Business Analysis Plan
A Business Analysis Plan serves as a roadmap for business analysis activities within a portfolio, program, or project. It can either be a subplan of the portfolio, program, or project management plan, or it can exist as a standalone document. The plan is an assembly of various sub-approaches that span all Knowledge Areas, effectively encapsulating the complete approach to business analysis within the scope of the initiative.
Components of Business Analysis Plan
Business Analysis Approach: It details the methodology and approach that will be followed for business analysis activities.
Stakeholder Engagement: The plan outlines how stakeholders will be involved and the level of their engagement throughout the business analysis process.
Requirements Management: While the business analysis plan is broader in scope, it still includes decisions about how requirements will be managed. This is not to be confused with a Requirements Management Plan, which exclusively focuses on requirements-related activities.
Level of Effort Estimation: The plan may include an estimate of the time and resources needed to carry out the business analysis activities. This helps in planning and allocating resources efficiently.
Clarity and Approvals
If the Business Analysis Plan is a formal, written document, it should be written clearly and in easily understandable language. This is critical because key stakeholders will review and possibly need to approve the plan.
Business Analysis Work Plan
As a subset of the Business Analysis Plan, the Business Analysis Work Plan focuses on the operational aspects. This includes level-of-effort estimates, which can later be compared to actual work efforts for the purpose of refining future estimates.
Use for Future Planning
The Business Analysis Plan not only guides current efforts but serves as a point of comparison for future initiatives. By comparing planned activities and outcomes to what was actually achieved, the organization can gain valuable insights for future planning.
In summary, the Business Analysis Plan is an integral part of business analysis, providing structure, focus, and direction for conducting business analysis activities. It encompasses the overall strategy for stakeholder engagement, requirements management, and other key facets of business analysis. It serves as both a guiding document and a tool for future improvement in business analysis processes.