Central Iowa Chapter of IIBA®

Thank you, Pioneer Hi-Bred, for hosting our monthly meeting.

Simple Steps for Successful Business Analysts to Scoping Projects for Excellence

“Hindsight”, the saying goes, “is 20/20.” Imagine if you could systematically define the solution requirements of your projects with 20/20 vision at the outset? What if you could have Scope Clairvoyance? As Business Analysts our contributions drive the planning of projects. But without an accurate definition of the project’s solution scope, excellent project plans still will just build the wrong thing faster and cheaper. Whether you call it scope planning or scope definition, business analysis or needs analysis, requirements development or solution design — the most critical activity at the beginning of any project is to figure out what’s really needed and which of those needs are really important. – People don’t know what they don’t know. — What if you could help stakeholders see their real needs? – People prioritize subjectively. — What if you could help stakeholders see priorities objectively? – People learn slowly from the past. — What if you could help stakeholders see their learning from the past? – People stop planning too early. — What if you could help them to see when they are done planning?

In this presentation, Christian Milaster will share simple, yet scalable requirements information taxonomy for identifying and managing the various types of requirements information such as vision statements, success criteria, strengths & weaknesses, business needs, quality attributes, functions, and specifications.

 Learning objectives Attendees will learn …

·   how to systematically organize the plethora of requirements information that is discovered and elicited

·  how to systematically identify all relevant stakeholders

·  how to systematically, with confidence, discover the most important needs from the most relevant stakeholders

·  how to systematically bring solution- or design-focused conversation back to the definition of the scope boundaries

·   how to know, using objective criteria, that elicitation is complete

Presenter: Christian Milaster

Christian Milaster is President, Coach, and Consultant at the Ingenium Consulting Group, Inc. where he provides coaching, consulting, and contracting services in healthcare delivery, software development, and engineering product development, leveraging his broad and deep skill set in strategic planning, business analysis, project management, process improvement, performance excellence, innovation, and facilitation.

Christian is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with over 12,000 hours of project management experience who has developed requirements since 1987 (and is pursuing BA certification). Prior to launching his “performance excellence consultancy” in May 2012, Christian has worked at IBM Global Services in Germany and Canada, at Huntington Banks in Ohio, and 12 years at the Mayo Clinic in IT and Engineering. Christian’s current main engagement is to enable Olmsted Medical Center in Rochester, MN to improve its healthcare delivery experience through the use of innovative telehealth and telemedicine technology. Christian lives with his wife and daughters in the beautiful town of Lanesboro, MN in a modern yet extremely energy-efficient house that he designed and helped build. He is the past chair of the Rochester Area Quality Council board, a past member of the Minnesota Council for Quality Board of Directors, a past Minnesota Quality Award evaluator, and also serves on the boards of the Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center and the Dreamery Rural Arts Initiative.

Date: Thursday, July 26th, 2012

Location: Pioneer Hi-Bred, International, Inc.

Address:  Johnston Campus   7100 NW 62^nd Ave, Johnston, IA 50131
Logistics: Enter in the north entrance (‘Carver’ building) ; No restriction on parking

Logistics:

Cost:  $10 for non-members. Non-members welcome. No cost for Chapter members in good standing. Payment accepted at the door including credit/debit cards

Time: Lunch is served at 11:00 AM         Program starts at 11:30 AM        Drawing

Registration will close at 6PM, July 23rd.

Allow extra time to reach Pioneer.

Note: There is on-going road construction on 62nd St. In order to reach the Carver building parking lot, you must use Pioneer Parkway (from Merle Hay) which will curve and take you North.  There are some construction signs that say ‘Road Closed to thru traffic’, but ignore those and go around.  Then go almost to the end of Pioneer Parkway and see a sign on a cement post with ‘Northway Drive’ on it.  That is the entrance …it will wind around to the front of the building.

Be Sociable, Share!

•