When a change request or a new requirement is received, a Business Analyst (BA) typically follows a structured process to ensure that the request is properly understood, analyzed, documented, and communicated to the development team. Here’s a step-by-step outline of what a BA does from the moment a change request or new requirement is received until the user stories and acceptance criteria are finalized:
1. Initial Assessment and Understanding
- Receive the Request: The BA receives the change request or new requirement from stakeholders, customers, or internal sources.
- Clarify the Request: Conduct initial discussions with the requestor to clarify the requirement. This may involve meetings, interviews, or reviewing documentation.
- Assess the Impact: Evaluate the potential impact of the change or new requirement on existing systems, processes, and documentation.
2. Stakeholder Engagement
- Identify Stakeholders: Determine all stakeholders who will be affected by the change or have input on the requirement.
- Engage Stakeholders: Arrange meetings, workshops, or interviews with stakeholders to gather detailed information and validate the requirement.
3. Requirement Gathering and Analysis
- Elicit Requirements: Use techniques such as interviews, surveys, document analysis, and observation to gather detailed requirements.
- Document Requirements: Create clear, concise, and comprehensive documentation of the requirements. This can include requirement specifications, process flows, and business rules.
- Analyze Requirements: Perform a detailed analysis to understand the feasibility, constraints, dependencies, and potential solutions. This might include creating use cases, process diagrams, or data models.
4. Drafting User Stories
- Break Down Requirements: Decompose high-level requirements into smaller, manageable user stories that are easier for the development team to implement.
- Define User Stories: Write user stories using a standard format (e.g., As a [user role], I want [goal/desire] so that [benefit]).
- Include Acceptance Criteria: Define clear and testable acceptance criteria for each user story to specify the conditions that must be met for the story to be considered complete.
5. Review and Validation
- Review with Stakeholders: Present the user stories and acceptance criteria to stakeholders to ensure that they accurately reflect the business needs and expectations.
- Incorporate Feedback: Revise the user stories and acceptance criteria based on stakeholder feedback to ensure completeness and accuracy.
6. Prioritization
- Prioritize User Stories: Work with stakeholders and the product owner to prioritize the user stories based on business value, urgency, and dependencies.
- Update the Product Backlog: Add the prioritized user stories to the product backlog, ensuring they are ready for the next sprint planning session.
7. Communication with Development Team
- Hand Off to Development: Communicate the finalized user stories and acceptance criteria to the development team. This can be done during sprint planning or through detailed documentation.
- Clarify Doubts: Be available to clarify any doubts or questions the development team may have regarding the user stories and acceptance criteria.
8. Support During Development
- Ongoing Support: Provide continuous support to the development team during the implementation phase to address any emerging issues or questions.
- Facilitate Collaboration: Ensure there is ongoing communication between stakeholders and the development team to address changes or new insights quickly.
9. Verification and Validation
- Review Implementations: Once the development team has completed the implementation, the BA reviews the developed features against the acceptance criteria.
- User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Coordinate UAT with stakeholders to ensure the developed features meet the business requirements and are ready for release.
10. Documentation and Handover
- Update Documentation: Ensure all relevant documentation is updated to reflect the new changes or features.
- Training and Handover: If necessary, assist in training users or stakeholders on the new features and ensure a smooth handover.
By following this structured approach, a Business Analyst ensures that change requests and new requirements are thoroughly understood, accurately documented, and effectively communicated to the development team, resulting in successful implementation that meets business needs.