IIBA Global Business

Analysis Core
Standard
A Companion to
A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK Guide)
Version 3
International Institute of Business Analysis, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

2017 International Institute of Business Analysis. All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-1-927584-09-5
This document is provided to the community for educational purposes. IIBA and does not warrant
that it is suitable for any other purpose and makes no expressed or implied warranty of any kind and
assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for incidental or
consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the use of the information contained
herein.
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use.
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owned by International Institute of Business Analysis.
No challenge to the status or ownership of these or any other trademarked terms contained herein is
intended by the International Institute of Business Analysis.
For further information regarding A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK
Guide) and International Institute of Business Analysis please visit www.iiba.org or contact
[email protected].
The Purpose of the IIBA Global Business Analysis Core
Standard
The IIBA Global Business Analysis Core Standard represents the core and most
fundamental practices of business analysis as described in A Guide to the Business
Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK Guide) version 3.
The IIBA Global Business Analysis Core Standard has been created by IIBA for the
global business community. It is intended to help all organizations and
practitioners of business analysis provide better business outcomes.
The IIBA Global Business Analysis Core Standard presents an abridged version of
the foundational concepts of business analysis as described BABOK Guide. It does
not include updates or changes to the content of BABOK Guide.
The IIBA Global Business Analysis Core Standard is comprised of two main
sections:
Business Analysis Key Concepts: information that provides a foundation
for understanding and applying business analysis.
Core Standard Knowledge Areas: areas of specific business analysis
expertise.
The IIBA Global Business Analysis Core Standard will help professionals who:
practice business analysis or want to start a career in business analysis,
manage business analysis professionals and require fundamental knowledge
of the practice, and
act as Business Subject Matter Experts or in any other area of practice such
as
Product Management,
Project Management,
Enterprise or Business Architecture,
Quality Assurance, and
Data Analytics.

About A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge

The IIBA Body of Knowledge Committee was formed in October of 2004 to define
and draft a global standard for the practice of business analysis.
In January of 2005, IIBA released version 1.0 of A Guide to the Business Analysis
Body of Knowledge (BABOK Guide).
Version 1.4 was published in 2005.
Version 1.6 was published in 2006.
Version 2.0 was published in 2009.
Version 3.0 was published in 2015.
BABOK Guide version 3 was developed by a core team of over 150 writers and
researchers from 20 countries. It was reviewed by over 1000 business analysis
experts as well as 60 global thought leaders from all areas of business practice.
Over 5500 insights and comments were received from global business analysis
communities.

i
About IIBA
International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), founded in 2003, is a
professional association dedicated to supporting a global network of business
analysis professionals. As the voice of the business analysis community, IIBA
maintains internationally acknowledged standards of practice, certifications,
professional development and engagement opportunities through a network of
business analysis professionals, organizations and strategic alliances.

Want to Know More?

We invite you to join our global community, to learn more about how IIBA and
business analysis can help you succeed in your career and support your
organization deliver better business outcomes.
As a member of IIBA you get the most relevant business analysis resources and
information, access to a network of 120 IIBA Chapters globally. You also receive
the full version of A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK
Guide) which includes a wealth of additional information including expanded
business analysis tasks, techniques, business analysis core competencies, and
perspectives of different areas of business analysis practice.
For more information visit http://www.iiba.org.

ii
 Table of Contents

The Purpose of the IIBA Global Business Analysis Core Standard i

About A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge i
About IIBA ii
Want to Know More? ii

Chapter 1: Business Analysis Key Concepts

1.1 What is Business Analysis? 1
1.2 Who is a Business Analyst? 2
1.3 The Business Analysis Core Concept Model 3
1.4 Key Terms 6
1.5 Requirements Classification Schema 7
1.6 Stakeholders 8
1.7 Requirements and Designs 10

Chapter 2: Core Standard Knowledge Areas

2.1 Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring CS (3) 14
2.2 Elicitation and Collaboration CS (4) 18
2.3 Requirements Life Cycle Management CS (5) 23
2.4 Strategy Analysis CS (6) 28
2.5 Requirements Analysis and Design Definition CS (7) 33
2.6 Solution Evaluation CS (8) 38

iii
 Table of Contents

iv
 1 Business Analysis Key
Concepts

Business Analysis Key Concepts includes information that provides a foundation

for understanding and applying business analysis.
The Business Analysis Key Concepts are:
What is Business Analysis?
Who is a Business Analyst?
The Business Analysis Core Concept Model
Key Terms
Requirements Classification Schema
Stakeholders
Requirements and Designs

1.1 What is Business Analysis?

Business analysis is the practice of enabling 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
to design and describe solutions that can deliver value.
Business analysis is performed on a variety of initiatives within an enterprise.
Initiatives may be strategic, tactical, or operational. Business analysis may be
performed within the boundaries of a project or throughout enterprise evolution
and continuous improvement. It can be used to understand the current state, to
define the future state, and to determine the activities required to move from the
current to the future state.

1
Who is a Business Analyst? Business Analysis Key Concepts

Business analysis can be performed from a diverse array of perspectives. The

BABOK Guide describes several of these perspectives: agile, business intelligence,
information technology, business architecture, and business process
management. A perspective can be thought of as a lens through which the
business analysis practitioner views their work activities based on the current
context. One or many perspectives may apply to an initiative, and the perspectives
outlined in the BABOK Guide do not represent all the contexts for business
analysis or the complete set of business analysis disciplines.

1.2 Who is a Business Analyst?

A business analyst is any person who performs business analysis tasks described
in the BABOK Guide, no matter their job title or organizational role. Business
analysts are responsible for discovering, synthesizing, and analyzing information
from a variety of sources within an enterprise, including tools, processes,
documentation, and stakeholders. The business analyst is responsible for eliciting
the actual needs of stakeholderswhich frequently involves investigating and
clarifying their expressed desiresin order to determine underlying issues and
causes.
Business analysts play a role in aligning the designed and delivered solutions with
the needs of stakeholders. The activities that business analysts perform include:
understanding enterprise problems and goals,
analyzing needs and solutions,
devising strategies,
driving change, and
facilitating stakeholder collaboration.
Other common job titles for people who perform business analysis include:
business architect,
business systems analyst,
data analyst,
enterprise analyst,
management consultant,
process analyst,
product manager,
product owner,
requirements engineer, and
systems analyst.

2
Business Analysis Key Concepts The Business Analysis Core Concept Model

1.3 The Business Analysis Core Concept Model

The Business Analysis Core Concept Model (BACCM) is a conceptual
framework for business analysis. It encompasses what business analysis is and
what it means to those performing business analysis tasks regardless of
perspective, industry, methodology, or level in the organization. It is composed of
six terms that have a common meaning to all business analysts and helps them
discuss both business analysis and its relationships with common terminology.
Each of these terms is considered to be a core concept.
The six core concepts in the BACCM are: Change, Need, Solution, Stakeholder, Value,
and Context. Each core concept is an idea fundamental to the practice of business
analysis, and all the concepts are equal and necessary. Each core concept is
defined by the other five core concepts and cannot be fully understood until all the
concepts are understood. No single concept holds greater importance or
significance over any other concept. These concepts are instrumental to
understanding the type of information elicited, analyzed, or managed in business
analysis tasks.
The BACCM can be used to:
describe the profession and domain of business analysis,
communicate about business analysis with a common terminology,
evaluate the relationships of key concepts in business analysis,
perform better business analysis by holistically evaluating the relationships
among these six concepts, and \evaluate the impact of these concepts and
relationships at any point during a work effort in order to establish both a
foundation and a path forward

3
The Business Analysis Core Concept Model Business Analysis Key Concepts

Table 1.3.1: The BACCM

Core Description
Concept
The act of transformation in response to a need.

Change Change works to improve the performance of an enterprise. These

improvements are deliberate and controlled through business analysis
activities.

A problem or opportunity to be addressed.

Need Needs can cause changes by motivating stakeholders to act. Changes

can also cause needs by eroding or enhancing the value delivered by
existing solutions.

A specific way of satisfying one or more needs in a context.

Solution A solution satisfies a need by resolving a problem faced by stakeholders
or enabling stakeholders to take advantage of an opportunity.

A group or individual with a relationship to the change, the need, or the

solution.
Stakeholder Stakeholders are often defined in terms of interest in, impact on, and
influence over the change. Stakeholders are grouped based on their
relationship to the needs, changes, and solutions.

The worth, importance, or usefulness of something to a stakeholder

within a context.
Value can be seen as potential or realized returns, gains, and
improvements. It is also possible to have a decrease in value in the form
of losses, risks, and costs.
Value can be tangible or intangible. Tangible value is directly
Value measurable. Tangible value often has a significant monetary
component. Intangible value is measured indirectly. Intangible value
often has a significant motivational component, such as a company's
reputation or employee morale.
In some cases, value can be assessed in absolute terms, but in many
cases is assessed in relative terms: one solution option is more valuable
than another from the perspective of a given set of stakeholders.

The circumstances that influence, are influenced by, and provide

understanding of the change.
Changes occur within a context. The context is everything relevant to
Context the change that is within the environment. Context may include
attitudes,behaviours,beliefs,competitors,culture,demographics, goals,
governments, infrastructure, languages, losses, processes, products,
projects, sales, seasons, terminology, technology, weather, and any
other element meeting the definition.

The core concepts can be used by business analysts to consider the quality and
completeness of the work being done. Within each knowledge area description
there are examples of how the core concepts may be used and/or applied during
the tasks within the knowledge area. While planning or performing a task or

4
Business Analysis Key Concepts The Business Analysis Core Concept Model

technique, business analysts can consider how each core concept is addressed by
asking questions such as:
What are the kinds of changes we are doing?
What are the needs we are trying to satisfy?
What are the solutions we are creating or changing?
Who are the stakeholders involved?
What do stakeholders consider to be of value?
What are the contexts that we and the solution are in?
If any of the core concepts experience a change, it should cause us to re-evaluate
these core concepts and their relationships to value delivery

Figure 1.3.1: The BACCM

Changes

Needs Solutions

Stakeholders Contexts

Value

5
Key Terms Business Analysis Key Concepts

1.4 Key Terms

Business Analysis

The BABOK Guide describes and defines business analysis as the practice of
enabling change in an enterprise by defining needs and recommending solutions
that deliver value to stakeholders.
Business Analysis Information

Business analysis information refers to the broad and diverse sets of information
that business analysts analyze, transform, and report. It is information of any
kindat any level of detailthat is used as an input to, or is an output of, business
analysis work. Examples of business analysis information include elicitation
results, requirements, designs, solution options, solution scope, and change
strategy.
It is essential to expand the object of many business analysis activities from
'requirements' to 'information' to ensure that all inputs and outputs of business
analysis are subject to the tasks and activities described in the BABOK Guide. For
example, when performing 'Plan Business Analysis Information Management' it
includes all the examples listed above. If the BABOK Guide described 'Plan
Requirements Management', it would exclude important outputs like elicitation
results, solution options, and change strategy.
Design

A design is a usable representation of a solution. Design focuses on understanding

how value might be realized by a solution if it is built. The nature of the
representation may be a document (or set of documents) and can vary widely
depending on the circumstances. For more information, see Requirements and
Designs.
Enterprise

An enterprise is a system of one or more organizations and the solutions they use
to pursue a shared set of common goals. These solutions (also referred to as
organizational capabilities) can be processes, tools or information. For the
purpose of business analysis, enterprise boundaries can be defined relative to the
change and need not be constrained by the boundaries of a legal entity,
organization, or organizational unit. An enterprise may include any number of
business, government, or any other type of organization.
Organization

An autonomous group of people under the management of a single individual or

board, that works towards common goals and objectives. Organizations often have
a clearly defined boundary and operate on a continuous basis, as opposed to an
initiative or project team, which may be disbanded once its objectives are achieved.
Plan

A plan is a proposal for doing or achieving something. Plans describe a set of

events, the dependencies among the events, the expected sequence, the schedule,

6
Business Analysis Key Concepts Requirements Classification Schema

the results or outcomes, the materials and resources needed, and the stakeholders
involved.
Requirement
A requirement is a usable representation of a need. Requirements focus on
understanding what kind of value could be delivered if a requirement is fulfilled.
The nature of the representation may be a document (or set of documents), but can
vary widely depending on the circumstances. For more information, see
Requirements and Designs.
Risk
Risk is the effect of uncertainty on the value of a change, a solution, or the
enterprise. Business analysts collaborate with other stakeholders to identify,
assess, and prioritize risks, and to deal with those risks by altering the likelihood
of the conditions or events that lead to the uncertainty: mitigating the
consequences, removing the source of the risk, avoiding the risk altogether by
deciding not to start or continue with an activity that leads to the risk, sharing the
risk with other parties, or accepting or even increasing the risk to deal with an
opportunity.

1.5 Requirements Classification Schema

For the purposes of the BABOK Guide. the following classification schema
describes requirements:
Business requirements: statements of goals, objectives, and outcomes that
describe why a change has been initiated. They can apply to the whole of an
enterprise, a business area, or a specific initiative.
Stakeholder requirements: describe the needs of stakeholders that must be
met in order to achieve the business requirements. They may serve as a
bridge between business and solution requirements.
Solution requirements: describe the capabilities and qualities of a solution
that meets the stakeholder requirements. They provide the appropriate level
of detail to allow for the development and implementation of the solution.
Solution requirements can be divided into two sub-categories:
functional requirements: describe the capabilities that a solution must
have in terms of the behaviour and information that the solution will
manage, and
non-functional requirements or quality of service requirements: do
not relate directly to the behaviour of functionality of the solution, but
rather describe conditions under which a solution must remain effective
or qualities that a solution must have.
Transition requirements: describe the capabilities that the solution must
have and the conditions the solution must meet to facilitate transition from
the current state to the future state, but which are not needed once the
change is complete. They are differentiated from other requirements types
because they are of a temporary nature. Transition requirements address
topics such as data conversion, training, and business continuity.

7
Stakeholders Business Analysis Key Concepts

1.6 Stakeholders
Each task includes a list of stakeholders who are likely to participate in the
execution of that task or who will be affected by it. A stakeholder is an individual or
group that a business analyst is likely to interact with directly or indirectly. The
BABOK Guide does not mandate that these roles be filled for any given initiative.
Any stakeholder can be a source of requirements, assumptions, or constraints.
This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all possible stakeholder
classifications. Some additional examples of people who fit into each of these
generic roles are listed in the definitions below. In most cases there will be multiple
stakeholder roles found within each category. Similarly, a single individual may fill
more than one role. For the purpose of the BABOK Guide, the generic list of
stakeholders includes the following roles:
business analyst,
customer,
domain subject matter expert,
end user,
implementation subject matter expert,
operational support,
project manager,
regulator,
sponsor,
supplier, and
tester.

Business Analyst

The business analyst is inherently a stakeholder in all business analysis activities.

The BABOK Guide presumes that the business analyst is responsible and
accountable for the execution of these activities. In some cases, the business
analyst may also be responsible for performing activities that fall under another
stakeholder role.

Customer

A customer uses or may use products or services produced by the enterprise and
may have contractual or moral rights that the enterprise is obliged to meet.

Domain Subject Matter Expert

A domain subject matter expert is any individual with in-depth knowledge of a

topic relevant to the business need or solution scope. This role is often filled by
people who may be end users or people who have in-depth knowledge of the
solution such as managers, process owners, legal staff, consultants, and others.

8
Business Analysis Key Concepts Stakeholders

End User

End users are stakeholders who directly interact with the solution. End users can
include all participants in a business process, or who use the product or solution.

Implementation Subject Matter Expert

An implementation subject matter expert is any stakeholder who has specialized

knowledge regarding the implementation of one or more solution components.
While it is not possible to define a listing of implementation subject matter expert
roles that are appropriate for all initiatives, some of the most common roles are:
project librarian, change manager, configuration manager, solution architect,
developer, database administrator, information architect, usability analyst, trainer,
and organizational change consultant.

Operational Support

Operational support is responsible for the day-to-day management and

maintenance of a system or product. While it is not possible to define a listing of
operational support roles that are appropriate for all initiatives, some of the most
common roles are: operations analyst, product analyst, help desk, and release
manager.

Project Manager

Project managers are responsible for managing the work required to deliver a
solution that meets a business need, and for ensuring that the project's objectives
are met while balancing the project factors including scope, budget, schedule,
resources, quality, and risk. While it is not possible to completely define a listing of
project management roles that are appropriate for all initiatives, some of the most
common roles are: project lead, technical lead, product manager, and team leader.

Regulator

Regulators are responsible for the definition and enforcement of standards.

Standards can be imposed on the solution by regulators through legislation,
corporate governance standards, audit standards, or standards defined by
organizational centers of competency. Alternate roles are government, regulatory
bodies, and auditor.

Sponsor

Sponsors are responsible for initiating the effort to define a business need and
develop a solution that meets that need. They authorize the work to be performed,
and control the budget and scope for the initiative. Alternate roles are executive
and project sponsor.

Supplier

A supplier is a stakeholder outside the boundary of a given organization or

organizational unit. Suppliers provide products or services to the organization and

9
Requirements and Designs Business Analysis Key Concepts

may have contractual or moral rights and obligations that must be considered.
Alternate roles are providers, vendors, and consultants.

Tester

Testers are responsible for determining how to verify that the solution meets the
requirements defined by the business analyst, as well as conducting the
verification process. Testers also seek to ensure that the solution meets applicable
quality standards, and that the risk of defects or failures is understood and
minimized. An alternate role is quality assurance analyst.

1.7 Requirements and Designs

Eliciting, analyzing, validating, and managing requirements have consistently been
recognized as key activities of business analysis. However, it is important to
recognize that business analysts are also responsible for the definition of design, at
some level, in an initiative. The level of responsibility for design varies based on the
perspective within which a business analyst is working.
Requirements are focused on the need; designs are focused on the solution. The
distinction between requirements and designs is not always clear. The same
techniques are used to elicit, model, and analyze both. A requirement leads to a
design which in turn may drive the discovery and analysis of more requirements.
The shift in focus is often subtle.
The classification as a requirement or a design may become less significant as the
business analyst's work progresses to a greater understanding of and eventual
fulfillment of the need. The tasks in the BABOK Guide such as Trace Requirements
or Specify and Model Requirements may refer to requirements, but the intent is to
include designs as well.
Business analysis can be complex and recursive. A requirement (or set of
requirements) may be used to define a design. That design may then be used to
elicit additional requirements that are used to define more detailed designs. The
business analyst may hand off requirements and designs to other stakeholders
who may further elaborate on the designs. Whether it is the business analyst or
some other role that completes the designs, the business analyst often reviews the
final designs to ensure that they align with the requirements.

10
Business Analysis Key Concepts Requirements and Designs

The following table provides some basic examples of how information may be
viewed as either a requirement or a design.
Table 1.7.1: Requirements and Design

Requirement Design
View six months sales data across multiple A sketch of a dashboard.
organizational units in a single view.

Reduce amount of time required to pick and Process model.

pack a customer order.

Record and access a medical patients Screen mock-up showing

history. specific data fields.

Develop business strategy, goals, and Business Capability Model.

objectives for a new business.

Provide information in English and French. Prototype with text displayed in

English and French.

Stakeholders may present a need or a solution to an assumed need. A business

analyst uses activities found in Elicitation and Collaboration, Strategy Analysis,
Requirements Analysis and Design Definition, and Solution Evaluation to
transform that request into a requirement or design. Regardless of the focus of the
stakeholder, the importance of the role of the business analyst lies in continuously
asking the question why?. For example, Why is either the requirement or design
necessary to provide value to an enterprise and to facilitate the realization of an
enterprises goals and objectives?

Figure 1.7.1: Requirements and Design Cycle

Business
Requirements
Why do I want it?
es
com De
ut s
O

ig
ss

n
se
As

Transition Stakeholder
Requirements Cycle continues until Requirements
requirements are met. What are the needs?
What are the
conditions?
De

gn

ig si
s

n De
Solution
Requirements
What do I want?

11
Requirements and Designs Business Analysis Key Concepts

12
 2 Core Standard Knowledge Areas

The Core Standard knowledge areas represent areas of specific business analysis
expertise that encompass several tasks. A business analysis task is a discrete piece
of work that may be performed formally or informally as part of business analysis.
Business analysts perform tasks from all knowledge areas sequentially, iteratively,
or simultaneously. Tasks may be performed in any order, as long as the necessary
inputs to a task are present.

A note on Core (CS) is included as a suffix to each core standard knowledge area and task name as a
Standard heading means of distinguishing them from the corresponding knowledge area and task
notation. names in BABOK Guide.
The names of core standard of knowledge areas and tasks include a reference
number in parentheses. This represents the corresponding chapter number in
BABOK Guide.

The Core Standard knowledge areas are:

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring CS (3)
Elicitation and Collaboration CS (4)
Requirements Life Cycle Management CS (5)
Strategy Analysis CS (6)
Requirements Analysis and Design Definition CS (7)
Solution Evaluation CS (8)

13
Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring CS (3) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

2.1 Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring CS (3)

The Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring knowledge area tasks organize
and coordinate the efforts of business analysts and stakeholders. These tasks
produce outputs that are used as key guidelines for the other tasks throughout the
Core Standard.
The Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring knowledge area includes the
following tasks:
Plan Business Analysis Approach
Plan Stakeholder Engagement
Plan Business Analysis Governance
Plan Business Analysis Information Management
Identify Business Analysis Performance Improvements
Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring Input/Output Diagram
Input

Performance
Needs Objectives (external)

Tasks

3.1 3.2 3.3

Plan Business Plan Stakeholder Plan Business
Analysis Approach Engagement Analysis
Governance

3.4 3.5
Plan Business Identify Business
Analysis Analysis
Information Performance
Management Improvements

Output

3.2
3.1
Stakeholder 3.3
Business Analysis
Engagement Governance Approach
Approach
Approach

3.4 3.5
Information Business Analysis
Management Performance
Approach Assessment

14
Core Standard Knowledge Areas Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring CS (3)

Plan Business Analysis Approach CS (3.1)

Purpose
The purpose of Plan Business Analysis Approach is to define an appropriate
method to conduct business analysis activities.

Description
Plan Business Analysis Approach describes the planning of business analysis work
from creation or selection of a methodology to planning the individual activities,
tasks, and deliverables.

Inputs
Needs: the business analysis approach is shaped by the problem or
opportunity faced by the organization. It is necessary to consider what is
known about the need at the time of planning, while acknowledging that
understanding evolves throughout business analysis activities.

Outputs
Business Analysis Approach: identifies the business analysis approach and
activities that will be performed across an initiative including who will perform
the activities, the timing and sequencing of the work, the deliverables that will
be produced and the business analysis techniques that may be utilized. The
remaining outputs of the Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring
knowledge area may be integrated into an overall approach or be independent
based upon methodology, organization, and perspective.

Plan Stakeholder Engagement CS (3.2)

Purpose
The purpose of Plan Stakeholder Engagement is to plan an approach for
establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with the
stakeholders.

Description
Plan Stakeholder Engagement describes understanding which stakeholders are
relevant to the change, what business analysts need from them, what they need
from business analysts, and the best way to collaborate.
Inputs
Needs: understanding the business need and the parts of the enterprise that it
affects helps in the identification of stakeholders. The need may evolve as
stakeholder analysis is performed.
Business Analysis Approach: incorporating the overall business analysis
approach into the stakeholder analysis, collaboration, and communication
approaches is necessary to ensure consistency across the approaches.

15
Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring CS (3) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

Outputs
Stakeholder Engagement Approach: contains a list of the stakeholders, their
characteristics which were analyzed, and a listing of roles and responsibilities for
the change. It also identifies the collaboration and communication approaches the
business analyst will utilize during the initiative.

Plan Business Analysis Governance CS (3.3)

Purpose
The purpose of Plan Business Analysis Governance is to define how decisions are
made about requirements and designs, including reviews, change control,
approvals, and prioritization.
Description
Plan Business Analysis Governance defines the components of business analysis
that are used to support the governance function of the organization. It helps
ensure that decisions are made properly and consistently, and follows a process
that ensures decision makers have the information they need.
Inputs
Business Analysis Approach: incorporating the overall business analysis
approach into the governance approach is necessary to ensure consistency
across the approaches.
Stakeholder Engagement Approach: identifying stakeholders and
understanding their communication and collaboration needs is useful in
determining their participation in the governance approach. The engagement
approach may be updated based on the completion of the governance
approach.
Outputs
Governance Approach: identifies the stakeholders who will have the
responsibility and authority to make decisions about business analysis work
including who will be responsible for setting priorities and who will approve
changes to business analysis information. It also defines the process that will
be utilized to manage requirement and design changes across the initiative.

Plan Business Analysis Information Management CS (3.4)

Purpose
The purpose of Plan Business Analysis Information Management is to develop an
approach for how business analysis information will be stored and accessed.

Description
Plan Business Analysis Information Management defines how information
developed by business analysts (including requirements and designs) is captured,
stored, and integrated with other information for long-term use.

16
Core Standard Knowledge Areas Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring CS (3)

Inputs
Business Analysis Approach: incorporating the overall business analysis
approach into the information management approach is necessary to ensure
consistency across the approaches.
Governance Approach: defines how business analysts manage changes to
requirements and designs, how decisions and approvals for business analysis
deliverables will be made, and how priorities will be set.
Stakeholder Engagement Approach: identifying stakeholders and
understanding their communication and collaboration needs is useful in
determining their specific information management needs.

Outputs
Information Management Approach: includes the defined approach for how
business analysis information will be stored, accessed, and utilized during the
change and after the change is complete.

Identify Business Analysis Performance Improvements CS (3.5)

Purpose
The purpose of Identify Business Analysis Performance Improvements is to assess
business analysis work and to plan to improve processes where required.

Description
Identify Business Analysis Performance Improvements describes managing and
monitoring how business analysis work is performed to ensure that commitments
are met, and continuous learning and improvement opportunities are realized.

Inputs
Business Analysis Approach: identifies business analysis deliverables that
will be produced, activities that will need to be performed (including when
they will be performed and who will be performing them), and techniques that
will be used.
Performance Objectives (external): describe the desired performance
outcomes that an enterprise or organization is hoping to achieve.

Outputs
Business Analysis Performance Assessment: includes a comparison of
planned versus actual performance, identifying the root cause of variances
from the expected performance, proposed approaches to address issues, and
other findings to help understand the performance of business analysis
processes.

17
Elicitation and Collaboration CS (4) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

2.2 Elicitation and Collaboration CS (4)

The Elicitation and Collaboration knowledge area describes the tasks that business
analysts perform to obtain information from stakeholders and confirm the results.
It also describes the communication with stakeholders once the business analysis
information is assembled.
Elicitation is the drawing forth or receiving of information from stakeholders or
other sources. It is the main path to discovering requirements and design
information, and might involve talking with stakeholders directly, researching
topics, experimenting, or simply being handed information. Collaboration is the
act of two or more people working together towards a common goal. The
Elicitation and Collaboration knowledge area describes how business analysts
identify and reach agreement on the mutual understanding of all types of business
analysis information. Elicitation and collaboration work is never a 'phase' in
business analysis; rather, it is ongoing as long as business analysis work is
occurring.
Elicitation and collaboration can be planned, unplanned, or both. Planned activities
such as workshops, experiments, and/or surveys can be structured and organized
in advance. Unplanned activities happen in the moment without notice, such as
last-minute or 'just in time' collaboration or conversations. Business analysis
information derived from an unplanned activity may require deeper exploration
through a planned activity.
Eliciting business analysis information is not an isolated activity. Information is
elicited while performing any task that includes interaction with stakeholders and
while the business analyst is performing independent analytical work. Elicitation
may trigger additional elicitation for details to fill in gaps or increase
understanding.
The Elicitation and Collaboration knowledge area is composed of the following
tasks:
Prepare for Elicitation
Conduct Elicitation
Confirm Elicitation Results
Communicate Business Analysis Information
Manage Stakeholder Collaboration

18
Core Standard Knowledge Areas Elicitation and Collaboration CS (4)

Elicitation and Collaboration Input/Output Diagram

Input

3.2
Business Analysis Stakeholder
Needs
Information Engagement
Approach

3.5
Business Analysis
Performance
Assessment

Tasks

4.1 4.3
4.2
Prepare for Confirm Elicitation
Conduct Elicitation
Elicitation Results

4.4 4.5
Communicate Manage
Business Analysis Stakeholder
Information Collaboration

Output

4.1 4.2 4.3

Elicitation Activity Elicitation Results Elicitation Results
Plan (unconfirmed) (confirmed)

4.4
4.5
Business Analysis
Stakeholder
Information
Engagement
(communicated)

Prepare for Elicitation CS (4.1)

Purpose
The purpose of Prepare for Elicitation is to understand the scope of the elicitation
activity, select appropriate techniques, and plan for (or procure) appropriate
supporting materials and resources.

Description
Prepare for Elicitation involves ensuring that the stakeholders have the
information they need to provide and that they understand the nature of the

19
Elicitation and Collaboration CS (4) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

activities they are going to perform. It also sets a shared set of expectations
regarding the outcomes of the activity. Preparation may also involve identifying
research sources or preparing to conduct an experiment to see if a process change
actually results in an improvement.

Inputs
Needs: guides the preparation in terms of the scope and purpose of elicitation
activities. Elicitation can be used to discover the needs, but in order to get
started there must be some need that existseven if it has not yet been fully
elicited or understood.
Stakeholder Engagement Approach: understanding stakeholders'
communication and collaboration needs helps plan and prepare appropriate
and effective elicitation events.

Outputs
Elicitation Activity Plan: used for each elicitation activity. It includes logistics,
scope of the elicitation activity, selected techniques, and supporting materials.

Conduct Elicitation CS (4.2)

Purpose
The purpose of Conduct Elicitation is to draw out, explore, and identify information
relevant to the change.

Description
Conduct Elicitation describes the work performed to understand stakeholder
needs and identify potential solutions that may meet those needs. This may involve
direct interaction with stakeholders, doing research, or running experiments.

Inputs
Elicitation Activity Plan: includes the planned elicitation activities and
techniques, activity logistics (for example, date, time, location, resources,
agenda), scope of the elicitation activity, and available sources of background
information.

Outputs
Elicitation Results (unconfirmed): captured information in a format that is
specific to the elicitation activity.

20
Core Standard Knowledge Areas Elicitation and Collaboration CS (4)

Confirm Elicitation Results CS (4.3)

Purpose
The purpose of Confirm Elicitation Results is to check the information gathered
during an elicitation session for accuracy and consistency with other information.

Description
Confirm Elicitation Results involves ensuring that stakeholders have a shared
understanding of the outcomes of elicitation, that elicited information is recorded
appropriately, and that the business analyst has the information sought from an
elicitation activity. This task also involves comparing the information received with
other information to look for inconsistencies or gaps.

Inputs
Elicitation Results (unconfirmed): capture information in a format specific to
the elicitation activity.

Outputs
Elicitation Results (confirmed): integrated output that the business analyst
and other stakeholders agree correctly reflects captured information and
confirms that it is relevant and useful as an input to further work.

Communicate Business Analysis Information CS (4.4)

Purpose
The purpose of Communicate Business Analysis Information is to ensure
stakeholders have a shared understanding of business analysis information.

Description
Communicate Business Analysis Information provides stakeholders with the
information they need, at the time they need it. The information is presented in a
useful form, using the right terminology and concepts.

Inputs
Business Analysis Information: any kind of information at any level of detail
that is used as an input or output of business analysis work. Business analysis
information becomes an input for this task when the need is discovered to
communicate the information to additional stakeholders.
Stakeholder Engagement Approach: describes stakeholder groups, roles, and
general needs regarding communication of business analysis information.

Outputs
Business Analysis Information (communicated): business analysis
information is considered communicated when the target stakeholders have
reached an understanding of its content and implications.

21
Elicitation and Collaboration CS (4) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

Manage Stakeholder Collaboration CS (4.5)

Purpose
The purpose of Manage Stakeholder Collaboration is to encourage stakeholders to
work towards a common goal.

Description
Manage Stakeholder Collaboration describes working with stakeholders to engage
them in the overall business analysis process and to ensure that the business
analyst can deliver the outcomes needed.

Inputs
Stakeholder Engagement Approach: describes the types of expected
engagement with stakeholders and how they might need to be managed.
Business Analysis Performance Assessment: provides key information
about the effectiveness of business analysis tasks being executed, including
those focused on stakeholder engagement.
Outputs
Stakeholder Engagement: willingness from stakeholders to engage in
business analysis activities and interact with the business analyst when
necessary.

22
Core Standard Knowledge Areas Requirements Life Cycle Management CS (5)

2.3 Requirements Life Cycle Management CS (5)

The Requirements Life Cycle Management knowledge area describes the tasks that
business analysts perform in order to manage and maintain requirements and
design information from inception to retirement. These tasks describe establishing
meaningful relationships between related requirements and designs, assessing
changes to requirements and designs when changes are proposed, and analyzing
and gaining consensus on changes.
The purpose of requirements life cycle management is to ensure that business,
stakeholder, and solution requirements and designs are aligned to one another and
that the solution implements them. It involves a level of control over requirements
and over how requirements will be implemented in the actual solution to be
constructed and delivered. It also helps to ensure that business analysis
information is available for future use.
The requirements life cycle:
begins with the representation of a business need as a requirement,
continues through the development of a solution, and
ends when a solution and the requirements that represent it are retired.
The management of requirements does not end once a solution is implemented.
Throughout the life of a solution, requirements continue to provide value when
they are managed appropriately.
Within the Requirements Life Cycle Management knowledge area, the concept of a
life cycle is separate from a methodology or process used to govern business
analysis work. Life cycle refers to the existence of various phases or states that
requirements pass through as part of any change. Requirements may be in
multiple states at one time.
The Requirements Life Cycle Management knowledge area includes the following
tasks:
Trace Requirements
Maintain Requirements
Prioritize Requirements
Assess Requirements Change
Approve Requirements

23
Requirements Life Cycle Management CS (5) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

Requirements Life Cycle Management Input/Output Diagram

Input

Requirements Designs Proposed Change

7.2
Requirements
(verified)

Tasks

5.1 5.2 5.3

Trace Maintain Prioritize
Requirements Requirements Requirements

5.4
5.5
Assess
Approve
Requirements
Requirements
Changes

Output

5.2
5.1 5.1
Requirements
Requirements (traced) Designs (traced)
(maintained)

5.3
5.2 5.3
Requirements
Designs (maintained) Designs (prioritized)
(prioritized)

5.4 5.4 5.5

Requirements Change Designs Change Requirements
Assessment Assessment (approved)

5.5
Designs (approved)

24
Core Standard Knowledge Areas Requirements Life Cycle Management CS (5)

Trace Requirements CS (5.1)

Purpose
The purpose of Trace Requirements is to ensure that requirements and designs at
different levels are aligned to one another, and to manage the effects of change to
one level on related requirements.

Description
Trace Requirements: analyzes and maintains the relationships between
requirements, designs, solution components, and other work products for impact
analysis, coverage, and allocation.

Inputs
Requirements: may be traced to other requirements (including goals,
objectives, business requirements, stakeholder requirements, solution
requirements, and transition requirements), solution components, visuals,
business rules, and other work products.
Designs: may be traced to other requirements, solution components, and other
work products.

Outputs
Requirements (traced): have clearly defined relationships to other
requirements, solution components, or releases, phases, or iterations, within a
solution scope, such that coverage and the effects of change are clearly
identifiable.
Designs (traced): clearly defined relationships to other requirements, solution
components, or releases, phases, or iterations, within a solution scope, such
that coverage and the effects of change are clearly identifiable.

Maintain Requirements CS (5.2)

Purpose
The purpose of Maintain Requirements is to retain requirement accuracy and
consistency throughout and beyond the change during the entire requirements
life cycle, and to support reuse of requirements in other solutions.

Description
Maintain Requirements ensures that requirements and designs are accurate and
current throughout the life cycle and facilitates reuse where appropriate.

Inputs
Requirements: include goals, objectives, business requirements, stakeholder
requirements, solution requirements, and transition requirements. These
should be maintained throughout their life cycle.
Designs: can be maintained throughout their life cycle, as needed.

25
Requirements Life Cycle Management CS (5) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

Outputs
Requirements (maintained): defined once and available for long-term usage
by the organization. They may become organizational process assets or be
used in future initiatives. In some cases, a requirement that was not approved
or implemented may be maintained for a possible future initiative.
Designs (maintained): may be reusable once defined. For example, as a self-
contained component that can be made available for possible future use.

Prioritize Requirements CS (5.3)

Purpose
The purpose of Prioritize Requirements is to rank requirements in the order of
relative importance.

Description
Prioritize Requirements assesses the value, urgency, and risks associated with
particular requirements and designs to ensure that analysis and/or delivery work
is done on the most important ones at any given time.

Inputs
Requirements: any requirements in the form of text, matrices, or diagrams
that are ready to prioritize.
Designs: any designs in the form of text, prototypes, or diagrams that are
ready to prioritize.

Outputs
Requirements (prioritized): prioritized or ranked requirements are available
for additional work, ensuring that the highest valued requirements are
addressed first.
Designs (prioritized): prioritized or ranked designs are available for
additional work, ensuring that the highest valued designs are addressed first.

Assess Requirements Changes CS (5.4)

Purpose
The purpose of Assess Requirements Changes is to evaluate the implications of
proposed changes to requirements and designs.

Description
Assess Requirements Changes evaluates new and changing stakeholder
requirements to determine if they need to be acted on within the scope of a
change.

26
Core Standard Knowledge Areas Requirements Life Cycle Management CS (5)

Inputs
Proposed Change: can be identified at any time and impact any aspect of
business analysis work or deliverables completed to date. There are many
triggers for a proposed change including business strategy changes,
stakeholders, legal requirements, or regulatory changes.
Requirements: may need to be assessed to identify the impact of a proposed
modification.
Designs: may need to be assessed to identify the impact of a proposed
modification.

Outputs
Requirements Change Assessment: the recommendation to approve, modify,
or deny a proposed change to requirements.
Designs Change Assessment: the recommendation to approve, modify, or
deny a proposed change to one or more design components.

Approve Requirements CS (5.5)

Purpose
The purpose of Approve Requirements is to obtain agreement on and approval of
requirements and designs for business analysis work to continue and/or solution
construction to proceed.

Description
Approve Requirements works with stakeholders involved in the governance
process to reach approval and agreement on requirements and designs.

Inputs
Requirements (verified): a set of requirements that have been verified to be
of sufficient quality to be used as a reliable body of work for further
specification and development.
Designs: a set of designs that have been determined as ready to be used for
further specification and development.

Outputs
Requirements (approved): requirements which are agreed to by stakeholders
and are ready for use in subsequent business analysis efforts.
Designs (approved): designs which are agreed to by stakeholders and are
ready for use in subsequent business analysis or solution development efforts.

27
Strategy Analysis CS (6) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

2.4 Strategy Analysis CS (6)

Strategy defines the most effective way to apply the capabilities of an enterprise in
order to reach a desired set of goals and objectives. Strategies may exist for the
entire enterprise, for a division, department or region, and for a product, project,
or iteration.
The Strategy Analysis knowledge area describes the business analysis work that
must be performed to collaborate with stakeholders in order to identify a need of
strategic or tactical importance (the business need), enable the enterprise to
address that need, and align the resulting strategy for the change with higher- and
lower-level strategies.
Strategy analysis focuses on defining the future and transition states needed to
address the business need, and the work required is defined both by that need and
the scope of the solution space. It covers strategic thinking in business analysis, as
well as the discovery or imagining of possible solutions that will enable the
enterprise to create greater value for stakeholders, and/or capture more value for
itself.
Strategy analysis provides context to requirements analysis and design definition
for a given change. Strategy analysis should be performed as a business need is
identified. This allows stakeholders to make the determination of whether to
address that need or not. Strategy analysis is an ongoing activity that assesses any
changes in that need, in its context, or any new information that may indicate that
an adjustment to the change strategy may be required.When performing strategy
analysis, business analysts must consider the context in which they are working,
and how predictable the range of possible outcomes is. When a change will have a
predictable outcome, the future state and possible transition states can typically be
clearly defined, and a clear strategy can be planned out. If the outcome of a change
is difficult to predict, the strategy may need to focus more on mitigating risk,
testing assumptions, and changing course until a strategy that will succeed in
reaching the business goals can be identified or until the initiative has ended.
These tasks may be performed in any order, though they are often performed
concurrently, as strategy must be shaped by what is actually achievable.
A strategy may be captured in a strategic plan, product vision, business case,
product roadmap, or other artifacts.
The Strategy Analysis knowledge area includes the following tasks:
Analyze Current State
Define Future State
Assess Risks
Define Change Strategy

28
Core Standard Knowledge Areas Strategy Analysis CS (6)

Strategy Analysis Input/Output Diagram

Input

3.2
Influences Stakeholder
Needs
(internal, external) Engagement
Approach

4.2 4.3 5.3

Elicitation Results Elicitation Results Designs
(unconfirmed) (confirmed) (prioritized)

5.3
Requirements
(prioritized)

Tasks

6.1
6.2 6.3
Analyze Current
Define Future State Assess Risks
State

6.4
Define Change
Strategy

Output

6.1 6.1
6.2
Current State Business
Business Objectives
Description Requirements

6.2
6.2 6.3
Future State
Potential Value Risk Analysis Results
Description

6.4 6.4
Change Strategy Solution Scope

29
Strategy Analysis CS (6) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

Analyze Current State CS (6.1)

Purpose
The purpose of Analyze Current State is to understand the reasons why an
enterprise needs to change some aspect of how it operates and what would be
directly or indirectly affected by the change.
Description
Analyze Current State understands the business need and how it relates to the way
the enterprise functions today. Sets a baseline and context for change.
Inputs
Elicitation Results: used to define and understand the current state.
Needs: the problem or opportunity faced by an enterprise or organization
often launches business analysis work to better understand these needs.
Outputs
Current State Description: the context of the enterprises scope, capabilities,
resources, performance, culture, dependencies, infrastructure, external
influences, and significant relationships between these elements.
Business Requirements: the problem, opportunity, or constraint which is
defined based on an understanding of the current state.

Define Future State CA (6.2)

Purpose
The purpose of Define Future State is to determine the set of necessary conditions
to meet the business need.
Description
Define Future State defines goals and objectives that will demonstrate that the
business need has been satisfied and defines what parts of the enterprise need to
change in order to meet those goals and objectives.
Inputs
Business Requirements: the problems, opportunities, or constraints that the
future state will address.
Outputs
Business Objectives: the desired direction that the business wishes to pursue
in order to achieve the future state.
Future State Description: the future state description includes boundaries of
the proposed new, removed, and modified components of the enterprise and
the potential value expected from the future state. The description might
include the desired future capabilities, policies, resources, dependencies,
infrastructure, external influences, and relationships between each element.
Potential Value: the value that may be realized by implementing the proposed
future state.

30
Core Standard Knowledge Areas Strategy Analysis CS (6)

Assess Risks CS (6.3)

Purpose
The purpose of Assess Risks is to understand the undesirable consequences of
internal and external forces on the enterprise during a transition to, or once in, the
future state. An understanding of the potential impact of those forces can be used
to make a recommendation about a course of action.

Description
Assess Risks understands the uncertainties around the change, considers the
effect those uncertainties may have on the ability to deliver value through a
change, and recommends actions to address risks where appropriate.

Inputs
Business Objectives: describing the desired direction needed to achieve the
future state can be used to identify and discuss potential risks.
Elicitation Results (confirmed): an understanding of what the various
stakeholders perceive as risks to the realization of the desired future state.
Influences: factors inside of the enterprise (internal) and factors outside of the
enterprise (external) which will impact the realization of the desired future
state.
Potential Value: describing the value to be realized by implementing the
proposed future state provides a benchmark against which risks can be
assessed.
Requirements (prioritized): depending on their priority, requirements will
influence the risks to be defined and understood as part of solution realization.

Outputs
Risk Analysis Results: an understanding of the risks associated with
achieving the future state, and the mitigation strategies which will be used to
prevent those risks, reduce the impact of the risk, or reduce the likelihood of
the risk occurring.

Define Change Strategy CS (6.4)

Purpose
The purpose of Define Change Strategy is to develop and assess alternative
approaches to the change, and then select the recommended approach.

Description
Define Change Strategy performs a gap analysis between current and future state,
assesses options for achieving the future state, and recommends the highest value
approach for reaching the future state including any transition states that may be
required along the way.

31
Strategy Analysis CS (6) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

Inputs
Current State Description: provides context about the current state, and
includes assessments of internal and external influences to the enterprise
under consideration.
Future State Description: provides context about the desired future state.
Risk Analysis Results: describe identified risks and exposure of each risk.
Stakeholder Engagement Approach: understanding stakeholders'
communication and collaboration needs can help identify change-related
activities that need to be included as part of the change strategy.

Outputs
Change Strategy: the approach that the organization will follow to guide
change.
Solution Scope: the solution scope that will be achieved through execution of
the change strategy.

32
Core Standard Knowledge Areas Requirements Analysis and Design Definition CS (7)

2.5 Requirements Analysis and Design Definition CS (7)

The Requirements Analysis and Design Definition knowledge area describes the
tasks that business analysts perform to structure and organize requirements
discovered during elicitation activities, specify and model requirements and
designs, validate and verify information, identify solution options that meet
business needs, and estimate the potential value that could be realized for each
solution option. This knowledge area covers the incremental and iterative activities
ranging from the initial concept and exploration of the need through the
transformation of those needs into a particular recommended solution.
Both requirements and designs are important tools used by business analysts to
define and guide change. The main difference between requirements and designs
is in how they are used and by whom. One person's designs may be another
person's requirements. Requirements and designs may be either high-level or very
detailed based upon what is appropriate to those consuming the information.
The business analyst's role in modelling needs, requirements, designs, and
solutions is instrumental in conducting thorough analysis and communicating with
other stakeholders. The form, level of detail, and what is being modelled are all
dependent on the context, audience, and purpose.
Business analysts analyze the potential value of both requirements and designs. In
collaboration withimplementationsubjectmatter experts,businessanalysts define
solution options that can be evaluated in order to recommend the best solution
option that meets the need and brings the most value.
The Requirements Analysis and Design Definition knowledge area includes the
following tasks:
Specify and Model Requirements
Verify Requirements
Validate Requirements
Define Requirements Architecture
Define Solution Options
Analyze Potential Value and Recommend Solution

33
Requirements Analysis and Design Definition CS (7) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

Requirements Analysis and Design Definition Input/Output Diagram

Input

3.4
4.2, 4.3
Requirements Information
Elicitation Results
(any state) Management
(any state)
Approach

6.2 6.4 6.4

Potential Value Solution Scope Change Strategy

Tasks

7.1 7.2 7.3

Specify and Model Verify Validate
Requirements Requirements Requirements

7.4 7.6
7.5 Analyze Potential
Define
Define Design Value and
Requirements Recommend
Options
Architecture Solution

Output

7.1
7.2 7.3
Requirements
Requirements Requirements
(specified and
(verified) (validated)
modelled)

7.4 7.6
7.5
Requirements Solution
Design Options
Architecture Recommendation

Specify and Model Requirements CS (7.1)

Purpose
The purpose of Specify and Model Requirements is to analyze, synthesize, and
refine elicitation results into requirements and designs.

Description
Specify and Model Requirements describes a set of requirements or designs in
detail using analytical techniques.

34
Core Standard Knowledge Areas Requirements Analysis and Design Definition CS (7)

Inputs
Elicitation Results (any state): modelling can begin with any elicitation result
and may lead to the need for more elicitation to clarify or expand upon
requirements. Elicitation and modelling may occur sequentially, iteratively, or
concurrently.

Outputs
Requirements (specified and modelled): any combination of requirements
and/or designs in the form of text, matrices, and diagrams.

Verify Requirements CS (7.2)

Purpose
The purpose of Verify Requirements is to ensure that requirements and designs
specifications and models meet quality standards and are usable for the purpose
they serve.

Description
Verify Requirements ensures that a set of requirements or designs has been
developed in enough detail to be usable by a particular stakeholder, is internally
consistent, and is of high quality.

Inputs
Requirements (specified and modelled): any requirement, design, or set of
those may be verified to ensure that text is well structured, and that matrices
and modelling notation are used correctly.

Outputs
Requirements (verified): a set of requirements or designs that is of sufficient
quality to be used as a basis for further work.

Validate Requirements CS (7.3)

Purpose
The purpose of Validate Requirements is to ensure that all requirements and
designs align to the business requirements and support the delivery of needed
value.

Description
Validate Requirements ensures that a set of requirements or designs delivers
business value and supports the organization's goals and objectives.

Inputs
Requirements (specified and modelled): any types of requirements and
designs can be validated. Validation activities may begin before requirements
are completely verified. However, validation activities cannot be completed
before requirements are completely verified.

35
Requirements Analysis and Design Definition CS (7) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

Outputs
Requirements (validated): validated requirements and designs are those that
can be demonstrated to deliver benefit to stakeholders and align with the
business goals and objectives of the change. If a requirement or design cannot
be validated, it either does not benefit the organization, does not fall within the
solution scope, or both.

Define Requirements Architecture CS (7.4)

Purpose
The purpose of Define Requirements Architecture is to ensure that the
requirements collectively support one another to fully achieve the objectives.

Description
Define Requirements Architecture structures all requirements and designs so that
they support the overall business purpose for a change and that they work
effectively as a cohesive whole.

Inputs
Information Management Approach: defines how the business analysis
information (including requirements and models) will be stored and accessed.
Requirements (any state): every requirement should be stated once, and only
once, and incorporated into the requirements architecture so that the entire
set may be evaluated for completeness.
Solution Scope: must be considered to ensure the requirements architecture is
aligned with the boundaries of the desired solution.

Outputs
Requirements Architecture: the requirements and the interrelationships
among them, as well as any contextual information that is recorded.

Define Design Options CS (7.5)

Purpose
The purpose of Define Design Options is to define the solution approach, identify
opportunities to improve the business, allocate requirements across solution
components, and represent design options that achieve the desired future state.

Description
Define Solution Options identifies, explores and describes different possible ways
of meeting the need.

36
Core Standard Knowledge Areas Requirements Analysis and Design Definition CS (7)

Inputs
Change Strategy: describes the approach that will be followed to transition to
the future state. This may have some impact on design decisions in terms of
what is feasible or possible.
Requirements (validated, prioritized): only validated requirements are
considered in design options. Knowing the requirement priorities aids in the
suggestion of reasonable design options. Requirements with the highest
priorities might deserve more weight in choosing solution components to best
meet them as compared to lower priority requirements.
Requirements Architecture: the full set of requirements and their
relationships is important for defining design options that can address the
holistic set of requirements.

Outputs
Design Options: describe various ways to satisfy one or more needs in a
context. They may include solution approach, potential improvement
opportunities provided by the option, and the components that define the
option.

Analyze Potential Value and Recommend Solution CS (7.6)

Purpose
The purpose of Analyze Potential Value and Recommend Solution is to estimate
the potential value for each design option and to establish which one is most
appropriate to meet the enterprises requirements.

Description
Analyze Potential Value and Recommend Solution assesses the business value
associated with a potential solution and compares different options, including
trade-offs, to identify and recommend the solution option that delivers the greatest
overall value.

Inputs
Potential Value: can be used as a benchmark against which the value
delivered by a design can be evaluated.
Design Options: need to be evaluated and compared to one another to
recommend one option for the solution.

Outputs
Solution Recommendation: identifies the suggested, most appropriate
solution based on an evaluation of all defined design options. The
recommended solution should maximize the value provided to the enterprise.

37
Solution Evaluation CS (8) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

2.6 Solution Evaluation CS (8)

The Solution Evaluation knowledge area describes the tasks that business analysts
perform to assess the performance of and value delivered by a solution in use by
the enterprise, and to recommend removal of barriers or constraints that prevent
the full realization of the value.
While there may be some similarities to the activities performed in Strategy
Analysis, or Requirements Analysis and Design Definition, an important
distinction between the Solution Evaluation knowledge area and other knowledge
areas is the existence of an actual solution. It may only be a partial solution, but the
solution or solution component has already been implemented and is operating in
some form. Solution Evaluation tasks that support the realization of benefits may
occur before a change is initiated, while current value is assessed, or after a
solution has been implemented.
Solution Evaluation tasks can be performed on solution components in varying
stages of development:
Prototypes or Proofs of Concept: working but limited versions of a solution
that demonstrate value.
Pilot or Beta releases: limited implementations or versions of a solution used
in order to work through problems and understand how well it actually
delivers value before fully releasing the solution.
Operational releases: full versions of a partial or completed solution used to
achieve business objectives, execute a process, or fulfill a desired outcome.
Solution Evaluation describes tasks that analyze the actual value being delivered,
identifies limitations which may be preventing value from being realized, and
makes recommendations to increase the value of the solution. It may include any
combination of performance assessments, tests, and experiments, and may
combine both objective and subjective assessments of value. Solution Evaluation
generally focuses on a component of an enterprise rather than the entire
enterprise.
The Solution Evaluation knowledge area includes the following tasks:
Measure Solution Performance
Analyze Performance Measures
Assess Solution Limitations
Assess Enterprise Limitations
Recommend Actions to Increase Solution Value

38
Core Standard Knowledge Areas Solution Evaluation CS (8)

Solution Evaluation Input/Output Diagram

Input

6.1
Implemented Solution 6.2
Current State
(external) Business Objectives
Description

6.2
Potential Value

Tasks

8.2
8.1 8.3
Analyze
Measure Solution Assess Solution
Performance
Performance Limitations
Measures

8.5
8.4
Recommend
Assess Enterprise
Actions to Increase
Limitations
Solution Value

Output

8.1 8.2
8.3
Solution Performance Solution Performance
Solution Limitation
Measures Analysis

8.4 8.5
Enterprise Limitation Recommend Actions

Measure Solution Performance CS (8.1)

Purpose
The purpose of Measure Solution Performance is to define performance measures
and use the data collected to evaluate the effectiveness of a solution in relation to
the value it brings.

39
Solution Evaluation CS (8) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

Description
Measure Solution Performance: determines the most appropriate way to assess
the performance of a solution, including how it aligns with enterprise goals and
objectives, and performs the assessment.

Inputs
Business Objectives: the measurable results that the enterprise wants to
achieve. Provides a benchmark against which solution performance can be
assessed.
Implemented Solution (external): a solution (or component of a solution)
that exists in some form. It may be an operating solution, a prototype, or a pilot
or beta solution.

Outputs
Solution Performance Measures: measures that provide information on how
well the solution is performing or potentially could perform.

Analyze Performance Measures CS (8.2)

Purpose
The purpose of Analyze Performance Measures is to provide insights into the
performance of a solution in relation to the value it brings.

Description
Analyze Performance Measures examines information regarding the performance
of a solution in order to understand the value it delivers to the enterprise and to
stakeholders, and determines whether it is meeting current business needs.

Inputs
Potential Value: describes the value that may be realized by implementing the
proposed future state. It can be used as a benchmark against which solution
performance can be evaluated.
Solution Performance Measures: measures and provides information on
how well the solution is performing or potentially could perform.

Outputs
Solution Performance Analysis: results of the analysis of measurements
collected and recommendations to solve performance gaps and leverage
opportunities to improve value.

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Core Standard Knowledge Areas Solution Evaluation CS (8)

Assess Solution Limitations CS (8.3)

Purpose
The purpose of Assess Solution Limitations is to determine the factors internal to
the solution that restrict the full realization of value.

Description
Assess Solution Limitations investigates issues within the scope of a solution that
may prevent it from meeting current business needs

Inputs
Implemented Solution (external): a solution that exists. The solution may or
may not be in operational use; it may be a prototype. The solution must be in
use in some form in order to be evaluated.
Solution Performance Analysis: results of the analysis of measurements
collected and recommendations to solve for performance gaps and leverage
opportunities to improve value.

Outputs
Solution Limitation: a description of the current limitations of the solution
including constraints and defects.

Assess Enterprise Limitations CS (8.4)

Purpose
The purpose of Assess Enterprise Limitations is to determine how factors external
to the solution are restricting value realization.

Description
Assess Enterprise Limitations investigates issues outside the scope of a solution
that may be preventing the enterprise from realizing the full value that a solution
is capable of providing.

Inputs
Current State Description: the current internal environment of the solution
including the environmental, cultural, and internal factors influencing the
solution limitations.
Implemented (or Constructed) Solution (external): a solution that exists.
The solution may or may not be in operational use; it may be a prototype. The
solution must be in use in some form in order to be evaluated.
Solution Performance Analysis: results of the analysis of measurements
collected and recommendations to solve performance gaps and leverage
opportunities to improve value.

Outputs
Enterprise Limitation: a description of the current limitations of the
enterprise including how the solution performance is impacting the enterprise.

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Solution Evaluation CS (8) Core Standard Knowledge Areas

Recommend Actions to Increase Solution Value CS (8.5)

Purpose
The purpose of Recommend Actions to Increase Solution Value is to understand
the factors that create differences between potential value and actual value, and to
recommend a course of action to align them.

Description
Recommend Actions to Increase Solution Value identifies and defines actions the
enterprise can take to increase the value that can be delivered by a solution.

Inputs
Enterprise Limitation: a description of the current limitations of the
enterprise including how the solution performance is impacting the enterprise.
Solution Limitation: a description of the current limitations of the solution
including constraints and defects.

Outputs
Recommended Actions: recommendation of what should be done to improve
the value of the solution within the enterprise.

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