Verification Vs Validation

When working on a project in the Requirements Analysis Phase of Business Analysis, two of the steps defined are "Verification" of the requirements and "Validation" of the requirements.

What is the difference?

VERIFICATION is a process that falls within the purview of Qality Control. It is a process that is used to evaluate whether the defined solution (product, service, or system) is compliant with specifications, conditions, regulations imposed at the start of a development phase. This is an internal process.

VALIDATION is a process that falls within Quality Control also, and is the process of providing the evidence that the deliverable accomplishes its intended requirements. This involves acceptance of fitness for a purpose with END USERS and other Stakeholders. Validation should be performed after verficiation, which is internal, and can involve some sign-off.

In Summary,

VERIFICATION >> Are you building it right >> Specifications are being correctly implemented by the team.
VALIDATION >> "Are you Building the Right Thing" - refers back to the users needs which is why we need Stakeholder involvement.

Business Analysis - Requirements Analysis (RA)

Requirements Analysis is generally the knee-jerk step that an inexperienced or untrained Business Analyst jumps to first. It's the tactical core of Business Analysis (along with Solution Assessment) that is very easy to skip to.

Requirements Analysis is the pillar that defines how BAs prioritize and elaborate the requriements to enable a project team to deploy a given solution that meets the needs of the sponsors.

The steps involve:

1. Prioritization of the Requirements
2. Organize the Requirements in a hierarchy that fits
3. Specify the requirements and model the requirements
4. Determine the assumptions and the constraints of the project
5. Verify the requirements with the relevant team members
6. Validate the requirements

When people read the list above, a common question is "what is the difference between VERIFICATION and VALIDATION". ?

Stay tuned...

Business Analysis - Enterprise Analysis (EA)

After RM&C and BAP&M (see posts below), Enterprise Analysis is the next stage of Business Analysis.

Essentially, a Business Analyst needs to define a business need, and refine, clarify and validate the definition of that need and define the solution scope that can be realistically deployed by the business owners. THAT is what EA is all about.

The steps are:
- Define Business Need coherently, clearly, and concisely as possible
- Assess Capability Gaps
- Determine the Approach to the Solution
- Define the Scope of the Solution
- Define the Business Case

This is a very important step in the Business Analysis Process because this is the one step that will truly let you as a BA know how valid the need is and how realistic the solution can be given the assumed resources. The BA will work with the PM later to get more detailed on the solution, timing, scope and costs.

Paging Dr. Bones

Ever since Bones used his (extremely cool) medical tricorder to get immediate readings on those that were injured around him (usually the guy in the odd-colored shirt that got beamed down to the planet) we've imagined how cool it would be to know vital signs quickly. "How cool would it be" to wave a device over someone and know if they're breathing, their heart rate, blood sugar level, and other stresses.

Looks like we're getting closer. (link)

or..umm.. Maybe not. (link)

Business Analysis - Planning and Monitor (BAP&M)

In a large scale business analysis effort, the BA not only has to perform the role of elicitation and documentation, but must effectively plan out the Business Analysis activity including a broad range of responsibilities:

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring, which is a foundational knowledge area of Business Analysis, consists of:

- Planning a Business Analysis Approach that will work for the given project

- Conduct Stakeholder Analysis (internally) to determine which stakeholders will have what level of influence and what their interests, objections may be - this is to plan for a successful endeavor since knowing the people and players involved will ultimately make or break a project.

- Plan business analysis activities - simple things like who to interview, when, how, and how to log the information, etc.

- Plan business analysis communication

- Plan the requirements management process - where are the requirements going to be logged, shared, changed and what is the process?

- Manage business analysis performance.

Business Analysis - Requirements Management and Comm. (RM&C)

The Primary "knowledge areas" of Business Analysis which makes up generally the entirety of the BA profession include (but may not be limited to):

- Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring (BAP&M)

- Requirements Management and Communication (RM&C)

- Elicitation

- Enterprise Analysis (EA)

- Solution Assessment and Validation (SA&V)

- Requirements Analysis (RA)

All of these activities are supported by the knowledge, skill, and experience of the Business Analysis, and each of these categories have a reasonable amount of flexibility as it relates to granularity, depending on the project scope and sensitivities to various industries.

The Basics of Proper Business Analysis

As a PM, you are charged with executing things well. In order to ascertain whether "what" you are executing is "what" the customer really needs, you need to have very good Business Analysis completed. It is your job as a PM to ensure that this has been accomplished.

Business Analysts are charged with the task of bridging "states". There is a problem state, and a solution state, and in order to ensure that we have a strong migration from problem to solution, Business Analysts do the following:

- Elicit (Get information from the customer)

- Analyze (Use analytical means to determine current state, future state, proven ways to achieve end result)

- Communicate (Discuss the analysis with team members, SME's and iteratively improve, refine the Business Requirements to ensure communication is as close to perfect as possible.

- Validate - Final walkthrough with the customer after iterative analysis to determine that the solution meets the problem.

Many times, this Business Analysis is done for the purpose of only two things:

- Increasing performance (of a system, group, process, mechanism, activity)

- Decreasing Cost with no adverse effect on overall performance (of system, group, process, mechanism, activity)

Near Field Communications

Looks like there has been some renewed interest lately in "NFC" - Near field communcation - which is a high frequency wireless communication technology which works for distances around 5 inches. It basically can allow an owner of a mobile phone to use the device to perform:

- mobile payments from your phone (we've heard about that for a while now)

- mobile ticketing

- smart poster - ability for an advertiser to give you something because you came close to their poster - interesting application !

- simplified bluetooth pairing - you will be able to "pair" two Bluetooth devices just by clicking "accept" rather than the current contortions.

- electronic money (vending machine application)

- identity documents

- membership cards (Costco !)

- loyalty program retention

- electronic keys.

Benefit of NFC over bluetooth include quicker acknowledgement time, and depending on the implementation, the phone can be completely off to still take advantage of NFC ( in case your battery is dead but you still want to buy the M&Ms out of the vending machine)

Downside to NFC is it is a little more restricted (bandwidth-wise) compared to Bluetooth.

Numerous challenges exist to NFC making its primetime debut, but with better cooperation from specifically the Mobile Providers and sim id<>NFC id integration, we're close to seeing some large players (besides Nokia) hit this feature.

Just add one more benefit to the mobile phone in addition to all the others we already have !

HTML5 Vs Flash - Battle Begins

HTML5 is a new standard for HTML that is newsworthy in many ways. First, it is the result of some (more than in the past) collaboration between heavyweights like Apple, Mozilla, Google and Opera. Microsoft is also leaning positively towards HTML5 as a standard they will employ- interesting because just as HTML5 is deemed as a competitor to Flash, it can also be seen in some ways as a competitor to Silverlight (MS product).

What does HTML5 bring to the table ?

- Obvious one: Support for Video embedded in the browser without the help of things like Flash

- Support for Audio

- Drag-and-Drop enhanced.

- "Web Sockets" which can facilitate pushing updates to a browser.

- Ability for web programs to perform multiple tasks at once.

- "Canvas" for better 2d graphics.

- Ability to store data on a computer for use by another app.

HTML5 still doesn't take advantage of things like GPU hardware acceleration on Windows, but let's give it time.

Essentially The question of HTML5 VERSUS Flash is open for debate at this time, but you have to give HTML5 it's due considering that YouTube is already making major inroads into it's test and conversion of videos to HTML5 standard. If you haven't tried it out and have a valid browser, I suggest you do so.

Flash will be around for a long time to come, but I think it's usefulness will go into the realm of "specialization" - a thin line to walk for Adobe. Gone are the days when it is a "no-brainer" to use Flash. Now web developers really need to understand strategic reasoning behind which method to use to achieve their goals on their sites.

Regardless of WHAT people employ, HTML5 is here and it does stuff that used to be Flash territory. And keep in mind, "HTML6" (or whatever they call it) will be here someday.... as well as the next major version of Flash.

Exciting times, and maybe some sleepless nights for the folks at Adobe.

Hello, World.

There's a surprisingly great amount of pressure when posting your first blog.

Say something wise. Something honest. Something that will change positively the lives of those who read it. I don't have much original, but I do have one (of many) favorite quotes which I'll share, and credit my son for helping me memorize.

Be careful of your thoughts - they become your words.

Be careful of your words - they become you actions.

Be careful of your actions - they become your habits.

Be careful of your habits - they become your character.

Be careful of your character - it becomes your destiny.

As great as this quote is, remember that life is not just about 'caution', but constant adjustment along that 'path'.

... and a ceaseless passion to keep pushing forward.