Creating a Business

Analysis Center of
Excellence:
5 Ways to Get There

Glenn R. Brl and Amy Nichols

www.esi-intl.com
Agenda March 20, 2008

From Capability to A Framework for Planning and

Maturity Performance Standards Implementation

building talent, driving results 2

From Capability to
Maturity
Current State of Affairs From
Capability to
A birds eye view! Maturity

Issues
Need for direction
Need for global understanding of value of services
Need for recognition of the profession
SOX CMMI Six Sigma
Outsourcing
Opportunity
Business Alignment
Portfolio Management
Enterprise Analysis
Business Architecture
Credentials
BA Community is beginning to grow ala IIBA

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Current State of Affairs From
Capability to
A Birds-Eye View! Maturity

Benefits
Decreased risk on our projects
Increased value for our given projects
Improved quality of our deliverables
Improved time to deliver our goods and service
Actions
From capability to maturity
Understanding and developing a framework
Maintaining a BA organization of excellence

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Current State of Affairs From
Capability to
Wachovias Business Case Maturity

Project Failures
Unpredictable project cycles
No concise way to measure ROI
Customer satisfaction after project closeout was poor
Waste within the Systems Development Life Cycle
(SDLC)
Confusion
What are requirements?
Why are they valuable?
What makes a good requirement?

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Purpose Capability to From
Capability to
Maturity Maturity

1. Provide an enterprise common understanding

2. Provide a centralized point of expertise
3. Integrate processes and practices
4. Oversight control
5. Reduce waste (increase efficiency)

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 From
A Maturity Model Capability to
Maturity

Community of Practice
Support

BA Bureau
Maturity

Center of
Excellence
Strategic
Alignment

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Characteristics of the Maturity
Model
Community of Practice
Assessment and evaluation of
existing BA Practice as it exists
today
Determination and development
of a standard Systems
Development Life Cycle
Introduction of the discipline
and its importance as it relates
to resource development
Bureau of Maturity
Direct reporting structure to
either Director of PMO or
CIOwith a BAB Director in
place
Increased alignment with
business units and perceived
value as conduit to IT
From a resource perspective
realize a high level of business
acumen, with a shift from
tactical BA to a strategic BA
practice
building talent, driving results
From
Capability to
Maturity
Centre of Excellence
Strategic alignment; considered
thought leaders in direction and
influence
Providing and sponsoring
studies to participate in overall
corporate advanced and BPI
and overall business
effectiveness
Providing distinct expertise and
continuous improvement in the
five areas of Enterprise
Analysis:
Business Architecture
Information Architecture
Application Architecture
Technology Architecture
Security Architect cure
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 From
The Wachovia Team Capability to
Maturity

Stakeholders
Executive Team
Strategic decision makers from the LOB and IT
Executive Sponsor
Provider of funds and resource allocation
BA Director
Establishes and manages BA activities and
paths to maturity
BA Staff
Responsible for conducting the BA activities
and a key part of the continuous process
improvement

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A Framework for
Performance
Standards
How Do We Get ThereWhat A
Framework
Do We Do?

PUT A
PROJECT
PLAN IN
PLACE!

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How Do We Get ThereWhat A
Framework
Do We Do?
PUT A PROJECT PLAN IN PLACE!
1. Framework
A common approach for conducting BA activities within an
organization
2. Environment
Examines the current or as-is state of business analysis
to determine the future state for definition of the overall
growth and maturity of the BA organization
3. Resources
Resource allocation management (RAM) based on overall
competency of the individual and of the group
4. Business Alignment
Movement from tactical to strategic contributions to the
organization

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 A
Standard Operating Practices Framework

Framework Environment Resources Business Alignment

Standards and Organization and Competency and Career

Enterprise Analysis
Methodologies Structure Development

Training and
Metrics Governance Customer Relationships
Development

Tools Assessment Coaching and Mentoring

Virtual Team
Knowledge Management
Development

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 A
Framework Framework

Standards and Methodologies Framework

Leverage enterprise programs
Standards and
Stick to industry methods Methodologies
Only enforce simple key practices
Metrics Metrics
Conformance to process
Good vs. bad requirements (acid tests) Tools
% requirements to change controls
% requirements to defects Knowledge Management
KEY: metrics should be linked to end-to-end SDLC process
vs. analyzed in isolation

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 A
Framework Framework

Tools Framework
Templates for requirements documentation
Standards and
Good requirements acid tests Methodologies
Automation to support requirements management,
and also traceability to test cases or test scripts Metrics
Remember tools are not limited to software!
Knowledge Management Tools
Electronic internal Body of Knowledge
Continuous Process Improvement
Knowledge Management

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 A
Environment Framework

Organization and Structure Environment

Determine scope (and authority) of influence
Sponsor should be person with authority for the Organization and Structure
influence area; this person leads the BA Bureau of
Maturity
Governance
The BA Bureau of Maturity must have governance
authority and must monitor for adherence to process
Assessment
Governance
Automation
Templates
Process compliance (can be validated from the two
preceding)

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 A
Environment Framework

Assessment Environment
Metrics
Reviews Organization and Structure
Skills knowledge assessments
Governance

Assessment

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 A
Resources Framework

Competency and Career Development Resources

Skill knowledge assessment
Competency and Career
Internal training certification Development
External Validation (IIBA)
Training and Development Training and Development
Internal electronic Body of Knowledge
Internal curriculum Coaching and Mentoring
External training programs
Virtual Team Development

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 A
Resources Framework

Coaching and Mentoring Resources

Community of Practice
Competency and Career
Team coaches Development
Virtual Team Development
Peer groups Training and Development
Community of Practice
Coaching and Mentoring

Virtual Team Development

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 A
Business Alignment Framework

Enterprise Analysis Business Alignment

Project methodology alignment
Culture Enterprise Analysis
Internal best practices
Customer Relationships Customer Relationships
Communications
Roles and responsibilities
Touch points within the process

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 Planning and
Implementation
 Planning and
5 Factors For Success Implementation

1. Having a Plan!
From concept to enterprise analysis
2. Consider the Framework
And overall assessment of need
3. Executive Sponsorship
Obtaining support
4. Corporate Goal Alignment
Value perception
5. Defined Roles and Responsibilities

There are no great limits to growth because there are no limits of human intelligence, imagination and wonder.
- Ronald Reagan (19112004)

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5 Factors For Success Planning and
Implementation
Having a Plan
1. Having a Plan!
From concept to enterprise analysis

Project Lifecycle
Execution
Execution &
&
Initiation
Initiation Planning
Planning Closeout
Closeout
Control
Control

Solution Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Business
Business Analysis
Analysis &
&
Requirements
Requirements Implementation
Implementation Testing
Testing Deployment
Deployment
Modeling
Modeling Design
Design

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5 Factors For Success Planning and
Implementation
Consider the Framework
2. Consider the Framework
And overall assessment of need

Framework Environment Resources Business Alignment

Standards and Organization and Competency and Career

Enterprise Analysis
Methodologies Structure Development

Training and
Metrics Governance Customer Relationships
Development

Tools Assessment Coaching and Mentoring

Virtual Team
Knowledge Management
Development

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5 Factors For Success Planning and
Implementation
Executive Sponsorship
3. Executive Sponsorship
Consider management enthusiasm may
dwindle
The culture may resist change
Value of the COP, BAB or COE will be
questioned
Be sure to choose the right leader for the job

Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the
wind and sometimes against it but sail we must and not drift, nor lie at anchor. Oliver Wendell Holmes

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5 Factors For Success Planning and
Implementation
Corporate Goal Alignment
4. Corporate Goal Alignment
Do your respective enterprise analysis
Understand the risks
Understand clearly the OMT
Understand how the organization will
promote the growth of your COE
This will become your business case and
recommended solution

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.
- Anatole France

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 5 Factors For Success Planning and
Implementation
Defined Roles and Responsibilities

5. Defined Roles and Responsibilities

Leadership and accountability to the
development of the COE is critical, and so is
the team that supports the appointed
individual
Defined roles and career paths
This will allow for alignment to overall
framework, including the SDLC
Alignment to SDLC will allow for overall
measurement on performance

The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a mans foot long enough to enable him to
put the other somewhat higher. Thomas Henry Huxley

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Business Analysis Maturity Planning and
Implementation
Model
Community of Practice
Support

BA Bureau
Maturity

Center of
BA Maturity
Excellence
Strategic
Alignment

Performance
Improvement

building talent, driving results 29

 Questions?

Glenn R. Brl
703-558-4444
gbrule@esi-intl.com

www.esi-intl.com