Industry Articles

"Our company uses your excellent article, 'Demystifying Requirements Through Use Cases' by Elizabeth Larson and Richard Larson, as an appendix in an in-house course titled "Use Case Modeling."

This article has a practical orientation, and directly supports many of the concepts that we would like to reinforce."

Software Engineering Training Manager, Large Telecommunications Company

Agile

Is Your Organization Agile Ready? Part 1

Lately I've been getting questions from Agile seminar participants about how to apply Scrum to “real life,” as though these methods are “good in theory, but not at my company!” Some organizations may not be ready to adopt agile methodscompletely, so I encourage students to take an organizational readiness self-assessment to see if Agile in general and Scrum in particular is right from them. The questions on the self-assessment can be used to begin conversations as a way to raise issues that need to be resolved in organizations thinking about adopting Scrum.

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Is Your Organization Agile Ready? Part 2

Last month's article was the first in a series about organizational readiness—ready, that is, to provide resources necessary to succeed in an agile environment. We asked these four questions on our Agile organizational readiness checklist:

1. Will your organization provide a dedicated product owner for each scrum team
2. Will your organization provide dedicated team members?
3. Does your organization support time boxing each iteration?
4. Does your organizational culture support just-in-time requirements?

This month we're going to look at Agile organizational readiness from the perspective of false expectations for some organizations that have decided to implement Agile methods.

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Business Analysis

Demystifying Use Case Modeling

by Elizabeth Larson, CBAP, PMP, CSM and Richard Larson, CBAP, PMP, Principals, Watermark Learning, Inc.

We all know how difficult it is to achieve project success without complete product requirements. Yet gathering complete requirements without exhausting the project schedule and budget remains elusive on many projects. In this article we will provide tips for gathering hidden requirements quickly.

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Foolproof Plan for Passing the CBAP® Certification Exam

by Richard Larson, CBAP, PMP, Principal, Watermark Learning, Inc.

For people dedicated to the field of business analysis, CBAP® certification is becoming the “gold standard” of the profession. Undoubtedly, many of you are either thinking about becoming certified or have already started the process. This article summarizes the CBAP® program, and how business analysts can create a foolproof plan to obtain their certification. This article provides 5 crucial steps for your plan and several tips on how to execute these steps successfully to become certified.

This article was published in Modern Analyst.

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How CBAP® Helps You Become a Better Consultant

by Brian Hunt, BSc, MSc, I.Eng, MIET, MInstLM, CBAP, 6 Sigma Black Belt

My introduction to business analysis and process improvement was over twenty years ago when, as an electronics engineer in a GE plant, I received training in the Workout™ process improvement methodology. Since then, my knowledge and understanding has steadily increased as I learn how to analyze and improve business processes in the simplest and most sustainable way. When I found the IIBA a couple of years ago, I realized that the skills, experience and knowledge required by a Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®) broadly described the point I had reached in my career.

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Kicking The Hornet's Nest

by Elizabeth Larson, CBAP, PMP, CSM, Principal, Watermark Learning

I have kicked a few hornet's nests in my career. Some of these nests were full of angry hornets and some full of non-aggressive bumblebees. However, every instance reinforced the importance of doing the right thing for the organization, even if it meant getting stung.

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Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid to Earning your CBAP® or CCBA®

by Richard Larson, CBAP, PMP, Principal, Watermark Learning, Inc.

I've been helping people obtain their CBAP® for 3.5 years, so I've seen a number of approaches. Most have been successful I'm happy to say. A few others have not bee, either because candidates stressed out or were underprepared. The individuals were understandably disappointed. This article is a summary of the top mistakes people have made in working towards their CBAP®, including my own experience with the CBAP® and PMP®.

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Using Storyboards to Get the Big Picture

A shortcoming of written requirements in any format (user stories, use cases, SRS, etc.) is that it is often difficult to visualize the process described or proposed by the requirements. This article details how to use storyboards to better define requirements and processes for more effective project flow.

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No Matter What You Call It, It's Still About Managing Processes

What is being addressed today as Business Process Management (BPM) has gone under the guise of many things over the years. It was known as just-in-time manufacturing in the 1980s. In the 90s it was repackaged as re-engineering, then as Lean, Six Sigma and Value Stream Mapping. While all of these methodologies tend to focus on vertical, or functional process improvements, today’s BPM is about looking at organizations horizontally to improve the whole. It is about delivering well-orchestrated value to customers, and efficiency and profitability to the organization. When the whole business is in sync, both customer and stakeholder value is maximized.

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101+ of the Most Effective Questions You Can Ask to Elicit Requirements and Uncover Expectations

When eliciting requirements and uncovering expectations for a project, much of the challenge stems from learning what the business needs from the new product being built. Often times, we may not even know the right questions to ask to get started, much less get into enough depth to discover all the important needs of stakeholders. This handy guide is a summary to help you get started with your questions and to help ensure you've asked the important before and during a project.

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Gathering Requirements: Go Away Please!

by Elizabeth Larson, CBAP, PMP, CSM and Richard Larson, CBAP, PMP, Principals,
Watermark Learning, Inc.

Requirements elicitation requires building relationships and trust among project stakeholders. When trust is absent, the requirements elicitation process will take longer, be incomplete, and lead to lower morale. Although building relationships takes time and effort, it can actually shorten project time and result in improved project performance.

This article was originally published as part of the PMI® Global Congress North America Proceedings, Toronto, Canada.

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Parallax Effect on Requirements

by Richard Larson, CBAP, PMP and Elizabeth Larson, CBAP, PMP, CSM, Principals,
Watermark Learning, Inc.

Have you ever gazed out at the stars and found it too difficult to focus on a particular one? Scientists call this the parallax effect. Too often, the same phenomenon occurs in projects—business analysts tend to focus on too few methods to elicit and analyze requirements.

In this article, we provide strategies to overcoming the parallax effect. We provide techniques you can use immediately to better define requirements so that problems may be solved efficiently.

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Projects Without Borders: Gathering Requirements on a
Multicultural Project

by Elizabeth Larson, CBAP, PMP, CSM and Richard Larson, CBAP, PMP, Principals,
Watermark Learning, Inc.

One of the most difficult tasks project managers and business analysts face is obtaining customer requirements. When the project includes multi-cultural stakeholders, particularly if they comprise a virtual team working in geographically dispersed areas, the job becomes much harder. As the world gets “flatter” and the need for collaboration beyond political borders becomes the norm, the ability for project professionals to bridge cultural gaps will become a necessary skill set. This article provides tips and techniques for project teams to do just that.

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Scrum Versus Waterfall: The Fight Continues

by Elizabeth Larson, CBAP, PMP, CSM and Richard Larson, CBAP, PMP, Principals,
Watermark Learning, Inc.

In Part 1 we began our “fight” by exploring two estimating techniques that are often used on both Scrum and Waterfall projects. The first was relative sizing (one kind of analogous estimating) and the second Delphi (called Planning Poker in Scrum). Scrum won both rounds (barely) because although both techniques can be used on both types of projects, their usage in Scrum seems easier to understand, learn, and apply.

In Part 2, we compare Waterfall to Scrum in a variety of ways—looking at their similarities and differences and implementation of each.

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Avoiding Conflict Between the PM and BA, Part I

What are the roles of the Project Manager (PM) and the Business Analyst (BA) in the early stages of a project? The two bodies of knowledge, the BABOK® Guide 2.0 and PMBOK® Guide-Fourth Edition each allude to work being done at the beginning of the project so it is not surprising that conflict between these two roles can arise.

This article details how to avoid conflict between the PM and BA to ensure a successful project outcome.

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Avoiding Conflict Between the PM and BA, Part II

What are the roles of the Project Manager (PM) and the Business Analyst (BA) in the early stages of a project? In part 2 of this article, Elizabeth provides some great advice on how project managers and business analysts can work more efficiently and effectively.

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Foundational Concepts for Project Management and
Business Analysis

We use certain terms every day without thinking of their meaning, or perhaps use them with an incomplete or even incorrect understanding. This month we invite you to take a moment to clarify some basic concepts of business analysis and project management. This article looks at some foundational terms and their distinctions. You may be surprised by what you learn.

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Tips and Tricks for Facilitating Conflict Resolution

We all know that conflict is a difference of opinion and therefore neutral—neither good nor bad, Right? But try telling that to a project manager or business analyst embroiled in conflict. Conflict can threaten to destroy the team and sabotage efforts to elicit requirements. But it doesn't have to. Having a strong, neutral facilitator and a process for conflict resolution can reduce tensions and bring about a positive outcome.

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Cultural Intelligence

There are many different types of 'intelligence'. Components of intelligence can include such things as: understanding, learning, use of language, creativity, emotion, etc. Today, the focus seems to be on cultural intelligence. In this article we look at how being more culturally aware and courteous can enhance productivity and build relationships.

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Is There a Personality Profile for the PM and BA

by Elizabeth Larson, PMP, CBAP, CSM and Richard Larson, CBAP, PMP, Principals,
Watermark Learning, Inc..

Are there certain personality traits that Project Managers (PM) and Business Analysts (BA) share? During a presentation on the topic of BA and PM roles, we were asked this question. In this article we share some of the audience responses and delve into each of these traits in more detail.

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New Year's Learning Ideas from Watermark Learning

It's the New Year—a new decade—a great time to get motivated and gear up for success! Instead of resolving to get into better shape (again), resolve to learn something new this year. In this article, we provide 10 tips to help you take full advantage of your learning potential this year.

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Trends in Business Analysis and Project Management to Watch
for in 2009

The close of one year tends to make one reflect on the past and ponder the future. Here we ponder some trends in the Project Management and Business Analysis fields for 2009. We invite you to read the trends we offer and ponder for yourself our advice about what project professionals can do about them.

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Virtual World Communications

Cell phones, laptops, PDAs...these devices have distracted, disrupted or otherwise negated the impact of meetings and interfered with work focus. This article discusses some relevant research about technology and its impact on communication and productivity.

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Be Satisfied With What I Give You–It's Better Than What You Asked For

by Elizabeth Larson, CBAP, PMP, CSM

My husband and I usually stay in hotels on vacation and sometimes our expectations, those unspecified requirements, are not met. This article deals with two aspects of unmet expectations: unwanted features and making changes.

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It's Not Like Selling Pots or Pans... Or is It? A New Way of Selling Project Management to Senior Management

Project management professionals often find themselves in situations where they have to sell things to decision makers. It might be selling a project, or a new function such as Project Management Office. By understanding critical success factors, sales “knowledge areas,” and a repeatable process, we increase our chances of success.

This article was originally published as part of the PMI® Global Congress Asia Pacific Proceedings, Bangkok, Thailand.

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Influencing Without Authority: Rev Up Your Internal Consulting Skills: Part 1 (Why Don't We Have More influence)

by Elizabeth Larson, CBAP, PMP, CSM and Richard Larson, CBAP, PMP, Principals,
Watermark Learning, Inc.

How often have you met with business clients to plan a project or elicit their requirements only to have them provide you with their solution? And because they have already given their solution, they can't understand why you want to spend any time shaping the product or defining their requirements! Or, perhaps your sponsor or business clients are at the opposite end of the spectrum. They may be overly busy, stressed-out, and distracted, and again don't have time to define their real needs, or to articulate their detailed requirements.

This two-part article addresses these common quandaries by making a case for a consultative approach to better provide internal clients what they truly need and want. The framework is straightforward, yet reduces the amount of time you hear these dreaded words from clients: “Oh, darn, you gave me what I asked for!” It offers tips on how to respectfully question key stakeholders about their real needs and provides recommendations that best meet their business objectives. All in all, the benefits of this approach are to reduce the amount of rework on projects, improving client satisfaction, and saving time and money.

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Influencing Without Authority: Rev Up Your Internal Consulting Skills: Part 2 (Overcome the Barriers—Start Influencing!)

by Elizabeth Larson, CBAP, PMP, CSM and Richard Larson, CBAP, PMP, Principals,
Watermark Learning, Inc.

In part 1 of this article, we explored several barriers that prevent project professionals—Project Managers and Business Analysts—from influencing without having the authority. We listed four main factors that we've seen and exist in virtually every organization: lack of positional authority, lack of sponsor support, unclear roles and responsibilities, and other factors such as company culture, product complexity, time pressures, etc.

Now we're ready to explore some ways that help overcome these barriers. They revolve around the theme of project professionals acting as consultants, whether you are an internal or external one. We both worked as internal consultants early in our careers. It taught us the value and power that comes from a consultative approach. Your clients will thank you for using it because it helps solve business problems and get things done.

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Oh No, You Gave Me What I Asked For!

Project professionals—specifically project managers and business analysts—realize that no matter how well projects are executed, projects still fail when customer requirements are not clearly defined and customer expectations are not met.

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Creating Bulletproof Business Cases
Part 1: Overview

Too often we've heard people tell us that their projects, which are intended to help the business solve its problems, continue to cause "pain" or fail to address the issues they were designed to solve. Projects are often justified or initiated by the need for a solution, and this usually means either no business case was created or an insufficient business case was created. Inadequate or non-existent business cases can result in unclear project scope. Building a "bulletproof" business case helps ensure that your project moves along smoothly and solves the problems that it was intended to solve.

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Creating Bulletproof Business Cases
Part 2: Situation Analysis

"Oh darn, you gave us what we asked for!" is a refrain no one wants to hear. And yet, organizations all too often skip developing a formal business case or skimp in the effort before initiating a project. In last month's feature article, we outlined an overview of business cases and laid out a 5-step process. This month, we focus on the parts of the process we call "Situation Analysis." It helps us nail down a problem statement and explore how to get to the root cause of a problem or opportunity. Doing this before launching a solution dramatically increases the odds you will solve the right problem. And, it decreases the odds of hearing the "Oh, darn" words.

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Creating Bulletproof Business Cases
Part 3: Solution Analysis

The previous portions of this series on business cases presented an overview of the main components and the first two stages that we call Situation Analysis: the S and A. The next stage in creating a bulletproof business case is to explore the Recommendation and Implementation steps. We call this Solution Analysis.

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Creating Bulletproof Business Cases
Part 4: Cost-Benefit Analysis

Last month our ongoing series on business cases covered what we call Solution Analysis: defining the Recommendation and Implementation steps. Now we explore the cost-benefit analysis elements of a bulletproof business case.

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Creating Bulletproof Business Cases
Part 5: Ten Tips for Presenting a Business Case

In our 5-part series, we've explored an overview of business cases, analyzing the situation, analyzing our solution, and doing cost-benefit analysis. We conclude with presenting your business case, and share 10 tips for making your presentation a winning one.

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Top 5 Causes of Scope Creep…and What to do About Them

Scope creep is a dreaded thing that can happen on any project, and it can waste money, decrease satisfaction, and not provide the expected project value. Most projects seem to suffer from it, and both project teams and stakeholders are consistently frustrated by it. Why does an effective means of controlling scope seem to continually elude us?

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10 Critical Steps to Creating a Project Plan

One of the critical factors for project success is having a well-developed project plan. This article provides a 10-step approach for how to create an effective project plan. It also provides a roadmap for project managers to follow and explores why it should be the project manager's primary communications and control tool throughout the project.

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Achieve Project Success with Sponsorship and Clear Vision

Here is a brief article that identifies five major factors leading to project success.

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Assumptions are Project Killers

Assumptions are project killers, however they are a necessary evil. In this article I will explore several areas where assumptions can be problematic and look at how we can approach assumptions differently. Specifically I address the utilization and impact of assumptions, risk of assumptions, assumption ratings, monitoring and performance.

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Gather Trust Then Requirements

This article shows practical ways of building trust between project teams and stakeholders in order to achieve better project success.

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Managing Small Projects: The Critical Steps

If you think that executing a small project does not require advance planning, think again. This article endorses the planning process and outlines five important steps for successfully managing small projects.

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Constrain Your Way to Better Data Definitions

Whatever the scope or size of a project, it is likely that you'll have to deal with generating new data. This article takes a look at how to define data requirements to ensure the right data is collected and reported.

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I Don't Have Time to Manage Requirements—
My Project is Late Already!

Lack of a well-managed requirements process leads to common project issues, such as scope creep, cost overruns, and products that are not used. Yet many projects skim over this important part of the project and teams rush to design and build the end product. After all, some of our sponsors think that “we're not productive unless we're building the product.”

This article addresses concerns and provides an overview of the essential skills that are needed today to manage customer requirements, emphasizing the relationship between requirements management and project management. It focuses on a core set of processes for ensuring that the entire requirements process is managed, that requirements are gathered and documented, and that customers get a business solution that really works for them.

This article was originally published as part of the PMI® Global Congress Europe-Middle East-Africa Proceedings, St. Julians, Malta.

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Life Cycles and Requirements Approaches

The following is an excerpt from the book Practitioner's Guide to Requirements Management, Part 1: Requirements Planning, written by the authors.

Much has been written over the years about systems development life cycles, methodologies and approaches. Why write one more article on the subject, you may ask? When travelling around the world doing training, mentoring, and speaking on business analysis and project management, we encounter a huge variation in understanding of these important concepts. Here is our condensation of the topic that we hope clarifies some of the topics.

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Requirements Management 101

The following is an excerpt from the book Practitioner's Guide to Requirements Management, Part 1: Requirements Planning, written by the authors.

Requirements management, like project management, is a discipline comprised of inputs and outputs, tools, and techniques, processes and activities, but just for business analysis activities. Requirements management includes the planning, monitoring, analyzing, communicating, and managing of those requirements. This article gives you a quick refresher on this important topic and the components of a good requirement.

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Seven Success Factors for Requirements Planning

If care isn't given to planning the activities of defining product requirements, the entire project could go awry. It is one of the biggest reasons why 60% of project defects are due to requirements and almost half of the project budget is spent reworking requirements defects. There are many success factors that can relate to projects, products, and processes. Some apply to all three...

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