At NITM we take pride in providing our clients with helpful tools that can be used collaboratively or individually. Many of our tools are spread across both the technical and business spaces. Today we will discuss a very useful technique you can use as part of your business analysis activities.

What is Business Analysis?

Business analysis is a catch-all term describing a combination of knowledge, techniques, and tasks employed for identifying business needs. , then proposing changes and creating solutions that result in value for your clients and customers. Once you have your idea validated, using business analysis skills will help you break down problems and better plan your path to market.

What is Brainstorming?

Brainstorming is an excellent way to foster creative thinking about a problem. Brainstorming aims to produce numerous new ideas, and to derive from them themes for further analysis.

Why is it important?

Ever feel like you are stuck in a rut not being able to move forward with a product or an idea? Or a proposal you are writing? Or trying to fix a pesky bug that QA brought to your notice 1 week ago? This could happen to the best of us, in any industry and at any time.

This is where a quick brainstorming session helps. Brainstorming is a group or individual activity performed to generate ideas, act as input for root cause analysis, and propose solutions focused on a single issue. 

Not to mention, Brainstorming works as a key underlying technique for other business analysis techniques including SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis, PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental) analysis for identifying outside factors that could provide opportunities or roadblocks for you, etc.

During a brainstorming group activity, participants are allowed to express their ideas freely with no questions asked to explain or defend their concepts.

For example, not sure what your business model will be? Try brainstorming a few ideas with colleagues or on your own. Would it make sense to make money by advertising on your mobile app? How about determining whether a per seat or per organization billing model is the best business model? Brainstorming allows you to think through many possibilities and eventually select the best one.

What tools can I use?

A good ol’ fashioned whiteboard is the fundamental tool to use in a brainstorming session. The key is to visibly record all ideas being generated.

Online tools such as the following are widely used now.

• Microsoft Whiteboard
• Lucidspark
• Google Jamboard
• Mural

How can we help?

We are experienced with analyzing various options from our years of experience, certifications, and education. We work closely with our clients to ensure their concerns, ideas, and perspectives are heard. In doing so, we can provide relevant feedback and help guide solutions. We take care to understand that we are merely part of the process and are here to collaboratively find solutions.

References

• BABOK by IIBA
• Whizlabs: Best Business Analysis Techniques
• AnalyticsSteps: 8 Most Popular Business Analysis Techniques Used by Business Analysts