Document Analysis

Document analysis is a facilitation technique for elicitation that involves reviewing existing documentation to gather information relevant to the business analysis effort. This includes examining policies, procedures, manuals, system documentation, organizational charts, and any other materials that provide insight into the current state of the business processes, systems, and organizational structures. Through document analysis, business analysts can uncover historical data, understand existing workflows, identify previously documented requirements, and recognize any gaps or inconsistencies in the available information. This technique is particularly useful for understanding regulatory requirements, compliance standards, and legal constraints that impact the project. Conducting document analysis helps in building a foundational knowledge base, reducing the need to 'reinvent the wheel', and ensuring that any new requirements are aligned with existing documentation. It can also reveal assumptions made in past projects, lessons learned, and best practices that can be applied to the current initiative. The process involves systematically collecting relevant documents, organizing them for review, and extracting pertinent information. The analyst may create summaries, highlight key points, or develop models based on the findings. It's important to verify the currency and accuracy of the documents, as outdated information can lead to incorrect conclusions. Document analysis is often used in conjunction with other elicitation techniques. For example, the findings from document analysis can inform the questions asked during interviews or workshops. It provides a factual basis that can be validated or expanded upon through interactions with stakeholders. Overall, document analysis is a cost-effective way to gather detailed information, especially when access to stakeholders is limited. It ensures that the business analysis is grounded in existing knowledge and contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the organizational context and requirements.