Modelling Requirements (Process Models)

A note for any process modellers who are unsure of what notation to use, particularly for the RE paper.

The "Art" of Exams

This brief note is aimed at those of you who have not sat an examination for a while. It won't guarantee a pass but it may give you ideas on how to tackle a paper.

Business Benefits

Shock Horror - projects should provide a business benefit! Here are some personal comments on a web magazine article suggesting that projects should provide the business with benefits. Who would have guessed!

Functional or What?

Requirements are requirements but the difference between functional and non-functional causes problems for some. This paper is the first of a series addressing requirements and requirements gathering.

What are these Acceptance Criteria?

Confused by Functional Requirements, Non-Functional Requirements and Acceptance Criteria? This note aims to clarify the differences through some easy examples.

Milestones not Millstones

Planning with Milestones - this paper was written a while ago but is still relevant today - anything that can help with managing projects must surely be useful.

Business Processes

"“What is a Business Process?"” is a question we always ask delegates on our Modelling Business Processes course, “and "don’'t say it is a process in the business!"” is a standard follow-on.

Everyone knows the answer to this, don’'t they, so why do delegates struggle to give an answer? Just why is it so difficult to tie down?

Business Activity Models

Struggling to make sense of BAMS? This short note may help.

Identification of Business Requirements

Functional requirements should be relatively easy to identify from exam scenarios, yet they still cause problems for candidates. This note offers ideas to help candidates intending to sit the Requirements Engineering exam.

How to read a data model

Want to know why a BA should understand a data model? Want to know how to read a data model?

Keith Gordon describes data models to the level of detail needed for the Certificate in Requirements Engineering. A must-read article!

Critique of BCS sample exam questions

This note assesses the sample questions on the BCS website and highlights how these differ from real papers which candidates can expect to find when they sit the exams.

Information or Data

Keith Gordon discusses the abiding question of the difference between data and information.

Communication Rant

It's obvious that the author needs to get out more! A very personal rant on the ills of communication.

Viewpoints and Perspectives

A brief discussion of perspectives in the context of Soft Systems and the British railway system.

Business Events

Events are a powerful tool for Business Analysis. This series currently comprises three notes. The first, "Introduction to Business Events" sets the scene; the second, "Classes of Business Events" describes two classes of business events; the third "Business Events and Processes" considers the processes triggered by events.

Performance Measures

A short note on the measurement of process performance.