BUSINESS ANALYST CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

Business Analyst Certification Course Syllabus

Module 1: Introduction to Business Analysis

• Objective: To introduce students to the role of a Business Analyst and the fundamentals of business analysis.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • What is Business Analysis? Definition and key responsibilities.
  
  
  • Understanding the Business Analyst Role in project management and business transformation.
  
  
  • Key skills of a Business Analyst: Communication, problem-solving, critical thinking.
  
  
  • Types of Business Analysts: Functional, Technical, Data Analyst, Process Analyst, etc.
  
  
  • Overview of Business Analysis Frameworks and methodologies (Waterfall, Agile, Scrum, Lean).
  
  
  • BABOK (Business Analysis Body of Knowledge) and its significance.
  
  
  
  

Module 2: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring

• Objective: To understand how to plan and monitor business analysis activities throughout the project lifecycle.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Defining the scope and objectives of business analysis.
  
  
  • Developing a Business Analysis Plan and Stakeholder Management Plan.
  
  
  • Identifying and analyzing stakeholders.
  
  
  • Setting business analysis goals, milestones, and deliverables.
  
  
  • Tools for planning and monitoring: Work breakdown structure (WBS), timelines, and task tracking.
  
  
  • Tracking progress using metrics, and adjusting plans as necessary.
  
  
  
  

Module 3: Elicitation and Collaboration

• Objective: To learn how to gather and document business requirements through various techniques.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Elicitation techniques: Interviews, surveys, focus groups, workshops, observations, document analysis.
  
  
  • Stakeholder Engagement: Managing stakeholder expectations and collaboration.
  
  
  • Creating and maintaining effective communication channels.
  
  
  • Defining business needs and translating them into clear, actionable requirements.
  
  
  • Facilitation skills for successful requirements gathering.
  
  
  • Using use cases, user stories, and business process models to capture requirements.
  
  
  
  

Module 4: Requirements Life Cycle Management

• Objective: To manage the documentation and change control of business requirements throughout the project.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Understanding the Requirements Lifecycle from inception to delivery.
  
  
  • Techniques for requirements traceability: Mapping requirements to business goals and objectives.
  
  
  • Managing requirements changes and scope creep.
  
  
  • Techniques for verifying and validating requirements with stakeholders.
  
  
  • Requirements Prioritization: MoSCoW method, Kano model.
  
  
  • Managing requirements conflicts and ensuring consensus.
  
  
  • Creating a requirements traceability matrix.
  
  
  
  

Module 5: Strategy Analysis

• Objective: To evaluate business needs and define solutions that meet those needs.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Understanding business strategy and aligning it with project goals.
  
  
  • Analyzing business processes and systems.
  
  
  • Conducting SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats).
  
  
  • Using PESTLE analysis (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental) to understand external factors.
  
  
  • Identifying business problems and opportunities.
  
  
  • Defining business goals and objectives.
  
  
  • Formulating business cases for project initiatives.
  
  
  
  

Module 6: Requirements Analysis and Design Definition

• Objective: To define and analyze business requirements to design solutions and document the results.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Analyzing and modeling business processes: Flowcharts, BPMN, SIPOC, and use case diagrams.
  
  
  • Data modeling: Entity-relationship diagrams (ERD), data flow diagrams (DFD), and class diagrams.
  
  
  • Defining functional and non-functional requirements.
  
  
  • Creating prototypes and wireframes.
  
  
  • Analyzing different solution alternatives and selecting the best solution.
  
  
  • Writing Functional Specifications and User Stories.
  
  
  • Integrating with stakeholders to validate solutions and design feedback.
  
  
  
  

Module 7: Solution Evaluation

• Objective: To evaluate proposed solutions and measure their effectiveness.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Understanding solution evaluation: How to evaluate different solution options.
  
  
  • Evaluating solutions in terms of cost, benefits, risks, and alignment with business objectives.
  
  
  • Conducting impact analysis and feasibility studies.
  
  
  • Verifying and validating the solution against the defined requirements.
  
  
  • Testing solutions to ensure alignment with business objectives.
  
  
  • Analyzing and reporting on solution performance and effectiveness.
  
  
  
  

Module 8: Agile and Scrum for Business Analysts

• Objective: To understand Agile methodologies, focusing on how Business Analysts contribute to an Agile project.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Introduction to Agile methodologies and principles.
  
  
  • The Scrum framework: Roles (Scrum Master, Product Owner, Development Team), ceremonies (Sprint Planning, Stand-ups, Retrospectives), and artifacts (Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog).
  
  
  • The role of the Business Analyst in Agile: Working with Product Owner and Scrum Master.
  
  
  • User Stories: Writing effective user stories and acceptance criteria.
  
  
  • Agile Requirements Gathering: Using Agile techniques to gather and document requirements.
  
  
  • Backlog Refinement and prioritization techniques.
  
  
  • Continuous delivery and iterations in Agile projects.
  
  
  
  

Module 9: Business Analyst Tools and Techniques

• Objective: To familiarize students with various tools and techniques used in business analysis.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Business analysis tools: JIRA, Confluence, Trello, MS Visio, Lucidchart.
  
  
  • Techniques: Flowcharts, Mind Maps, Fishbone diagrams, Pareto charts, and Root Cause Analysis.
  
  
  • Requirements management tools: IBM Rational RequisitePro, CaliberRM.
  
  
  • Collaborative tools: Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, Slack.
  
  
  
  

Module 10: Business Analyst Certification Exam Preparation

• Objective: To prepare students for obtaining certification in business analysis.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Review of key business analysis concepts, tools, and techniques.
  
  
  • Practice exam questions based on IIBA ECBA and PMI-PBA exam formats.
  
  
  • Tips and strategies for successful exam-taking.
  
  
  • Time management techniques for the exam.
  
  
  • Review of key industry standards and best practices.
  
  
  • Case studies and practical application of learned skills.
  
  
  
  

Course Delivery Plan

1. Duration

• Recommended Duration: 3-4 months (flexible depending on the learner's pace)


• Mode: Live online classes, recorded sessions, quizzes, and practical exercises.


• Frequency: 3 sessions per week, 1.5 to 2 hours per session.

2. Weekly Breakdown

• Weeks 1-4:
  
  
  
  • Module 1: Introduction to Business Analysis
  
  
  • Module 2: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring
  
  
  • Module 3: Elicitation and Collaboration
  
  
  
  


• Weeks 5-8:
  
  
  
  • Module 4: Requirements Life Cycle Management
  
  
  • Module 5: Strategy Analysis
  
  
  • Module 6: Requirements Analysis and Design Definition
  
  
  
  


• Weeks 9-12:
  
  
  
  • Module 7: Solution Evaluation
  
  
  • Module 8: Agile and Scrum for Business Analysts
  
  
  • Module 9: Business Analyst Tools and Techniques
  
  
  
  


• Weeks 13-16:
  
  
  
  • Module 10: Business Analyst Certification Exam Preparation
  
  
  • Review and practice exams.
  
  
  
  

3. Key Features

• Live Sessions: Instructor-led live sessions with real-time interaction.


• Practical Assignments: Hands-on exercises, case studies, and assignments.


• Mock Exams: Practice exams and assessments to ensure exam readiness.


• Discussion Forums: Collaborative platform to discuss topics, share insights, and get support.


• Real-World Case Studies: Application of concepts to real business analysis scenarios.


• Expert Guidance: Mentorship from experienced Business Analysts.

4. Resources

• Course Material: Slides, reading materials, templates, and tools.


• Practice Exams: Full-length practice exams for certification preparation.


• Tools Access: Access to software tools like JIRA, Trello, and others for hands-on learning.


• Study Guide: Comprehensive study guide for business analysis certifications.

5. Performance Tracking

• Quizzes: Weekly quizzes to track progress and reinforce learning.


• Assignments and Case Studies: Real-world business analysis problems to solve.


• Mock Exams: Full-length mock exams to assess exam readiness.


• Feedback and Reviews: Personalized feedback from instructors on assignments and projects.