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Facilitation Skills for Business Analysis v3:Six Success Factors

Presented for the International Institute of Business AnalysisDallas Chapter

Rick WaltersAugust 20, 2015

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Encompassing the Full Scope of the Business Analysis Discipline

Version 2 Scope Version 3 ScopeIT Projects IT ProjectsAgile (limited coverage) Agile (full coverage)

Business Process ManagementBusiness ArchitectureBusiness Intelligence

• Industry is demanding:– Process improvement skills– Strategic thinking and alignment to business goals– Integration with agile software development methods– Greater focus on change management

BABOK® Guide v3: The Essential Standard for Business Analysis

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Manifesto for Agile Software Development

Individuals and interactions over processes and toolsWorking software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiationResponding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items onthe right, we value the items on the left more.

© 2001, the above authorsthis declaration may be freely copied in any form,

but only in its entirety through this notice.

Learn – Adapt ControlPeople Artifacts

BA as Facilitator for Stakeholder Collaboration01

Topics

BABOK v3 Knowledge Areas and Facilitation Design02Facilitation Skills and Techniques03

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BA as Facilitator for Stakeholder CollaborationIIBA Core PurposeUnderlying Competency - FacilitationDefinition of FacilitatorSix Success Factors

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Core Purpose

“To unite a community of professionals to create better

business outcomes”

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BABOK® GuidePages 2-3

What is Business Analysis?• Business analysis is the

practice of enabling change in an enterprise by defining needs and recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders.

Facilitating Stakeholder

Collaboration

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Underlying CompetenciesInteraction Skills, FacilitationBABOK V3 page 207

Purpose• Business analysts facilitate interactions between stakeholders in order to help

them make a decision, solve a problem, exchange ideas and information, or reach an agreement regarding the priority and the nature of requirements. The business analyst may also facilitate interactions between stakeholders for the purposes of negotiation and conflict resolution (as discussed in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution (p. 210)).

Definition• Facilitation is the skill of moderating discussions within a group in order to

enable all participants to effectively articulate their views on a topic under discussion, and to ensure that participants in the discussion are able to recognize and appreciate the differing points of view that are articulated.

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Working definition . . . facilitator

[Preparation and During]• A facilitator is someone who uses knowledge of group processes

to formulate and deliver the needed structure for meeting interactions to be effective.

[During]• The facilitator focuses on effective processes (meeting dynamics)

allowing the participants to focus on the content or the substance of their work together.

Basic Facilitation Skills Primer, 2002http://www.iaf-world.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3387

In its loosest definition, a facilitator is:

Any person who jumps up during a meeting and starts writing key points on a chalkboard as they are being discussed.

Or someone who puts up a hand and suggests that the participants focus on a single problem.

Or even a participant who suggests that they find out a little about each other, or agree on how they're going to make decisions.

Basic Facilitation Skills Primer, 2002http://www.iaf-world.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3387 11

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Success Factors

Objectives: Define the tangible and intangible outcomes

Preparation: Design the before, during and after activities

Business Context: Align the team by confirming direction and boundaries

Meeting Context: Establish collaborative guidelines and decision making processes

Facilitation: Elicit dialogue and focus on the journey, check in and adjust agenda as needed

Build Momentum: Recognize accomplishments, Identify areas of focus for future interactions

Preparation

Context

Facilitation

Follow-up

BA as Facilitator for Stakeholder Collaboration01

Topics

BABOK v3 Knowledge Areas and Facilitation Design02Facilitation Skills and Techniques03

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BABOK v3 Knowledge Areas and Facilitation DesignTasksTechniquesExamples

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Revised Knowledge Area StructureFacilitation Opportunities

BABOK® Guide v3: The Essential Standard for Business Analysis

Plan Business Analysis Governance

Prioritize RequirementsConduct / Confirm Elicitation

Current / Future State

Assess Enterprise Limitations

Verify / Validate Requirements

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Techniques to Task Mapping

472

1 0 .50.Workshops

1.Plan Business Analysis Approach

2.PlanStakeholderEngagement

3 .P lan Business Ana lysis Governance

4.Plan Business AnalysisInformationManagement

5.IdentifyBusiness AnalysisPerformanceImprovements

2 .Conduct E l ic itation

3 .Confirm E l ic itation Resu lts

4.CommunicateBusiness AnalysisInformation

3 .Prioritize Requ irements

4.AssessRequirementsChanges

5.ApproveRequirements

1.AnalyzeCurrent State

2.Define FutureState

3. Assess Risks

4.Define ChangeStrategy

4.DefineRequirementsArchitecture

5.Define DesignOptions

6.Analyze PotentialValue andRecommendSolution

8 .4 . AssessEnterprise Limitations

10 . Techniques 3 . Business AnalysisP lanningand Monitoring

4 . Elicitation andCollaboration

5 . Requ irementsLife Cycle Management

6 . Strategy Analysis 7 . Requ irementsAnalysis and DesignDefinition

8 . SolutionEvaluation

BABOK® Guide v3: The Essential Standard for Business Analysis

10 .37. Reviews 2.PlanStakeholderEngagement

3.Plan Business AnalysisGovernance

3 .5 . IdentifyBusiness AnalysisPerformanceImprovements

3.Confirm Elicitation Results

4.Communicate Business Analysis Information

5 .5 . ApproveRequirements

2.Verify Requirements

3.Validate Requirements

Two Powerful Facilitation Techniques

Agile pulls these together in to iterations

Strategy Analysis

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Knowledge AreaStrategy Analysis - Example

Tasks• Current State• Future State• Assess Risks• Define Change

Strategy

External / Market

Past Present Future

Internal / Company / org- Prod/Svc: What

were/are we doing

- Structure: How organized, going about it?

- Capabilities: Skills,tools

BABOK® Guide v3: The Essential Standard for Business Analysis. Page 99

Needs: Gaps, OpportunitiesRisksEnterprise Limitations

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PreparationObjectives and Participants

Objectives• Focus Question: How do we

best focus our skills and energy during the evolution and transition of our services function for the corporation?

• Review recent organization changes

• Determine next steps– Maintain– Change– New effort– Redirect effort

Participants• Team Leader• Architecture Lead• Services Lead• Operations Lead• MarCom Support Lead

Represent the perspectives needed for a quality decision

Have the information, knowledge

Will execute, must own or have authority for decisions

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PreparationDesign: Before, During, After

Business Context

Meeting Context

Setting the stage has a very large impact on how effective the session can be!

Event Title Services Group Planning SessionDate: AprilLocation Conference Facility

Start TimeTime

AllocatedTopic Topic Leader Expected Outcome / Deliverable Process / Content

8:00 AM10

Welcome, Introductions

Facilitator or Team Leader

> Learn expectations of each participant

8:10 AM

10

Sponsor Kick-off Team Leader > Understand context, vision, direction and any boundary conditions> Leader's expectation for the workshop and participation

> Review organizational objectives> Where we are in the planning process: Call to action - what is our role going forward> General approach to the session and next steps after the session

8:20 AM

10

Review Agenda Facilitator > Discuss how the workshop is designed to meet the objectives and expectations> Update if needed

> Describe the objectives and design/flow of the workshop and meeting guidlines enable the outcome> Incorporate touchpoints to stated exepctations> Include how the preparation feeds in, what will be done during the session and what is planned as follow-up (some exepcations may be met later)

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Meeting Guidelines - ExamplesCan vary with the purpose of the meeting

• Visioning, Brainstorming– Open mind, build on ideas

• Business Process Analysis– Focus on the process

characteristics, not the person

• Daily Stand-up– No problem solving

• Focus Groups– Define expectations for

confidentiality

General

• Active listening, ask clarifying questions, seek to understand

• Balanced participation

• Use parking lot and process checks

• Express views during the meeting

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Decision Making Models

Command– Single decision maker. Has the

information and experience to make the decision

Collaborative– Single decision maker. Gathers

input from others.1. Consult with others

independently2. Engage others as a group

Consensus– All agree.

Establish as BA Governance and context

for working sessions.

Agile is about having a flexible mindset, embodiedin a set of values and principles and exhibited by avariety of complementary practices. Agile initiativesinvolve constant change.

BABOK® Guide v3: The Essential Standard for Business Analysis. Page 368

The Agile Perspective

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Agile – Continuous interactions and cycle of (many) engagements!

April July OctoberS M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 1 2 35 6 7 8 9 10 11 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 6 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

19 20 21 22 23 24 25Job Rel 0.8 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 13 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

26 27 28 29 30 7 26 27 28 29 30 31 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

May August NovemberS M T W T F S S M T W T F S Srch Rel 1.5 S M T W T F S

1 2 1 14 1 2 3 4 5 6 71 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 15 16 17 18 19 20 212 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 9 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 29 3031 30 31

June September DecemberS M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S

3 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 57 8 9 10 11 12 13 10 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

4 14 15 16 17 18 19 20Job Rel 1.0 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 11 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 20 21 22 23 24 25 2628 29 30 27 28 29 30 27 28 29 30 31

Leadership MeetingsProject Team meetings6 Product Backlog Review/Update Sessions14 Sprints

x Sprint Planning Sessionsx Sprint Review Sessionsx Sprint Retrospectives

x 3 Product Release EngagementsGeneral info sharing and demosUAT, Training, Deployment

Sprint and Release Calendar

Product Owner

Leadership Team

User Community(200)

User Community Representatives (12)

StakeholdersSponsor

Champion

An Agile glossary, ScrumAlliance.org ~1000 Moments of Truth

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Meeting management will be a lot of work early and should ease up with experience and

trust.

Engagement Management• List and outline engagement

event plans– Agenda (Topics, Timing)– Participants– Objectives, Design (Process)– Tools

Manage the experience• Be ready • Be set up• Be able to put attention on

audience

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Success Factors

Objectives: Define the tangible and intangible outcomes

Preparation: Design the before, during and after activities

Business Context: Align the team by confirming direction and boundaries

Meeting Context: Establish collaborative guidelines and decision making processes

Facilitation: Elicit dialogue and focus on the journey, check in and adjust agenda as needed

Build Momentum: Recognize accomplishments, Identify areas of focus for future interactions

Preparation

Context

Facilitation

Follow-up

BA as Facilitator for Stakeholder Collaboration01

Topics

BABOK v3 Knowledge Areas and Facilitation Design02Facilitation Skills and Techniques03

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Facilitation Skills and Techniques

Workshop Planning ToolSkill Building OpportunitiesKey Facilitation Learning TopicsSummary

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Preparation: Design

• Work with the sponsor/team leader to develop the agenda, objectives, meeting design and determine roles and responsibilities

• Engage participants ahead of the session to better prepare them to make the most of the time together

• Not all can be accomplished in any one workshop, think through and gain agreement on what is done before, during and after

Event Title Services Group Planning SessionDate: AprilLocation Conference Facility

Start TimeTime

AllocatedTopic Topic Leader Expected Outcome / Deliverable Process / Content Preparation

8:00 AM10

Welcome, Introductions

Facilitator or Team Leader

> Learn expectations of each participant

8:10 AM

10

Sponsor Kick-off Team Leader > Understand context, vision, direction and any boundary conditions> Leader's expectation for the workshop and participation

> Review organizational objectives> Where we are in the planning process: Call to action - what is our role going forward> General approach to the session and next steps after the session

> Materials on organization objectives (mission, vision, goals, etc.)> Planning timeline

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Knowledge and Skill Builders

• Basic team leader and member skills classes• Basic communications skills classes• Train-the-Trainer certifications• Facilitation methods and skills• Consulting Skills classes

Skills Training

• BPM and Reengineering• SLC methodologies (Object Engineering, Agile, DSDM, etc.)• Organization design, self-directed teams design, design for

empowerment• Participatory strategic planning frameworks and methods• Project management• Customer focus theories and methods• Organization change management theory, processes and tools

Methodologies (Books and

training)

Observation of other instructors and workshop leaders

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Look for these learning topics

• Basic team leader and member skills

• Basic communications skills

• Presentation skills

• Train-the-Trainer certifications

• Facilitation methods and skills

• Consulting Skills

• Team and group dynamics– Charter, mission– Guidelines, values– Roles and responsibilities

• Basic communications skills classes– Communication styles– Active listening– Giving feedback

• Group processes – Problem Solving – Decision Making

• Presentation skills– Public speaking– Video feedback– Presentation aids: flip chart, overhead

• Collaborative processes

Courses Learning Topics

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Success Factors

Objectives: Define the tangible and intangible outcomes

Preparation: Design the before, during and after activities

Business Context: Align the team by confirming direction and boundaries

Meeting Context: Establish collaborative guidelines and decision making processes

Facilitation: Elicit dialogue and focus on the journey, check in and adjust agenda as needed

Build Momentum: Recognize accomplishments, Identify areas of focus for future interactions

Preparation

Context

Facilitation

Follow-up

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Insights, Questions . . .

••••

••••

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Reference

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Certification Options• International Association of Facilitators

IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator

The IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator (CPF) is the professional designation for IAF members who demonstrate having Core Facilitator Competencies. The Core Competencies represent a fundamental set of skills, knowledge, and behaviors that support effective facilitation in a wide variety of contexts.

• INIFAC - International Institute for FacilitationCertified Master Facilitator

The certification process assesses you against a rigorous set of competencies. These competencies were developed based on input from over 450 facilitators and clients. The result, a certification with the distinction of quality, integrity, talent and service, is one which facilitators can aspire to and on which clients can depend.

www.inifac.org

www.iaf-world.org

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