BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis

• Educational Background: No specific educational qualifications are required for this course. However, a basic understanding of business processes is recommended. 

• Professional Experience: This course is ideal for those new to business analysis or professionals transitioning into this role. Prior experience in business analysis is not mandatory. 

• Language Proficiency: Learners should have a good command of English, as course materials and the BCS certification exam are conducted in English. 

• Develop Core Business Analysis Skills: Gain a thorough understanding of key techniques such as requirements engineering and business process modelling. 

• Master Stakeholder Communication: Learn to identify, engage, and manage stakeholders effectively. 

• Enhance Problem-Solving Abilities: Acquire skills to analyse business needs and recommend practical solutions. 

• Prepare for Certification: Build confidence to pass the BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis exam and apply concepts in real-world scenarios. 

The BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis is ideal for professionals aiming to build a strong foundation in business analysis. This course benefits a variety of roles, including: 

• Aspiring Business Analysts 

• Project Managers 

• Change Managers 

• IT Professionals 

• Business Consultants 

• Operations Managers 

Module 1: Introduction to Business Analysis 

• What is Business Analysis? 

• Development of Business Analysis 

• Scope of Business Analysis Work 

• Principles of Business Analysis 

• Role and Responsibilities of a Business Analyst 

• Variants of the Business Analyst Role
   

Module 2: Competencies of a Business Analyst 

• T-Shaped Professional 

• Ways of Developing the Competencies
   

Module 3: Strategic Context for Business Analysis 

• What is Strategy? 

• Business Analysis and Strategic Context 

• Adaptive Strategy Development 

• Linear Strategy Development 

• Hybrid Strategy Development 

• Understanding the Strategic Context 

• PESTLE 

• VMOST 

• VMOST and the Core Building Blocks for the Strategic Context 

• Performance Measurement 

• Critical Success Factors (CSF) 

• Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) 

• Performance Measurement and VMOST 

• SWOT Analysis 

• Strategy Execution  

• Business Model Canvas 

• POPIT^TM 
   

Module 4: Introduction to Business Analysis Service Framework 

• Business Analysis Service Framework 

• Strategic Context for the BA Service 

• Recipients of Business Analysis Services
   

Module 5: Investigating the Business Situation 

• Investigating the Business Situation 

• Investigation Techniques 

• Recording a Business Situation 

• Applicability of Investigation Techniques
   

Module 6: Analysing and Managing Stakeholders 

• Stakeholder 

• Categories of Stakeholder 

• Analysing Stakeholders 

• Describing Stakeholder Responsibilities
   

Module 7:  Improving Business Services and Processes 

• Business Process Hierarchy 

• Reasons for Modelling Value Streams and Business Processes 

• Techniques Used at the Enterprise Level 

• Value Chain Analysis (Porter) 

• Aspects of the Event Response Level 

• UML Activity Models 

• Analysis Considerations at Actor-task Level 

• Analysing as-is Process Models 

• Generic Approaches to Improving Business Processes 

• Purpose of Customer Journey Maps
   

Module 8: Defining the Solution 

• Gap Analysis Process 

• POPIT™ and Gap Analysis 

• Formulating Options 

• Types of Options 

• Design Thinking 

• Divergent and Convergent Thinking
   

Module 9: Making the Business Case 

• Business Case in the Project Lifecycle 

• Identify the Areas of Feasibility Assessment 

• PESTLE for Feasibility Assessment 

• Structure of a Business Case 

• Analysis of Costs and Benefits 

• Impact Assessment 

• Risk Assessment 

• Business Case within an Agile Context 

• CARDI Log 

• Investment Appraisal 

• Investment and Appraisal Techniques 

• Payback 

• Payback and Risk – Time Value of Money 

• Discounted Cash Flow 

• Internal Rate of Return
   

Module 10: Establishing the Requirements 

• Importance of Requirements 

• Requirements Engineering Framework 

• Actors in Requirements Engineering 

• Types of Requirements 

• Other Types of Requirements 

• Hierarchy of Requirements 

• Requirements Elicitation 

• Tacit Knowledge 

• Requirements Analysis 

• Elements of Requirements Analysis 

• Business Rules 

• Requirement Filters 

• INVEST 

• MoSCoW
   

Module 11: Documenting and Modelling Requirements 

• Documenting and Managing Requirements 

• Importance of Documentation 

• Documentation Styles 

• Requirements Catalogue 

• User Stories 

• Documentation Styles – User Stories 

• Use Case Diagram 

• Context Diagram 

• Use Case Description 

• Modelling Data Requirements 

• Class Model 

• Product Backlog in an Agile Environment 

• Business Requirements Document
   

Module 12: Validating and Managing Requirements 

• Requirements Engineering Framework 

• Requirements Validation 

• Formal 

• Agile 

• Requirements Management 

• Traceability 

• Change Control
   

Module 13: Delivering the Requirements 

• Delivery Lifecycles   

• Waterfall 

• ‘V’ Model 

• Incremental 

• Iterative lifecycle (Agile) 

• Advantages and Disadvantages of the Lifecycles
   

Module 14: Delivering the Business Solution 

• People at the Heart of Business Change Design and Development 

• POPIT Perspective 

• BA Role in Design and Development 

• Implementation - Business Readiness Assessment 

• Business Readiness Assessment (Mckinsey 7S Framework) 

• Business Readiness Assessment (CPPOLDAT) 

• Considering Migration and Transition 

• Human Response to Change 

• Responses to Change SARAH 

• Realisation Stage 

• Benefits Management Process 

• Benefits Plan 

• Benefits Dependency Network 

• Benefits Review 

• Scheduled Reviews 

• Unscheduled Reviews 

• Benefits Realisation Report