Burden of Current State Analysis

Let's face it, you as a business analyst are most likely just like me, you rather focus on the new and fancy stuff instead of looking at an outdated and most likely useless current state document, right?

Why would you need to perform this current state documentation work, if the team before me had done their work it would have been all there. Now you are screwed because they didn't and you need to perform almost archeological work and become the Indiana Jones of Business analysis.

After all, what's the purpose of looking back at the past, we build new solutions anyways, so let's just face the future.

The Importance of Current State Anlysis

The above statements sounds and feel familiar? After more than 20 years in the business, I'm still surprised of the responses when asked if a current state analysis was performed and that often people still believe you can get somewhere without knowing where you are starting from.

I do agree, there are most likely more excitement activities to perform than doing a current state analysis. However it is a crucial part for the success of your project for the following reasons :

1. Establishing a Common Understanding : A current state analysis allows all stakeholders to come to a common understanding of the existing processes and systems. This shared knowledge ensures everyone agrees on how the current process is executed or how the system works. It also helps in setting realistic expectations for the new solution, minimizing misunderstandings and misalignments later on.
2. Identifying Areas of Opportunity: By thoroughly understanding the current state, we can identify areas of opportunity. These are aspects of the current solution that are not working well and need to be avoided or improved in the future solution.
3. Facilitating Change Management : Current state analysis helps facilitate change for the people involved. It allows us to communicate from their current situation and highlight how it will change with the new solution. This is critical for securing stakeholder buy-in and ensuring a smoother transition. By addressing potential resistance and providing a clear vision of the benefits, we can enhance user adoption and satisfaction.
4. Enhancing Project Planning and Scoping : A comprehensive understanding of the current state provides a solid foundation for project planning and scoping. It helps in defining realistic timelines, budgets, and resource requirements. By having a clear picture of the starting point, we can create more accurate project plans and avoid scope creep and project delays.

The Challenges of Current State Analysis

Of course, it takes time to perform this work but it doesn't need to be perfect, it just needs to be good enough to understand. You shouldn't put it in a fancy modelling tool, it will change anyways so keep that for the design stage.

How much time will it take and when is it good enough? That is a hard question to answer but as mentioned detailed enough to understand and long enough to achieve that ;-).

Leveraging AI Tools for Current State Analysis

What if there is a solution, to actually do this work with minimal effort but at least do it for the above mentioned benefits? I believe AI tools like ChatGPT can play a major role there. Let's have a look at some examples together :

1. Automating Documentation Review

AI can quickly scan and summarize large volumes of documentation, highlighting key processes and systems. This saves time and ensures no critical information is overlooked.

See my post : use cases identification

2. Stakeholder Interview Assistance

ChatGPT can assist in preparing for stakeholder interviews by generating relevant questions and even simulating stakeholder responses. This can help ensure that no important areas are missed during the interviews.

See my post : AI Simulations in Action: Enhancing Requirements Gathering for Better Results | LinkedIn

3. Analyzing Historical Data

AI tools can analyze historical data to identify trends and patterns that might not be immediately obvious. This can provide deeper insights into the current state and help identify areas for improvement.

Do you have any other good cases for the use of AI in current state analysis? Feel free to share with us all.

I will keep this updated in the future with new prompts that are useful in current state analysis.