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Articles from May 2008

(163 Views) (1 Comments)

In a nutshell, the concept of "stepwise refinement" is to take an object and move it from a general perspective to a precise level of detail. Architects have used such an approach for years, as have engineers building products. But to do so, they realized they cannot simply go from the general to the specific in one felled swoop, but instead, in in...

» The Business Rules Approach

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“The biggest risk to your company is not being able to change fast enough… Business Rules are the answer.” …Ron Ross I am a great appreciator of Mr. Ross. He has written extensively on the topic of Business Rules, offers excellent training on the subject, and is the keynote speaker at each year’s International Business Rules Forum. I would like...

» Opinion: It's time to say goodbye to business analysts

(707 Views) (2 Comments)

Is there a place for business analysts in IT today? Not if their primary function is just to analyze business needs. As the pace of change accelerates, business people want more than analysis; they want workable solutions to their problems. Analysis is only part of the job that needs to be done. It can clarify situations and trends, identify pr...

» Six Secrets of Top-Notch Business Analysts

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Most line-of-business execs, project managers and software developers who have worked on application development teams can attest to the importance of good business analysts. In many instances, in fact, today's business analyst can affect the outcome (good or bad) of a software project. "When business analysts aren't able to carry their weight, it...

» How vulnerable are you? A crash course in software security

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Software security remains a hot topic. Everyone from grandmothers to Fortune 500 companies has heard the stories of identity theft, data loss, and general mayhem caused by viruses and attackers on the Internet. In the first quarter of 2008 alone, 1,474 different software vulnerabilities were reported with only 64 of them having posted solutions. Th...

» The Business Case for Business Analysis

(601 Views) (1 Comments)

Systems and processes are integral to business today but are still difficult to implement successfully. Successful processes and systems are those that meet the business requirements. Businesses utilise these technological and intellectual assets to create value for themselves. Performing analysis upfront ensures the business requirements are m...

» Project Management and Business Analysis: Dependencies for Success

(387 Views) (0 Comments)

How do the professions of project management and business analysis create their work synergies? It’s all about process. The process of successful project execution is reliant upon the business analyst providing the correct inputs to the project that the project manager uses to manage the entire delivery of the project. In short, the business analys...

» Why We Resist Planning

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The short answer: "Because it requires work." The long answer: People tend to resist gazing into the crystal ball and prefer to react to life as it passes them by. Some people believe planning in today's ever changing world is a waste of time, that you must be more "agile" and accommodate changes as they occur. As anyone who has designed and ...

» Enterprise Architect for Business Analysts

(1643 Views) (7 Comments)

As a software architect and developer I’ve used Enterprise Architect (EA) from Sparx Systems (www.sparxsystems.com) for a number of years. In that time I’ve spent considerable time and energy trying to get our business analysts to do the same. While I’ve had some success I must admit it’s been an uphill battle. I suspect this is partly because EA i...

» Developing Requirements in Agile Projects

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The latest progression in software development methods is the agile approach. Its growing popularity proves how effective it is. But two extreme—and even dangerous—views have arisen about agile development. One is that you don’t do requirements at all when you’re working on an agile project. The other is that you don’t need good requirements practi...

» Why Business Analysts Are So Important for IT and CIOs

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A new Forrester report sheds light on this little known, often misunderstood but critical liaison role that can unite the business and IT on enterprise projects, systems development and business strategy. For two decades, the CIO has been viewed as the ultimate broker between the business and technology functions. But while that may be an accurate...

» What Do Business Analysts Actually Do for Software Implementation Projects?

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Everyone knows who the business analysts are in their organization, but not everyone knows what they actually do and what they are responsible for during software implementation projects. Anyone who has ever worked on a complex and lengthy software development project knows that the involvement of a business analyst can mean the difference between...

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