Strategic Business Analysis

Description

Strategy analysis provides the focus upon which all other business analyst efforts must align. Shortcutting strategy analysis often results in delivering solutions that are misaligned with the organization’s strategy and the expectations and needs of the business and stakeholders. This course will help you understand the criticality of defining the business need correctly and pursuing a thorough analysis of the internal and external environments of the enterprise before assisting the organization in selecting the best solution.
Note: This course has been approved by PMI for 14 PDUs and IIBA for 14 CDUs.
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Additional Course Information

Schedule and Pricing

Target Audience
This course is intended for business analysts, systems analysts, project managers, Business and IT stakeholders working with business analysts or anyone who needs to define the business need and make solution recommendations or needs to understand the activities performed in strategy analysis.
Pre-Requisites
It is recommended that participants complete the Business Analysis Foundation course prior to enrolling or have equivalent experience.
Objectives
  • Understand what comprises strategy analysis and when and how it is performed
  • Learn how to see the “big picture” and improve your strategic thinking skills
  • Increase project success by better defining the business need
  • Learn how to analyze the current state to provide an understanding of why a change is needed
  • Develop and assess alternative approaches to the change and propose the “best” recommended change strategy
  • Determine how to evaluate a solution once it is implemented to ensure it meets its expected value
Course Delivery Modality
VILT
Duration in Hours
16
Credits Eligible
1
Course Vendor

Course Outline

Strategy Analysis Overview

  • Strategy analysis defined
  • Strategy analysis tasks
  • Strategy analysis and the project life cycle
  • Key competencies needed for strategy analysis

Strategic Thinking

  • Thinking – an introduction
  • Strategic thinking skills
  • How to become a strategic thinker
  • Strategic thinking tools and techniques

Analyze the Current State

  • Current state analysis overview
  • Determine the business need
  • Identify stakeholders
  • Conduct a current state analysis

Define the Future State

  • Future state overview
  • Define business goals and objectives
  • Determine solution scope
  • Identify constraints
  • Determine potential solution value
  • Define the future state

Assess Risks

  • Risk analysis and management process
  • Organizational risk tolerance levels
  • Risk response options
  • Identify risks and create a risk register

Define the Change Strategy

  • Components of a change strategy
  • Conduct a gap analysis
  • Assess enterprise readiness
  • Define a change strategy
  • Determine a transition approach

Develop a Business Case

  • Business case overview
  • Common mistakes in building a business case
  • Present the business case
  • Develop a mini business case

Evaluate Solution Performance

  • Solution performance evaluation process
  • Measure solution performance
  • Define & analyze solution performance measures
  • Assess solution and enterprise limitations
  • Recommend actions to increase solution value