enterprise software course

Business Analyst Track: From Business Need to Working Platform

Turn a business need into requirements, process maps, configuration, tests and training.

about this course

What you will be able to do

L1 to L7 ladder27:00 h of lessons plus practice and sharingSelf-paced with peer circle

Remember Remember : understanding the business need.
Understand Understand : mapping the current process.
Apply Apply : writing requirements and stories.
Analyse Analyse : fit and gap against the platform.
Evaluate Evaluate : configuring, testing and accepting.
Create Create : data migration and reporting.
Create Create : change, training and benefits.
Evaluate Evaluate : capstone: run an end-to-end change and audit the result.

Task, condition and standard

Task

Turn a business need into requirements, process maps, configuration, tests and training. Finish all 8 modules on a practice set-up.

Condition

A free trial or practice account, practice data only (never real customer data), a peer circle and a mentor for the final review.

Standard

Every module standard is met; records are kept; a peer and a mentor rate the work 'Meets' or better on the rubric.

Who it is for: Analysts, project coordinators, product owners, graduates. Requirements: a computer and internet. Materials: slides with notes, worked examples, activities, quiz, rubric.

How the ladder works: modules climb from L1 (remember) to L7 (create); the ladder section shows each level as a slide. Take them in order; the first three suit new learners, 4 and 5 suit practitioners, 6 and 7 suit advanced staff.

lesson by lesson

8 modules with worked examples

Module 1 Understanding the business need 2 hRememberL1 Basic

Ask before you build.

Who, what, why, how often.
Five whys.
Stakeholder list.

Worked example. A request for a new field turns out to be a missing approval step.

Activity. Interview a practice stakeholder.

Standard to meet. Write the need in one clear sentence.

Slides with notes

Slide 1: Understanding the business need: the idea. Speaker note: Say the idea in one sentence, then show it on screen. Who, what, why, how often.
Slide 2: Understanding the business need: your turn. Speaker note: Let the learner do this activity: Interview a practice stakeholder. Check it against this standard before moving on: Write the need in one clear sentence.

Module 2 Mapping the current process 2 hUnderstandL2 Awareness

Draw what really happens.

Swim lanes.
Time and wait.
Pain points.

Worked example. A map shows three hand-offs that add 4 days.

Activity. Map one process.

Standard to meet. Map checked by process owner.

Slides with notes

Slide 1: Mapping the current process: the idea. Speaker note: Say the idea in one sentence, then show it on screen. Swim lanes.
Slide 2: Mapping the current process: your turn. Speaker note: Let the learner do this activity: Map one process. Check it against this standard before moving on: Map checked by process owner.

Module 3 Writing requirements and stories 3 hApplyL3 Foundation

Clear, testable, small.

User stories with acceptance rules.
Must, should, could.
Traceability.

Worked example. Each story has a test it can be checked with.

Activity. Write ten stories.

Standard to meet. Write each story so that it is testable.

Slides with notes

Slide 1: Writing requirements and stories: the idea. Speaker note: Say the idea in one sentence, then show it on screen. User stories with acceptance rules.
Slide 2: Writing requirements and stories: your turn. Speaker note: Let the learner do this activity: Write ten stories. Check it against this standard before moving on: Write each story so that it is testable.

Module 4 Fit and gap against the platform 3 hAnalyseL4 Practitioner

Use standard first.

Match to standard features.
Mark gaps.
Cost and risk of custom work.

Worked example. Eighty percent fits standard; two gaps are costed.

Activity. Build a fit-gap table.

Standard to meet. Give every gap options and cost.

Slides with notes

Slide 1: Fit and gap against the platform: the idea. Speaker note: Say the idea in one sentence, then show it on screen. Match to standard features.
Slide 2: Fit and gap against the platform: your turn. Speaker note: Let the learner do this activity: Build a fit-gap table. Check it against this standard before moving on: Give every gap options and cost.

Module 5 Configuring, testing and accepting 4 hEvaluateL5 Specialist

Prove it works for the business.

Configuration workbook.
Test scripts.
User acceptance sign-off.

Worked example. Users sign off after running ten real-life scenarios.

Activity. Write and run five scripts.

Standard to meet. Log and close defects.

Slides with notes

Slide 1: Configuring, testing and accepting: the idea. Speaker note: Say the idea in one sentence, then show it on screen. Configuration workbook.
Slide 2: Configuring, testing and accepting: your turn. Speaker note: Let the learner do this activity: Write and run five scripts. Check it against this standard before moving on: Log and close defects.

Module 6 Data migration and reporting 4 hCreateL6 Advanced

Right data, right numbers.

Map old to new fields.
Clean, load, reconcile.
Report requirements.

Worked example. Record counts match after load.

Activity. Plan a migration for one object.

Standard to meet. Complete the reconciliation table.

Slides with notes

Slide 1: Data migration and reporting: the idea. Speaker note: Say the idea in one sentence, then show it on screen. Map old to new fields.
Slide 2: Data migration and reporting: your turn. Speaker note: Let the learner do this activity: Plan a migration for one object. Check it against this standard before moving on: Complete the reconciliation table.

Module 7 Change, training and benefits 4 hCreateL7 Super expert

Adoption is the real finish line.

Training plan and champions.
Go-live support.
Benefits tracking after 90 days.

Worked example. A champion per team cut support calls by 30%.

Activity. Write an adoption plan.

Standard to meet. Plan has measures and dates.

Slides with notes

Slide 1: Change, training and benefits: the idea. Speaker note: Say the idea in one sentence, then show it on screen. Training plan and champions.
Slide 2: Change, training and benefits: your turn. Speaker note: Let the learner do this activity: Write an adoption plan. Check it against this standard before moving on: Plan has measures and dates.

Module 8 Capstone: run an end-to-end change and audit the result 5 hEvaluateL7 Super expert

You now take one change from need to benefit and judge how well it went.

Frame one business need and agree what success looks like.
Run the steps: map, write stories, fit-gap, test, train.
Audit the result against the first need after 90 days.
Share lessons learned with the team.

Worked example. A team asked for a new field, you found the real need was an approval step, and 90 days later approval time dropped from 4 days to 1. The audit also showed one report was still unused.

Activity. Take a small change through every step and write a short audit with lessons learned.

Standard to meet. Audit compares results with the original need and lists at least three lessons.

Slides with notes

Slide 1: Capstone: run an end-to-end change and audit the result: the idea. Speaker note: You now take one change from need to benefit and judge how well it went.
Slide 2: Capstone: run an end-to-end change and audit the result: your turn. Speaker note: Take a small change through every step and write a short audit with lessons learned.

assessment

How you are checked

Evidence: your records from each activity. A peer and a mentor mark it. Pass: no criterion at 'Not yet'.

Marking rubric (Not yet, Meets, Exceeds)
Criterion	Not yet	Meets	Exceeds
Accuracy	Steps wrong	Steps right on practice data	Right and explained to a peer
Evidence	No records	Records for each module	Records and a lessons note
Safety and privacy	Real data used	Practice data only	Rules written for others
Standard	Misses the standard	Meets every module standard	Meets and improves it

Ten-question check, with model answers

Q1. A manager asks you to add a field for 'reason'. How do you find the real need?

Model answer: Ask who needs it, what decision it supports and how often, and use the five whys. The real need may be a missing approval or report, not a field. (Covered in module 1: Understanding the business need. To pass that module: Write the need in one clear sentence.)

Q2. Your process map shows an order waiting 3 days in a queue and 2 hours being worked. What do you report?

Model answer: That the wait time is the main problem, not the work time. Most of the delay is waiting between hand-offs, so improve those first. (Covered in module 2: Mapping the current process. To pass that module: Map checked by process owner.)

Q3. Write one user story with an acceptance rule for a sales rep who wants reminders.

Model answer: As a sales rep, I want a reminder 2 days before a quote expires so I can follow up. Accepted when a reminder appears exactly 2 days before expiry. (Covered in module 3: Writing requirements and stories. To pass that module: Write each story so that it is testable.)

Q4. What do Must, Should and Could mean in a priority list?

Model answer: Must items are needed for go-live, Should items are important but have a workaround, and Could items are nice to have if time allows. (Covered in module 3: Writing requirements and stories. To pass that module: Write each story so that it is testable.)

Q5. Out of 50 requirements, 40 fit the standard features and 10 are gaps. What do you do next?

Model answer: Use standard for the 40, then list options for each of the 10 with cost and risk. Choose to change the process, use a simple setting or build custom work. (Covered in module 4: Fit and gap against the platform. To pass that module: Give every gap options and cost.)

Q6. Users run 10 test scripts and 3 fail. Can you ask for sign-off?

Model answer: No. Log the 3 defects, fix them, and rerun those scripts (and any related ones) until they pass. Sign-off is given only on evidence that the tests pass. (Covered in module 5: Configuring, testing and accepting. To pass that module: Log and close defects.)

Q7. The old system has 12,400 customers and the new one shows 12,150 after loading. What do you do?

Model answer: Do not sign off. Reconcile the 250 missing records, find the reason such as duplicates or bad formats, and fix and reload until the counts match or differences are explained. (Covered in module 6: Data migration and reporting. To pass that module: Complete the reconciliation table.)

Q8. Name two parts of a good training plan.

Model answer: Training matched to each role and champions in each team who help colleagues. Go-live support and follow-up checks also help. (Covered in module 7: Change, training and benefits. To pass that module: Plan has measures and dates.)

Q9. How would you measure benefits 90 days after go-live?

Model answer: Compare numbers set before the project, such as approval time or support calls, with the numbers now. Also check how many people actually use the new feature. (Covered in module 7: Change, training and benefits. To pass that module: Plan has measures and dates.)

Q10. In your audit, the approval time did not improve. What do you do?

Model answer: Find out why, such as users working around the new step or poor training, and report it honestly. Then agree a fix and record the lesson for future projects. (Covered in module 8: Capstone: run an end-to-end change and audit the result. To pass that module: Audit compares results with the original need and lists at least three lessons.)

levels L1 to L7

The ladder, slide by slide

Seven slides, one per level. Open each for the slide text and the speaker notes.

Slide 1 L1 Basic: L1 Basic: Know the words

Remember key terms: stakeholder, requirement, user story, process map and acceptance test. Say what each one means in plain words.

Speaker notes. Use a simple shop example for each term. Check the learner can give one example back. Common mistake: using requirement and solution as the same word.

Slide 2 L2 Awareness: L2 Awareness: See the flow of work

Understand the path from need to benefit and where an analyst helps. Explain why asking questions comes before building.

Speaker notes. Draw the path on one page. Ask what happens if a step is skipped. Common mistake: jumping to a solution on day one.

Slide 3 L3 Foundation: L3 Foundation: Ask and draw

Apply interview questions and swim lane maps to one real process. Write a need in one clear sentence.

Speaker notes. Run a short mock interview. Check the map shows waits and hand-offs. Common mistake: drawing how it should work instead of how it works.

Slide 4 L4 Practitioner: L4 Practitioner: Write and fit

Apply stories with acceptance rules and build a fit-gap table. Analyse each gap for cost and risk.

Speaker notes. Give a messy request and ask for ten stories. Check each is testable. Common mistake: stories that are too large to test.

Slide 5 L5 Specialist: L5 Specialist: Prove and migrate

Analyse test results and data loads. Evaluate whether a solution is ready for users to sign off.

Speaker notes. Ask for the reconciliation table. Check defects are logged and closed. Common mistake: signing off on feelings, not evidence.

Slide 6 L6 Advanced: L6 Advanced: Lead adoption

Evaluate training and change plans against measures. Create an adoption plan with owners and dates.

Speaker notes. Review the plan for measures. Check each team has a champion. Common mistake: ending the project at go-live.

Slide 7 L7 Super expert: L7 Super expert: Audit and coach

Create an end-to-end approach and audit the results against the first need. Evaluate lessons and teach others to use them.

Speaker notes. Ask for a 90-day audit and a lessons list. Check the learner can coach a new analyst. Common mistake: celebrating delivery without checking benefit.

jobs this leads to

Where this takes you

Business analyst. Gathers and shapes requirements.
Product owner. Prioritises the backlog.
Process analyst. Maps and improves processes.
Test coordinator. Plans acceptance tests.
Change and training lead. Prepares users.

Next courses: data skills, process improvement, a sector course for your target employer.

ten locations and global

Your place

Local law changes how you store customer data and issue invoices. Check it for your place first.

India (Bengaluru)

Language: English, Hindi, Kannada. Use INR for amounts. Personal data rule: Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. Skills frame to cite: National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and the national credit framework.

Netherlands (Eindhoven area)

Language: Dutch, English. Use EUR for amounts. Personal data rule: EU GDPR (Dutch: AVG), supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. Skills frame to cite: the Dutch qualification framework (NLQF) linked to the European Qualifications Framework.

UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi)

Language: Arabic, English. Use AED for amounts. Personal data rule: Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (personal data protection). Skills frame to cite: the emirate education and training regulators (for example KHDA in Dubai) and the national qualifications framework.

Brazil (Sao Paulo)

Language: Portuguese (Spanish and English support). Use BRL for amounts. Personal data rule: LGPD (Lei Geral de Protecao de Dados). Skills frame to cite: the national technical-education catalogue and the national S-system training bodies.

Canada (Toronto)

Language: English, French. Use CAD for amounts. Personal data rule: PIPEDA, with provincial rules where they apply. Skills frame to cite: the provincial colleges framework and the national credential-recognition guidance.

United States

Language: English, Spanish. Use USD for amounts. Personal data rule: state privacy laws (for example California), and COPPA for children under 13. Skills frame to cite: state and community-college credit systems.

Singapore

Language: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil. Use SGD for amounts. Personal data rule: Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Skills frame to cite: the Singapore national skills frameworks and the national credit system.

Australia

Language: English. Use AUD for amounts. Personal data rule: the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Skills frame to cite: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels.

Hong Kong (Eastern Asia)

Language: Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin), English. Use HKD for amounts. Personal data rule: the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Skills frame to cite: the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework.

Georgia and Israel (Western Asia)

Language: Georgian, Hebrew, Arabic, English. Use GEL or ILS for amounts. Personal data rule: the personal data law of the country where the learner lives. Skills frame to cite: the national qualifications framework of that country.

Cayman Islands (Caribbean)

Language: English. Use KYD for amounts. Personal data rule: the Data Protection Act. Skills frame to cite: the local education and training framework.

Mexico

Language: Spanish, English. Use MXN for amounts. Personal data rule: the federal law on personal data held by private parties. Skills frame to cite: the national competency certification system and the education ministry levels.

Draft

Draft course. Written in our own words from our own training outlines; no third-party text is used. Not live.

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