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Tag: Skills

BATimes_Jun27_2024

Priming: A Powerful Tool for Business Analysts

Written by Olam Osah on . Posted in Articles.

“Big doors swing on little hinges.” – W. Clement Stone

 

Imagine walking into a store and hearing your favorite song playing in the background. Instinctively, you feel more at ease, more inclined to browse, and perhaps even to buy something. This subtle influence on your behavior is no accident—it is an example of priming at work. Now, picture leveraging this same psychological phenomenon to enhance the effectiveness of business analysis. Welcome to the world of priming, where a well-placed word or image can shape perceptions, drive engagement, and ultimately lead to more successful projects.

 

Historical Context of Priming

 

Priming, a concept rooted in psychology, began to gain traction in the 1970s. Researchers like David Meyer and Roger Schvaneveldt conducted seminal experiments demonstrating how exposure to certain stimuli could influence subsequent responses. For instance, people could respond faster to related words (like “doctor” and “nurse”) than to unrelated ones (like “doctor” and “bread”). This discovery highlighted the subconscious ways in which our minds process information, laying the groundwork for priming’s application across various fields, including business analysis. The foundational studies revealed that our brains are wired to create associative networks, meaning that exposure to a particular concept can automatically activate related concepts. This insight has been pivotal in understanding how to strategically use priming in business contexts to shape decision-making, improve stakeholder engagement, and enhance communication strategies.

 

Real-Life Examples of Priming

 

Priming has been effectively used in many real-world scenarios. For instance, in retail, stores often play specific types of music to influence customer behavior. A study by North, Hargreaves, and McKendrick (1999) found that playing French music in a wine store increased the sales of French wines, while playing German music boosted the sales of German wines. This subtle priming technique tapped into customers’ associations between the music and the product.

 

In another example, Priming is a powerful tool in political campaigns, frequently used to shape public opinion by consistently emphasizing particular themes or issues. Barack Obama’s “Yes We Can” and “Change We Can Believe In” slogans serve as prime examples of this strategy in action. These slogans were not just catchy phrases; they were meticulously crafted to prime voters to embrace a sense of collective empowerment and the possibility of positive change.

 

During Obama’s campaign, the repetitive use of these slogans created a cognitive framework that associated his candidacy with optimism, hope, and unity. Every time voters heard “Yes We Can,” they were subtly reminded of the potential for change and progress, fostering a sense of personal involvement and collective action. This emotional resonance was further reinforced through speeches, advertisements, and campaign events that consistently highlighted these themes.

The effectiveness of this priming was evident in the overwhelming support Obama received, particularly from younger voters and minority groups who felt directly addressed and included in his vision. The campaign’s ability to prime these voters to associate Obama’s candidacy with positive change and empowerment played a crucial role in his electoral success.

 

Personal Anecdote: Priming in Action

 

In my experience as a business analyst, I have found priming to be an invaluable tool in guiding stakeholders towards beneficial decisions. One notable instance was during a project aimed at selecting a software solution for case and document management.

 

Having previously worked with a highly effective software that streamlined operations and significantly reduced processing times, I was confident it would be the ideal choice for our current project. However, I knew that simply presenting this software as the best option might not be enough to gain stakeholder buy-in.

 

To prime the stakeholders, I began by sharing a series of success stories and case studies from other organizations that had successfully implemented this software. In pre-meeting materials, I included testimonials from satisfied users and highlighted measurable improvements in efficiency and accuracy. During our discussions, I subtly referenced these examples, framing our needs in a way that aligned with the strengths of the software.

 

As a result, when it came time to evaluate potential solutions, the stakeholders were already positively inclined towards the software I had in mind. The decision-making process was smoother, and the eventual adoption of the software led to significant improvements in our case and document management processes.

 

Applications of Priming in Business Analysis

 

Having seen how priming can effectively influence stakeholders in a real-world project, we can now explore how this technique can be systematically applied in the realm of business analysis.

 

 

The application of priming in business analysis provides a strategic advantage in enhancing stakeholder engagement, improving requirements elicitation, facilitating change management, and ensuring clear communication. By understanding how subtle cues can influence perceptions and decisions, business analysts can effectively guide project outcomes. However, the true power of priming lies in its implementation. To harness this potential, it is essential to employ specific techniques that ensure priming is both subtle and impactful, driving the desired results while maintaining ethical standards.

 

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Implementing Priming Techniques

 

Now that we understand the applications of priming in business analysis, let us delve into practical strategies for effectively implementing these priming techniques in your projects. To effectively implement priming techniques, business analysts should consider the following steps:

 

 

Conclusion

Priming is a subtle yet powerful tool that business analysts can use to enhance their effectiveness in various aspects of their role. By understanding and strategically applying priming techniques, analysts can improve stakeholder engagement, facilitate better requirements elicitation, support change management, and enhance communication. As with any tool, the key to successful priming lies in its thoughtful and ethical application, ensuring that it serves the best interests of the project and its stakeholders. Drawing on historical insights, real-world examples, and personal experiences, business analysts can harness the power of priming to drive project success and foster positive outcomes, ultimately shaping the landscape of business analysis for the better.

BATimes_Jun12_2024

Learn Business Analysis From A Chameleon

Written by BA Nitin on . Posted in Articles.

Professionals in the dynamic field of business analysis must constantly adjust to shifting surroundings and a wide range of stakeholder needs. Surprisingly, there are a lot of lessons to be gained from the natural world, especially from chameleons, which are known for their remarkable adaptability.

 

Let’s discover useful insights that can be applied to the subject of business analysis as we examine the striking parallels between a chameleon and a business analyst (BA).

 

  1. Flexibility: The Skill of Adjustment

Chameleons are renowned for their extraordinary adaptability and ability to blend in with a variety of environments. Business analysts also need to be adaptable and capable of wearing many hats to take on issues head-on. When working with testers, QA teams, or product owners, BAs must modify their methodology to suit the unique requirements of each stakeholder group. Because of their flexibility, BAs can manage expectations and communicate with effectiveness in a variety of teams.

 

  1. Communication and the Language of Colour

Colour is a potent means of expression and communication for chameleons. They communicate their goals, feelings, and responses to their surroundings through colour shifts. Likewise, the foundation of a good business analysis is efficient communication.

 

  1. A 360-degree view

Chameleons have a unique 360-degree view of their surroundings due to the ability of their eyes to move independently. They can see openings and threats from every angle because to their broad vision. Business analysts also employ a comprehensive strategy when doing project analysis. Strategic decision-making is guided by the comprehensive perspective of business analysts (BAs), who examine corporate processes, identify potential risks, and evaluate market trends. This wide-ranging viewpoint ensures that all aspects of a project are considered, leading to more knowledgeable and useful answers.

 

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  1. It’s not about size, but about essence

The small Parson’s chameleon and the superb dwarf chameleon are two examples of these species that vary in size but share similar traits. Business analysts of all levels can benefit from an understanding of the fundamental concepts of the field. All BAs, no matter how experienced, must adhere to basic analytical processes, stakeholder engagement tactics, and problem-solving approaches. By following these uniform guidelines, it is ensured that all BAs, regardless of “size,” offer meaningful insights and advance project success.

 

  1. Using a Strategic Approach to Issue Solving

Chameleons use clever problem-solving techniques to navigate their environment when hunting or evading predators. In a similar way, business analysts (BAs) identify and resolve complex business problems using their analytical abilities. Business analysts (BAs) play a critical role in assisting businesses in accomplishing their goals through the application of problem-solving approaches, root cause analysis, and practical recommendations. Their ability to think strategically and solve problems effectively demonstrates their value in any undertaking.

 

  1. Flexibility in the Face of Adversity

Chameleons are excellent models of resilience since they can live in hostile and unpredictable environments. BAs also frequently encounter obstacles to successfully completing projects, which might range from shifting stakeholder objectives and financial constraints to technological disruptions. Resilience is a critical trait for BAs as it enables them to overcome setbacks and maintain focus on the project’s objectives. Their ability to remain composed under pressure and be innovative is crucial to overcoming challenges and keeping the project moving forward.

 

  1. Expertise in Transition Management

Chameleons go through metamorphosis throughout their lives, changing from hatchlings to fully grown adults at each stage. Likewise, BAs thrive in leading teams through stages of evolution and transition and managing change.

 

To sum up
The comparison between business analysts and chameleons highlights the latter’s remarkable ability to adapt, communicate, and observe from multiple perspectives. BAs may successfully navigate difficult project environments and achieve desired results because to chameleon-like traits like adaptability, strategic thinking, resilience, and change management abilities. As we continue to learn from nature, the chameleon serves as an inspiration for the dynamic work of the business analyst.

 

BATimes_Jun8_2024

Key Documentation Prepared by Business Analysts

Written by Sushmala Sabala Ravindrnath Reddy on . Posted in Articles.

Documentation is the core part of the business analysis process that provides clarity, standards, and process details that help organizations in decision-making. The documentation provides information about the guidelines, requirements specifications, roadmaps, communications, blueprints, and solutions that are crucial for the execution of the project.

Business analysts create various documents to translate complex requirements into accessible language that can be understood both by the technical and non-technical staff of the team. Business analysts bridge the gap between the business stakeholders and the technical team by creating various documentation that provides clear, concise information on the problem statement, business objectives, key requirements, restrictions, exclusions, and solutions that help in the alignment of the team.

A well-crafted document by the business analyst helps the organization secure the budget required for the execution of the project and forecast any risks during the implementation of the project. Documentation also helps to align the project with the overall organization goal and describes the value added to the organization goal by the execution of the project.

 

Key Documentation Prepared by The Business Analyst

  1. Business Requirements Document (BRD):

The business requirements document is one of the most common documents that is prepared by a business analyst. BRD captures the big picture of the project and stakeholders’ business needs. It provides detailed information on the project goals, objectives, and approved solutions, along with the key deliverables that define the scope and associated benefits of the project’s execution.

Although the fields in the BRD change from organization to organization, here are the key fields in the BRD document:

  • Project details

The project details section includes information such as project name, project number (if applicable), organization department details, business sponsor details, key stakeholder information, project manager, architects, and details of the technical team members working on the project.

  • Project Overview

The project overview provides high-level project objectives and their benefits. This is the section one would read to get the complete summary of the project.

  • Project scope and out-of-scope items

The project scope lists the deliverables of the project; this helps both business stakeholders and the technical team be on the same page and provides clarity on requirements.

Project out-of-scope lists all the items that are identified as outside of the project scope. Identifying the out-of-scope during the initiation of the project helps to avoid any scope creep during the execution of the project.

  • Assumptions

The assumptions section provides a complete list of assumptions relative to the scope of work. These assumptions are agreed upon and approved by the business stakeholders.

  • Current and future state business processes

The current state of the of the business process depicts a snapshot of the current state of the organization, and the future state highlights the deliverables of the project.

This section helps to have a side-by-side comparison of the enhanced functionality that will be achieved by the project.

  • Business requirement

The business requirement is the main section of the BRD. This section lists all the action items that are required to achieve the project scope.

Along with the action items, it is important to assign priority to each item, as it helps the technical team identify which task they need to pick first.

For projects where the implementation of the business requirements is divided into multiple releases, it is important to include release details in the business requirements section.

  • Business rules

The business rules section consists of all the project-relevant business rules that were agreed upon and approved by the stakeholders. Business rules usually trace back to business requirements.

  • Project risks

The project risks section includes all the risks identified and mitigation measures for the risks. Identifying the risks ahead helps the team focus on their tasks and reduces uncertainty during the execution of the project. Identifying risks earlier also helps to make better business decisions.

  • Cost-benefit analysis

Cost-benefit analysis is the last section of the BRD. In this section, you describe how the project objectives will make a profit for the organization and estimate the ROI that can be achieved with the execution of the project.

 

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  1. Functional Requirements Document (FRD):

The Functional Requirements document provides information about the business problem and approved solutions for the problem. FRD is the contract between the business and the technical team to deliver the accepted solution. It provides information about key functionality that a solution system needs to have and the performance of the system. FRD captures all the nitty-gritty information about the solution product.

The FRD document is different from the BRD , as FRD focuses more on the nitty-gritty details of the solution and BRD focuses on the broader view of the overall project.

The style and fields of the FRD document change from project to project. Here are the key fields of the FRD document:

  • Project details

The Project Details section includes detailed information about the project, such as project name, project unique number, organization department details, business sponsor details, key stakeholder information, project manager, architects, and details of the technical team members working on the project.

  • Project Description

An overview of the project, its benefits, and the approved solution. This is the section one would read to get a complete overview of the project.

  • Project Background

The project background describes the problem statement of the project and the purpose of the project.

  • Project scope and out-of-scope items

The project scope lists all the deliverables of the project, including the technical details of the solution system. This section helps both business stakeholders and the technical team be on the same page and provides clarity on requirements.

Project out-of-scope lists all the items that are identified as outside of the project scope. Identifying the out-of-scope during the initiation of the project helps to avoid any scope creep during the execution of the project.

  • Assumptions

The assumptions section provides a complete list of assumptions relative to the scope of work. These assumptions are agreed upon and approved by the business stakeholders.

  • Functional requirements

The functional requirements section describes what the system must do. Functional requirements must be drafted in a way that provides complete information about the business needs and specifications needed in the solution system.

  • Operational requirements

The operation requirements section describes how the system must operate, i.e., how fast the system should respond, how many responses the system needs to provide in the given time, etc.

  • Requirement Traceability Matrix

The requirement traceability matrix is described in detail in the section below.

The requirement traceability matrix is used to track the implementation of the functional requirements. The RTM is updated throughout the project to show the progress made in the implementation of the functional requirements.

  • Glossary

List all the business terms and their definitions.

 

  1. Non-Functional Requirements Document

The non-functional requirements document defines how the system must behave. This section is crucial for the execution of the project; it describes the capabilities of the system operation and its constraints. Non-functional requirements provide information about system users, scalability, operation, hardware and software, performance, retention and capacity, accessibility, and security.

The solution system can still operate by just executing the functional requirements, but it might not meet all the business expectations in terms of security, performance, scalability, etc.

 

Below are the fields that are going to be part of the Non-Functional Requirements document:

  • Security

Security is the most important section of the non-functional requirements document. This section captures all the security guidance that needs to be incorporated by the project execution team during the implementation of the project. It captures security architecture guidance, authentication, data security, risk management, and technology development guidance.

  • Users

This section provides information about the business expectations for the number of users that will use the system. And a number of concurrent users that the system can support without letting the system performance degrade.

  • Scalability

This section captures business expectations for the data volume that the system must support. It also captures the volume that the system can support during peak and non-peak times.

  • Operational

The operational section is different from organization to organization; this is the section that captures the Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3… (Severity 1, Severity 2, Severity 3…) incidents that arise and the action plan to resolve the incidents. Based on the severity of the incident, a recovery strategy is defined to get the system back up and running.

  • Hardware and software

This section includes information about any new hardware components required for the execution of the project and the specifications of the hardware components.

It also captures any new software installation or software configuration required for the completion of the project.

  • Performance

The performance section answers questions such as how fast the system needs to perform. What should be the response time of the system?

  • Retention and capacity

The retention and capacity section captures data types that need to be stored in the database and the data retention time frame required for the data. It also talks about the capacity of the database and the various logs that will be available.

  • Accessibility

This section captures information about who can access the system and the minimum requirements for accessing it.

 

 

  1. Requirement Traceability Matrix

The Requirement Traceability Matrix is the document used during the implementation of the project to trace the requirements to its test cases and further to any defects. The main purpose of this document is to prove that all the requirements have been successfully executed and tested by the project execution team.

The requirement The traceability matrix generally consists of the following fields:

  • Requirement Number

The requirement number is the business requirement or the functional requirement number that is captured in either the BRD or FRD document based on organization standards. All the requirements for the project are listed in this column.

  • Requirement description

A brief description of the requirement.

  • Test case number

The test case number is the unique number used to identify the test case for a particular requirement.

  • Testcase description

A brief description of the test case and its scenarios.

  • Test execution result

This section captures if the test case was a ‘Pass’ or Fail’ during the execution of the test case.

  • Defect number

If the test case execution fails, then a corresponding defect is created, and this section captures the defect’s unique number.

  • Defect Status

This section is used to capture defect status such as ‘Open’ or ‘Complete’. This helps to know if the defect was successfully fixed and tested.

 

Conclusion

Throughout this paper, we have discussed various documents prepared by a business analyst that play a crucial role in the project’s success, driving communication and streamlining the process. From the initiation of the project to the implementation and final deployment of the product, these key documents guide the team through the project lifecycle and ensure the team is aligned with business objectives at every step of the project.

BATimes_May23_2024

Learning to Love Compliance

Written by Adrian Reed on . Posted in Articles.

OK, I’m going to let you into a secret here. I genuinely like compliance projects. You know the ones, those projects that people think are really boring because they relate to a change in regulation or legislation? The ones that it’s really hard to get people excited about? The ones that few BAs volunteer for? Yep, those ones!

 

Framed differently, there’s often a real opportunity to shape and scope things in a way that isn’t always the case with other (seemingly more exciting) projects. These projects can be career-enhancing, provide more autonomy and really don’t have to be boring. Or, at the very least, they don’t have to be as boring as they first appear! Let me explain…

 

Pain Reliever or Vitamin

I remember reading somewhere that one question that some Silicon Valley venture capitalists will ask startups when they are pitching for funding is:

“Is your product a pain reliever or a vitamin?”

 

You might think it is better to be a vitamin. Yet, apparently, the answer that investors are looking for is ‘pain killer’. Sure, we might take vitamins some days, but it’s easy to forget. But if you’re in pain, you will soon remember to reach for the pain reliever. So, solving a pain point will likely get people to reach into their wallet.

Think about a change in regulation or legislation. Most people who are part of the core business know they need to comply, but if we’re brutally honest, they probably aren’t that interested. A change in (say) data protection legislation is just a distraction to them. They probably don’t care how it’s solved, as long as it doesn’t disrupt them too much, and as long as it doesn’t cost too much.  In fact, they might even be worried that the legal & compliance team are going to be ‘heavy handed’ and create all sorts of bureaucracy for them.

 

This is an area where BAs can act as a real pain reliever. By working with the relevant business areas and the legal and compliance team, by working with stakeholders to understand enough about the business operations, the solution landscape and the legislation or regulation we can co-create innovative solutions. We can find a balance that works for the different stakeholders, and rather than just achieving compliance, might actually improve things for them too. Imagine that, a compliance project actually leading to improvements!  It is totally possible.

Crucially, we take away a distraction for them. We get far more autonomy and leeway to shape things precisely because they just want the pain to go away.

 

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Understanding The Problem

One of the things I love about compliance problems is the fact that business people usually haven’t pre-determined a solution. Other projects often come with an assumed solution attached (e.g. “Oh, we’re going to implement XYZ system, so we need you to write a couple of user stories”, leading to us having to work backwards to understand the problem).  Usually the brief is really broad (e.g. “Comply with the new Data Protection Act).

This leaves the BA with a significant amount of autonomy and latitude. There will be many ways of solving that problem, and defining the problem space is usually really fun and makes a huge difference to the success. The biggest challenge is people will often think that the impact is small, when actually it is actually far wider ranging. It’s therefore necessary to bring stakeholders along on the journey.

Although every compliance project is different, I typically find starting by identifying and having an understanding of the legislation or regulation is key. Of course, the BA does not need to be a legal expert, but we need to know enough to ask sensible questions and challenge. In many jurisdictions, legislation is written in (fairly) plain language, and you can even start to imagine some of the business rules/impacts that might be implied by it as you read it.

 

However, an important next step is to work with the relevant business and compliance stakeholders to determine the company’s interpretation of the legislation or regulation.  Rarely are these things completely prescriptive. You’ll find words like “appropriate” and “from time to time” and other phrases that show the intent without prescribing solutions. Particularly with new regulations this can be tricky, as there’s no existing convention or regulator judgements to base things on. Ultimately this is often a balancing act, and an area where good facilitation is key.

Ultimately, all of this leads us to a position where we can judge the impact on existing processes, applications, data and more. This is where the requirements or stories get written, but they will trace neatly back to an interpretation of a piece of the legislation or regulation. In many ways scoping can be easier on regulatory projects… a requirement either maps to a piece of the regulation or it doesn’t! (OK, it’s never quite that binary, but it is close).

 

Fringe Benefits

There’s still the challenge of selling regulatory projects to stakeholders. If we can’t get them excited about them, then there’s a chance their attention will wane and they won’t give us the input we need.

This is where our pain reliever/vitamin analogy comes in useful again. In fact, a good compliance project can be both.  A (hypothetical) project to comply with new data protection legislation might ensure we avoid million dollar fines (pain killer) while also providing us the opportunity to cleanse our existing data, so reports are more accurate (pain killer) and we have more flexibility on how we capture future data (vitamin).  This is just an example, but I am sure you get the gist.

So, have I changed your view of compliance projects? Either way, connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know. I’d love to hear your views!

 

BATimes_May15_2024

Business Analysis: How and Why Do I Need To Evolve?

Written by Esther Folorunso on . Posted in Articles.

Without a doubt, artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay and is not going anywhere. Still, it would and has even started disrupting the status quo of many industries and organizations. Well, this is an undisputable, crucial innovation. Still, I would gladly refute Elon Musk’s’ claim that “We will have for the first time something smarter than the smartest human. It’s hard to say exactly what that moment is, but there will come a point where no job is needed” (Marr,2023).

The human factor must be considered in every career path or industry; however, professionals in every space and sphere must evolve with the dynamic and changing environment.

Why do we need to evolve?

Regarding my specialization as a Business Analyst, how and why do I need to evolve?

Recently, there has been a surge in the search for business analysts. This is not because this is a new field; instead, it has existed since the Middle of the Old Stone Age, when the ancestors were able to effectively adapt to the changing natural environment, identify their needs, problems, and opportunities, and develop solutions to make their abode livable and habitable.

 

What is Business Analysis?

According to the BABOK Guide V3, Business analysis enables change in an enterprise by defining needs and recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders. Business analysis enables an enterprise to articulate needs and the rationale for change and design and describe solutions that deliver value.

The business analysis field has undergone several nomenclature changes and could be referred to by different names in different industries. Some famous names include Business systems analysis, business process analysis, functional analysis, product ownership, systems architecture, project management, usability analysis, user experience consulting, operations assessment, and technical writing.

 

Business Analysis Requirements

The BABOK Guide v3 views requirements as a usable representation of a need and a design as the usable requirement of a solution. Still, both concepts can be used interchangeably and primarily depend on the context of being used or adopted. Requirements need to be identified, collected, modeled, analyzed, validated, verified, traced, prioritized, managed, and maintained in the lifecycle of a project (Pre and post-project stages). Still, they are all related to a business problem that requires a solution. It could be in the form of an organizational objective that must be met, a business process that needs to be optimized, and an existing solution that needs to be improved or even retired. The BABOK guide v3 defines a Context as the circumstances that influence or are influenced and provide an understanding of a required change. This explains that requirements are broad and depend on the context, such as industry, regulation, project, weather, attitudes, behaviors, etc.

 

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Unpacking BA requirements for Artificial Intelligence

Business analysts should not view themselves as AI experts but understand that they exist to drive change while still understanding the capabilities that AI provides and its complexities. Business analysts must see themselves as a bridge between business needs and AI capabilities.

Understanding the complexities of AI algorithms may and may not be a hard nut to crack; however, with a fundamental understanding of Natural language processing/ machine learning and knowing that most AI tools have been embedded with the critical technology to understand human language, as well as the ability to sieve through large data sets and establish a pattern or relationships, could serve as helpful information. Business Analysis could also establish broader knowledge of AI capabilities.

Also, the core of business analysis is need identification and solution generation. Both are valuable, but the most critical is correctly and efficiently identifying existing needs or problems, thus providing room for developing requirements and generating solutions.

This brings us to the question: can AI help in need identification or problem assessment? Realistically, with established data and available documentation, AI could help identify a need, but Hey, that need would be missing users’ humanity. Whatever solution is generated should provide or enhance satisfaction. However, can AI understand the complexity of the human emotion? With AI, we could develop the goals, desired outcomes, and key performance indicators (KPIs) and define roles and responsibilities, but how can usability be assessed?

With AI in business analysis requirements comes data quality, security, and privacy requirements. Every requirement generated for BA activities must answer these 3 data prongs. How reliable is the requirement gathered? If a requirement is trustworthy, it could speak to its quality. Was the requirement confirmed, verified by necessary stakeholders, and validated to align with identified needs?

To achieve these three tasks, the requirements must be specified and modeled to fit the organization’s environment with due consideration of the stakeholders involved. The modeling can be in the form of matrices or even diagrams, for which AI could be beneficial. Still, the prompts must be correct, which reflects the data quality and reliability. Using AI to generate, specify, or even model requirements (inexhaustive) would lead to data security and privacy prongs.

Privacy and security are critical issues in the professional world, not just business analysis. Before every BA task, how AI should be adopted and what data should be provided as AI prompts need to be addressed. There is a need to protect user privacy and define adequate security measures, as IT systems are susceptible to attacks. Privately owned AI tools can still be attacked; strict security and privacy rules must be strictly followed.

This is also very important as some requirements can serve as Unique selling points for a specific business or even a trade secret. In this situation, the use of AI might be optional.

 

Conclusion

Knowing that the Business analysis role will continue to evolve as a context evolves or dictates or even as a business dictates while putting Artificial intelligence as an addition in a context, it is recommended that the requirements generated in previous contexts be adequately managed and maintained for reuse. When done correctly, this would enhance knowledge sharing as AI could help create a central repository for past project requirements, thus making it easier for business analysts to learn from past experiences and build on existing knowledge, which could lead to overall project success.