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BCS Business Analysis Exam
Definitions, Abbreviations etc.
159
Business
Professional
12/17/2014

Additional Business Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
APM (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Association Project Management, develop and promote project management

 

The Association for Project Management, with 17,000 individual members and 500 corporate members, aims to develop and promote project management.

Term
Action Learning (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Study own actions / experiences

 

This is a process through which participants study their own actions and experiences in order to learn from them.

Term
Activity Sampling (Definition)
Definition

Keywords : investigation technique, observation, time spent on aspects of work.

 

This is an investigation technique carried out to determine the amount of time individuals spend on different aspects of their work. Activity sampling is a form of observation, and involves the collection of data that may be used for statistical analysis.

Term
Actor (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: User role, work within business system, individual, group, IT system, time.

 

This is a role that performs areas of work within a business system. Actors are modelled on swimlane diagrams and use case diagrams. Actors are usually user roles, and show the indivdual or group of individuals responsible for carrying out the work. An actor may also be an IT system, and time may also be an actor.

Term
Agile (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Software development, incremental, iterative

 

Agile methods are a family of processes for software development using incremental and iterative approaches.

Term
Apocryphal Tales (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Stories, illustrate point, doubtful authenticity, conventional wisdom, widely accepted belief

 

These are usually stories used to illustrate a point, although they are of doubtful authenticity. They may be an example of conventional wisdom or a belief that is widely accepted.

Term
Atern DSDM (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Project Management Framework

 

Altern is the agile project management framework of the DSDM consortium.

Term
BA (Abbrebiation)
Definition
Business Analysis
Term
BAM (Abbreviation)
Definition
Business Activity Model
Term
BAMM (Abbreviation)
Definition
Bsuiness Analysis Maturity Model
Term
BBS (Abbreviation)
Definition
Balanced Business Scorecard
Term
BCS (Abbreviation)
Definition
British Computer Society
Term
BPMN (Abbreviation)
Definition
Business Process Modelling Notation
Term
Balanced Business Scorecard (Definition)
Definition

Keywords : Strategic Management, Financial & non financial performance measures, Quadrants, financial, custmer, process, learning/growth

 

A balanced business scorecard support a strategic management system by capturing both financial and non-financial measures of performance. There are usually four quadrants:

  • financial,
  • customer, 
  • process, 
  • learning and growth
The balanced bsuiness scorecard was developed by R. S. Kaplan and D. P. Norton.
Term
Benefits Management (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: delivery, business benefits, business case, managing projects, checking progress, additional actions

 

A process that is concerned with the delivery of the predicted business benefits defined in a business case. This process includes managing projects such that they are able to deliver the predicted benefits, and, after the project has been implemented, checking progress on the achievement of these benefits and taking any actions required in order to enable their delivery.

Term
Boston Box (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Analyse market potential, provided services and products

 

A techinique used to analyse the market potential of the products and services provided by an organization. It was defined by the Boston Consulting Group.

Term
Busines Analysis Process Model (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: analysis framework, Investiage Situation, Consider Perspectives, Analyse Needs, Evaluate Options, Define Requirements, Determine framework most appropriate to situation

 

A framework for business analysis assignments that incorportates the strategic context and five sequential stages: 

  • Investigate Situation
  • Consider Perspectives
  • Analyse Needs
  • Evaluate Options
  • Define Requirements

The framework places standard modelling techniques in context to help analysts determine the most appropirate technique for individual business situations.

Term
Business Activity Model (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Conceptual model, from business perspective, planning, enabling, doing, monitoring, controlling

 

 

A conceptual model that shows the set of business activities that would be expected to be in place, given the business perspective from which it has been developed. There are five typical types of business activity represented on a business activity model:

  • planning
  • enabling
  • doing
  • monitoring
  • and controlling
Term
Business Actor (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: people, interest in project- comissioned / work / users

 

Business actors are people who have an interest in a project, either because they have commissioned it, they work within the business system being studied or they will be the users of a proposed new IT system.

Term
Business Architecture (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Framework, structure, process, people, IT

 

A framework for a business system that describes its structure, process, people, information and technology.

Term
Business Case (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: document, findings from analysis, recommended course of action, introduction, mgmt summary, description current situation, options considered, analysis costs + benefits, impact, risk, recommendations, appendicies supporting information

 

A business case is a document that describes the findings from a business analysis study and presents a recommended course of action for senior management to consider. A business case would normally include an introduction, management summary, description of the current situation, options considered, analysis of costs and benefits, impact assessment, risk assessment and recommendations, plus appendices that provide detailed supporting information.

Term
Business Event (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: trigger to do something, initiate business process, external, internal, time based

 

A business event triggers the business system to do something. Typically this is to initiate the business process that forms the business system response to the event. In effect, a business event tells us when a business activity should be triggered; it fires into life the process that carries out the activity. There are three types of business event: external, internal and time based business events.

Term
Business Option (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: business case, option to address business problem or opportunity.

 

A key step in developing a business case is to identify the options available to address the business problem or opportunity.

Term
Business Perspective (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Stakeholder view, values, beliefs, Several different perspectives for situation, CATWOE

 

A view of the business system held by a stakeholder. The business perspective will be based upon the values and beliefs held by the stakeholder. These values and beliefs will be encapsulated in a defined world view. There may be several divergent business perspectives for any given business situation. See CATWOE

Term
Business Process (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: linked business tasks, response to event, receives, manipulate, transfers, creates output

 

A linked set of tasks performed by a business in response to a business event. The business process receives, manipulates and transfers information or physical items, in order to produce an output of value to a customer.

Term
Business Process Model (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: diagram, tasks, response to event, achieve specific goal

 

A diagram showing the tasks that need to be carried out in response to a business event, in order to achieve a specific goal. See SWIMLANE DIAGRAM.

Term
Business Requirements Elicitation (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: investigation, collect requirements for solution, resove problem, enable opportunity

 

The proactive investigation and collection of requirements for a solution required in order to resolve a business problem or enable a business opportunity.

Term
Business Rule (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: define business activities, important when modelling, constraints, operational guidance

 

Business rules define how business activities are to be performed. It is important tha these rules are considered when modelling the processing to carry out the activitty. There are two main types of business rule: constraints that restrict how an activity is performed and operational guidance rules which describe the procedures for performing activities.

Term
Business Sponsor (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Senior, accountable for delivery, responsible for resources

 

A senior person in an organization who is accountable for delivering the benefits from a business change. The sponsor is also responsible for providing resource to the project team.

Term
Business Strategy (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: long term direction, achieve objectives

 

A strategy describes the long-term direction set for an organization in order to achieve the organizational objectives.

Term
Business System (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: components working together, defined purpose, people, it systems, processes, equipment, recursive

 

A set of business components working together in order to achieve a defined purpose. the components of a syetm include people, it systems, processes and equipment. Each component may be a system in its own right.

Term
Business User (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Individual, customer side, adopts roles sponsor / domain expert / end user

 

An individual member of staff involved in a business change project from the customer side of the equation. A business user may adopt a number of business roles including business sponsor, domain expert and end user of a solution.

Term
Busniess Analysis (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Internal, consuntant, investigate business situations, identify evaluate options, improve systems, define requirements, ensure effective use

 

This is an internal consultancy role. It has the responsibility for investigating business situations, identifying and evaluating options for improving business systems, defining requirements and ensuring the effective use of information systems in meeting the needs of the business.

Term
CATWOE (Abbreviation)
Definition
Customer, Actor, Transformation, World-View, Owner, Environment
Term
CATWOE (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Defining business perspectives, Soft Systems Methodology

 

A technique from the Soft Systems Methodology that provides a framework for defining and analysing business perspectives. 

Term
CBAP (Abbreviation)
Definition
Certified Business Analysis Professional
Term
CBAP (Definition)
Definition
CBAP stands for Certified Business Analysis Professional from the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). The IIBA publishes the Business Analysis Book of Knowledge (BABOK)
Term
CEO (Abbreviation)
Definition
Chief Executive Officer
Term
CI (Abbreviation)
Definition
Configuration Item
Term
CMMI (Abbreviation)
Definition
Capability Maturity Model Integration
Term
COTS (Abbreviation)
Definition
Commercial Off The Shelf (solution)
Term
CSF (Abbrebviation)
Definition
Critical Success Factor
Term
Capability Maturity Model Integration (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: process improvement, integrate functions, goal, priorities, guidance, quality

 

A process improvement approach used to help integrate traditionally separate functions, set process improvement goals and priorities and provide guidance for quality processes.

Term
Change Control (Definition)
Definition

Keywords : Requirements change, controlled, steps, documentation, analysis

 

A process whereby changes to requirements are handled in a controlled fashion. The change control process defines the process steps to be carried out when dealing with the proposed change. These steps include documenting the change, analysing the impact of the change in order to decide upon the course of action to take and deciding whether or not to apply the change. The analysis and decisions should be documented in order to provide an audit trail relating to the proposed change.

Term
Class (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: definition, attributes, operations.

 

A class is a definition of the attributes and operations shared by a set of objects within a business system. Each object is an instance of a particular class.

Term
Class Model (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: UML, describe classes, associations

 

A technique from the Unified Modelling Lanague (UML). A class model describes the classes in a system and their associations with each other.

Term
Cloud Computing (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Hosted, Services, Internet 

 

A general term for the delivery of hosted services over the internet.

Term
Competency (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Skill, job

 

A competency is a skill or quality that an individual needs in order to perform his or her job effectively.

Term
Computer-Aided Software Engineering (Definition)
Definition

Keyword: tool, requirements engineering, documentation, cross-references, access restiction, versioning

 

An automated tool that provides facilities to support requirements engineering work. These facilities will include the production and storage of documentation, management of cross-reference between documentation, restriction of access to documentation and management of document versions. Sometimes known as COMPUTER-AIDED REQUIREMENTS ENGINEERING.

Term
Consensus Model (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: agreed activities, various stakeholder BAM

 

The definitive, agreed BAM representing the activities needed by a business, and created from the individual stakeholder BAMs.

Term
Cost-Benefit Analysis (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: technique, identify cost/benefit of Change intiative, tangible or non tangible, financial value, potential fiancial return, standard investment techniques.

 

A technique that involves identifying the initial and ongoing costs and benefits associated with a business change initiative. These costs and benefits are then categorised as tangible or intangible, and a financial value is calcualted for those that are tangible. The financial values are analysed over a forward period in order to assess the potential financial return to the organization. This analysis may be carried out using standard investment appraisal techniques. See: - Payback Period (Break Even Analysis) - Discounted Cash Flow / Net Present Value Analysis.

Term
Critical Success Factors (Definition)
Definition

Keyword: Area succeed, positive performance

 

The areas in which an organization must succeed in order to achieve positive organizational performance.

Term
DBMS (Abbreviation)
Definition
Database Management System
Term
DCF (Abbreviation)
Definition
Discounted Cash Flow
Term
DSDM (Abbreviation)
Definition
Dynamic Systems Development Method
Term
DSDM Altern (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Iterative, project delivery, framework, continuous user involvement, right solution, right time

 

DSDM Altern is an iterative project delivery framework that emphasises continuous user involvement and the importance of delivering the right solution at the right time.

Term
Discounted Cash Flow (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Appraisal technique, time value of money, net cash flow discounted by inflation.

 

An investment appraisal technique that takes into account the time value of money. The annual net cash flow for each year following the implementation of the change is reduced (discounted) in line with the estimated reduction in the value of money. The discounted cash flows are then added to produce a net present value.

Term
Document Analysis (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: document samples, reviewed, uncover information, organziation, process, system, data

 

A technique whereby samples of documents are reviewed in order to uncover information about an organization, process, system or data items.

Term
ERP (Abbreviation)
Definition
Enterprise Resource Planning
Term
Entity Relationship Diagram (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Diagram, data, IT system

 

A diagram produced using the entity relationship modelling technique. The diagram provides a representation of the data to be held in the IT system under investigation.

Term
Entity Relationship Modelling (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: technique, data required for IT system, describes the "things" (entities), relationships

 

A technique that is used to model the data required to support an IT system. The technique models the data required to describe the 'things' the system wishes to hold data about - these are known as the 'entities' - and the relationships between those entities.

Term
Ethnographic Study (Definition)
Definition

Keyword: Extended period of time, detailed understanding, culture and behaviours

 

An ethnographic study is concerned with spending an extended period of time in an organization in order to obtain a detailed understanding of the culture and behaviours of the business area under investigation.

Term
Explicit Knowledge (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: foremost in user's mind, easily articulate

 

The knowledge of procedures and data that is foremost in the business user's minds, and which they can easily articulate.

Term
External Business Environment (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: external to organization, source forces impact organziation, laws, social trends, competitor

 

The business environment that is external to the organization and is the source of forces that may impact the organization. Types of forces may include the introduction of new laws, social trends or competitor actions.

Term
Force Field Analysis (Definiton)
Definition

Keywords: technique, forces, inside, outside, support, oppose

 

A technique to consider those forces inside and outside the organization that will support adoption of a proposal and those that will oppose it. This technique was developed by Kurt Lewin and may be used in evaluating options for change in change management.

Term

Function Requirement (Definition)

Definition

Keywords : Function, required, system, provide

 

A requirement that is concerned with a function that the system should provide, i.e. what the system needs to do.

Term
Gap Analysis (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Compriation, as-is, to-be, identify gaps, actions, BAM, BPM

 

The comparison of two view of a business system, the current or "as is" view and the destired or "to be" view. The aim of gap analysis is to determine where the current situation has problems or "gaps" that need to be resolved. This leads to the identification of actions to improve the situation. The business activity modelling technique may be used to provide an ideal view, which can then be compared with a view of the current situation. An alternative approach is to use the business process modeling technique, using 'as is' and 'to be' process models.

Term
HR (Abbreviation)
Definition
Human Resources
Term
Holistic Approach (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: All aspects, people, process, org areas, IT

 

The consideration of all aspects of a business syste: the people, process and organization areas, in addition to the information an technology used to support the business system.

Term
IET (Abbreviation)
Definition
Instituion of Engineering and Technology
Term
IIBA (Abbreviation)
Definition
International Institute of Business Analysis
Term
IMIS (Abbreviation)
Definition
Institute for the Management of Information Systems
Term
IRR (Abbreviation)
Definition
Internal Rate of Return
Term
IS (Abbreviation)
Definition
Information Systems
Term
ISEB (Abbreviation)
Definition
Information Systems Examinations Board
Term
IT (Abbreviation)
Definition
Inforamtion Technology
Term
IT Systems (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: automated components, hosted, computer, collaborate, services, users

 

A set of automated components hosted on a computer that work together in order to provide services to the system users.

Term
Impact Analysis (Definition)
Definition

Keywords:Consideration, impact, change, business system, people

 

The consideration of the impact of a proposed change will have on the business system and on the people working with it.

Term
Intangible Benefit (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: benefit, unpredictable value, monetary

 

A benefit to the realised by a business change project for which a credible, usually monetary, value cannot be predicted.

Term
Intangible Cost (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Cost, unpredictable value, monetary

 

A cost incurred by a business change project for which a credible, usually monetary, value cannot be predicted.

Term
Internal Business Environment (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: capability, ability to respond, ext. env. forces, MOST, resource audit, int. bus. env.

 

The internal capability of the organization that affects its ability to respond to external environmental forces. Techniques such as MOST analysis or the resource audit may be used to analyse the capability of the internal business environment.

Term
Internal Rate of Return (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Calculation, assess, ROI, project, percentage, NPV=0, compare projects, better investment opportunities, leave in bank

 

A calculation that assesses the return on investment from a project, defined as a percentage rate. This percentage is the discount rate at which the net present value is equal to zero, and can be used to compare projects to see which are the better investment opportunities. Alternatively, this rate may be used to compare all projects with the return that could be earned if the amount invested was left in the bank.

Term
Interview (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: investigation, elicit information, bus. users, agenda distributed, organized manner, report produced

 

An investigation technique to elicit information from business users. An agenda is prepared prior to the interview and distributed to participants. The interview is carried out in an organized manner, and a report of it is produced once it has been concluded.

Term
KPI (Abbreviation)
Definition
Key Performance Indicator
Term
Key Performance Indicators (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Performance, targets, measures, assesment, critical success factors

 

These are defined performance targets or measures that assess the performance of an organization. Key performance indicators are often identified in order to assess the organizations performance in the areas defined by the critical success factors.

Term
MOST (Abbreviation)
Definition
Mission, Objectives, Strategy and Tactics (analysis)
Term
MOST analysis
Definition
An analysis of an organization's mission, objectives, strategy and tactics to identify any inherent strengths or weaknesses, for example from a lack of strategic direction or unclear objectives.
Term
McKinsey 7-S
Definition
A technique developed by the McKinsey consultancy organization. The 7-S model is used to consider key areas for the implementation of business change.
Term
MoSCoW
Definition
Must have, Should have, Could Have, Want to have but don't have time
Term
MoSCoW
Definition
An approach for prioritizing requirements.
MoSCow stands for:
- Must have : a key requirement, without which the system has no value.
- Should have : an important requirement that must be delivered, but, where time is short, could be delayed for a future delivery. This should be a short-term delay.
- Could have : a requirement that would be beneficial to include if it does not cost too much or take too long to deliver, but that is not central to the project objectives.
Want to have (but won't have at this time) : a requirement that will be needed in the future, but that is not required for this delivery.
Term
NPV
Definition
Net Present Value
Term
Net Present Value
Definition
The amount an investment is worth once all the net annual cash flows in the years following the current one are adjusted to today's value of money. The net present value is calculated using the discounted cash flow apporach to investment appraisal.
Term
Non-Functional Requirement
Definition
A requirement that defines a constraint or performance measure with which the system or the functional requirements must comply.
Term
Object
Definition
An object is something within a business system for which a set of attributes and functions can be scpeficied. An object is an instance of a class.
Term
PESTLE
Definition
Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental
Term
Payback Calculation
Definition
An investment appraisal technique where a cash-flow forecast for a project is produced using the current values of the incoming and outgoing cash flows, with no attempt to adjust them for the declining value of money over time.
Term
Pestle
Definition
A technique used to analyse the external business environment of an organization. The technique involves the analysis of the political, economical, sociocultural, technological, legal and environmental forces that may impact upon the organization.
Term
Porters Five Forces
Definition
A technique used to analyse the industry or business domain within which an organization operates.
Term
Project Initiation Document (PID)
Definition
A document that defines the business context for a project and clarifies the objectives, scope, deliverables, timescale, budget, authority and available resources.
Term
Protocol Analysis
Definition
A technique used to elicit, analyse and validate requirements. Protocol analysis involves requesting the users to perform a task and to describe each step as they perform it.
Term
Prototyping
Definition
A technique used to elicit, analyse and validate requirements. Prototyping involves building simulations of a system in order to review them with the users. This technique helps the business users to visualize the solution and hence increases understanding about the system requirements.
Term
Questionnaires
Definition
A technique used to obtain quantitative information during an investigation of a business solution. Questionnaires are useful to obtain a limited amount of information from a large group of people.
Term
RACI
Definition
Responisble, Accountable, Consulted, Informed (chart)
Term
RASCI
Definition
Resonsible, Accountable, Supportive, Consulted, Informed
Term
Raci o Rasci
Definition
Linear responsibility matrix charts that identify stakeholder roles and responsibilities during an organizational change process.
Term
Requirement
Definition
A feature that the business users need the new system to provide.
Term
Requirements Catalogue
Definition
An organized set of requirements where each individual requirement is documented using a standard template.
Term
Requirements Elicitation
Definition
Requirements elicitation is an approach to understanding requirements that requires the analyst to be proactive in drawing out the requirements from the business users and helping them to visualize the possibilities and articulate their requirements.
Term
Requirements Management
Definition
Requirements management aims to ensure that each requirement is tracked from inception to implementation (or withdrawl) through all of the changes that have been applied to it.
Term
Resource Audit
Definition
A technique to analyse the capability of an organization. The resource audit considers five areas of organisational resource: tangible resources - physical, financial and human - and intangible resources - know-how and reputation.
Term
Rich Picture
Definition
A pictoral technique offering a free-format approach that allows analysts to document whatever is of interest or significance in the business situation. this technique originated from the soft systems methodology.
Term
Risk
Definition
A problem situation that may arise with regard to a project or a business situation. Potential risks are identified for each option in a business case. The probability of the risk occuring and the likely impact of the risk are assessed, and suitable countermeasures are identified.
Term
Risk Management
Definition
The identification, assessment, monitoring and control of significant risks during the development design and implementation of IT systems.
Term
Root Definition
Definition
A perspective of a business situation based upon an individual world view that gives rise to a valid business system.
Term
SBU
Definition
Strategic Business Unit
Term
SDLC
Definition
Systems Development Life Cycle
Term
SFIA
Definition
Skills Framework for Information Age
Term
SFIA and SFIA plus
Definition
The Skills Framekwork for the Information Age and the extended version provided bhy BCS. Standard frameworks for the definition of skills and competencies in the information systems industry.
Term
SMART
Definition
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-framed
Term
SMART
Definition
A mnemonic used to ensure that objectives are clearly defined, in that they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-related.
Term
SSADM
Definition
Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method
Term
SSM
Definition
Soft Systems Methodology
Term
SWOT
Definition
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
Term
SWOT Analysis
Definition
A technique used to summarise the external pressures facing an organization and the interal capability the organization has available to respond to those pressures. The mnemonic stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. SWOT analysis is used during strategy analysis.
Term
Scenarios
Definition
A technique used to elicit, analyse and validate requirements. A scenario will trace the course of a transaction from an initial business trigger through each of the steps needed to achieve a successful outcome.
Term
Shadowing
Definition
A technique used to find out what a particular job entails. Showing involves following users as they carry out their jobs over a period such as one or two days.
Term
Six Sigma
Definition
A business management approach developed by Motorola in the early 1980s that aims to improve business processes by identifying and removing the causes of errors.
Term
Six Thinking Hats
Definition
A thinking tool developed by Edward de Bono for individuals and for groups, to improve the thinking process.
Term
Soft Systems Methodology
Definition
A methodology that provides an approach to analysing business situations, devised by Peter Checkland and his team at Lancaster University.
Term
Special-Purpose Records
Definition
A technique that involves the business users in keeping a record about a specific issue or task. Typically the record is based on a simple structure, for example a five-bar gate record
Term
Stakeholder
Definition
An individual, group of individuals or organization with an interest in a change. Categories of stakeholder include customers, employees, managers, partners, regulators,owners, suppliers and contractors.
Term
Stakeholder Analysis
Definition
The analysis of the levels of power and interest of stakeholders in order to assess the weight that should be attached to their issues. This technique provides a means to categorizing stakeholders in order to identify the most appropriate stakeholder management approach.
Term
Stakeholder Management
Definition
The definition of the most appropriate means to be adopted in order to engage with different categories of stakeholder. The approach to stakeholders will vary depending on their level of interest in the project and the amount of power or influence they wield to further or obstruct it.
Term
StrOBE
Definition
Structured Observation of the Business Environemnt
Term
Strategic Analysis
Definition
The application of techniques in order to analyse the pressures within an organization's external business environment and the level of internal organizational capability to respond to these pressures.
Term
Strategy
Definition
The direction and scope of an organization over the long term. The strategy is defined in order to achieve competitive advantage for the organization through its configuration of resources within a changing business environment. The strategy also needs to fulfil the stakeholders' expectations.
Term
Strobe
Definition
A technique that represents a formal checklist approach to observation, where the analyst is investigating specific issues rather than observing genearlly. STROBE stands for STRuctured Observation of the Business Environment and is used to appraise a working environment.
Term
Swimlane
Definition
A row in a business process diagram or model that indicates who is responsible for a given process or task. Typical swimlanes represent departments, teams, individuals or IT systems.
Term
Swimlane Diagram
Definition
A technique used to model business processes. A swimlane diagram models the business system response to a business event. The model shows the triggering event, the business actors, the tasks they carry out, the flow between the tasks and the business outcome.
Term
Tacit Knowledge
Definition
Those aspects of business work that a user omits to articulate or explain. This may be due to a failure to recognise the information is required or to the assumption that the information is already known to the analyst.
Term
Tangible Benefit
Definition
A benefit to be realized by a business change project for which a credible, usually monetary, value can be predicted.
Term
Tangible Cost
Definition
A cost incurred by a business change project for which a credible, usually monetary, value can be predicted.
Term
Task
Definition

KEYWORDS:

  • Swimlane Diagram, 
  • Piece of work, 
  • single actor, 
  • specific moment

 

"On a business process model or a swimlane diagram, a piece of work carried out by a single actor at a specific moment in time."

Term
Task Modelling
Definition
The technique for developing a model that describes the human activities and task sequences required by a business system. The task model elaborates the tasks identified by mapping business processes on to specific individuals or workgroups.
Term
Technical Option
Definition
A technical option describes how the business solution may be implemented using information technology.
Term
UML
Definition
Unified Modelling Langauge
Term
UP
Definition
Unified Process
Term
Unified Modelling Language
Definition
The Unified Modelling Language (UML) is a suite of diagrammatic techniques that are used to model business and IT systems.
Term
Use Case
Definition
A use case is something that an actor wants the IT system to do; it is a 'case of use' of the system by a specific actor and describes the interaction between an actor and the system.
Term
Use Case Description
Definition
A use case description defines the interaction between an actor and a use case.
Term
Use Case Model
Definition
A technique from the UML. A use case model consists of a diagram showing the actors, the boundary of a system, the use cases and the associations between them, plus a set of use case descriptions.
Term
Value Chain
Definition
A concept developed by Michael Porter to identify the primary and support activities deployed within organziations to deliver value to customers.
Term
Value Proposition
Definition
A clear statement of the value that a product or service delivers, or is perceived to deliver, to an organization's customers.
Term
Workshop
Definition
An investigation technque whereby a meeting is held with business actors from a range of business areas in order to elicit, analyse or validate information. An agenda is prepared prior to the workshop and distributed to participants. The workshop is run by a facilitator; actions and decisions are recorded by a scribe.
Term
itSMF
Definition
Inforamtion Technology Service Mangement Forum
Term
itSMF
Definition
An internationally recognized forum for IT service management professionals.
Term
Holistic Approach (Definition)
Definition

Keywords: Process, People, Organization, Technology

 

Performs a key role in supporting management to exploit IT in order to obtain business benefit, this has to be within the context of the entire business system.
  • The processes: Well defined and communicated? Good IT Support or several "workarounds"? Require documents to be passed around unnecessarily?
  • The People : skills required for job? Motivated? Understand business objectives?
  • Organization Context: Supportive management approach? Jobs and responsibilities defined? Cross functional working?
  • Technology: Systems support the business as required? Provide information needed to run org?
Term
7 Guiding Principals:
Definition
 
- Root causes, not symptoms.
- Business improvement, not IT change.
- Options, not solutions
- Feasible, contributing requirements, not all requests
- Entire business change lifecycle, not just requirements definition
- Negotiation, not avoidance
- Business agility, not business perfection
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