaction and facilitating opportunities for improving working relationships.

23. Stakeholder Collaboration: Stakeholders and Outputs

Stakeholder collaboration. Stakeholders and Outputs After completing this topic, you should be able to identify qualities of strong stakeholder collaboration. All stakeholders are important to the business analyst. However, key stakeholders are those who provide services to the business analyst, depend on the business analyst services and participate in business analyst tasks, and also have the knowledge necessary to provide needs and feedback. Relationships should be strong, positive and trust based. I found introducing myself and my role as a stakeholder advocate help to build relationships with the stakeholders. I explained that their needs will be analyzed against the solution scope that all stated needs will be considered and reasons for exclusion will be explained. I ensure them that confidential information was not assigned to a specific person.

Also, responding quickly to their concerns and being supportive certainly helped me build relationships. Relationships can break down when the business analyst fails to provide useful information. The business analyst needs to address negative reactions to setbacks and identify when stakeholders are providing insufficient support and participation in events. A brief meeting with a business analyst expressing the importance of the stakeholders involvement will often mitigate the issues. Building strong stakeholder relationships. Key stakeholders are those who provide services to the business analyst, depend on the business analyst services and participate in business analyzes.

Task. Relationships should be strong, positive and trust based. Poor Stakeholder Collaboration poor stakeholder collaboration means failing to provide useful information, negative reactions to setbacks, insufficient support and participation, and important information that is ignored. The business analyst must share important information as early as possible. This will avoid rumors from spreading. In one session, I had a stakeholder that sent a text to a colleague about a decision under discussion.

This information spread through the organization and within 45 minutes the senior executive contacted me. I explained that the decision was not made, but rather discussed and avoided any further misinformation being shared prematurely by asking stakeholders to put their cell phones away. Engaged stakeholders are willing to contribute positively to business analyst activities and are willing to interact with business analysts whenever necessary. In one project, I held a stakeholder team meeting to get feedback on the process and discussed what they needed to be successful. The feedback was fair.

After the session, I changed a few approaches and my behavior indicated that I had heard them. This helped to cement our working relationship and a much smoother process going forward. The Output Stakeholder Engagement engaged stakeholders are willing to contribute positive to business, analyze its activities, and are willing to interact with a business analyst whenever necessary.

24. Exercise: Managing Stakeholder Collaboration

Exercise managing Stakeholder Collaboration After completing this topic, you should be able to demonstrate your understanding of the task techniques and roles involved in managing stakeholder collaboration. Therefore, in this exercise, you are required to demonstrate your understanding of the task techniques and roles involved in managing stakeholder collaboration. And there are several tasks involved in managing Stakeholder collaboration, identifying the task involved in managing Stakeholder collaboration, identifying the guidelines and techniques involved in managing Stakeholder collaboration, and identifying Stakeholder roles when managing Stakeholder collaboration managing Stakeholder collaboration to ensure all stakeholders work together as a team towards a common goal. And to reach consensus is part of your responsibilities as a business analyst. Which statements describes the inputs and elements used in stakeholder management?

Here we have the options. The stakeholder engagement approach and business analysis performance assessment are the inputs to the managed stakeholders collaboration task. The business analyst must gain agreement on commitments from stakeholders. The stakeholder management plan is created during the elicitation process and is guided by the Business Analyzes plan. There is nothing you can do to avoid stakeholder workflow interruptions or quality issues. And lastly, a good practice is to foster collaboration among stakeholders and monitor their levels of engagement. And here we have the answer for you to compare. Option one. That’s correct.

The Stakeholder Engagement approach describes the plan for engaging and managing stakeholders. The Business Analysis Performance assessments provide performance information on tasks focused on shareholder engagement. Option two. That’s correct. It really helps in managing stakeholder engagement when you obtain explicitly specified expectations and desired outcomes from stakeholders early on in the project. Option Three that’s incorrect a stakeholder management plan is not an officially recognized document in the Business Analyzes body of knowledge. However, if you did create one, it would be during the planning phase, not during elicitation option for that incorrect. If any stakeholders show signs that their workflow is being diverted or the quality of their input goes downhill, you should take action. One proactive step is to gain agreement early on from the stakeholders manager to allocate the stakeholders time to the initiative. Option five.

That’s correct. Collaboration with stakeholders ensures buy in from them, encourage the free change of information and ideas, keep changing on how engaged each key stakeholder is throughout the project, and address any issues as they arise. Case Study question One of Two this is the scenario for your convenience. The case study is repeated with each question. As a business analyst for an international corporation, you need to engage and collaborate with stakeholders across the globe on a few changes needed within the organization. Answer the questions in any order. This is the first question. Match the guidelines used to manage stakeholders to their descriptions. Here we have the options business analyzed approach business objectives, future state description, recommended actions and risk analyze results. And here we have the targets.

Identify the nature and level of collaboration of each stakeholder. Direct stakeholder efforts toward reaching the future state identifies the value delivered by the future state as well as facilitates and gains stakeholder agreement, encourage idea sharing, maintain stakeholder focus and consider stakeholder communication styles and finally, deliver what is promised to mitigate stakeholder risk and build trust. And here is the answer for you to compare. The business analyst approach identifies each stakeholder’s nature and level of collaboration and focuses their efforts onto achieving a common goal. The business objectives not only direct stakeholder efforts toward reaching the future state, but also focus the efforts of stakeholders on to achieving a common goal.

The future state description identifies the value delivered by the future state and focuses stakeholders on a common goal, which is often used to facilitate and gain agreement. This is often achieved through a requirement walkthrough or a presentation. Recommended actions encourage the sharing of ideas to improve solution value and motivate stakeholders to stay focused on the goal by considering the types of communication and engagement that they need.

Risk Analyzes results deliver what is promised to mitigate stakeholder risk and build trust, and rely on building good relationships and trust within stakeholders to help mitigate risk. It is important, therefore, to deliver on promises and to help stakeholders work through the process. For your convenience, the case study is repeated with each question. As a business analyst for an international corporation, you need to engage and collaborate with stakeholders across the globe on a few changes needed within the organization. Answer the questions in any order, match the techniques used to manage stakeholders to their descriptions.

Here you have the options, stakeholder list, maps and personas, collaborative games, risk analyzes and management, and lessons learned. And here we have the targets determine availability and identify informal relationships and who must be consulted for various information involving formal interactions in a safe and fun environment. Includes working directly with stakeholders who are not engaged in the effort and finally, encourages understanding of satisfaction level of stakeholders from past initiatives.

And here we have the answer. Stakeholder list, maps, or personas are collaboration techniques that determine availability and identify informal relationships and who must be consulted for various information. Collaborative games involve informal interactions in a safe and fun environment. Through collaborative games, the business analyst encourages knowledge sharing that may not occur during regular interaction. Risk analysis and management is a form of monitoring stakeholder involvement that includes working directly with stakeholders who are not engaged in the effort. The successful outcome of any initiative is dependent upon stakeholders to risk analyze this. At management, the business analyst focuses on stakeholder involvement and participation.

 Stakeholders may either not have enough knowledge or may not want to divulge the knowledge they do have during an elicitation session. It’s the business analyst duty to determine if stakeholders are knowledgeable enough to mitigate any requirements. Risk Lessons learned encourages understanding of satisfaction levels of stakeholders from past initiatives. Through the lessons learned technique, the business analyst may give feedback through the business analysis effort. The business analyst will also facilitate opportunities for improving work relationships through active listening, frank discussion, and providing evidence of trustworthiness. Relationships can break down when the business Analyst fails to engage stakeholders in the correct manner.

Which options are symptoms of poor stakeholder collaboration? Here we have the options failure to provide useful information, setbacks and obstacles, creating negative reactions, insufficient support and participation in business analysis, important information being ignored, a stakeholder who is no longer able to meet expectations, finding a suitable replacement, and lastly, dependence on the business analyst services. Option One that’s Correct when the business Analyst fails to provide useful information, relationships can break down. One way to counter this is to have a meeting with a business analyst to express the importance of stakeholder environment. Option Two that’s correct when setbacks and obstacles create negative reactions, the business Analyst needs to address them.

Option Three that’s also correct the business Analyst should identify and engage stakeholders who provide insufficient support and participation in events. Engage stakeholders are more willing to contribute positively to business analyzed activities and are willing to interact with a business analyst whenever necessary. Option four. That’s correct. When important information is ignored, this may contribute to misunderstanding, miscommunication and insufficient support from stakeholders. The Business Analyst must share important information as early as possible to mitigate these issues. Option Five that’s Incorrect this may happen on a project. If you have a stakeholder who is unable to participate in meetings or provide the required knowledge during elicitation activities, another stakeholder with a request knowledge may need to be appointed.

Option six. That’s incorrect. That is actually the definition of a key stakeholder one who depends on the services of the business Analyst and in turn, provide services to the business analyst. Although all stakeholders are important to the business Analyst, collaboration tasks are essential to ensure key stakeholder participation. What are two desired outputs from the manage stakeholder collaboration task? Here we have the options stakeholder willingness to interact with a business analyst whenever necessary, stakeholders type of approval on the recitation results, and finally, stakeholder willingness to participate in events poorly when prompted to do so. And here we have the answer. Option One that’s correct a desired output is an engaged stakeholder who is willing to take part in and contribute positively to business analyzed activities. Option two.

That’s also correct. A sign of healthy stakeholder engagement is when stakeholders are willing to interact with a business Analyst and with other stakeholders whenever there is a need to. Option three. That’s incorrect. That is the output of the conduct elicitation task, not the managed stakeholder collaboration task the output asked for. Here is stakeholder engagement indicated by stakeholders who are engaged in business analyzed activities as required. Option Four and the last one that’s incorrect a desired output does not involve stakeholders poor addict participation in events. A desired output would be an active and willing stakeholder who participates in all events without additional prompting.

25. Business Analysis Elicitation and Collaboration (IIBA -ECBA)

Congratulations. You just finished the business analyzes elicitation and collaboration course. In this course, we examined the ongoing process of Elicitation and collaboration and find out how business analysts identify and reach agreements with stakeholders on requirements. The task in this knowledge area describe how you, as a Business analyst, reach a mutual understanding of various types of business Analyze information with stakeholders.

The activities associated with this task include workshops, surveys, and ad hoc collaboration and conversations. The first part of the course, called Elicitation and Collaboration, covers the following topics overview of Elicitation and collaboration, core Concepts, and the Business Analyst Role an exercise on Understanding Elicitation and collaboration. The Second Part Of The Course called Prepare For Elicitation has the following structure prepare For Elicitation inputs and elements prepare For Elicitation guidelines and techniques prepare For Elicitation stakeholders and outputs this is a pretty standard structure and an exercise on Preparing for Elicitation.

The third part of the course, called Conduct Elicitation, covers the following topics conduct Elicitation Inputs and elements, conduct Elicitation Guidelines and Techniques conduct Elicitation, Stakeholders and Outputs and an exercise on Conducting Elicitation. The fourth part of the course is called Confirm Elicitation Results and deals with these concepts confirm Elicitation results, inputs and elements confirm Elicitation Results guidance and techniques confirm Elicitation results, stakeholders and outputs and an exercise on confirming Elicitation results the fifth part of the course called Communicate Business Analyze Information has the following structure communicating Business Analyze information guidelines and techniques communicating Business Analyze information stakeholders and outputs and an exercise on communicating Business Analyzes Information. The 6th.

And the last part of the course, called Manage Stakeholder Collaboration has quite a similar structure. Stakeholder Collaboration inputs and elements, stakeholder collaboration guidelines and techniques, stakeholder collaborations, stakeholders and outputs. And finally, an exercise on managing stakeholder collaboration. Just to remind you, this course is part of the business analyzing certification program, which includes 40 courses, this being the third one of these 14. Thank you for watching and see you in the next course.