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Study information

Business Analysis 2 - 2024 entry

MODULE TITLEBusiness Analysis 2 CREDIT VALUE15
MODULE CODEECM3442 MODULE CONVENERDr Vladimir Ryabov (Coordinator)
DURATION: TERM 1 2 3
DURATION: WEEKS 12 0 0
Number of Students Taking Module (anticipated) 15
DESCRIPTION - summary of the module content

A business analyst is responsible for assessing the business impact of change, capturing, analysing and documenting requirements and supporting the communication and delivery of requirements with relevant stakeholders. You will create detailed analysis of systems and make recommendations for improvement. You will produce specifications of user requirements that enable software engineers to develop the right software solutions. You will require a broad foundation of skills and knowledge to be able to be effective at your work and incorporate all aspects of digital technology systems.

Pre-requisite ECM3434 Business Analysis 1

AIMS - intentions of the module

The aim of this module is to further develop your knowledge of business analysis methods and your expertise in their application to the business context, addressing techniques for exploring complex problem situations with a range of stakeholders and more advanced skills in the use of data and process modelling and requirements analysis techniques.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs) (see assessment section below for how ILOs will be assessed)

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge

1. Apply structured processes for identifying, defining and analysing unstructured business problems, their root cause and impact

2. Develop and apply modelling and analysis techniques to describe business problem scenarios and to help select solutions using a range of industry standard analysis techniques

3. Elicit and prioritise business requirements for an IT system using ‘industry best practice’ methods

4. Develop a clear, complete, unambiguous and testable requirements specification, including functional, non-functional, data, user interface and security requirements.

5. Model the ‘as is’ and future state for a business process using industry standard approaches and notation.

6. Evaluate selected models against business objectives and system requirements

7. Use ‘industry’ standard tools to facilitate the analysis, documentation and traceability of requirements

8. Develop and maintain models of system functionality using industry standard approaches such as use case diagrams with supporting use case descriptions

9. Use techniques to document, analyse and redesign business processes

10. Develop models of system data, such as entity relationship models or analysis class models, with supporting descriptions

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge

11. Adapt business analysis tools and techniques to real world scenarios

12. Use of requirements elicitation techniques and their relevance to given situations

13. Understand The principles of requirements engineering and the importance of managing requirements

14. Conduct a range of business/organisational analyses

15. Use of tools to support modelling and requirements engineering

16. Understand how selected models inter-relate with each other

17. Understand products of analysis feed into the design and development of a system

18. Troubleshoot the problems that can arise with requirements and how these can be mitigated

19. Develop The principles of requirements validation and approaches to validating requirements

20. Develop, document and prioritise a set of functional and non-functional requirements

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge

21. Communicate orally and in writing

22. Solve problems creatively

23. Think analytically and critically

24. Organise your own work

25. Work to a deadline

26.Collaborate and negotiate

27. Make decisions

 

 

SYLLABUS PLAN - summary of the structure and academic content of the module

Analysis of business scenarios/problems (2 weeks)

•          Overview of business analysis techniques

•          Identifying, defining and analysing unstructured business problems and problem situations

           o          Describing business problem scenarios

           o          Identifying root causes

           o          Assessing impact of problems

•          Selecting solutions

 

Advanced business process modelling and analysis (2 weeks)

•          Overview of modelling techniques and tools

•          Modelling ‘as is’ and ‘to be’ processes; redesigning processes

•          Evaluating process models against business objectives and system requirements

 

Advanced data modelling and analysis (2 weeks)

•          Advanced use of entity relationship diagrams

•          Supporting descriptions

•          Use of UML class diagrams for data modelling

 

Advanced requirements gathering (2 weeks)

•          Overview of requirements techniques and tools

•          Eliciting and prioritising business requirements for IT systems

           o          Using elicitation techniques

           o          User stories and scenarios

           o          Prioritising requirements

•          Documenting clear, complete, unambiguous and testable requirements specifications

           o          Functional and non-functional requirements

           o          Data, user interface and security requirements

•          Validating requirements

 

Working with designers and developers (2 weeks)

•          Developing and maintaining models of system functionality

           o          Use case diagrams and supporting descriptions

 

Advanced topics in business analysis (2 weeks)

•          Using business analysis tools and techniques in the real world

           o          Selecting appropriate tools for business/organisational analyses

•          Problems that can arise with requirements

           o          Traceability of requirements

           o          Relating models with one another

           o          Requirements engineering as a potential solution

           o          Other best practices

LEARNING AND TEACHING
LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS (given in hours of study time)
Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities 22 Guided Independent Study 128 Placement / Study Abroad 0
DETAILS OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS
Category Hours of study time Description
Scheduled learning and teaching activities 18 Online learning activity, including virtual workshops, synchronous and asynchronous virtual lectures and other e-learning.
Scheduled learning and teaching activities 2 Lectures
Scheduled learning and teaching activities 2 Group workshops
Guided independent study 128 Coursework, exam preparation and self-study

 

ASSESSMENT
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT - for feedback and development purposes; does not count towards module grade
Form of Assessment Size of Assessment (e.g. duration/length) ILOs Assessed Feedback Method
Contribution to class discussion N/A 1-27 Verbal
       
       
       
       

 

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT (% of credit)
Coursework 60 Written Exams 40 Practical Exams 0
DETAILS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Form of Assessment % of Credit Size of Assessment (e.g. duration/length) ILOs Assessed Feedback Method
Problem situation analysis exercise 60 3,000 words 1-10, 21-27 Written
Written Exam 40 2 hours 1-25, 27 Written
         
         
         

 

DETAILS OF RE-ASSESSMENT (where required by referral or deferral)
Original Form of Assessment Form of Re-assessment ILOs Re-assessed Time Scale for Re-assessment
Problem situation analysis exercise (60%) Problem situation analysis exercise 1-10, 21-27 Completed over the Summer with a deadline in August
Written Exam (40%) Written Exam (2 hours) 1-25, 27 August assessment period
       

 

RE-ASSESSMENT NOTES

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be deferred in the assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you may be required to sit a referral. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 40%.

RESOURCES
INDICATIVE LEARNING RESOURCES - The following list is offered as an indication of the type & level of
information that you are expected to consult. Further guidance will be provided by the Module Convener

ELE: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk

 

Reading list for this module:

Type Author Title Edition Publisher Year ISBN
Set International Institute of Business Analysis Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge(R) (BABOK(R) Guide) 2nd IIBA 2009 978-0981129211
Set Paul, D., Cadle, J., Yeates, D. Business Analysis 3rd BCS 2014 9781780172774
CREDIT VALUE 15 ECTS VALUE 7.5
PRE-REQUISITE MODULES ECM3434
CO-REQUISITE MODULES
NQF LEVEL (FHEQ) 6 AVAILABLE AS DISTANCE LEARNING No
ORIGIN DATE Friday 22nd January 2016 LAST REVISION DATE Tuesday 10th September 2024
KEY WORDS SEARCH Business, analysis

Please note that all modules are subject to change, please get in touch if you have any questions about this module.