Document Analysis

Document Analysis: A Comprehensive Guide for PMI-PBA Exam

Document Analysis: Understanding its Importance in Business Analysis

Document analysis is a critical elicitation technique in business analysis that involves reviewing existing documentation to gain insights into business processes, requirements, and organizational context.

Why Document Analysis is Important

1. Historical Context: Provides background information about past decisions and existing systems
2. Efficiency: Leverages existing knowledge rather than starting from scratch
3. Gap Identification: Helps identify inconsistencies between current documentation and actual practices
4. Reduced Bias: Offers objective information not influenced by stakeholder perspectives
5. Time-Saving: Can uncover requirements faster than interviews alone

What Document Analysis Involves

Document analysis is the systematic review of existing documentation to extract relevant information for your current project. This includes:

- Business plans and strategic documents
- Process documentation and workflows
- Existing system specifications
- User manuals and training materials
- Reports and performance metrics
- Organizational charts and job descriptions
- Policies and procedures
- Industry standards and regulations
- Previous project artifacts

How Document Analysis Works

1. Identify relevant documents: Determine which documents contain information pertinent to your project
2. Obtain access: Secure proper authorization to access confidential or restricted documents
3. Review systematically: Examine documents thoroughly using a structured approach
4. Extract information: Identify and document key requirements, processes, rules, and constraints
5. Validate findings: Verify accuracy of information through other elicitation techniques
6. Document gaps: Note areas where documentation is missing, outdated, or contradictory
7. Incorporate insights: Integrate findings into your requirements documentation

Advantages of Document Analysis

- Provides objective, unfiltered information
- Uncovers requirements that stakeholders might forget to mention
- Helps establish a baseline understanding of current systems
- Identifies existing business rules and constraints
- Minimizes disruption to stakeholders' schedules

Limitations to Consider

- Documents may be outdated or inaccurate
- Some knowledge might be tacit and not documented
- Documentation might reflect intended rather than actual processes
- Volume of documentation can be overwhelming
- May require additional context from subject matter experts

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Document Analysis

1. Recognize when document analysis is appropriate:
- Best used early in the project lifecycle
- Ideal when access to stakeholders is limited
- Useful for understanding existing systems and processes

2. Understand its relationship with other techniques:
- Often used before interviews to prepare informed questions
- Complements observation by providing context
- Findings typically need validation through other techniques

3. Know the specific documents to analyze in different scenarios:
- For process improvement: workflow diagrams, SOPs, performance reports
- For system replacement: system specifications, user manuals, error logs
- For compliance projects: regulations, policies, audit reports

4. Remember potential pitfalls:
- Overreliance on outdated documentation
- Failing to verify documentation accuracy
- Missing undocumented processes or requirements

5. Focus on PMI-PBA exam context:
- Document analysis is considered an elicitation technique
- It's part of the Needs Assessment domain
- Questions may test your ability to select appropriate documents for specific scenarios
- Be prepared to identify when to use document analysis vs. other techniques

When answering exam questions, always consider the project context, stakeholder availability, and the nature of information needed when determining if document analysis is the appropriate technique to use in a given scenario.