1 - Chapter 24: Real-time Business Case Challenge

The objective of this mini-project is to create a comprehensive business analysis deliverable pack. This requires students to utilize the various techniques they have learned in their coursework to demonstrate their understanding of business analysis. Essentially, students will be simulating a real-world project where they take on the role of a Business Analyst, which includes gathering requirements, documenting them, and preparing presentations.

This section presents a case scenario in which students are tasked with developing an online grocery ordering system. The problem statement outlines the basic functionality desired by the local grocery chain, which includes product viewing, cart management, order placement, and scheduling for home delivery. Understanding the problem statement is vital as it sets the context for all subsequent activities in the project.

In this phase, the focus is on eliciting requirements. This involves identifying various stakeholders who will interact with the online grocery system, such as customers, staff, and delivery personnel. Students will conduct mock interviews or create personas to better understand the needs of these stakeholders. A stakeholder matrix helps visualize roles and responsibilities, which is crucial for clear communication. The deliverables include a list of stakeholders, notes from interviews or persona profiles, and a summary of the requirements gathered from these sources.

In Phase 2, students shift to documenting the requirements. They need to write user stories that capture the needs of the users, ensuring that these stories are crafted in the INVEST format (Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable). Next, acceptance criteria are defined, which specify conditions under which a product is acceptable to its stakeholders. Requirements are categorized into business, functional, and non-functional for clear understanding. A Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM) is also created to track the lifecycle of requirements from inception to implementation. The deliverables from this phase include various documents summarizing these points.

Phase 3 focuses on modeling the system to visualize how it will work. A Use Case Diagram shows the interactions between users and the system during order placement, outlining essential functions. The Activity Diagram illustrates the flow of actions a customer goes through from browsing to checkout, highlighting critical touchpoints. Wireframes or mockups are low-fidelity representations of the system’s user interface, allowing stakeholders to visualize design concepts. Deliverables include the diagrams and wireframes created during this phase.

In Phase 4, testing is introduced as an optional step to ensure that the system functions as intended. Students will write test cases that provide specific scenarios to validate whether the requirements are met based on the previously created user stories and acceptance criteria. These test cases will be mapped to the RTM to track coverage. A defect log can also be maintained to document any issues encountered during testing. The deliverables consist of a table outlining the test cases and an optional defect log.

In the final phase, students prepare to present their work. The presentation serves as a summary of the entire project, including the initial business problem, the proposed solution, key user stories, diagrams, and the next steps for implementation. Presenting can be done live in front of peers or recorded for review. The primary deliverables are a concise slide deck and potentially a video walkthrough, aimed at showcasing not just the analysis but also the student's understanding of the project.