"A problem is a difference between things as desired and things as perceived."
Gerald Weinberg




THE ANALYST MIND-SET
 
 
Analysis has many meaning within the context of Application Development including:
  1. "Analysis is the study of a problem, prior to taking some action.” (Tom DeMarco)
  2. Analysis identifies "What" a solution will accomplish, not "How" it will do it.
  3. Analysis documents the business functionality to be provided by the solution (e.g. the Functional Specification)

For IT professionals who have been trained (and rewarded) to “start coding now and figure out what is needed along the way” taking the time to thoroughly analyze what is needed may seem like a luxury which cannot be afforded with today’s aggressive schedules.
In reality however, multiple studies of IT projects have shown that >50% of delays, errors, and reworks are caused by incorrect or insufficient analysis.
The Analyst Mind-Set course was developed to help individuals who had previously worked as designers/programmers to make the mental switch to the way of thinking required to be an effective analyst.
Examples of trouble areas typically seen in new analysts:

  • Giving into the desire to jump to the solution without thoroughly understanding the problem.
  • Not recognizing the uniqueness of the situation and trying to force a solution that has worked before (often for a different class of problem).
  • Making business decisions for the users; mistaking “business decisions” for “technical decisions”; forgetting that the business people (not the analyst) are the experts on the business.
  • Having difficulty in seeing what the business needs are vs. what the business has been forced into in the past by technology.
  • Unable to keep the level of detail high enough to see the whole problem without getting bogged down into details or distressed (and potentially “frozen”) when they do not “know” the answers i.e. “Paralysis by Analysis”.
  • Uneasiness with not having all the answers immediately and leaving some questions unanswered.
Symptoms that may indicate a need for this course include the feelings that:
  • The users never have time for me.
  • The users won’t make up their mind.
  • The users won’t let me do my job.

Course Outcomes:
Students of Advanced Strategies’ The Analyst Mind-Set Course will return to work:

  1. With a new outlook on how to approach activities like an analyst
  2. With a foundation upon which effective analysis skills can be built on the job.
  3. Able to apply specific concepts and techniques in their everyday environment.

Course Outline:

  1. Business Driven Application Development
  2. Importance of Using a User-Centric Process
  3. Disciplines of Thought
  4. Differences between Analysis and Design
  5. The Sub-Disciplines of Analysis
  6. Difficulties in Performing Analysis
  7. Costs of Incomplete Analysis
  8. Exercises
  9. Process for Becoming an Expert Analyst

Who Should Attend:
This course is targeted for people who have previously worked as designers, programmers, or other technical disciplines and are making the transition to being a Business or Data Analyst.

Course Duration:
Three Days

Class Availability: Request It Now!

Materials Provided:
Student Workbook including Exercises

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