Home Software Development The Importance of Business Analysis for Successful Product Delivery

The Importance of Business Analysis for Successful Product Delivery

The Importance of Business Analysis for Successful Product Delivery

Software product delivery is a complex and challenging process that requires meticulous planning and execution. The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) states that high-performing organizations utilize business analysis 190% more often and report a 65% return on investment (ROI) or greater than the average. 

To ensure successful delivery of software products, businesses need to focus on gathering, analyzing, and interpreting relevant data that drives decision-making. Here is where business analysis comes into play. 

In this article, we’ll define business analysis, observe its importance in successful software product delivery, and provide three use cases where it can make a difference.

What is business analysis?

Business analysis is the process of identifying and analyzing the needs of a business and translating them into solutions that meet those needs. 

Business analysts use various techniques and tools to gather and analyze information, such as stakeholder interviews, process modeling, data analysis, and requirements gatherin, with the ultimate goal of helping organizations make better decisions and improve their overall performance.

What are the benefits of business analysis in product delivery?

There are numerous benefits of using business analysis in successful software product delivery. 

Below we are listing at least five of them. 

The Importance of Business Analysis

Improved requirements management

Ensuring the proper requirements are prioritized and accurately documented helps to reduce the risk of missed data and delays in the project. When the development team clearly understands what they need to deliver, they can focus on building software that meets both business needs and user expectations.

Better stakeholder engagement

Business analysis improves the engagement of stakeholders at each stage of the project development and delivery. It ensures that stakeholders are fully involved in the requirements process, enabling them to provide feedback and steer the project’s direction. This results in increased buy-in, satisfaction, and adoption of the final product.

Improved project outcomes

Business analysis helps to identify potential project risks early in the development process. It allows the team to proactively mitigate risks and develop contingency plans to avoid potential project failures, resulting in increased project success rates, proper delivery timing, and cost savings.

Enhanced collaboration

Business analysis fosters better collaboration between business and technical teams. It provides a common language and understanding of requirements, enabling teams to work together effectively. As a result, a business gains improved communication, increased team productivity, and faster time-to-market.

Increased ROI

Business analysis ensures that software products meet business needs, which impacts the increased ROI of the project. By delivering software that addresses the most critical business needs and user expectations, the project provides value to stakeholders and drives long-term success.

Business analysis in product delivery: use cases 

Let’s explore some practical use cases where business analysis can have a positive impact on successful software product delivery, along with real-world industry examples:

Streamlining requirements gathering

A major challenge in software product delivery is accurately identifying and prioritizing requirements. Business analysis can help streamline this process by leveraging techniques like user stories, personas, and use cases. 

For example, a team of business analysts working on banking software might use user stories to identify specific features and functionality that customers need, such as the ability to transfer money between accounts. By gathering and prioritizing these requirements, the development team can focus on delivering the features that will greatly impact user satisfaction.

Managing project risks

Risk management is another area where business analysis can make a significant difference. 

A business analyst working on a complex enterprise software implementation might identify potential risks related to technical feasibility, data quality, or user adoption. The business analyst can help the development team avoid costly delays or project failures by developing mitigation strategies for these risks. 

One real-world example is when the UK National Health Service (NHS) implemented a new electronic patient record system. The project was initially delayed due to issues with data quality and system integration. During their research, the analysts interviewed patients and professionals involved with the project and analyzed data from various sources. They discovered that determining what should be included in the records had presented challenges, and ensuring that the data were both complete and accurate had been a significant undertaking.

Business analysis, in this case, helped identify and mitigate risks, which helped the project to succeed.

Facilitating stakeholder engagement

Successful software product delivery requires effective communication and collaboration between a wide range of stakeholders, including business owners, users, and technical staff. Business analysis can facilitate this engagement by providing a common language and framework for discussing requirements and project objectives. 

A business analyst working on a new online marketplace might use stakeholder analysis to identify key stakeholders and their specific needs. 

An example of such a use case can be the development of the Alexa voice assistant. Within the development of such a complex software solution, business analysts should work closely with business leaders, product managers, and development teams to define and prioritize features based on user needs and feedback. It helps ensure that the final product will be useful and intuitive.

These examples demonstrate how business analysis can positively impact software product delivery. By focusing on requirements gathering, risk management, and stakeholder engagement, business analysts help ensure that software products are delivered on time, within budget, and meet the needs of users and stakeholders.

Conclusion 

We’ve defined business analysis, observed its importance in successful software product delivery, and provided three use cases where it can make a difference.

Using business analysis in successful software product delivery leads to a better understanding of business needs, reduced risk, increased stakeholder engagement, streamlined ROI, and better project outcomes.

At Kanda, we offer analytics services to assist clients in obtaining actionable insights that promote business agility and competitive advantage. Our scalable, secure, and agile business analysis solutions are tailored to meet the specific business objectives of our clients. Talk to the experts to thrive in a data-driven world.

Back to All Posts