Business analysis training - multimedia cd-rom & candidate workbook

Module 1 - Business Analysis (Process Modeling)
This module will teach candidates how to identify problem areas and opportunities within existing, or proposed, business functions (processes). Business processes exist wherever an individual, group or IT system analyzes information, or other inputs, in order to make a decision and affect an action. For example screening the daily post is a process, as is making a board level decision based on quarterly reports. This module will show candidates how to identify and analyze any processes that exist within a business and produce clear pictorial representations of them, using industry standard diagrams. As well as highlighting areas of inefficiency and redundancy, candidates will create a series of diagrams that accurately document the existing and proposed business processes. The course will also show them how to model and assess the impact of any proposed changes to a business system and to design and document robust and reliable processes that actually match user and customer, requirements. This approach is completely scaleable – allowing them to carry out both the analysis and the design to precisely the level of detail required.

Study Area 1 - Introduction
	Introduction - Business analysis provides a foundation for the analysis, comprehension and design of new business processes. It is also a technique that underpins business process re-engineering. This course teaches candidates how to create business models that depict the current, or planned, business system and how to optimize the use of business processes within any business environment.
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Study Area 2 - Modeling Simple Scenarios
	Diagram Notation - This section explains the basic skills and knowledge needed to draw these diagrams, their structures and notation standards. Topics covered include: entities, data flows, processes, data stores and resource flows.
	Exercise 1 - Guides the candidate through drawing a simple business process diagram for a common business scenario.
	Context Diagrams - Introduces and then tests basic knowledge and skills in producing simple context diagrams as a way of documenting system boundaries.
	Exercise 2 - Shows the candidate how to draw a context diagram for a simple business system.
	Exercise 3 - Guides the candidate through the drawing of a context diagram for more complex business scenarios.
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Study Area 3 - Conducting the Analysis
	Level 1 Diagrams - This section explains how to analyse and document the main functional areas of the system under investigation, with reference to previously drawn context diagrams.
	Resource Flow - Demonstrates how to identify, read and draw resource flow diagrams; this technique is a particularly useful start point where the business is concerned with the movement of physical goods or ‘resources’.
	Organization Structure - Another view of a system, process or organization is from its functional perspective; this section teaches candidates to conduct this type of analysis.
	Document Flow - An organization which makes extensive use of either paper-based or computerised documentation can be examined from a document flow perspective; this section teaches candidates to construct document flow diagrams.
	Converting Document Flow - Explains the techniques used to convert the document flow diagram into the various diagrammatic components that make up a business process diagram.
	Exercise 4 - This exercise involves the drawing of a level 1 business process diagram using a context diagram and a document flow diagram; a detailed case study supports the exercise.
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Study Area 4 - Refining the Diagrams
	Simplifying Diagrams - It is easier to produce complex and incomprehensible diagrams rather than simple but complete ones. This section explains how to simplify business process diagrams so that they are genuinely useful to everyone involved.
	Top Down Expansion - Having learned and practised the techniques for developing high level diagrams, candidates now learn to conduct top down expansion, or ‘decomposition’.
	Exercise 5 - Candidates are guided through the process of drawing a level 2 business process diagram by the top down expansion of an existing level 1 diagram; this exercise is also supported by a detailed case study.
	Elementary Processes - An elementary process is one which requires no further analysis and this section teaches candidates how to identify and annotate elementary processes.
	Checking Diagrams - Having created business process diagrams the final and essential step is to check that they are meaningful, intelligible and complete; this section explains how to examine and verify the entire business model.
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Module 2 - Data Analysis (Data Modeling)
This module will teach candidates how to identify opportunities and problem areas within existing, or proposed, business data (information). Business data exists wherever information is stored, processed or retrieved. For example, an incoming telephone enquiry represents business data; as does high level market intelligence about a global competitor – they just shouldn’t be dealt with in the same way! This module will show candidates how to identify and analyze any data that enters, is stored by and used by a business and produce a clear pictorial representation of it, using industry standard diagrams. As well as highlighting areas of inefficiency and redundancy, candidates will create a series of diagrams that accurately document the existing and proposed data environment. They will also learn how to model and assess the impact of any proposed changes to business data (flows and storage) and to design and document robust and reliable information systems (whether IT or manually based) that match user and customer requirements. This approach is completely scaleable – allowing them to carry out both the analysis & design to precisely the level of detail required.

Study Area 1 - Introduction
	Introduction - Data analysis enables you to analyze, understand and then optimize the way that information is stored and retrieved within a business system. This course teaches candidates how to create data models that depict the current, or planned, business system and how to optimize the way that information is stored and processed.
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Study Area 2 - Entities & Relationships
	Entities - This section introduces, explains and illustrates what constitutes an entity and discusses in detail; types, occurrences, data groups and items.
	Identifying Entities - Involves the candidate in identifying entities in a simple business scenario.
	Entity Identification Guidelines - Introduces a set of accepted, practical standards and guidelines for entity identification.
	Entity Keys - Explains the use of entity attributes as keys within the data model. Topics covered include: compound keys, primary keys, foreign keys and candidate keys.
	Entity Descriptions - In this section candidates learn the basic principles of completing a formal entity description.
	Relationships - The relationships section introduces the second critical component of a data model, the ‘relationship’ between entities. Topics include: occurrences, link phrase, cardinality and participation/optionality.
	Identifying Relationships -This section teaches the basic skills required to identify and model entity relationships.
	Relationship Statements - Explains how to identify the principal forms of notation used when defining relationship statements.
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Study Area 3 - Modeling Complex Relationships
	Resolving M:M Relationships - The practical techniques used to resolve many-to-many relationships are explained in this section, as are the reasons that these relationships are not permitted on formal data models.
	Resolving 1:1 Relationships - One-to-one relationships are rare and are not permitted in formal data models. This section teaches users how to resolve apparent 1:1 relationships.
	Amending the Diagrams - Once candidates have resolved the apparent M:M and 1:1 relationships, they will need the skills taught in this section to amend the final data model.
	Multiple Relationships - Explains how to portray entities when they have multiple relationships.
	Exclusive Relationships - This section explains the special nature of exclusive relationship groups and how to depict them in the data model.
	Recursive Relationships - A recursive relationship is one in which an entity has a relationship with itself; this section explains how to identify and model recursive relationships.
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Study Area 4 - Conducting the Analysis
	Entity Cross Referencing - There is a choice between a rigorous, formal referencing technique and one based on ‘what usually happens’. This section concentrates on the formal, rigorous approach
	Informal Relationship Identification - In this section candidates learn a less formal approach, which takes into account probable relationships, as the model evolves.
	Drawing the Preliminary Model - This section provides candidates with practice in drawing a simple preliminary data model.
	Refining the Preliminary Model - Interactive exercises aimed at enhancing and refining a simple preliminary data model.
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Study Area 5 - Advanced Exercises
	Exercise 1 - This interactive exercise applies all of the concepts and techniques learned on the course to a straightforward business scenario. Full case study support is provided.
	Exersise 2 - The second interactive exercise applies all of the concepts and techniques learned on the course to a more complex business scenario. It also introduces more advanced data modeling techniques, for example, ‘connection traps’. Full case study support is provided.
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The Commercial License costs only $595 and enables unlimited use of the multimedia CD-ROM & Candidate Workbook within your organization.

Candidates learn how to	... Identify the key functions & data that are essential to a business unit Identify the functions & data that need re-design or are an overhead Design robust and reliable new business systems and sub-systems Model proposed changes to functions & data and see the impact these will have Apply an industry standard approach that is completely scaleable

Deliver first-class Business Analysis training NOW! This Business Analysis self-development program will equip candidates with the knowledge and skills to be able to analyze and re-design business systems of any size. They will learn to investigate businesses from two key viewpoints – the functional (or process) view and the data (or information) view. This well proven course is fully accredited by the National Computing Center.

GetAhead Multimedia CD-Roms
This multimedia CD-Rom represents approximately 15 hours of interactive study and is equivalent to a 5-day instructor led course. It is made up of self contained sections, each representing approximately 15 minutes of training, giving you the flexibility to either undertake intensive study or to fit your training into a busy work schedule. It clearly describes the underlying concepts which are then illustrated using a variety of real-world examples. It also includes fully interactive exercises, case studies and questions to ensure that you understand and remember all of the key messages.


Stimulating Interactivity Every title in the GetAhead series uses a combination of specially developed 3D graphics, animation and interactivity to create a stimulating one-on-one multimedia learning environment. This course represents 15 hours of intensive training and is equivalent to a 4-day instructor led course. A personal coach (Avatar) will guide each candidate through the course, introducing each section, posing questions and summarizing the key learning points.
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Flexible Study All GetAhead courses are modular and are made up of self-contained sections, each representing approximately 15 minutes of training. Each candidates progress is recorded each time they use the course, giving them the flexibility to either undertake intensive study or to fit their training into a busy work schedule. On subsequent training sessions, each candidate is given the opportunity to recall their personal study history and continue from that point.
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In-Depth Content Each GetAhead title has been designed by experts in that subject area. Each course clearly describes the underlying concepts which are then illustrated using a variety of real-world examples. All of the content is fully narrated and includes interactive exercises, case studies and questions to ensure that candidates understand and remember all of the key messages.
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Course Administration A challenging self test is included with each GetAhead course, to provide each candidate with an accurate appraisal of their performance. Each interactive question includes detailed feedback together with a cumulative score. The commercial licence includes a built in Learning Management System (LMS) enabling a course administrator to review the performance of all candidates that have taken the test. This includes the following criteria: Candidate Name Course Title Date of Test Time of Test Candidates Score Time Taken The course administration is password protected and facilitates the: search for, export & deletion of candidate records.