Understanding business analysis
Why do so many IT solutions fail to deliver? Often because the problem being solved wasn't fully understood - which is where business analysis comes in.
14 June 2011
Business analysis is a discipline created to fill what might seem like an obvious need: to ensure that before a solution is delivered, the business requirements for this solution are fully understood.
Seems like simple common sense? You have a problem; you understand the problem; you fix it.
Yet often what seems simple in theory can be not only less straightforward to put into use, it can be almost entirely absent from the business. Such is the case with business analysis.
IT doesn't have an especially long history, yet it is littered with some spectacular and expensive failures. More often than not, the failures could have been averted if the underlying business need had been fully understood - rather than a solution implemented that was based mainly on assumptions.
This situation was especially true in the 80s and early 90s, when computing was new and organisations were rushing to implement systems. Wanting to get something done quickly is seldom compatible with getting it done well, yet haste is only one reason why IT projects fail.
Some of the most common reasons why technology solutions fail include:
- the project being driven by a stakeholder who doesn't have a full grasp of the business need, or is being too assertive.
- not talking to those who are at the sharp end - the people who will be using the system will almost always have a deep insight into potential practical pitfalls.
- the assessment of the underlying need for the system was incorrect.
And of course there are many more.
There's nothing like businesses getting things expensively wrong to create a desire for change. Business analysis arose from the recognition that there needed to be a better way; that saying "we need some software for this" was no longer enough; that the voices of those people who will be users of the system need to be heard.
Business analysis is there to help get the job done right first time. It's there to help organisations save money. It bridges the gap between the business world with the IT world - and ensures that technology projects really do meet the needs of the business.
And, as business analysts have got better at their jobs and more structured in their approach, business analysis has itself evolved and become more refined; more robust.
Part of the key to the success of business analysis is that it is both holistic and thorough. When a need arises, the business analyst's role is to challenge, to not accept the received wisdom of a situation, to dig for issues - all in the broadest sense. What's driving the perceived need? What problems are people expecting to fix? What problems exist 'under' those problems - what drives or creates those problems? How would a solution fit into the organisational model? What training would be required? Will the solution in itself create other problems?
The business analyst will ask these questions - and a thousand others. He or she will be seeking not just 'the solution' but a range of solutions. Why? Because seldom is there only one answer to a problem: usually, there are several, each with different pros and cons. The pros and cons may include complexity, budget, timescales, technological compatibility, cultural compatibility, value for money and so on. The business analyst should remain 'solution agnostic' - evaluating all of the options and exploring which might work best for the business.
Contrast this approach to the scenario often found in business, where the solution is suggested before the problem is understood:
- "We need a new leaflet."
- "We need a software package to do this."
- "Let's build a website to handle that."
Of course, simply implementing a software package can create business benefit - but nowhere near as much as creating exactly the right solution - which may not even be a software package. By engaging with stakeholders early on and looking at the whole needs of the business, a better long-term solution can be found.
For best results, the business analyst is involved at the earliest point - to help understand what the cause of an issue is and to create a stakeholder consensus as to what might be required to solve the issue.
You can see that the potential for business analysis goes beyond IT, even if it has its roots in solving technology issues.
By and large, businesses have enthusiastically embraced business analysis - and why not? Overall, adopting business analysis has many benefits. It can save time and money. It can ensure that the first solution implemented is the right one. It can ensure that the solution doesn't in itself create yet another problem. Of course, businesses are at different stages in the adoption process - for some, business analysis is a core part of how they work, for others, it's something they're evaluating.
Like any complex discipline, business analysis requires learning. e-academy now runs two business analysis training courses, which are designed to take the learner towards the ISEB Business Analysis certification:
The best starting point for learners is the ISEB Requirements Engineering course. Both courses teach in a highly experiential way, but Requirements Engineering is usually a better starting point as it covers areas of business analysis that most business analysts would include in their role. Since Business Analysis Essentials is focused on early engagement activities, it tends to offer most benefit to those business analysts with some experience.
However, the second course, ISEB Business Analysis Essentials, isn't just a follow-on for the first course (although for many, it will be). As noted earlier, business analysis can be applied to many areas of the business, not just IT. It can be useful for business managers or marketing people, for instance - anyone who is tasked with implementing change, where the reasons for that change need to be fully understood in order for the best solution to be found.
As with all of our courses, if you'd like to discuss your requirements, we'd welcome your call (0845 650 6500) or e-mail. Just get in touch.
