Business Analysis Techniques

Business Analysis is the discipline of identifying business needs and formulating workable solutions to business problems. The development of business analysis as a profession has extended the role and responsibilities of the business analyst who now needs the widest possible array of knowledge, skills and tools to be able to use each when and where it is needed. This excellent book provides a comprehensive single source of 72 possible techniques and applies them within a framework of stages.

• 72 key techniques
• Practical advice to suit all situations
• Of huge benefit to business analysts and managers
• Of great value to students of information systems and business strategy

1. Business Strategy and Objectives
• Introduction
• Strategy analysis — external business environment
• Strategy analysis — internal capability
• Strategy definition
• Strategy implementation
• Performance measurement
• References
• Further reading
2. Investigate Situation
• Introduction
• Qualitative investigation
• Quantitative investigation
• Documenting the results
• References
• Further reading
3. Consider Perspectives
• Introduction
• Stakeholder identification
• Stakeholder analysis
• Stakeholder management
• References
• Further reading
4. Analyse Needs
• Introduction
• Orgaisation modelling
• Business process analysis
• Business change identification
• References
• Further reading
5. Evaluate Options
• Introduction
• Identify options
• Shortlist options
• Prepare business case
• Present business case
• References
• Further reading
6. Define Requirements
• Introduction
• Requirements elicitation
• Requirements analysis
• Requirements development
• Requirements modelling
• References
• Further reading
7. Manage Change
• Introduction
• Organisational change
• People change
• Benefits management and realisation
• References
• Further reading

• Postscript — which techniques do I really need?

This is a decent overview and dictionary of some analysis techniques. They are well explained and nicely presented, but as it is primarily a dictionary/overview, you really need to understand the basic concepts first. Maybe even know some of the concepts at depth, to really appreciate the book and be able to use it effectively.

All in all, a nice book, but don't buy it expecting to learn some of the concepts from it, it only presents them and you still have to find more details elsewhere on how to really use them.