Project: Business Analysis and Modeling for an eBike Rental Startup

Estimated time: 4 hours

Learning objectives

After completing this project, you will be able to:

• Identify and gather requirements for a startup business
• Apply techniques for prioritizing requirements
• Develop user stories and conduct backlog refinement
• Create various modeling diagrams (ERD, UML, use case diagrams)
• Analyze and improve business processes using BPMN techniques
• Validate learning through practical application and reflection

Introduction

This project is designed to guide you through the process of requirements gathering and modeling. Using a fictional scenario, the project helps you strengthen your understanding of business analysis concepts and techniques. The project addresses key BABOK knowledge areas while incorporating Agile methodologies and various modeling approaches. By following the steps and examples provided, you will develop a clearer understanding and greater confidence in applying business analysis techniques effectively.

Scenario

You will work on a scenario involving a (fictitious) startup company that specializes in renting e-bikes. Mobi-e-rides is a startup that focuses on providing eco-friendly transportation solutions by renting e-bikes to enthusiasts and tourists. The company plans to launch in a metropolitan area with a high demand for sustainable transport options.

Software used for this project

We recommend using Microsoft's “Word for the Web,” one of the most used online word-processing software applications worldwide. To access this application, you will need to sign up for a free Microsoft 365 account. For instructions on how to sign up for a free account, click here. For step-by-step guidance on getting started with Word Online, click here. You can alternatively use any word-processing software or text editor for this exercise.

You will need the free version of Lucidchart to complete this project. If you choose to purchase a paid plan, you will be responsible for any associated charges. If you've not yet signed up for the free account, you can follow the instructions to get started.

Template to use

If you're using Microsoft Word, you can download the Final project_template.docx. Right-click the link and download the file. You can use the template to perform the tasks outlined in the project.

If you're using any other word-processing software, you can download the PDF format. Right-click the link to open the PDF in a new tab.

Let's begin.

Instructions

The tasks in the projects are aligned with the following key generic steps in the process of requirements gathering and modeling:

• Identifying stakeholders for requirement gathering
• Drafting interview questions for gathering requirements
• Employing techniques for requirements prioritization
• Traceability tools for requirements
• Conducting effective interviews
• Facilitating workshops
• Observation techniques
• Designing surveys
• Prototyping
• Use case diagrams
• Mapping out business processes

Step 1: Identifying stakeholders for requirement gathering

In this step, you will identify potential stakeholders for the eBike rental startup, such as:

• Customers (enthusiasts)
• Business owners
• Employees (maintenance, rental agents)
• Local government (for permits and regulations)
• Investors

Task: Identify at least five stakeholders and define their interests regarding the eBike rental service.

Hints

• Consider what each stakeholder expects from the service
• Think about how different stakeholders might have conflicting interests

Step 2 Drafting interview questions for gathering requirements

In this step, you will draft questions to gather requirements from different stakeholders. You can consider appropriate assumptions.

Task: Create a list of at least six open-ended questions (two for each of the three key stakeholders) to gather business requirements.

Hints

• Think about what each stakeholder group hopes to achieve. Ask questions that help uncover their primary needs and priorities.
• Open-ended questions are drafted to invite stakeholders to elaborate on their responses. Avoid yes-or-no questions; instead, ask “how” or “what” to encourage elaborate answers.
• You can include follow-up questions that can be asked to a stakeholder after the response to an initial question. based on responses.

Note: In a real-world project, a business analyst can conduct interviews with key stakeholders to gather requirements. You may put yourself in the role of a business stakeholder and presume what kind of questions might come up.

Step 3: Employing techniques for requirements prioritization

Consider the following requirements gathered from different stakeholders:

• User-friendly booking system
• Customer loyalty program
• Mobile app for rentals
• Payment processing functionality
• Integration with local tourist attractions
• Bike availability tracking
• GPS tracking for individual bikes at launch

Task: Prioritize the given requirements using the MoSCoW (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won't have) technique

Note: In a real-world project, a business analyst can discuss with stakeholders what features are essential for launch and validate prioritization with stakeholders to ensure alignment.

Step 4: Traceability tools for requirements

Considering the required assumptions from your end, create a requirements traceability matrix to track the status of each requirement. Ensure each requirement is linked to its corresponding stakeholder.

Hints

• Include columns for requirement ID, description, stakeholder, status, and comments
• Consider making required assumptions and status and comments

Step 5: Facilitating workshops

Mobi-e-rides is considering organizing a workshop with stakeholders to elicit and validate requirements.

Task: Develop an agenda and draft some notes that a business analyst could have taken during the workshop. Consider making the required assumptions about the agenda and notes of the meetings.

Hints

• Recall the requirements stated for the different stakeholders in the previous steps. The agenda and notes can be drafted around them.

Note: In a real-world project, a business analyst can use brainstorming techniques to encourage participation from different stakeholders. They can have a facilitator guide the discussion to keep it on track.

Step 6: Observation techniques

In a real-world project, business analysts should spend time observing existing rental services (if available) to understand their processes.

They should document the observations that could influence your business model. They should also focus on customer interactions and processes that seem inefficient or confusing.

Step 7: Designing surveys

Task: Create a survey to gather broader input from potential customers. Try to draft at least five questions.

Hints

• Include a mix of multiple-choice and open-ended questions
• Try drafting the survey using online tools like Google Forms or SurveyMonkey

Note: In a real-world project, a business analyst should collect responses and analyze them.

Step 8: Prototyping [Optional]

Task: You can try developing low-fidelity prototypes (wireframes) for your website or app. Try to reflect on at least five key features identified in earlier steps.

Hints

• Try using tools like Figma to create prototypes

Step 9: Modeling business processes

Task: Identify entities such as customers, rentals, payments, and maintenance logs. Create an entity relationship diagram (ERD) to represent data relationships.

Hints

• Use tools like Lucidchart or Draw.io for diagramming
• Clearly define relationships between entities

Step 10: Use case diagram

Task: Identify actors involved in the eBike rental system and create use case diagrams. Include at least five use cases with descriptions.

Hints

• Actors can be customers, admin staff, or maintenance personnel
• Define what actions each actor can perform in the system

Step 11: Mapping out business processes

Task: Map out key business processes using BPMN techniques. Create a flowchart detailing the rental process from customer arrival to bike return.

Hints

• Identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies in the current process
• Consider how automation could improve these processes

Step 12: Systems analysis

Task

• Conduct a systems analysis to evaluate the technical requirements, constraints, and potential solutions for the eBike rental system
• Create a report detailing the findings of your analysis, including any technical challenges that may arise and proposed solutions

Hints

• Consider appropriate assumptions about the system's capabilities
• Consider scalability, security, and integration with existing technologies

Example:

Scenario: One critical component of the eBike rental service is the user registration and authentication system. This will allow customers to create accounts, manage their profiles, and securely log in to access rental services.

Analysis:

1. Requirements gathering:
   • Functional requirements:
     • Users should be able to register using email or social media accounts
     • The system must allow users to update their profiles (for example, personal information, and payment methods)
     • Users need to log in securely with password protection and two-factor authentication (2FA)
   • Nonfunctional requirements:
     • The registration process should be completed within five minutes
     • The system should handle up to 10,000 simultaneous user registrations without performance degradation
2. Stakeholder analysis:
   • Customers: Expect a seamless registration experience with privacy protection
   • Admin staff: Need access to user data for management but want to ensure data security
   • IT staff: Require a manageable system that integrates smoothly with existing databases
3. Current system evaluation:
   • If there is an existing manual registration process (for example, paper forms), it is time-consuming and prone to errors. The new system must eliminate these issues by automating user registrations
4. Technology assessment:
   • Consider using a cloud-based identity management service
   • Evaluate database solutions (for example, PostgreSQL or MongoDB) that can store user credentials securely
5. Risk analysis:
   • Potential risks include data breaches due to weak passwords or inadequate encryption
   • Operational risks involve users struggling with the new registration process, leading to abandoned accounts
     
6. Proposed solutions:
   • Implement a cloud-based authentication service that provides robust security features
   • Use encryption methods (for example, bcrypt) for storing user passwords securely
   • Create user-friendly documentation and tutorials to help customers navigate the registration process effectively

Step 13: Reflection and validation

Task: Write a reflective essay on what you learned through this project. Discuss how you would apply these skills in a real-world scenario.

Hints

• Reflect on challenges faced and how they were

Summary

Congratulations on completing the final project. In this project, you conducted a business analysis and modeling for an eBike rental startup.

Here is an exemplar you can refer to for the solution. Right-click the link and open the PDF in a new tab. Please remember that the exemplar is just a point of view and not a definitive solution.