The human side of Functional Analysis

Unlock Advanced Information Gathering Techniques in the Context of Functional Analysis: Enhancing Stakeholder Engagement, Interview Skills, and Workshop Facilitation.
Elevate your proficiency as a functional analyst in gathering and utilizing information to drive strategic decision-making and effective solution development.
Equip yourself with empathy and precision to lead transformative change in dynamic business environments.

Training type: Open session and In Company

This training will enable you to:

  • Understand and differentiate between various InfoGathering techniques such as existing documentation, shadowing, surveys, interviews, and workshops
  • Learn how to combine InfoGathering techniques effectively to gather comprehensive and accurate information based on the context of FA, knowing when and why to use each technique.
  • Develop skills in stakeholder management, including strategies for identifying and prioritizing stakeholders’ needs and expectations.
  • Gain proficiency in change management relevant to implementing FA insights and recommendations.
  • Master interview techniques, including defining expected outcomes, planning, executing, and following up on interviews.
  • Understand the structure of effective interviews, tailored to various types of interviewees.
  • Learn strategies to handle resistance and counterarguments during interviews, and develop empathy skills to enhance communication with interviewees.
  • Explore different types of workshops such as brainstorming, SWOT analysis, KISS (Keep-Improve-Start-Stop), process description, focus groups, and validation prototyping (wireframes), understanding their purposes and advantages.
  • Compare and contrast Greenfield and Reference model workshops, and understand when each is appropriate for different project scenarios.
  • Develop a structured approach to conducting workshops
  • Acquire skills in workshop facilitation, including how to structure workshops effectively to achieve desired outcomes.
  • Evaluate the differences between conducting workshops online versus in-person
  • Enhance empathy skills to better understand and engage with workshop participants, recognizing and accommodating different participant types.
  • Integrate workshop outcomes into the Functional Analysis process, translating workshop insights into actionable steps for development and implementation.

Pedagogical approach

This training mixes theory and practice. Each theme is first introduced based on the most up-to-date field knowledge, and various examples are added from the trainer’s own experience.
The concepts and methodologies are then experienced in workshops, on a fictional case. The participants can practice and interact about their own understanding and experience of the concepts. The workshops are rounded up by feedback and debate sessions that allow everyone to put their own practice into perspective.

Content

Day 1

  • Overview of InfoGathering techniques
  • Existing documentation / Shadowing / Surveys / Interviews / Workshops Pros & cons / When and why to use them
  • Combining InfoGathering techniques
  • InfoGathering for Functional Analysis: what and when
  • Stakeholder Management
  • Adoption & Change Management
  • Interview techniques & expected outcomes
  • Interview process (Plan, prepare, execute, follow-up)
  • Interview structure (introduction, body, closure)
  • Dealing with resistance, Counterarguments
  • Empathy skills – types of interviewees

Day 2

  • Workshop techniques
  • Types of workshops (Pros & cons)
  • Brainstorm / Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) / Keep-Improve-Start-Stop (KISS) / Process Description / Focus Groups / Validation Prototyping (Wireframes)
  • Greenfield vs Reference model
  • Workshop process (preparation, execution, post-processing)
  • Workshop structure (how to structure and lead workshops)
  • Online vs InPerson workshops
  • Empathy skills – types of participants

This training is aimed for

  • Functional analysts

No prerequisites are required.