Scope modeling is a crucial step in business analysis as it sets the boundaries of what is included and excluded in a project or initiative. BABOK by IIBA provides a framework for scope modeling that consists of six steps. In this article, we will explore each step and its associated elements.
Step 1: Determine Objective The first step in scope modeling is to determine the objective of the initiative. This includes identifying the problem or opportunity that the initiative aims to address and defining the high-level goals.
Step 2: Scope of Change The scope of change includes the following elements:
- Business Process: The sequence of activities that produce a specific output
- Business Functions: The activities that are performed by an organization to achieve its goals
- New Capabilities: The abilities that an organization needs to acquire to achieve its goals
- External and Internal Entities: The people, organizations, or systems that interact with the organization
- External and Internal Events: The occurrences that trigger a response from the organization
- Technologies: The tools or systems that support the organization's operations
- System Components and Physical Assets: The hardware or software components of a system
- Organization and Organization Units: The structure of the organization and its units
- Information Assets: The data and information that are used by the organization
- Stakeholders and Organization Roles: The people or groups that are affected by the initiative and their roles in the organization
Step 3: Level of Details The level of detail refers to the degree of granularity of the scope. The scope should be clear enough to decrease uncertainty and prevent analysis paralysis, which is the state of over-analyzing and over-thinking a situation to the point where a decision or action is never taken.
Step 4: Relationships There are different types of relationships between the elements in the scope of change. These include:
- Parent and Child: A hierarchical relationship between elements where one element is a subset of another
- Org chart
- ERD or class diagram
- Sub-process in business process modeling
- Composite state in the state diagram
- Function Responsibility: A relationship between an element and the function responsible for it
- Business process model
- Use case diagram
- Sequence diagram
- Supplier-Consumer: A relationship between elements where one element supplies inputs to another element
- DFD
- Business process model
- Use case diagram
- Sequence diagram
- Cause-Effect: A relationship between elements where a change in one element causes a change in another element
- Fishbone
- Cause-effect diagram
- Emergent: A relationship between elements that emerges over time and is not initially apparent
Assumptions are the factors that are believed to be true but are not confirmed. It is essential to document assumptions to minimize the risk of incorrect conclusions.
Step 6: Modeling Results The modeling results should be communicated in a clear and concise manner. BABOK recommends presenting the results in three ways:
- Textual Description: A written description of the scope of change
- Diagram: A visual representation of the scope of change
- Matrices: A tabular representation of the relationships between the elements in the scope of change
In conclusion, scope modeling is a critical step in business analysis that helps to define the boundaries of a project or initiative. BABOK by IIBA provides a framework for scope modeling that consists of six steps. By following this framework and considering all the elements in the scope of change, business analysts can ensure that the scope is well-defined and the results are communicated effectively.
