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SQL, data analysis, reporting, UML, Visual Basic programming, Microsoft Office Automation http://www.it-career-coach.net/2008/12/16/the-accidental-business-analyst/ 1. UML (Requirement gathering & analysis method) 2. Process mapping techniques like Flowcharting, IDEF, and excellent process mapping skills. 3. impact analysis 4. software applications and architectures 5. RDBMS concepts 6. Familiarity with Software Development Life Cycle 7. data analysis, reporting, UML UML: Unified Modeling Language – modeling language developed by Object Management Group (OMG). UML 2.3 was formally released in May 2010. There are 2 types 1. Structural diagrams 2. Behavior diagrams Structural diagram: It represents the structure that is used in documenting the architecture of software systems. The things in the system are modeled. Behavior diagrams: It illustrates the behavior of the system; it is used to describe the functionality of the systems. Use case diagram: describes the functionality provided by a system in terms of actors, their goals represented as use cases, and any dependencies among those use cases. Valuelabs – May’06 – jan’08 (20month) I3 software – mar’08 – jan ’10 (22 months) Chakkilam infotech – Mar’10 – dec’10 (9months)

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FLOWCHARTING i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii. ix. x. Operations, sequence Top, down Flow line Equality, inequality connectors Off -page Terminal documenting ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Flowcharting template

START

READ A, B, C

IS B>C? PRINT B

IS A>B?

IS A>C?

PRINT C

PRINT C

PRINT A

END

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Use Case: It is the sequential flow of activities. It adds value to actors and fulfills the goals of an actor. In other words, a use case describes "who" can do "what" with the system. Actors Students Use Cases 1. Create a schedule 2. Select four courses 3. Select 2 others, if first choice become full or cancelled 4. Can change the schedule 5. Add or delete courses 6. When registration is done, bill is sent to the student log in to the system Find out which classes they teach Find out the students log in to the system Administer the system

Tutors

Registrar

Primary Actor
Students

Use Cases
1. Create a schedule 2. Select four courses 3. Select 2 others, if first choice become full or cancelled 4. Can change the schedule 5. Add or delete courses 6. When registration is done, bill is sent to the student 7. log in to the system 8. Find out which classes they teach 9. Find out the students 10. log in to the system 11. Administer the system

Tutors

Registrar

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Business rule is a statement that defines or constrains some aspect of the business. It is intended to assert business structure or to control or influence the behavior of the business. Business rules describe the operations, definitions and constraints that apply to an organization. Business rules can apply to people, processes, corporate behavior and computing systems in an organization, and are put in place to help the organization achieve its goals. Functional requirements documents define how a system must behave when presented with certain inputs or conditions. It is same as use cases. Vision and Scope: Background, Business Opportunity, and Customer Needs Business Objectives and Success Criteria Business Risks Project InsureBill: InsureBill is designed to minimizing the manual entry activities by automating tasks. It is an extension for invoicing processes. Gap Analysis: It is a tool that helps a company to compare its actual performance with its potential performance. "Where are we?" and "Where do we want to be?" Gap analysis is a formal study of what a business is doing currently and where it wants to go in the future. It can be conducted, in different perspectives, as follows: Organization (e.g., human resources) Business direction Business processes Information technology The planning gap may be divided into three main elements: 1. Usage gap 2. Product gap 3. Competitive gap Gap Analysis Document: This document usually includes an 1. Introduction: states the purpose of the analysis and the methods used to complete the study. 2. Summary: summary of the current situation, the goals the company wants to achieve, and the detailed plan to achieve these goals.

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3. Management: management approves the action plan and budget. If approved, the plan is put into action. Tracking of each step is required to ensure that the plan remains on schedule and within budget. Business Requirements Specification: In short BRS is a document which explains the expected out put what exactly the client wants. This is the first document which will be referred by development team and testing team from start to end. It contains the details of the end to end business. What is all the process they want to implement? It could be a new feature or existing one. In general this document will help to understand the client’s requirements. BR nothing but client requirements, this doc gives overview of entire application. BRS is nothing but initial requirements of the client, but the requirement doc is nothing but high level interaction between people of client and businesspeople of our organization. Software Requirements Specification: SRS is a comprehensive description of the intended purpose and environment for software under development. The SRS fully describes what the software will do and how it will be expected to perform. It is a way of converting raw customer requirements into well-formed and organized ones. It is a method to provide a description of what a system should do, in terms of its interactions or interfaces with its external environment. A good SRS defines how an application will interact with system hardware, other programs and human users in a wide variety of real-world situations. System: A system is an interdependent group of people, objects, or procedures formed to achieve a goal. Requirement: A requirement is something a system must do. It is a condition or capability a user needs in order to solve a problem or achieve an objective. RFP, Due Diligence, MS – Visio, Request for Proposal : A request for proposal (RFP) is an early stage in procurement process, issuing an invitation for suppliers, often through a bidding process, to submit a proposal on a specific commodity or service.

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MS Visio: It is a diagramming program for Microsoft Windows that uses vector graphics to create diagrams. Current version is Microsoft Office Visio 2010 for Windows. Office Visio 2010 (14.0; Standard ($249.99), Professional ($599.99), Premium ($999.99). It is a diagramming tool helps in simplify complexity with dynamic, data-driven visuals and new ways to share on the Web in real time. 1. It offers a wide variety of options to meet diagramming needs for IT, business, process management, and more. 2. The tools you need quickly. 3. Diagrams can be drawn faster. 4. Complex diagrams can be drawn using Sub processes and Containers. 5. it looks diagrams look professional and appealing 6. Diagrams can be connected to Excel or SQL Server and real time data can be reflected in diagrams. 7. Diagrams can be shared on web; users can view real time info (even if they don’t own Visio). They can pan and zoom in the diagram, follow hyperlinks in shapes, and refresh the data. 8. Ensure consistency and accuracy with diagram validation. 9. we can export and import sharepoint workflows and visio 10. Business requirements: It is the expected outcome of the business. It talks about the business value rather than the specific functions of the system. Functional requirements: It describes what the system, process, or product/service must do in order to fulfill the business requirements. It is further broken up into sub-business requirements and many functional requirements. User (stakeholder) requirements: They are a very important part of the deliverables; the needs of the stakeholders will have to be correctly interpreted. This deliverable can also reflect how the product will be designed, developed, and define how test cases must be formulated. However, stakeholders may not always be users of a system. Non-functional requirements: They are requirements that do not perform a specific function for the business requirement but are needed to support the functionality. They are called as illities. For example: performance, scalability, quality of service (QoS), security and usability. These are often included within the System Requirement, where applicable. The traceability matrix: A traceability matrix is a document, usually in the form of a table that correlates any two base lined documents that require a many to many relationship to determine the completeness of the relationship.

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It may be used to check to see if the current project requirements are being met, and to help in the creation of a Request for Proposal, various deliverable documents, and project plan tasks. Knowledge Areas 1. Define and Scope Business Area: A BA should be given the “project scope” before requirements gathering is started. Or he has to document the scope as a part of the requirements gathering stage. Before documenting the scope, a BA has to understand why a project is initiated. (Statement of Purpose) and goals of the project (project objectives). A complete project scope will include all the organization involved with the project. It includes people, systems, internal departments, and outside organizations (project external interactions). Other components include project viewpoint, project assumptions, and business risks. It should also include high level description of the business process. A BA should maintain a system for project information. All this is required before entering into requirements gathering stage. 2. Elicit Requirements: The most important task of a BA is to gather requirements. He must ask right questions to right people for accurate requirements. Business Requirements talks about business needs and Functional Requirements talks about software functionality. It is important to understand the business needs completely before defining a software solution. A BA must assess the type of project, people involved and volume of information required and then find how and where to find requirements. Different techniques like: interviews, information gathering sessions, surveys, questionnaires, observation, and existing documents. The requirements should be prioritized in such a way that the most critical issues should be addressed. 3. Analyze and document requirements: Requirements elicitation is a iterative Process. Every organization has their own standard documentation process or a BA prepares his own documentation, it should be easy to understand for both IT and business area experts. Documentation could be in textual descriptions, others in diagrams or graphical displays. Requirements are categorized into Business, Functional and Technical.

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Functional Requirements: These define how a product/service/solution should work from end user’s perspective. Operational Requirements – These define operations that must be carried out in the background to keep the product or process functioning over a period of time. Technical Requirements – These define the technical issues that must be considered to successfully implement the process or create the product. Transitional Requirements – These are the steps needed to implement the new product or process smoothly. 4. Communicate Requirements: A BA act as a liaison between the business area Experts and the technical team. He should be the best communicator. He works closely with the project manager to assure that project plan is adhered to and scope changes are approved and documented. Key skills required for a BA are active listening skills, ability to ask pointed, open ended questions, and facilitating the group meetings and bring consensus. BA should speak the language of IT and subject matter experts. He should arrange formal and informal meetings and try to bridge the gap in requirements to bring a quality document. 5. Identify Solution: BA works closely with subject matter experts to make Recommendation for solution and technical team to design it. The recommendation may include software changes to existing systems, new software, procedural or workflow changes, or some combination of the above. If a package is going to be purchased, he should talk to all stakeholders. Even then business and functional requirements needs to be done. 6. Verify Solution Meets the Requirements: BA involves in the project even after Technical team takes over. He reviews technical designs for usability and to Assure Requirements are met. Once the solution is developed, BA assesses the software and sees if it meets the objectives. QA team takes care software testing and QA. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_77.htm • • BA works with PM Top 5 of the 8 reasons why “projects fail” due to poor requirements.

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BA manages the entire project from understanding req’s to solutions deliver It is important to understand the process, tools, co-ordination, clarity to deliver effective solution Requirements creep Modern business requirements are different from traditional, in the sense they focus on adding a lot of value Trade off analysis, Requirement feasibility and risk analysis, cost benefit analysis A baseline is the set of functional and supplemental requirements that the project team has committed to implement in a specific release

Business Analyst Duties  Identify and understand the business problem and the impact of the proposed solution on the organization’s operations  Document the complex areas of project scope, objectives, added value or benefit expectations, using an integrated set of analysis and modeling techniques  Translate business objectives into system requirements using powerful analysis and modeling tools  Evaluate customer business needs, thus contributing to strategic planning of information systems and technology directions  Assist in determining the strategic direction of the organization  Liaise with major customers during preliminary installation and testing of new products and services  Design and develop high quality business solutions • • Requirements gathering process explores the solutions without commiting to any specific product The requirements development process is typically subdivided into business need identification, scope definition, elicitation, analysis, specification, documentation, validation, management, and maintenance and enhancements. These sub disciplines encompass all the activities involved with gathering, evaluating, and documenting requirements.

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Documentation: Microsoft - Word and Excel; Process Flow – MS Visio (UML Tool), ProVision; Traceability - IBM-Rational RequisitePro; Altassian JIRA for traceability Presentation: Microsoft PowerPoint;

Interview Questions and Sample Resumes for BA and QA -http://futurethoughtsllc.com/BusinessAnalysisInterviewQ uestions.aspx SDLC methodologies: Waterfall method: • Requirements specification (Requirements analysis) • Software Design • Integration • Testing (or Validation) • Deployment (or Installation) • Maintenance Agile method: Agile method uses iterative development. It is more of people focused; it continuously takes feedback rather than planning. The feedback is driven by regular tests and releases of the evolving software. Iterative and Incremental development: It is a software development where the model is designed, implemented and tested incrementally (a little more is added each time) until the product is finished. It involves both development and maintenance. The product is defined as finished when it satisfies all of its requirements. This model combines the elements of the waterfall model with the iterative philosophy of prototyping. V Model: It is an extension of waterfall method. The process bent upwards after coding phase to form V shape. There exists relationship between development and testing. RUP: Rational Unified Process iterative is a software development process framework. Six best practices: • Develop iteratively, with risk as the primary iteration driver • Manage requirements • Employ a component-based architecture • Model software visually 10

• •

Continuously verify quality Control changes

Feasibility study: it is finding out the SWOT analysis of the organization. TELOS: Technology and system feasibility Economic feasibility Legal feasibility Operational feasibility Schedule feasibility Aris Express Aris Express is a modeling tool for business process analysis and management. It supports different modeling notations such as BPMN 2, Event-driven Process Chains (EPC), Organizational charts, process landscapes, whiteboards, etc. ARIS Express is developed and maintained by IDS Scheer/Software AG. 1. Home page. It has menu bar, tool bar. Models available and briefly described. Pick a choice of model and name it save it. Go to home page. Recently used models are available. Open means open model and locked means it password protected. Question mark indicated it has moved, deleted or renamed. 2. Modeling area: in the modeling area we can create and edit models. ADF: ARIS Document Format. Panes are available in the modeling area. Frame is used to display different part of the model. Objects are different for different models. 3. Customizing the modeling area: the modeling area can be customized, it consists of panes like symbols, fragments, model overview and attributes. The panes can be arranged as we like it. 4. How to work with Fragments in modeling: Fragments are different for different models. Name the fragments in the model. Branches are used in the business processes. Fragments can be started in new process model. You can edit, rename, add or delete the fragments. 5. How to create objects: here we learn how to create objects with the help of clipboard contents. Individual text will be taken as objects. Objects can be connected with the help of connectors. 6. How to obtain ARIS Express information: it talks about obtaining information. It consists of home page, video tutorials, community blogs, embedded help and you can also post comments.

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7. How to model a SmartDesign hierarchy: models can be created using SmartDesign key. Organization, departments and their roles can be created. Hierarchy model using SmartDesign keys. Hierarchies are created and their roles can be created. 8. How to model a SmartDesign process: with the help of modeling aid, we can create different models. We find insert SmartDesign and edit SmartDesign buttons. We can create the process flow, it consists of events and activities, paths can be edited. 9. How to model organizational charts: organizational charts can be created. Unit, Roles and location. Names can be assigned. 10. How to model process landscapes: Different process can be created. 11. How to model business processes: Business processes can be created. Sequence of activities and events. 12. How to model data: It is helpful to create data models and how data is interlinked. It has entity attributes. Also helps in how to change attributes keys into foreign keys. Relationships between models, attributes can be assigned. The primary key, foreign key and entity keys define the entity. Primary and foreign key also attributes because they help identify the object, the foreign key are the primary key of another model. During database building maximum relation can be given to existing data. 13. How to model an IT infrastructure: It defines the interrelationships between networks, their hardware and structure. Also helps in entire planning and documentation of the network infrastructure. 14. How to model system landscapes: Landscape means the layout of systems in hierarchical tree structure. It shows the IT systems in an organization and the areas into which they can be divided. It shows which IT systems belong to which domain. It provides basis for budgeting and administrative purposes. Event: An event describes a business related condition of an information object which either controls or influences the continuation of a business process. A function is a technical task, a procedure, or an activity performed on an (information) object to support one or more company objectives. The function is a carrier of times and costs. Operator rules: MS Visio (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/visio-help/demo-basic-steps-for-workingwith-visio-shapes-HA010283366.aspx) 1. Create a visual representation of complex information systems

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2. Analyze and identify strengths and weaknesses 3. Understand the system through the use of shapes, lines and arrows. UML diagrams in Visio 2007: how to create UML diagrams? It shows how use case uses other use cases and extends to other use cases

UML Unified Modeling Language is accepted by the Object Management Group (OMG) as the standard for modeling object oriented programs. UML combines techniques from data modeling (entity relationship diagrams), business modeling (work flows), object modeling, and component modeling. UML 2.2 has 14 types of diagrams divided into two categories. Seven diagram types represent structural information, and the other seven represent general types of behavior, including four that represent different aspects of interactions. (http://www.smartdraw.com/resources/tutorials/umldiagrams/#/resources/tutorials/Introduction-to-UML) Types of UML Diagrams UML defines nine types of diagrams: class (package), object, use case, sequence, collaboration, state chart, activity, component, and deployment. Class Diagrams: Class diagrams are the backbone of almost every object oriented method, including UML. They describe the static structure of a system.

Package Diagrams: Package diagrams are a subset of class diagrams, but developers sometimes treat them as a separate technique. Package diagrams organize elements of a system into related groups to minimize dependencies between packages.

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Object Diagrams: Object diagrams describe the static structure of a system at a particular time. They can be used to test class diagrams for accuracy.

Use Case Diagrams: Use case diagrams model the functionality of system using actors and use cases.

Sequence Diagrams: Sequence diagrams describe interactions among classes in terms of an exchange of messages over time.

Collaboration Diagrams

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Collaboration diagrams represent interactions between objects as a series of sequenced messages. Collaboration diagrams describe both the static structure and the dynamic behavior of a system.

Statechart Diagrams Statechart diagrams describe the dynamic behavior of a system in response to external stimuli. Statechart diagrams are especially useful in modeling reactive objects whose states are triggered by specific events.

Activity Diagrams Activity diagrams illustrate the dynamic nature of a system by modeling the flow of control from activity to activity.

Component Diagrams Component diagrams describe the organization of physical software components, including source code, run-time (binary) code, and executables.

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Deployment Diagrams Deployment diagrams depict the physical resources in a system, including nodes, components, and connections.

UML interview questions and answers 1. What is UML? Unified modeling Language. It is graphical representation of the artifacts of system. It is a blueprint of the system, before actually implementing the system. 2.
What is modeling? What are the advantages of creating a model?

The technique for creating the models. It is a blueprint before implementing the solution. Advantages: it helps in visualizing the solution, helps in documenting. 3. What are the different views that are considered when building an objectOriented software system (OOSS)? Normally there are 5 views. I. Use Case view - This view exposes the requirements of a system. II. Design View - Capturing the vocabulary. III. Process View - modeling the distribution of the systems processes and threads. IV. Implementation view - addressing the physical implementation of the system. V. Deployment view - focus on the modeling the components required for deploying the system. 4. What are diagrams? The graphical presentation of set of elements consists of things and associations. 5. What are the major three types of modeling used?

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Structural, behavioral, and architectural 6. Mention the different kinds of modeling diagrams used? a. Class (Package) b. Object c. Use Case d. Sequence e. Collaboration f. Statechart g. Activity h. Component i. Deployment 7. What is Architecture? It is not only taking care of a structural and behavioral aspect of a software system but also taking into account the software usage, functionality, performance, reuse, economic and technology constraints. 8. SDLC? SDLC of a system included processes that are Use case driven, Architecture centric and Iterative and Incremental. This Life cycle is divided into phases. Phase is a time span between two milestones. The milestones are Inception, Elaboration, Construction, and Transition. Process Workflows that evolve through these phase are Business Modeling, Requirement gathering, Analysis and Design, Implementation, Testing, Deployment. Supporting Workflows are Configuration and change management, Project management. 9. What are Relationships? a. Dependencies are relations ships between two entities that are; a change in specification of one thing may affect another thing. Most commonly it is used to show that one class uses another class as an argument in the signature of the operation. b. Generalization is relationships specified in the class subclass scenario, it is shown when one entity inherits from other. c. Associations are structural relationships that are: a room has walls, Person works for a company. Aggregation is a type of association where there is a relation ship that is a room has walls; if there are two classes’ room and walls then the relation ship is called an association and further defined as an aggregation. 10. How are the diagrams divided? Static and Dynamic 11. Static Diagrams (Also called Structural Diagram): Class diagram, Object Diagram, Component Diagram, Deployment diagram.

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12. Dynamic Diagrams (Also called Behavioral Diagrams): Use Case Diagram, Sequence Diagram, Collaboration Diagram, Activity diagram, Statechart diagram. 13. Messages? It is a specification of a communication, when a message is passed that result in action that is in turn an executable statement. 14. Use Case? It specifies the behavior of a system; it consists of actors and use cases.

BA Interview questions questions-set3.htm) 1. 2. 3. 4.

(http://www.businessanalystfaq.com/BA-interview-

waterfall method agile méthodologies (RUP, RAD & JAD) prototyping spiral mode (hybrid of waterfall & prototyping) Microsoft visio

Microsoft Visio is a diagramming tool that can be used to visually communicate technical as well as non-technical representations. (http://www.edumax.com/visio-2003-chapter-5shapes.html) Different kinds of diagrams: • Flowcharts • Block Diagrams • Business Process Diagrams • Charts and Graphs • Database Models • Data Flow Diagrams • Gantt Charts • UML Diagrams, etc. Visio Essentials: Main aspects of Visio like the Visio Diagramming Environment, the drawing page, stencils, the Visio Toolbars, etc. The shapes in panes will change according to the diagram. Different shapes and stencils area available. Diagrams: Create, save and print the diagrams. 18

Using Templates: Shapes: Ajar: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • There are 3 types: Application development, transformation (migration) and transition. Application development: process development, BRD, PRD Transformation: legacy application to new technologies Transition: the systems will be same but only process will be defined Project scope, RFP Requirements gathering and analysis “As is” situation to “to be” Borland caliber and MS Visio and ARIS are used for data processing and data modeling tools Process improvement and Use cases UML Rational rose suite: Clear quest, clear case etc Version control Tools: subversion etc.

Borland Caliber: Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Solutions • Requirements Definition & Management • Testing and ASQ • Change Management Requirements Definition & Management: It is a collaborative process for simulating, iteratively improving and validating a set of requirements to which all key project stakeholders agree. It helps in reducing time, money, rework and improving the accuracy of the requirements. Insurance Modules of insurance are new business, channel management, policy servicing, claims management, underwriting, reinsurance and finance. SDLC: Use Case Flow Chart

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Project scope: The work that has to be done in order to create the product. The project scope is concerned with the work—and only the required work—to complete the project. Functional requirements: It defines a function of a software system or its component. A function is described as a set of inputs, the behavior, and outputs. Functional requirements documents define how a system must behave when presented with certain inputs or conditions. SaaS: • SaaS practice provides On-demand IT solutions for SaaS enablers, SaaS start-ups and established SaaS providers.

Embedded system: • • • • • Video (MPEG1, MPEG2, H.264, WMV, DVD, DVD Recorder), Audio (MP3, SACD, DVD Audio, CDDA), Graphics, and OSD C/C++ and multiple debugging tools TCP/IP, wireless technology, security, and protocols Image processing encoding, covering JPEG, MPEG2, MPEG4, H.264, WM Digital Signal Processing design, real time and embedded DSP firmware QA / Testing Performance testing: It is used to check whether system meets performance requirements. Black box testing: no access to source code White box testing: also known as glass testing Unit testing: testing of individual software components or modules Integration testing of integrated modules to verify combined functionality after integration. Functional testing: it focus on the output is as per requirement or not System testing entire system is tested as per the requirements End-to-end testing – Similar to system testing, involves testing of a complete application environment in a situation that mimics real-world use, such as interacting with a 20

database, using network communications, or interacting with other hardware, applications, or systems if appropriate. Tools: Open source tools: Selenium, QATrack, OpenSTA etc. Silk Test, Win Runner & QTP are used in functional and regression testing. Load Runner is an automated performance tool. Rational: Rational Performance Tester is a performance testing tool used to identify the presence and cause of system performance bottlenecks Parasoft is used for SOA testing and other tests. KPO Services: Domain expertise than just process expertise. Ex: legal, intellectual property rights, data mining, data creation, RIM (Remote Infrastructure Management): It consists of data center management which includes: server & storage management, Network management, Security management, Desktop management and Helpdesk services. Telecom • • • • • • Mobile platforms: Android, Blackberry, Symbian, Windows mobile, J2ME Mobile networks: 2G, 2.5G, 3G Mobile manufacturers: Nokia, Samsung, Apple, Motorola etc., Mobile portals: WAP, XML, HTTP etc., Mobile network gateway: SMS, MMS, WAP Innovative mobile applications: social networking, mobile content streaming, mobile games, mobile banking, speech recognition.

Healthcare • • • • • • • EMR Inpatient and outpatient Patient records Lab records Order management system Data mining & data warehousing system Compliance (HIPAA etc.,)

Pharmacy

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• • • • • •

Pharmacists Benefit Management Voice Recognition System Refill Management Order Management System POS System Retail Pharmacy Management System

Insurance • • • • • • • • Underwriting Policy management Third party administrators Agency management Billing Claims management Reporting Compliance

Application Development • • Web services & web application development: Visual studio, ASP.Net, Windows server 2003 and SQL Server Infrastructure development: Windows Server 2003, BizTalk Server, SQL Server, SharePoint Products and Technologies, and Visual Studio

Insurance domain: http://www.crazyengico.com/Insurance.aspx

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