Business analysts use a range of tools and technologies to model, document, and manage business analysis activities work products.
Tools that are specific to the field of business analysis need to have specialized capabilities in:
• Modelling.
• Documentation.
•Analysis and mapping requirements.
• Recognizing relationships between requirements.
• Tracking and storing requirements artifacts.
• Communicating with stakeholders.
Some business analysis tools and technologies focus on a single business analysis activity and others combine multiple business analysis functions into a single tool.
Business analysis tools may include functionalities such as modelling, requirements management, issue tracking, prototyping and simulation.
Lets take a look at some specific types of Business Analysis tools:
a. Modelling tools: Modelling tools can provide functionalities that help business analysts with a number of modelling related tasks, such as:
- Designing models and visuals to help position stakeholders and define the relationship of needs, entities, requirements, stakeholders, and context.
- Finding visuals to business rules, text requirements, scope statements, scope visuals, data requirements, product needs, and other requirements context and information.
- Designing a functionality for a proprietary engine in order to execute the model or generate an application code which could be enhanced by a developer.
These tools usually confirm conformity with the notation. Some modelling tools help with the development of executable models, such as business process management and business rules management systems.
b. Issue tracking tools: Issue tracking tools can provide features that supports business analysts with a number of issue tracking related tasks such as:
i. Tracking requirements risks.
ii. Tracking requirements conflicts and issues.
iii. Tracking defects.
c. Prototyping and simulation tools: Prototyping and simulation tools can supply features that supports business analysts with prototyping or simulating the solution.
There are some measures of effective business analysis tools and technology, which include:
- The ability to use an understanding of one tool and other similar tools.
- Being able to recognize major tools currently available and describe their strengths, weaknesses, and how they may be used in any situation.
- The understanding of and the potential to use the major features of the tool.
- The ability to select a tool or tools that assist organizational processes.
- The ability to use the tools to complete business analysis activities faster than would have been possible.
- The ability to track changes to the requirements and their effect on the solution implementation, stakeholders, and value.
Now what are Business Analysis technologies ?
Business Analysis technologies are software applications that can be used by the business analyst to help them perform their jobs.
These technologies have functionalities that help business analysts with a number of tasks such as requirements management.
Requirements management related tasks which include:
- Requirements workflow.
- Trackability.
- Configuration management of requirements and requirements artifacts.
- Checking the quality of requirements through verification of the for defined characteristics and relationships.