The First Bite

A Step-by-Step Guide to
Starting Your Next
Business Analysis Project

Alexandra Cordes
 The First Bite – Alexandra Cordes

The First Bite

A Step-by-Step Guide to
Starting Your Next
Business Analysis Project

Disclaimer
The information contained in this guide is for informational purposes only. Any
advice that I give is my opinion based on my own experience and you should
always seek the advice of a professional before acting on something that I have
published or recommended.
Users of this guide are advised to do their own due diligence when it comes to
making decisions and all information provided should be independently verified
by your own qualified professionals. By reading this guide, you agree that my
company and myself are not responsible for the success or failure of your
decisions and activities relating to any information presented in this guide.
No part of this publication shall be reproduced, transmitted, or sold in whole or
in part in any form, without the prior written consent of the author. All
trademarks and registered trademarks appearing in this guide are the property
of their respective owners.

Acknowledgements
I would to thank Michelle Kandiliotis for her immeasurable support and editing of
this eBook.

Business Analysis Career Coaching

In addition to being professional business analyst and blogger, I am also a
career coach for business analysts.
I help business analysts achieve a fulfilling career in consulting or contracting,
so that they can build their own business and have freedom and control over
their finances and lifestyle. I also help aspiring business analysts get a solid
start in their career.
If you are currently working as a business analyst, in a closely related field, in a
role where business analysis functions are performed, or are studying to be a
business analyst – I can help you transform your career.
In my career advancement program, I help you be the best business analyst
you can possible be. You can learn more about it here.

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 The First Bite – Alexandra Cordes

About this e-Book

You’ve probably found your way to this eBook from my blog, or maybe a friend
passed it along to you.
Either way, I’m happy you’re here.
I wrote this guide because people have often stated to me that they either
studying a business analysis course or certification, but they still don’t know
how to begin a business analysis project.
This eBook is a guide, and the purpose of this guide is to do just that – to guide
you. It is not a system or framework and it definitely doesn’t promise your
success as a business analyst. It will, however, take you through the process of
exactly how to start a business analysis project and equip you with a solid and
credible starting point.
The steps I describe in this eBook may not fit with every scenario, but for the
most part, it will provide a way to begin most standard business analysis efforts.
So, use this guide judiciously and adapt it where you need to.
And put your best foot forward!
If at any time you’re reading this guide and you have questions, please don’t
hesitate to contact me. You can best reach me via email or LinkedIn. Even if
you don’t have any questions, I’d love for you say hello. If I can help one person
learn one thing that will support them in their profession, the time I’ve spent
writing this eBook will have been entirely worth it.
If you want to reach me in private, you can email me at
alexandra@businessanalyststoolkit.com.
Thanks, and all the best!
Alexandra Cordes

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 The First Bite – Alexandra Cordes

Table of Contents
What can this guide do for you? ........................................................................... 1
Step 1 – On the first day arrive with your questions ............................................. 2
Step 2 – Schedule the project kick-off meeting .................................................... 5
Step 3 – Start your desktop analysis .................................................................... 6
Step 4 – Write down as much as possible ............................................................ 7
Step 5 – Attend the kick off meeting ..................................................................... 8
Step 6 – Write the Business Analysis Approach ................................................ 12
Highly recommended career changing programs and resources ...................... 14
Thank You So Much! ........................................................................................... 14

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What can this guide do for you?

This guide will give you a structured approach to commencing and planning a
business analysis effort. It provides you with the exact steps I take from the very first
day through to the end of the planning stage.
The first day on a new project can sometimes be unproductive while you’re waiting to
meet with people and receive information. Don’t arrive empty handed! Commence
the project with a structured and proactive approach that will establish your credibility
as a business analyst.
These are the steps I take from the first day through to the end of business analysis
planning:
1. Arrive on the first day with pre-prepared questions regarding the scope,
objectives and required deliverables,
2. Schedule the project kick-off meeting with an agenda containing a summary of
my discussion points,
3. Start a desktop analysis to research existing documentation for valuable
information including organisation structure, business requirements, issues
and drivers,
4. Write down as much as possible so that the information found in the desktop
analysis can be later verified in interviews and workshops,
5. Attend the kick-off meeting with more pre-prepared questions, and
6. Write the business analysis approach document.
The project kick-off meeting is very important, as it’s where you make your next
impression with a small but principal audience. This meeting usually occurs for all
types of business analysis initiatives to establish the scope and boundaries of the
proposed initiative. However, I take the opportunity to ask a number of other
questions that will provide an overview of the business functions, processes, issues,
risks, values, drivers and success criteria. I do this without going into a-day-in-the-life
of my project sponsor but with enough detail to write a plan. You need to be
organised and willing to ask questions to pull this off successfully.
The information gathered in the kick off meeting is just a quick summary but it’s
enough detail to write the business analysis approach document. This document
outlines the fundamental activities that will be performed throughout the life of the
project. It includes a summary of the project, problem statement and target condition,
planned activities and deliverables, and stakeholder engagement activities and
communications. The approach document is the definitive statement for your planned
activities.
The remainder of this eBook describes the above six steps in sufficient detail so that
you can use it to follow and develop an approach for your next project.
So here it is…

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Step 1 – On the first day arrive with your questions

On the first day I already have some idea of what the project is about, but not much.
So, I’m ready with prepared questions that will expand my understanding of the
problem, the desired outcomes and deliverables.
At this stage, it’s not expected that the analyst knows anything about the project or
the business, but it’s the business analyst’s job to ask the right questions. And this is
the chance to make a great first impression by being proactive.
The first point of contact is usually a project manager, project sponsor, manager or
business owner. For simplicity, let’s assume the first point of contact is the project
manager. And for the remainder of this eBook, I’ll assume you’re working with a
project manager.
The first meeting is likely to be an informal discussion to get oriented with the project.
Depending on how much work has already been done, the project manager will
provide an overview of:
• The project scope and boundaries,
• The current issues affecting the organisation,
• The project risks and constraints,
• The broader organisational context, and
• The stakeholders that will be taking part in engagement activities.
Identifying and understanding the stakeholders involved in this new initiative is high
priority. Quite often the project manager has already performed, or will perform, a
stakeholder analysis. However, from a business analysis perspective it’s important to
know the various stakeholder classes involved so you can plan your engagement
activities, and the questions you’ll ask.

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These are the questions I ask and the rationale behind asking them.

1. What is required of me?

It’s important to know what it is that I’m really doing. In the past, I’ve initiated a
new project with a preconceived idea that I’ll be performing a certain set of
activities, only to find out that I’ll be doing something different. So always check
again.

2. When does the project need to be delivered?

You need to know this, as it is a major constraint on planning your engagement
and documentation activities including the level of detail that can be produced
within the given timeframe.

3. Do you have an outcome already in mind?

Often the business stakeholders have given considerable thought to what the
outcome might be. It’s worthwhile discussing what they think the end game of a
project is and why. This will give you a good grasp on the drivers for the desired
change.

4. Who will be involved in this process? What are their names

and roles?
It’s very important to know whom you’ll be engaging with in interviews and
workshops. You need to know how many people are involved and the role they
have in the new initiative. This way you have an initial understanding how many
meetings and workshops you’ll be conducting for planning purposes.

5. When do you expect workshops to begin?

This again relates to time constraints and deliverable dates. You need to know
when stakeholders will be available for interviews and workshops. Stakeholder
engagement activities are a major part of your work, which occurs in the initial
stages and throughout the life cycle of the project. Their availability may have a
major impact on your ability to deliverable within the given timeframe. Sometimes
the client will provide administrative support to help you to organise and set up
meetings with the stakeholders, it’s important to find out if such support is
available to you.

6. What are the expected deliverables?

You need to know exactly what is being delivered. For example, is it a business
case with recommendations, a business requirements specification with
documented business processes, or an information architecture to support a new
strategy? Knowing your expected deliverables will help you plan your business
analysis activities.

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7. In what format do you expect deliverables to be produced?

Often an organisation will have existing templates and formats for producing the
required documentation. This may include details on how requirements and
models are written and presented. For example, your understanding of a business
requirement may be different to theirs. Therefore, make sure you’ve aligned your
understanding of what the various deliverables contain and adapt your approach
to reflect their needs. After all, it’s not about being technically correct but
communicating effectively within the organisational context.

8. What methodologies do I need to follow?

This is important. Do you need to follow a plan driven or change driven approach,
e.g., waterfall or agile? The methodology impacts on how and when you produce
deliverables and the level of detail required. A plan driven approach is a
sequential process and requiring detailed documentation up front. A change
driven approach is an incremental process and requires documentation that is just
good enough for every incremental stage of the process although initial planning
and high level envisioning is performed. In some cases a client may not know the
answer to this. In that case, you need to advise the client on the approach
required.

9. What existing documentation can I review?

A wealth of hidden business requirements can be discovered in documented
sources. Examples of documented sources are project plans, business cases,
business process documentation, organisation chart, policies, legislation and
mission statements: any document that defines the overarching and guiding
principles for the organisation. You may also need access to relevant systems or
applications. This information will form the basis for your desktop analysis
performed in Step 3.
If you don’t have the opportunity to ask all these questions on your first day, you can
fill in the gaps when you attend the kick-off meeting in Step 3, and at other times.

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Step 2 – Schedule the project kick-off meeting

Your first contact may be an informal discussion where you have the opportunity to
ask some pertinent questions relating to the project scope. The next important task is
to schedule the kick-off meeting. This meeting will involve all of the major
stakeholders but does not include every operational staff member or user that will be
impacted by the project. You need to meet with the stakeholders who are important
to the life of the project.
In the kick off meeting you should expect these people:
• Project sponsor, or owner if the sponsor is not available,
• Steering committee or project team members (this may include technical or
business leads/supervisors), and
• Project manager.
In this meeting you will have the opportunity to ask questions relating to scope and
the organisational context. This includes the questions described in Step 1 and Step
4 on page 1.
A number of times I haven’t had the opportunity to ask all of my questions because
the agenda was not clear. An unclear agenda may result in a mixed, and sometimes
confused, discussion of high-level organisational requirements and detailed system,
data or process specific requirements.
Make it clear in your meeting invitation, and through verbal confirmation, that you
intend to ask a number of questions. Deliver a meeting agenda that contains a
summary of your discussion points, or ask to have your questions included in the
overall agenda. This will give your stakeholders the opportunity to think about your
questions before the meeting. It also sets the context for discussion.
Another point to note is that you may be commencing a new project in an
organisation where nobody knows who you are as yet. In this case, ask the project
manager, or appropriate business contact, to schedule the meeting on your behalf.
That way you have the appropriate introduction.

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Step 3 – Start your desktop analysis

While you’re waiting to formally kick-off the project, begin your desktop analysis. Ask
the project manager for all previously written documents including:
• Project plans,
• Business cases,
• Business process documentation,
• Business and system requirements documents,
• Organisation chart,
• Policies and legislation, and
• Strategy documents, business plans and mission statements.
All of this information may seem overwhelming at first, so scan the documentation
and then focus on the information that is most relevant.
If your project involves existing business processes with supporting systems, try to
get access to these systems. This way all documentation and supporting systems
can be reviewed to:
• Provide context of how the organisation is currently operating,
• Uncover a wealth of hidden business requirements in documented sources,
and
• Provide an initial understanding of any gaps with the current systems,
procedures, processes and operations.
Of course, the documentation you receive may be out of date. Therefore, validating
the information you uncover will be vital at the appropriate time.

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Step 4 – Write down as much as possible

This is your opportunity to make a solid start and be effective in your engagement
activities.
From your desktop analysis, record as much information you can find from all
relevant sources to quickly build up a picture of the problem domain. I use Sparx
Enterprise Architect as my tool for analysing and modeling stakeholders, the
organisational structure and requirements. However, you can also use a
spreadsheet, a document or a basic drawing tool for recording the required
information.
This information will form the basis of your written requirements and models, which
can be used as a starting point in requirements sessions and further questions.
Presenting these initial models in workshops provides an excellent visual prompt for
ideas and information flow from your workshop participants. When you meet with
them to present your initial analysis, they will validate and refine your information.
Depending on the relevance, these are the things I look for in existing
documentation:
• Business drivers, organisational values and success criteria,
• Issues and risks that are currently impacting the organisation,
• Business requirements including reporting requirements,
• Systems requirements including functional and non-functional requirements,
• Organisational structure, and
• Business processes and supporting systems.
You don’t need to rewrite every single piece of information you find but make sure
you list or model the relevant information for each of the points made above. For
instance, I won’t rewrite system requirements, but I will certainly read the
documentation to understand the work that was done previously.

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Step 5 – Attend the kick off meeting

My intention for this meeting has two purposes.
1. Confirm any leftover questions from Step 1. This ensures I can plan my
approach, deliverables, engagement, and communication requirements for the
duration of the project.
2. Develop an initial understanding of the problem domain, which can be
expanded as I progress through the project.
The problem domain is the area of interest – the organisational context – that needs
to be examined to solve a problem. Ideally you already know something about the
organisation and the various business functions within it. This would be through
research if you’re new to the organisation, your desktop analysis, or if you’re an
existing employee.
To establish an understanding of the problem domain, you need to define the
following:
• Exactly which business functions will be affected,
• The main processes involved within each business function including inputs
and outputs,
• Who are involved and their names and roles,
• The main issues and risks currently affecting the business,
• The policies and constraints that influence the direction of this project,
• The values that determine the level of importance of the project, and
• The factors that determine the success of the project.
Usually, the kick-off meeting is schedule for one hour. Considering that there may be
other items on the agenda, you may only have 2 or 3 minutes for each question.

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I’ve compiled ten core questions that I ask in most of my projects along with my
rationale for asking them. These questions will provide a solid beginning. With each
question below, another question may arise, especially if you ask “Why”.

1. What are the main functions of the business area(s) impacted

by this project?
Just briefly – as you’ll discover more detailed information as you progress through
the project – confirm the main functions performed in the areas of the
organisation that will be impacted by the project. An example of a business
function might be service such as Payroll. You may also need to know something
about other areas of the organisation that will not be affected but have some
relationship with the functions within the problem domain.

2. What are the main processes that are performed in each of

the business functions?
For each main function identified above, there will be one or more business
processes that support that business function. Examples of business processes
within the Payroll service are Manage Time and Attendance and Process Pay
Run.

3. Who is involved (both internal and external)?

For each process identified above, establish who (including names and roles) are
involved. This includes their inputs and outputs, and information required for
decision-making in relation to the business functions carried out. You also need to
understand their information requirements in terms of project related
communications and how and when they will be involved in engagement
activities. This information informs your stakeholder engagement plan.

4. What systems (and dependencies) currently support the

business activities?
You need to know what systems or applications that are used in the business
activity. At this stage you don’t need specific details on how the users operate the
systems, just the name and type of systems and the business functions they
support.

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5. What are the main events that trigger the process?

Events define which triggers change within the context. These triggers lead to an
activity or process discussed in question 2. Don’t ask for too much detail, as the
information you’re collecting at this stage will be used to establish a good
overview of the problem domain. You just need a summary of the start-events for
a given process. An example of a trigger may be formal a request for information
whereby a worker then performs a set of actions to access, retrieve, acquire
approval and deliver the information.

6. What content or information is required or produced?

The content informs the context of the problem domain. It marks an identifiable
completion-event of the given set of activities or process, e.g., an Annual Report.

7. What are the main issues and risks currently affecting the
business to achieve the required outcomes?
This question dominates the context. It relates to desired outcomes and
performance and how existing issues impact them. It also relates to trust (I never
mention the word trust in a meeting) and the relationships between all parties in a
system. An example of a trust issue is where a worker maintains parallel record in
a spreadsheet because the system contains data quality issues pertaining to
accuracy and reliability. For each issue stated, ask why to each reason given at
least four times to get to the root cause of the problem. Read more about root
cause analysis in the article “Why” is the How of Getting to the Root Cause of a
Problem – A Five Whys Example. If you don’t have time, set aside time to follow
up with this line of questioning. A root cause analysis will uncover important
details about the best approach going forward.

8. What are the policies and constraints that influence the

direction of this project?
This question directs the context of the project. There may be existing and future
policies and constraints that underpin how the change will be implemented. These
constraining factors may be internal or external to the organisation. Legislation is
an example of something that influences the direction of the project. Major
reporting deadlines may constrain the context where there are very tight
deadlines for receiving and collating data, which is resource intensive.

9. What value will be gained from the proposed change?

This question defines the context of the project. It gives you an understanding of
the level of importance, and what the organisation will gain, in terms of value,
from the proposed change. You can also ask these questions:
• What is the vision for the proposed change?
• What is the purpose of the proposed change?

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10. What are the main factors that drive this project?
It’s important to identify the relevant business drivers that are aligned with the
business objectives. Another way of asking this question is: what do you consider
to be the main criteria for success? Examples of business drivers are:
• Increased retention of quality information for better decision-making.
• Reduced processing time enabling workers to focus on activities that add
value to business.
In addition to the above questions, it’s essential to ask “why” for each.
It’s important to ask “why” as much as possible to ensure that there are no
inefficiencies in the processes or to uncover something that was not obvious. Asking
"why" is not a very easy thing to do sometimes, but a business analyst must be
courageous enough to question things when there is a need.
So remember to ask “why”!
If you don’t have the opportunity to collect all of the information from the above
questions, ensure that you have the opportunity to follow up via email or phone calls.
At the end of the kick-off meeting I usually state that I’ll be writing up the meeting
notes and that I may have any further questions. I then ask if it would be okay for me
to call or email. Making a phone call is more effective than email. Emails are easily
ignored if your stakeholders are busy people.
Remember to write up the meeting minutes and distribute them to all meeting
participants so they have the opportunity review the outcomes.

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Step 6 – Write the Business Analysis Approach

Often the project plan does not adequately cover the business analysis activities and
approach. In this case, I’m either required to develop the content to be included in the
project plan or produce a separate business analysis approach. For the purposes of
this exercise, I’ll assume that a separate document is required.
The information you’ve gathered from the desktop analysis, kick-off meeting and
informal discussions should provide the content you need to complete this document.
The approach document will include the following sections.
• Purpose - describes the purpose of the business analysis activities required
for the proposed initiative.
• Objectives - describes the objectives of the business analysis components of
the project.
• Background – describes the project background and the impetus for initiating
change.
• Scope – defines the business analysis activities and deliverables that are
included and excluded.
• Current Condition – describes the problems that exist which have contributed
to the need for change.
• Root Cause Analysis – identifies the root causes of the issues identified.
• Target Condition – describes the target condition by describing how core
issues identified will be addressed.
• Criteria Success Factors – describes the elements that are necessary for the
project’s success.
• Planned Activities – describes the planned activities, the reason for the
activity, deliverables and delivery dates.
• Quality Management – describes the activities that will be undertaken to
ensure the quality of project deliverables.
• Communications Strategy – describes the planned communications with
stakeholders that will occur throughout the project.
• Stakeholder Engagement Plan - provides an overview of the stakeholder
engagement process.
• Requirements Management - describes how requirements will be collected,
analysed, documented and managed throughout the lifecycle of the project.
• Follow Up - describes the plan to measure the effectiveness of the project.

That’s it for now! After your approach document is approved you’re ready to
commence the work according to the plan you’ve created. You can find out more
about some of the major business analysis deliverables here.

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Final Words From Alexandra

Congratulations! If you’ve made this far, you’re out-and-out dedicated to putting your
best foot forward with your next project. I know there’s a lot of information in this
eBook and I’ve given you a lot to think about. Here are a few final thoughts I’d like to
share with you.

Be Prepared
Don’t waste stakeholder time. If you’re under prepared for a meeting or workshop it
will waste stakeholder’s time and undermine your credibility. It will be hard to get their
attention again, especially if they’re very busy.

Respond to Feedback
Don’t react and don’t take it personally. Listen to what people have to say and accept
their feedback with gratitude. If you think there’s a reason why their feedback cannot
be adopted, then calmly raise your concerns for open discussion.

Relate to the Business Context

Understand the issues in business relatable language. Converse with your
stakeholders by considering how they do their job and the issues that are impacting
on them. This will increase your credibility as someone who listens and understands
the issues.

Manage Expectations
Be impeccable with your word. If you say you’re going to do something on a certain
day, then do it. Otherwise communicate a new expectation before that time. People
will remember you more for good quality work over being a little late on delivery,
especially if you alert them to the changed schedule.

Ask Questions
Don’t make assumptions. Ask questions and clarify concepts to stay on course.
There’s nothing worse than going off on a time-wasting tangent because of an
assumption about what was required. Be brave and ask questions. Be patient and
ask questions!

Be Resourceful
Every project is a new experience, you’ll learn new things, and experience new
challenges. Do some research, ask questions, and meet with people or do whatever
you can to learn. Be adaptable to change and new experiences. And, most
importantly enjoy the experience!

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Thank You So Much!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this eBook as much as I loved writing it for you.
I can’t thank you enough for your continued support of The Business
Analyst’s Toolkit Blog and everything I do.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this, and if you have some
extra time, I would love to hear what you think about it.
You can contact me at: alexandra@businessanalyststoolkit.com.
Lastly, if you haven’t already, you can connect with me here:
• Business Analysis Contractors Facebook Group
• Business Analyst’s Toolkit Facebook Page
• LinkedIn

Thanks again, and I wish you great success with your next business analysis project!

Alexandra Cordes

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