Checklist Description

In order to approach the business analysis from the right angle, it is important that the goal of the analysis is clear. Each of the following questions should be answered prior to selecting the business analysis approach.

Checklist

1. What level of change is expected?

   This is essentially a question of scope for the investigation. It is easy to over- or underestimate the level of questions to ask. This is also a highly political issue where everyone's understanding of the level of change should be checked and double-checked.

   • Strategic where anything is up for grabs

     • a top-down approach is needed

     • need to ask lots of questions about the company's mission/goals

     • what are we actually trying to do? Why do we do this? What if we don't? What else could we do? Why don't we do that?

   • Tactical where specific business processes are identified for a rethink

     • understand a business process

     • who owns the process? What's the goal of the process? Who does what?

     • see checklists on business process analysis.

   • Operational what to do when problems arise in a process

     • understand the nature of the problem

     • where did the problem originate? Whose problem is it? How do we fix it?

     • see checklist 2.5 How to avoid wasting time on things that don't matter .

2. For a tactical level of change, are there some obvious business processes to start with?

   There may...