Fundamentals of Business Analysis from Udemy

Course Overview

This course provides everything you need to get started in your career in business analysis.

Our courses focus on how analysis is performed in the real world, and they're full of examples, case studies and lessons learned from actual Business Analysts on the job.

This is a perfect first course in any business analysis curriculum.

Syllabus

1. Business Analysis

Overview of Business Analysis
Overview of Requirements
Role of the Business Analyst

2. Stakeholders

Who are they? And why do they matter?
The most common stakeholders: The project team, management, and the front line
Handling Stakeholder Conflicts

3. Life Cycles

Systems Development Life Cycles
Project Life Cycles
Product Life Cycles
Requirement Life Cycles
Seventh Morning's Requirements Development Life Cycle

4. Forming Requirements

Overview of Requirements
Attributes of Good Requirements
Types of Requirements
Requirement Sources
Gathering Requirements from Stakeholders
Common Requirements Documents

5. Transforming Requirements

Stakeholder Needs Analysis
Decomposition Analysis
Additive/Subtractive Analysis
Gap Analysis
Notations (UML & BPMN)
Flowcharts
Swim Lane Flowcharts
Entity-Relationship Diagrams
State-Transition Diagrams
Data Flow Diagrams
Use Case Modeling
Business Process Modeling

6. Finalizing Requirements

Presenting – 10 Tips
Presenting Requirements
Socializing Requirements and Gaining Acceptance
Prioritizing Requirements

7. Managing Requirements Assets

Change Control
Requirements Tools

8. Scenario

What's inside

Learning objectives

Learn the foundations of business analysis
Learn how to gather requirements from stakeholders and documentary sources
Learn how to analyze, diagram and model requirements

Learn how to present requirements effectively and gain acceptance
Learn how to manage requirements assets after the project is complete

Learn the foundations of business analysis
Learn how to gather requirements from stakeholders and documentary sources
Learn how to analyze, diagram and model requirements
Learn how to present requirements effectively and gain acceptance
Learn how to manage requirements assets after the project is complete

Syllabus

Overview of Business Analysis

Introduction to the Course

What is Business Analysis?

The Value of Business Analysis

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Covers various modeling techniques like flowcharts and entity-relationship diagrams, which are essential for visualizing and documenting business processes

Explores different types of requirements, such as user, business, functional, and nonfunctional, providing a comprehensive understanding of requirement elicitation

Examines stakeholder management, including identifying stakeholders, understanding their needs, and handling conflicts, which are crucial skills for business analysts

Introduces notations like UML and BPMN, which are industry-standard languages for visualizing and documenting software and business processes

Presents techniques for prioritizing requirements, which is important for managing scope and delivering value in projects with limited resources

Includes a section on requirement life cycles, which may be useful for learners seeking to understand the iterative nature of requirements gathering and refinement

Reviews summary

Foundational business analysis introduction

According to learners, this course provides a solid and comprehensive foundation for individuals starting their journey in business analysis. Students frequently highlight the clarity of explanations covering essential BA concepts like requirements gathering, stakeholder management, and lifecycle understanding. The course is often described as practical and helpful for beginners, though some reviewers with prior experience feel certain sections are quite basic. While the syllabus is seen as broad in coverage, a few learners suggest that depth in specific areas like modeling techniques could be expanded for more advanced needs. Overall, it is consistently recommended as an excellent introductory course into the field of business analysis.

Mixed views on real-world practicality and topic depth.

"The lectures are clear and the examples are practical."

"Didn't find the 'real world' examples as practical as advertised."

"...particularly appreciating the coverage of diagramming techniques."

"Very basic and high-level. Didn't go into enough detail..."

Covers key areas needed for a business analysis overview.

"The syllabus covers all the essential areas from requirements gathering to modeling."

"...covers the main BA concepts well."

"Everything from requirements gathering to modeling is covered concisely."

Concepts are presented simply and are easy to understand.

"The lectures are clear and the examples are practical."

"The instructor explained complex ideas simply."

"...It clearly explains BA concepts and the role."

Perfect introduction, but may be too basic for experienced.

"Some sections felt a bit basic if you have prior project experience..."

"Very basic and high-level. Didn't go into enough detail..."

"Highly recommended as a first step into the field."

Provides an excellent starting point for beginners.

"Excellent foundational course! It provides a solid base for anyone starting in BA."

"Fantastic introduction. This course gave me the confidence to pursue a BA role."

"This course provides a really strong foundation. It clearly explains BA concepts..."

"Simply the best BA intro course I've taken."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Fundamentals of Business Analysis with these activities:

Review SDLC Methodologies

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Review different SDLC methodologies to better understand the context in which business analysis is performed.

Browse courses on Systems Development Life Cycle

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Research different SDLC methodologies such as Waterfall, Agile, and Iterative.
Compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of each methodology.
Consider how requirements gathering and analysis differ in each methodology.

Review 'Business Analysis Techniques: 99 Tools for Success'

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Explore a wide range of business analysis techniques to expand your toolkit and improve your problem-solving skills.

View Business Analysis Techniques on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Business Analysis Techniques: 99 Tools for Success'.
Read through the book, focusing on techniques relevant to requirements gathering and analysis.
Identify techniques that seem particularly useful or interesting.
Consider how you might apply these techniques in your own work.

Create a Stakeholder Map

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Solidify your understanding of stakeholders by creating a visual map of stakeholders for a hypothetical project.

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Choose a hypothetical project or use a real-world project you are familiar with.
Identify all the stakeholders involved in the project.
Create a visual map showing the relationships between the stakeholders.
Write a brief description of each stakeholder's role and influence.

Four other activities

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Develop a Use Case Diagram

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Practice modeling requirements by creating a use case diagram for a specific system or process.

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Select a system or process to model (e.g., online ordering system, library checkout process).
Identify the actors (users or external systems) that interact with the system.
Identify the use cases (goals or tasks) that the actors perform.
Create a use case diagram showing the actors and use cases, and their relationships.
Write a brief description of each use case.

Analyze Requirements for a Mobile App

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Apply the concepts learned in the course by analyzing requirements for a mobile application.

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Choose a type of mobile app (e.g., to-do list, budgeting app, fitness tracker).
Identify the key stakeholders for the app.
Gather requirements from the stakeholders through interviews or surveys.
Document the requirements using a requirements document template.
Prioritize the requirements based on stakeholder needs and business value.

Tutor a Beginner in Business Analysis

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Reinforce your understanding by explaining business analysis concepts to someone new to the field.

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Find someone who is interested in learning about business analysis.
Explain the basic concepts of business analysis, such as requirements gathering and analysis.
Answer their questions and provide guidance.
Share resources and tips for learning more about business analysis.

Review 'BABOK Guide'

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Deepen your understanding of business analysis best practices by studying the BABOK Guide.

View Strategy to Execution Framework version 1.5 on Amazon

Show steps

Obtain a copy of the BABOK Guide.
Read through the guide, focusing on the knowledge areas relevant to the course.
Take notes on key concepts and techniques.
Consider how you might apply the BABOK Guide in your own work.

Career center

Learners who complete Fundamentals of Business Analysis will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst is a key role that bridges the gap between business needs and technical solutions. They work to understand organizational challenges and then translate these into actionable requirements for projects or processes. This course, with its detailed exploration of requirements gathering, analysis, and presentation techniques, provides a solid foundation for those seeking to become a Business Analyst. The course's emphasis on stakeholder management, requirement lifecycles, and the various methodologies directly aligns with the day-to-day activities of a Business Analyst, making this course an ideal starting point.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Requirements Analyst

The focus of a Requirements Analyst is to elicit, document, analyze, and manage requirements for a project. This role requires a deep understanding of business processes and the ability to translate stakeholder needs into clear, concise, and testable requirements. This course directly addresses this need with its comprehensive coverage of requirement lifecycles, gathering techniques, and modeling notations. Individuals aspiring to become a Requirements Analyst will find the practical guidance in stakeholder management and requirement transformation invaluable, as it helps build a strong foundation in the necessary skills.

See salaries and explore the career path for Requirements Analyst

Systems Analyst

A Systems Analyst evaluates existing computer systems and processes to propose improvements and solutions. They work closely with stakeholders to understand needs, and they must be able to document requirements and communicate technical issues with clarity. The coursework provided helps build a foundation in requirements gathering, stakeholder interactions, and modeling techniques, so it could be useful for an aspiring Systems Analyst. The course content on requirement lifecycles and various modeling techniques helps develop a deep understanding of the system development process and helps a future Systems Analyst manage those requirements.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst

Product Owner

A Product Owner is responsible for defining the product vision and ensuring that the development team is building the right product. This role requires a deep understanding of user needs, market trends, and business objectives. This course's training on stakeholder management, requirements gathering, and analysis will help a future Product Owner understand how to elicit and prioritize requirements to inform the product roadmap. This course may be useful for someone seeking to become a Product Owner.

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Process Analyst

A Process Analyst examines business workflows to identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement. They use a variety of tools to analyze processes, document findings, and propose changes. This course, with its sections on stakeholder management and requirements transformation, helps a future Process Analyst understand the importance of gathering information from a variety of sources. The course's training in modeling techniques also is beneficial for understanding and communicating the details of existing processes, and for designing improved processes. The course may be useful for someone looking to become a Process Analyst.

See salaries and explore the career path for Process Analyst

Business Systems Consultant

A Business Systems Consultant assists organizations in improving their business processes and systems through technology. They must identify areas where technology can support business needs. This course's focus on stakeholder management, combined with the emphasis on various modeling techniques, helps a future Business Systems Consultant understand business requirements. This course may be useful for an aspiring Business Systems Consultant.

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Project Manager

A Project Manager is responsible for planning, executing, monitoring, and closing projects. They must have a comprehensive understanding of all project phases, including the requirement-gathering phase. This course's emphasis on requirements development, stakeholder management, and life cycles will provide a Project Manager a framework to ensure that project goals are clearly defined and agreed upon by all involved. This course may be useful for an aspiring Project Manager.

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Project Coordinator

A Project Coordinator assists project managers by organizing and managing project activities and resources. They track project timelines, communicate with stakeholders, and ensure that project goals are met. An understanding of requirements development is essential to a Project Coordinator, and this course offers practical guidance in gathering, transforming, and presenting requirements. The course's focus on effective communication will also help those who wish to become a Project Coordinator to efficiently manage various aspects of projects and interact effectively with stakeholders. This course may be useful to someone seeking to become a Project Coordinator.

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Implementation Specialist

An Implementation Specialist helps clients implement new software or systems. They must understand the client's needs and ensure that the new system will meet the stated requirements. The requirement-gathering and analysis sections of this course directly help those seeking to become an Implementation Specialist to understand the process from the client's perspective. This course may be helpful for those seeking to become an Implementation Specialist.

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Solutions Architect

A Solutions Architect designs technical solutions that meet business needs. They work to understand the requirements of a project and create a compatible architecture. This course helps a future Solutions Architect by helping them understand how the business requirements are captured and organized throughout the project lifecycle. The training in modeling techniques is additionally useful for the Solutions Architect to visualize the system's architecture. This course may be useful for a future Solutions Architect.

See salaries and explore the career path for Solutions Architect

Data Analyst

Data Analysts interpret data to provide insights that inform business decisions. Though their work focuses on quantitative analysis, they must understand business requirements to derive value from data. This course introduces the essential skills for gathering and analyzing business requirements from stakeholders, which is valuable context for a Data Analyst to understand the data provided to them. This course also covers techniques for transforming requirements, which will help a Data Analyst understand the meaning of a business request and how it relates to their data analysis. This course may be helpful for someone aspiring to become a Data Analyst.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Change Manager

A Change Manager helps organizations navigate transitions by working with stakeholders to understand and address their concerns. They often work on projects that involve process changes, new technology systems, or restructuring. The stakeholder management skills taught in this course provides a valuable foundation for a future Change Manager. The emphasis on the need to gather and present requirements helps them ensure all stakeholders have a clear understanding of the changes being implemented. This course may be useful for someone aspiring to become a Change Manager.

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Management Consultant

Management Consultants analyze business problems and provide recommendations to improve organizational performance. While this role covers a broad perspective, a knowledge of business analysis, including requirements and stakeholder management, helps a Management Consultant to ask the right questions and evaluate the current systems. This course’s material on gathering, transforming, and presenting business requirements provides a useful toolkit for conducting analysis, and better understanding the inner workings of an organization. A future Management Consultant may find this course useful.

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Business Intelligence Analyst

A Business Intelligence Analyst works to provide actionable insights from data, often requiring the building of reports and data visualizations. While this work is often very technical, the role also requires a strong understanding of business requirements. Learning how to gather requirements from stakeholders, as taught by this course, is therefore valuable for a Business Intelligence Analyst. Understanding business needs from the stakeholder perspective helps a Business Intelligence Analyst to translate those needs into helpful reports. This course may be useful for an aspiring Business Intelligence Analyst.

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Quality Assurance Analyst

A Quality Assurance Analyst ensures that products or services meet specific quality standards. While much of their work focuses on testing, a Quality Assurance Analyst needs to understand the requirements of the project to perform this role well. This training on forming project requirements is helpful for a future Quality Assurance Analyst to ensure that the testing performed is aligned with the goals of the project. A Quality Assurance Analyst will find the skills learned in this course of value when ensuring products meet the initial requirements.

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Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Fundamentals of Business Analysis.

Strategy to Execution Framework Version 1.5

Save

The BABOK (Business Analysis Body of Knowledge) Guide is the definitive guide to business analysis practices. It provides a comprehensive framework for performing business analysis tasks. It is commonly used as a textbook at academic institutions and by industry professionals. adds more depth and breadth to the existing course, and useful reference tool.

Strategy to Execution Framework version 1.5

Paperback

$$$

Business Analysis Techniques

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Provides a comprehensive overview of various business analysis techniques. It serves as a practical guide for applying different tools and techniques in real-world scenarios. It is particularly useful for understanding the breadth of available techniques and choosing the right one for a specific situation. This book can be used as a reference throughout the course and beyond.

Business Analysis Techniques

Paperback

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Business Analysis Techniques

Kindle Edition

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