Determine Viable Options and Provide Recommendation
The process of "Determine Viable Options and Provide Recommendation" involves using various analysis techniques to scrutinize potential solutions to meet business objectives and pinpoint the most suitable solution for the organization. This process serves to confirm the practicability of the suggested solutions and offer the optimal path for the leadership to achieve the business targets.
To determine feasible options, dialogues are held with stakeholders and the product team. The aim is to delineate a series of potential solution recommendations that can cater to the business requirement. The options devised are based on the insights gathered from both current and future state analyses. A solution approach is then defined for each option, which gives a broad overview of the considerations and necessary steps to deliver the solution and facilitate the transition from the current to the envisioned future state.
A common oversight by stakeholders is to suggest solutions without a thorough grasp of the situation's intricacies. Demonstrating the outcome of needs analysis to decision-makers and elucidating why certain options are preferred can mitigate the risk of selecting an inappropriate solution.
Key activities
Identifying viable options: Drawing from the current and future state analyses to discern the most fitting solution choices for the business.
Conducting feasibility analysis: This involves evaluating multiple elements to determine the practicability of the options being considered. Some elements include:
- Constraints: Limitations that may hinder the option.
- Assumptions: Factors presumed to be true without concrete evidence.
- Product risks: Uncertainties that may influence the successful solution delivery.
- Dependencies: Relationships that a solution relies on for successful execution.
- Culture: Organizational factors that can influence both the success of the business analysis and the portfolio, program, or project.
- Operational feasibility: How receptive the organization is to the change and its sustainability post-implementation.
- Technology feasibility: The availability or accessibility of requisite technology and technical skills.
- Supportability: How easily an option can be sustained and managed over time.
- Cost-effectiveness feasibility: A preliminary cost and benefit estimation.
- Time feasibility: Whether the solution can be realized within set time frames.
- Value: The business value the solution brings.
- Validation: Assurance of solution alignment with business objectives.
Defining preliminary product scope: Outlining the capabilities each option will deliver at a higher level.
Defining high-level transition requirements: Identifying considerations like data migration or training needs for transitioning to the specified solution.
Recommending the most viable option: If multiple options remain post-feasibility analysis, one is chosen as the most viable. This is accompanied by a rationale, highlighting the reasons for its selection over other options.
If post-analysis only one option emerges as feasible, it's typically recommended. If no options are feasible, a recommendation might be to take no action. If there are multiple viable options, they can be ranked based on their alignment with the business need. Weighted ranking can be an effective technique for this analysis.
Inputs
Business Goals and Objectives
Business goals and objectives are the foundational elements in determining viable options and providing recommendations. These articulate the desired future state of the business and serve as critical reference points for the analysis. Understanding these goals and objectives allows business analysts to align the options and recommendations with the strategic direction of the organization, ensuring that the potential solutions contribute effectively to the organization's success.
Enterprise and Business Architectures
Enterprise and Business Architectures provide a comprehensive view of the organization's structure, processes, information, and technologies. This input is essential for understanding the context in which the solution will operate. By analyzing these architectures, business analysts can identify constraints, dependencies, and opportunities that may influence the solution options and recommendations.
Required Capabilities and Features
Required capabilities and features define the specific functionalities and attributes that the solution must possess to meet business needs. This input is critical for evaluating the feasibility and potential value of different options. Business analysts utilize this information to ensure that the recommended solutions are capable of fulfilling the identified business requirements.
Situation Statement
The situation statement provides a clear and concise description of the current state, challenges, and opportunities facing the organization. This input is pivotal for framing the analysis and focusing on the core issues that need to be addressed. It sets the stage for identifying and assessing viable options that can resolve the challenges and leverage the opportunities identified.
Tools and Techniques
Benchmarking
Benchmarking involves comparing current business processes, capabilities, and performance metrics against industry standards or best practices. This tool enables business analysts to identify areas of improvement, set realistic targets, and evaluate the potential impact of different solution options.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Cost-Benefit Analysis is a financial evaluation tool used to assess the relative costs and benefits associated with each potential solution option. It helps business analysts to quantify the economic value of solutions, facilitating informed decision-making by highlighting options that offer the best value for the investment.
Elicitation Techniques
Elicitation techniques encompass various methods used to gather information from stakeholders, subject matter experts, and other sources. These techniques are instrumental in uncovering additional requirements, constraints, and preferences that can influence the selection and recommendation of solution options.
Feature Injection
Feature Injection is a technique focused on evolving the solution by injecting features based on the identified business goals and objectives. It encourages iterative refinement of solutions, ensuring that the features align with the value proposition and address the core business needs.
Group Decision-Making Techniques
Group Decision-Making Techniques facilitate consensus-building and collaborative decision-making among stakeholders. These techniques are critical for ensuring that the recommended solution options are agreed upon, supported, and validated by all relevant parties.
Real Options
Real Options is an analytical approach that treats investment decisions as financial options, providing a framework to evaluate and manage uncertainty and flexibility in solution options. This technique helps business analysts to determine the value of keeping options open and making decisions at the most opportune times.
Valuation Techniques
Valuation Techniques are used to estimate the value or potential return on investment of different solution options. These techniques enable business analysts to compare the economic benefits of each option, facilitating the selection of the most valuable solution.
Weighted Ranking
Weighted Ranking is a prioritization method where different options are scored and ranked based on predefined criteria and their relative importance. This tool helps business analysts to systematically evaluate and compare the options, leading to an objective and justified recommendation.
Outputs
Feasibility Study Results
Feasibility Study Results provide a comprehensive analysis of the viability, risks, and benefits associated with the potential solutions. These results are critical for informing stakeholders about the practicality and potential impact of each option, guiding the decision-making process towards the most feasible solution.
Recommended Solution Option
The Recommended Solution Option is the culmination of the analysis process, presenting the option that best aligns with the business goals and objectives, meets the required capabilities and features, and offers the most value and feasibility. This output is a key deliverable that guides the organization in making informed decisions and taking action towards implementing the optimal solution.