Create a Business Analysis Center of Excellence | 3
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requirements specifications that vary in format
and level of quality. This means that the artifacts
being produced are highly dependent on the
person producing them. Naturally, this leads
to an uneven quality of products and increases
project risk.
A BACoE needs to assume leadership in
formalizing the expected quality, format, and
presentation of artifacts. Such a leveling of
quality is approached initially through training
and the creation of artifact templates. In addition,
standardization of all the tools used by the
business analysts increases the leveling of quality.
Furthermore, support of projects by the center of
excellence ensures that the same care and level
of professionalism are applied to all projects
within the organization. Finally, assistance in
conducting post-project retrospectives allows
the BACoE to discover where there are areas
for betterment resulting in continuous quality
improvements.
Functions of a Business Analysis Center of
Excellence
In our experience, a business analysis center of
excellence should
provide support and be responsible for the
following:
• Tactical Project Assistance
• Methodology
• Best Practices
• Learning and Professional Development
• Tool Standards
Tactical Project Assistance
The BACoE must provide assistance and support
to projects in the form of project coaches,
mentors, and staff. Such assistance takes the form
of business analysis planning at the initiation
phase of new projects to ensure that the right
resources and approaches are in place. If
required, the BACoE needs to be in a position to
provide resources to the projects. Such resources
might include project coaches or lead business
analysts who ensure that business analysis
methods and tools are being applied effectively
and that deliverables follow organizational
standards. The resources employed by the
BACoE can be virtual members, dedicated staff,
or outside consulting resources hired by the
BACoE.
Methodology
A methodology provides a clear definition
of standard approaches for business analysis
planning, monitoring and execution. The
IIBA® Business Analysis Body of Knowledge®
(BABOK®) can be used as a template for the
development of a methodology suitable to the
organizational culture. The BABOK® represents
industry best practices and therefore provides
an excellent foundation for the development of a
standard business analysis methodology.
The dissemination of the methodology must be
planned and generally involves generic BABOK®-
aligned training on the skills and techniques
needed by business analysts, followed by training
on the specific methodology and practices used
by the organization.
Best Practices
It is necessary to create and maintain a collection
of company and industry best practices for
business analysis and the creation of business
