Nokes, S: Definitive Guide to Business Analysis and Action: Financial Times Series

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Introduction and description of the problem
Describes the need for analysis, problem solving and implementation planning in business. Gives recent examples of when each of these have failed. Shows the importance of an integrated approach to the three activities - "an unimplemented solution is worse than no solution because it's the same as no solution but more expensive, allays justified fears, and ends up feeling embarrassing."
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Pre-Analysis- problem identification and description
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This chapter gives some rules of thumb for identifying and describing the right domain for analysis. It introduces several key notions that are developed in later sections of the book. These include scenarios, real options, measurement and its limitations, and the difference between structured and unstructured business problems. The chapter also discusses the roles of experience and inexperience, and the skill set of the analysts and business managers.
Real Life - Analysis, Problem Solving and Implementation in the Business Corporation
There are many approaches to business analysis and problem solving. One of the main problems in using any of these techniques in real life at work, however, is that work is different. Often when the corporation says that it wants "out of the box" analysis it behaves as if it means analysis from out of the same box of tools that produced the last failed analysis, not analysis from outside the box of traditional thinking.
The psychological aspects include those that predispose groups and individuals to buy-in to new ideas, the so-called "soft skills", and this chapter reviews what soft skills are needed for effective business analysis in the corporate environment.
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Key concepts in this chapter are:
- the budget (annual, rolling, annual with updates).
- measurement systems.
- sales plans.
- revenue recognition.
- cost allocations.
- incentivisation and compensation.
- organizational structures.
- account planning.
- sales, marketing and linkage to the rest of the business.
- sales targets.
- shared revenue.
Data Gathering – tools, techniques and approaches.
This chapter describes the main data gathering techniques. Each of these is described, with a list of do's and don'ts, and standard templates for executing data gathering.
A key feature of this chapter is how to use opinion to aim at the right data. Novices to analysis tend to believe that hard data rather than opinion is essential in problem solving; it certainly is, but in hard to analyze problems the most efficient way to get to the right information is to start with people's opinions. To do this safely requires knowing how to use opinion as a guide to usable, balanced information. This chapter shows that.
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Business Analysis
This chapter introduces the following tools:
- quantitative business analysis;
- WWWWWH
- scenario analysis;
- industry analysis;
- business unit analysis;
- country analysis;
- product / market analysis;
- new business analysis;
- trend analysis;
- Porter's 5 forces
- Seven S framework;
- SWOT, PEST, etc
- Mission analysis
- Schwerpunkt-based schematic analysis
- An overview of quantitative and statistical methods
- New revenue opportunity analysis
- Profit improvement analysis
- Risk analysis
- Organizational analysis - organizational structure
- Organizational analysis - relationships between people
- Character analysis of an individual business person
- Intelligence analysis
- Systems analysis
- Regulatory analysis
- Governance analysis
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- The use of indicators and warnings
The Aldersgate Framework for Problem Solving
This chapter introduces the Aldersgate framework which integrates analysis, problem solving and delivery planning into a single systematic framework. The chapter explains how these three stages impact and depend on each other. Secondly, the chapter gives a general architecture of problems, which enables the reader to recognize different types of problems and analysis needs, and select the optimal toolset for tackling them.
This chapter gives roadmaps for using all the problem solving techniques used in business today, which may be loosely classed as designed to attack either structured problems or unstructured problems.
This chapter introduces the following tools:
- Essential financial features of business analysis. (If it isn't going to make a profit or create a strategic option, don't do it.)
- Gap analysis
- Brainstorming
- Analogy
- Synectics
- Proof by contradiction
- Decision trees
- Work breakdown techniques
- Logical analysis
- Mathematical and statistical techniques
- Software tools, including Inspiration and Idea Fisher.
- Word association
- Idea mapping
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Interlude - a seven week course to develop your mind
This chapter gives seven techniques, which between them are suitable for a wide variety of personality types. This chapter describes some of the common problems that managers experience in improving the powers of analysis and problem solving, such as sub-optimal focus and concentration, and gives a techniques for improvment. These techniques are:
1 - setting personal business goals.
2 - SAFR -Stop, Assess, Focus, Review
3 - Internal mentoring
4 - Mental Maths Gym
5 - Read anyone's character in 7 days
6 - Focus though reading
7 - Behaviour and language
Getting the rubber to hit the road - implementation, delivery, results.
From the preceding chapters we have a solution based on a sound analysis. All that work is wasted if there is no effective implementation. Communication is the bedrock of implementation:
- The results of analysis need to be communicated effectively or they are as nothing.
- This chapter gives three ready-made templates for presenting the findings of business analysis.
- There are also guidelines on how to present findings for results. Two common pitfalls are that results are ignored because expectations have not been properly managed or results of analysis lead to no action because the right desire for action has not been bred. It is part of the responsibilities of the business analyst to manage these issues.
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Post-implementation adjustments - ensuring many harvests.
Implementation is not the end of implementation. However good the implementation of a plan, and however good the plan, it will be necessary to make continual adjustemts and changes. There are many reasons for this, one being that the world just does change, another being that the world reacts toeven charges for thebetter, and what was best yesterday is no more than good today.
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This closing chapter explains the importnace and necessity of post-implementation reviews. It sets out three models for use in different kinds of situation, and shows how to hook the plan for ongoing harvesting of all that follows from the original business analysis into continuous learning and knowledge management models.
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Case Study - Business Analysis at Easyjet
Subject to getting access
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Case Study - Problem solving at Marks & Spencer
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Case Study - Delivery at the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit
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