Business Analysis Techniques - Process Modelling - Context Diagrams - Part One

Business Analysis Techniques - Process Modelling

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There are many techniques that can be used in Business Analysis.

One part of this toolset is modelling techniques - diagrams with supporting text, often used to model business processes and business data.

Process modelling helps us to understand how a business system works now (as is) and possible areas for improvement.

This helps to identify requirements for a new system, analyse those requirements and produce models showing how a new improved system might work.

There are many process modelling techniques that might be used to achieve this.
This post focuses one of the simplest - Context Diagrams.

Context Diagram – What it is:

• A diagram showing flows of information into and out of a business system.
• Defines a boundary between the system and its environment, showing the entities that interact with it and how they interact.
• Provides a top level view of things and so is a useful starting point for further process analysis.

Here is an example - a Context Diagram for a Hotel Booking and Administration System.

Context Diagram - Hotel Booking and Administration System

This may be be slightly confusing at first sight - but do not be concerned. This post and subsequent posts on the topic will explain step by step how this diagram is constructed and what it shows

To start - the box in the centre of the diagram represents the system that we are investigating and analysing - in this case - "Hotel".

The ellipse shapes around the outside represent External Entities, sometimes called "Actors" (particularly in UML - Unified Modelling Language). Essentially - anybody or anything that interacts with the system. In this example - one of these is "Customer".

The arrows show interactions between the External Entities and the system, flows of data, with the arrowheads indicating the direction of the flow.

Context Diagram - Hotel Booking and Administration System

For example - here - Customers make Bookings with the Hotel and receive a Booking Confirmation in return.

Hotel - System.
Customer - External Entity (or Actor).
Booking - Data Flow.
Booking Confirmation - Data Flow.

The content of these data flows, what triggers them, how frequent they are, any business rules that apply - and so on - can be analysed in more detail later for on. A Context Diagram just aims to show a top-level view of a system.

So to summarise:

Context Diagram – What it is:

• Defines a boundary between the system and its environment, showing the entities that interact with it. .… those interactions are shown as data flows.

• Provides a top level view of things and so is a useful starting point for further process analysis.…. the box in the centre – representing the system can be broken down further later on.

Context Diagram – When it might be used:

• Could be used at any time.
• Often used early in a project to understand the current system.
• Can be used later as part of a specification for a new system..

Context Diagram – Why it is useful:

• Helps to understand more about a business system and how it works.
• Helps to define the boundary of the system under investigation – scope.
• Can be validated with business users and other stakeholders relatively easily.
• Helps to understand requirements for a new system.

So that covers three of the classic questions - What, When and Why.

The Who and the How will be covered in future posts.

If you have any questions - please comment below or get in touch.

Business Analysis Jobs - Interview Questions - Part Two - Your Resume

Business Analysis Jobs - Interview Questions

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One of the most common questions I've seen on social media, from aspiring Business Analysts, is - "Can anybody send me a link to a list of BA job interview questions?".

For any job interview, preparation is a key to success.

The problem is that it is difficult to predict exactly what questions you may be asked in a given job interview. This uncertainty is one of the reasons why most people feel somewhat nervous in this situation.

Lists of generic questions are of limited use.
Much depends on the specific job that you are applying for.

So - how to prepare as best you can? This blog aims to help you.

A possible answer is - a Business Analysis approach!

Interviewers, if are doing their job properly, will not ask you questions at random. They will prepare for the interview, set some objectives and formulate some questions to ask. Three of the possible factors that they will consider are:

• Your Resume.
• The Organisation.
• The Job.