The plan business analysis approach is used to decide on the business analysis approach to be used in the solution.
It describes the work to be done, the frequency of the work to be done and the work to be produced.
The business analyst could start with an initial approach which might change as they understand the required organizational changes.
The choice in business analysis approach might also be limited by the organizational standards or methodology.
Some organizations already have standard processes in place which the business analyst must adhere to, but this is an exception to the rule.
There are two business analysis approaches which can be used in implementing the change.
These are the predictive approach and the adaptive approach.
The predictive approach is used for solutions whose requirements can be well defined upfront so it minimizes the risk of the solution and maximizes control.
The adaptive approach is used for solutions whose requirements are not so clear and therefore riskier.
The needs of the organization can help the business analyst in deciding which of the two approaches is suitable for the change.
But there are some factors which can also help the business analyst in identifying the best approach to use and these are:
1. Formality and Level of Detail of Business Analysis Deliverables : Depending on the level of formality in the organization the business analyst might decide on one of these two approaches.
The predictive approaches uses more formalized documentation while the adaptive approaches uses less.
2. Business Analysis Activities: The business analysis approach describes the activities which would be performed by the business analyst.
Which include the activities needed to produce the work, dividing the work into iterations and applying lessons learned from previous projects.
3. Timing of Business Analysis work: The business analyst is in charge of deciding the task to be done, who would perform the task and when the task would be performed.
4. Complexity and Risk: Based on the complexity and risk of the change the business analyst would decide on the best approach to use.
5. Acceptance: Once the business analyst has decided on the business analysis approach, they document it and give it to the stakeholders to approve.
But there might be some reason why the stakeholders might not agree with the the business analysis approach.
These reasons include: organization standards, risk appetite, cultural norms of the organization and technological complexities.
There are many factors which come into play when a business analyst is deciding which business analysis approach to chose from but these factors can help an experienced business analyst make an informed decision on the right approach to take.
