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May 2015
Perspective
Develop Solutions… Not Just Software
Six facts every business analyst must understand to move from delivering
technology to realizing business value.
It’s Complex
Isn’t there an app for that? This phrase has
become the battle cry for organizations and
entrepreneurs looking to solve problems
and turn a profit in the process. However,
even in today’s technology-focused world,
the majority of these apps fail to meet
customer expectations. All too often the
reason for this failure is a technology-centric
mindset, which focuses solely on technical
capabilities and can lead to software that
provides only a partial solution. As one
component of a holistic solution,Technology
must be balanced against four other
dimensions—Organization, Strategy, People,
and Process—to align with business goals
and deliver value. Successful organizations
realize that software is only part of the
solution, and they recognize the essential
role the business analyst (BA) plays in
escaping the technology-centric mindset.
Today’s organizations operate in a complex interconnected
environment where customer requests and business
requirements are rarely ever simple, straightforward, or
easily understood. We depend on software solutions
to solve business problems, and yet we often attempt
to force-fit technology without considering the entire
enterprise. The result is projects that begin with partially
understood requirements, which in turn leads to missed
opportunities, and then to outcomes that fail to meet
customer expectations. It is incumbent on the business
analyst to define, analyze, and articulate the needs of
the stakeholders, and from those needs, to develop true
solutions to real problems.
The Future of Business Analysis
Business analysis and the role of the business analyst
have evolved. It is time for business analysts to embrace
our role as innovators and developers of solutions, not just
software. Advances in business analysis thinking, like those
pioneered by NTT DATA now found in the IIBA’s A Guide
to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK®
Guide) Version 3, represent a holistic way of thinking about
business case requirements and solutions. By embracing
this approach, forward-thinking organizations can avoid the
technology trap that exists in solution development.
THINK SMART. ACT FAST. FLEX YOUR BUSINESS.
www.nttdata.com/americas
© 2015 NTT DATA, Inc.
NTT DATA Perspective:
Develop Solutions… Not Just Software
The 5 Dimensions of Solutions
Since the inception of the profession, business analysts
have faithfully served as the connection between
technology and the business. They have ensured that each
new software application performs as the stakeholders
requested and that value is delivered. However, all
too often we do not pause to consider whether our
stakeholders truly understand their problems or the
solutions they tend to prescribe.
Complete solutions are multi-dimensional, encompassing
Organization, Strategy, People, Process, and Technology,
with each dimension operating in harmony with the others
to achieve the promised value. For example, employees
are trained to follow specific business processes in order
to operate effectively. Therefore, solutions must be defined
with all of those dimensions in mind.
Here are six facts every BA should understand in order to
re-think how we approach projects, requirements, and our
role in developing multi-dimensional solutions:
Fact 1: Start with Stakeholders
Strategy
People
Organization
Process
Technology
Dimensions Defined
People: The human component of our
organizations.
Process: The activities, rules, and
policies that drive a business.
Technology: A mechanism that enables
people and processes.
Organization: The structure and governance
we create.
Strategy: © 2015 NTT DATA, Inc.
The guiding principles and
vision we are striving to achieve.
Every organization wants to bring innovative solutions
to their customers, but few connect innovation back to
business need. Innovation doesn’t just happen. It must
begin with an analysis of the business’ goals and a
focus on stakeholder needs (solving problems or seizing
opportunities). Innovation is doing something new to meet
the needs of individuals, organizations, or stakeholders
(markets). As business analysts, our role is to elicit,
analyze, document, and communicate these needs (also
known as requirements) and to guide solution development
to ensure that each need is properly addressed.
Fact 2: Dig Deeper Into Your Business
Most stakeholders focus on the needs or the outcomes
that they can see and experience. Business analysts must
learn to dig deeper, we must ask questions, get to the
root cause of each problem, and define every opportunity.
Whether it is “5 whys” from Six Sigma or another analysis
technique, remember to focus on the causes and not
effects. Business analysts can be the tipping point for
innovation in our organizations, but only if we identify and
begin with the right requirements, not just what is apparent
on the surface.
Fact 3: Think Beyond Technology
Every business analyst should take off their “technology
blinders” and remember that solutions come in all shapes
and sizes. Many of the problems our organizations face
can be solved through means other than technology. An
improved business process, a new business rule/policy,
and a revision to the existing business strategy are all valid
solutions. Although each of these solutions can exist alone,
it is the combination of them that brings about meaningful
change.
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NTT DATA Perspective:
Develop Solutions… Not Just Software
If you are implementing a solution, ask yourself if all five
dimensions have been considered. If each dimension is
not apparent, then it is time to step back, start thinking
holistically, and then translate that thinking into your
solution requirements.
Fact 4: Connect Your Solution Back to
the Business
Every solution that we, as business analysts, implement
should tie back to a business requirement. Whether it is
a regulatory change, a new product, or greater efficiency,
each requirement represents an actual business need.
Proper traceability connects everything we do back to a
business need and prevents the team from pursuing pet
projects or adding “gold plating,” which does not actually
add value. However, don’t just document traceability
and walk away. Connect every workshop, use case, and
process change back to the business need, and then use
this information to evangelize the solution.
Fact 5: Define “Value”
Business cases are often aspirational and biased toward
the success of the solution. Understanding value involves
looking at not only the benefits but also the real costs
of implementing a solution as well as its impact on the
organization. If value is going to be realized, then it must
be measurable. Defining and measuring a business case
and its requirements with value in mind is a critical step
in bridging the gap between hypothetical and actual
solution implementation. But don’t just stop at definition.
By applying requirements management practices such
as traceability and prioritization throughout solution
development, it is possible to test the original business
case and its requirements, track the realization of value,
and use that information to guide decision-making.
Fact 6: Make It Repeatable
To be successful in an environment of ever-increasing
complexity and great expectations, it is important to
evaluate how business analysis is being performed
today. Successful solutions are not an accident. Great
organizations deliver solution after solution, and luck has
nothing to do with it. Such predictable success comes
from a repeatable and consistent approach to solution
development and delivery. It removes the reliance on
individuals and places it on a defined methodology and
proven best practices.
© 2015 NTT DATA, Inc.
It’s Time to Think Differently
Business analysis feeds solution development and
delivery. But solutions can be realized only when the
underlying business case is completely understood and its
requirements fully defined. When complexity increases, you
need to introduce a holistic solution, one that considers not
only Technology requirements but also the Organization,
Strategy, People, and Process requirements of diverse
stakeholders from across the organization. By improving
your business analysis capabilities, you can move beyond
delivering technology and start realizing business value.
Questions to Ask to Avoid the
“Technology Trap” and Deliver
Business Value
1. What do your stakeholders think?
All of them.
2. Have you gotten to the root cause
of your business problem?
3. Are your stakeholders blinded
by technology?
4. Do all stakeholders understand why
a solution is being implemented?
5. What value is the solution bringing
to the organization and can it
be measured?
6. Is delivering the right solution
repeatable?
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NTT DATA Perspective:
Develop Solutions… Not Just Software
Author Biographies
Matthew Leach
Director, Business Analysis
NTT DATA, Inc.
Matthew is a director at NTT DATA, Inc., and leads the
Business Analysis Practice in North America. A recognized
leader in the business analysis profession, Matthew enables
the success of our clients by delivering and applying business
analysis best practices to deliver consistent and predictable
results. A committed and passionate business analyst,
Matthew frequently speaks and writes on business analysis
topics and is a contributing author of the IIBA’s A Guide to
the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide)
Version 3.
About NTT DATA
NTT DATA is a leading IT services provider and global innovation partner with 75,000 professionals based in more than 40 countries.
NTT DATA emphasizes long-term commitment and combines global reach and local intimacy to provide premier professional
services, including consulting, application services, business process and IT outsourcing, and cloud-based solutions. We’re part
of NTT Group, one of the world’s largest technology services companies, generating more than $112 billion in annual revenues
and partner to 80% of the Fortune Global 100. Visit www.nttdata.com/americas to learn how our consultants, projects, managed
services, and outsourcing engagements deliver value for a wide range of businesses and government agencies.
THINK SMART. ACT FAST. FLEX YOUR BUSINESS.
www.nttdata.com/americas
© 2015 NTT DATA, Inc.
2015_05-P-BA_Develop_Solutions