IQBBA

Improving or automating business processes, extending software system’s functionality, opening new access channels for customers – these are examples of various business needs creating a fundaments for an IT project. Each business need has to be explored, analyzed and converted into a solution.

This is the field for a Business Analyst. The success of the project depends on the skills and experience of the Business Analyst – to collect concrete requirements and model them into a solution specific competences are necessary.

5 Good Reasons to Invest in Business Analysis

1 – It’s always better when we understand each other

One of the most frequent problems encountered in our modern IT organizations is what we call the Babel syndrome, which describes the mutual incomprehension between the various departments of a company – typically Business and IT or Development and Production.

This well-known communication issue is typically due to different ways of thinking, different rhythms or vocabulary. These miscommunications often result in incomplete, fuzzy if not deceptive or erroneous requirements – and ultimately in dysfunctional, non-conforming or buggy products.

One estimates that up to 40% of computer defects, which cause extra costs and delays, a lot of frustration – when it doesn’t simply cause a massive product failure – are introduced way before the first line of code is written (during requirements and design phases).

This is exactly what Business analysis – and in particular the IQBBA® scheme – addresses by offering a strong formalism (best practices, processes, standards) and specific techniques (requirements engineering, elicitation), so as to help you succeed and reach what really counts for you: added value.

2 – BA can save money and bring the money in

It is always better to do it right once than having to do it twice, or even, all over again (and again). Exponential costs due to the late detection of defects and its subsequent reengineering effort have been proven for long. Whatever your approach or degree of complexity or whatever the flexibility you require, a comprehensive understanding of business needs associated with proven and controlled practices are key to realize savings and keeping the money in.

 Again, Business Analysis – especially when it takes into account continuous improvement like in IQBBA® – is an undisputed key success factor for your projects and products.

3 – BA is trendy

The Internet Of Things? It’s one of the most talked about topic today!

There’s no single day goes by that the press is writing new stories, all more technological than the others, on the connected houses or cars of the future, when it is not a living showcase of all sorts of brand new technology gadgets.

Connected watches or bracelets are now displayed in every trendy shop and they hold the best place in online catalogues. Builders, developers and suppliers keep on ringing bells and whistles to get the best grip on this huge multi-billion dollar mass market.

However, some connected products are facing a hard take off (if any), just because they couldn’t reach their market or users. In most cases, the reason of their failure does not lie in a bad design or technological problems. In most cases, they are simply lacking useful or useable functionality which may be sensitive and valuable for their customers.

Because they focused too much on technology or connectivity, they just missed what makes the difference between an overpriced gadget for techies and a massively adopted product by who really matters: the user!

The difference between success and failure lies in a good market analysis, combined with product design (IQBBA®) and usability (like it is addressed in the IBUQ® scheme for instance).

4 – BA makes your horizon wider

IT jobs and functions are constantly evolving.

Because quality becomes more and more a real differentiator and a key success factor – just see what large technology groups are doing now – experts in quality assurance and quality control (testing) are searched for like never before.

Because quality is transversal by nature and because realizing software quality starts long before the first line of code is written, it becomes essential that modern testers get a clear understanding of the requirements and goals of the products they are testing.

It shouldn’t come as a big surprise then that many consultancy companies started to certify their quality experts with the IQBBA® internationally recognized standard.

5 – BA is already a part of the IT world

Finally and last but not least, Business Analysis is a known and renowned discipline recognized all over the world. Many books, articles or references exist so as to constantly improve and feed this productive and exciting activity.

No need to overspend your time in evangelizing for Business Analysis and the need to introduce it in your organization, in your own « world ». Just put it in a different perspective and integrate it with your IT so as to optimize its positive effects on your business.

IQBBA

IQBBA provides you with a certification scheme allowing to gather knowledge and skills necessary for improving your business.

IQBBA provides the following skills:

Enterprise Analysis – understand the business processes performed within an organization, identify the change needed and prepare feasibility studies together with risk analysis.

Business Analysis –  identify business needs and determine solutions to business problems.

Process Improvement – optimize an organization’s performance.

Innovation, design and customer – apply modern techniques of innovation and creative design in order to produce new, competitive products.

• Karolina Zmitrowicz (Poland)
• Judy McKay (USA)
• Beata Karpinska (Sweden)
• Folke Nilsson (Sweden)
• Maureen Denning (USA)
• Alan Calder (UK)
• Alain Ribault (France)
• Eric Riou du Cosquer (France)
• Olivier Denoo (France)
• Robert Treffny (Germany)
• Nikolaas Döbel (Germany)
• Dariusz Paczewski (Poland)
• Ingvar Nordström (Sweden)
• Yves Souvenir (Belgiun)
• Salvatore Reale (Italy)
• Alexey Lemeshev (Belarus)
• Werner Henschelchen (Germany)
• Andrey Konushin (Russia)
• Dmitry Parilov (Russia)

Advanced Level modules aim to further improve the Fundation Level skills. The Advanced Level is designed to develop more advanced skills in the specific knowledge area of IQBBA Business Analysis approach – for example, in the scope of Requirements Management.

Content

Specific modules of the Advanced Level covers the following knowledge areas:

Business Analysis Process Management – this module provides deep knowledge about generic Business Analysis processes, elaborates on process management including context analysis and process performance management, and people management. New tools, methods and techniques to be used to support this knowledge area are provided

Requirements Management – this module explains the context and specific activities of Requirements Management (RM). It covers the topic of establishing processes for Requirements Development and building a framework for RM consisting of information architecture and traceability, configuration and change management, conflict management, Quality Assurance and requirements communication. In addition, process performance assessment and process improvement areas are explained. More tools, methods and techniques to be used to support this knowledge area are provided

Strategic Analysis and Optimization – more advanced and even more practical knowledge about Strategy Definition and Solution Evaluation and Optimization. Make your organization successful and increase business value with the means provided by IQBBA.

The IQBBA Advanced Level Syllabus is available for download here.