Fundamentals of Planning and Business Analysis

Introduction:

This intensive  Training Course is designed to effectively engage stakeholders and identify business requirements of strategic importance.

In the Training Course, participants will learn how to establish and align strategies to drive desired changes, ensuring consistency with both overarching and subsidiary strategies.

Objectives:

The objectives of this Course are to enable participants to:

• Understand how strategic business planning is related to business analysis.
• Explain how business analysis supports strategic business plan implementation.
• Align potential solutions with strategic objectives.
• Discover links with other business viewpoints, such as Agile and BPM.
• Evaluate the current state in relation to the future state of an organization.
• Use key thinking tools for strategic planning in business development.
• Identify strategic risks within the framework for subsequent redesign processes.
• Evaluate metrics used for performance in strategic business planning.
• Create design options that support a company’s strategic growth goals.
• Discuss the concept of ‘Value’ within the context of Strategic Business Planning.

Training Methodology:

• Interactive Lectures
• Group Discussions
• Case Studies
• Scenario-Based Learning
• Workshops
• Peer Reviews
• Role-Playing Activities
• Simulation Exercises
• Real-Life Application Projects

Course Outline:

Unit 1: Introduction to Strategy and Business Analysis

This section covers various aspects of strategy formulation and its connection to Business Analysis (BA).

• Explore the link between Strategy and Business Analysis.
• What is Strategy Planning?
• Successful Strategies in a Business Planning Context.
• Performance Measures linked with Strategic Alignment.
• Governance and Information Management Systems underpinning Strategy Planning.

Unit 2: How is Business Strategy Formulated?

• Vision & Values, Mission & Goals – Their Relationship to Strategic Planning.
• Analysis of External Environment for Strategic Business Planning.
• Effective Planning for Business Capability Analysis.
• Assessing Strategic Fit and Formulating Strategy Options.
• Strategy Maps and The Balanced Scorecard Methodologies.
• Using the Business Model Canvas to Plan Your Business Strategy.

Unit 3: Strategy Analysis

• An Introduction to Strategy Analysis in the Context of Business Analysis.
• Analyzing Present State – Understanding Current Business Planning Activities.
• Define the Future State of Business Development.
• Risk Assessment Techniques across Business Planning Domains.
• Defining a Change Strategy with Reference to Strategic Business Analyst Skills.
• Case Study on Strategy Analysis.

Unit 4: Solutions and Perspectives

• Analyzing, Valuing, and Recommending Solutions in a Business Planning Context.
• Performance Measures within Business Planning Analysis.
• Agile Perspective in Strategic Planning and Business Analysis.
• Application of Intelligence Perspective in Strategic Business Planning.
• Business Architecture in Relation to Strategic Planning.
• Understanding BPM (Business Process Management) in Managing Planning Companies.

Unit 5: Putting Analysis, Requirements, and Design into Action

• Develop Strategic Thinking Capability Relevant to BA Roles.
• Communication Skills for the Strategic BA.
• Tools and Techniques for Developing Effective Management System Plans.
• Case Study on Applying Business Analysis in Real-World Environments, such as Sales Force Automation (SFA).
• Business Analysis Performance Improvement – Identifying What Makes an Excellent Analyst.
• Commitment to Action.