Tools
There’s a technique that you can use to tackle every dilemma, and a tried and true tool for the ones we use the most!
Value/effort map
Work out what to work on next.
Acceptance criteria
Define a feature in yes or no terms.
Story map
Document an entire system’s functionality.
User story
Describe user requirements by why, not what.
Concept model
Clarify the words and concepts within a domain.
Stakeholder map
Determine who needs what, when, and in what detail.
State diagram
Define your entity’s lifecycle.
ER diagram
Visually represent your system’s entities.
Process model
Summarise a complex series of actions.
RACI
Clarify who should be involved.
Not sure where to start?
Need to document a process? There is a Jimmy Tool for that. Don’t know what to pick up off the backlog? Try prioritizing by value and effort. Comms issues getting in the way of your team? Get clarity of who your stakeholders are with a stakeholder map.
Or, if you’re entirely new to business analysis, well, start with the basics: having good acceptance criteria is critical for any work involving software development. Plus, it is easy. Just think testable and you’re most of the way there.
If you’re really stuck, this handy Jimmy Tool guide page has everything you need to know!