This part will cover the diverse forms of requirements and the sources from which a business analyst can discover them.

Who is Business Analyst

Salesforce Business Analysts are highly skilled professionals who play a critical role in the success of Salesforce implementations. They have a deep understanding of both business and technology, and they are able to bridge the gap between the two. Salesforce Business Analysts are in high demand, and they can command a high salary. If you are interested in a career in Salesforce, becoming a Salesforce BA is a great option. Following are the main responsibilities of BA.

• Understanding project context and characteristics for effective planning.
• Identifying user requirement sources for a better scope understanding.
• Prior planning leads to understanding scope, stakeholder expectations, and analysis workload.
• Creating a well-thought-out business analysis roadmap for success.
• Business needs are gaps between current state and expected goals.
• Activity occurs in project planning or pre-project phase.
• Planning to identify good quality sources for business needs and requirements.
• Sources include stakeholders, documents, existing processes, observations etc.

Type of requirements

Business requirements:

An example of this is if you are implementing a new system or functionality. These requirements are the most complex to understand, as there are too many unknowns. These requirements describe the high-level functionality that the business needs.

Stakeholder requirements:

Also called user requirements, these are features and functions that the users need and specify how they interact with the system. Getting to know the stakeholders’ needs and wants is critical because, often, they may not be able to articulate them clearly. This is very critical as stakeholder requirements are later translated into system requirements. Any flaws here get amplified at later stages and result in rework.

System requirements:

These requirements describe the characteristics of the solution. There are two types of system requirements:

Functional: Describes a specific set of capabilities

Non-functional: Describes the characteristics

Transition requirements:

These are transient requirements and are needed for a short period. Make sure that you discuss and get details around transition requirements. They are essential and critical to project success.

Source where BA can identify requirements

► Stakeholder Identification

► Organizational Exploration

► Evaluation of Current System Utilization

► End User Identification

► Breakdown of User Needs

► Walkthrough of System Functionality

► Engaging in Active Participation

► Assessment of Pre-existing Systems

► Taking Notes and Documentation

► Acknowledging Assumptions

► Participation in Meetings

Tips for success

✩ Understand Needs:

Identify the requirements of the business to provide effective solutions.

✩ Gain Trust:

Build a strong rapport with stakeholders to establish trust, fostering a successful analysis effort.

✩ Early Engagement:

Initiate the trust-building process early in the business analysis work.

✩ Know Stakeholders:

Acquire knowledge about stakeholders through organizational charts and social profiles.

✩ Scheduled Meetings:

Set up meetings in advance, considering suitable time, location, and communication medium.

✩ Agenda Preparation:

Create and share meeting agendas a day or so before the meeting.

✩ Meeting Facilitation:

Encourage active participation and mediate conflicts during discussions.

✩ Note-Taking:

Assign a skilled team member to take notes and distribute meeting minutes.

✩ Follow-Up:

Ensure clarity and consensus on high-level requirements through follow-up as needed.

✩ Avoid Solution Design:

Focus on understanding business requirements rather than designing solutions.

✩ Highlight Constraints:

If a requirement isn’t feasible due to design constraints, communicate it honestly and put it aside for later discussion.

✩ Design Thinking Approach:

Prioritize people’s needs over feasibility, emphasizing usability and user experience.

✩ Comprehensive Understanding:

Aim to grasp the complete situation without immediately suggesting options or solutions.

✩ End User and Stakeholder Input:

Seek input from end users and stakeholders on how their needs benefit them and their business unit.

✩ Workaround Evaluation:

Determine whether workarounds exist for unmet needs and understand their implications