Unit $3-$ Learning Activity: Discussion

Defining Current State, Gaps and Determining the Future State

Due no later than $11$:$00$ PM EST Sunday of Unit $3$ or as directed by the professor

Value: $3\%$ of final grade

Background

This unit explores the concepts of the current state, future state, and gaps. The depth of knowledge embedded in these concepts spans the field of business analysis and can be likened to initiating and validating a project at the closing phase. Students need to establish their foundation here and continue to delve deeper on a case$-$by$-$case basis to build the competencies of a business analyst. Understanding the current state is crucial as it forms the basis for stakeholder needs and serves as a benchmark for measuring improvement. The business analysts facilitation and negotiation skills are required to work with stakeholders to define and determine the gaps that need to be filled to achieve the desired future state. While students are expected to present this in groups, they should be able to provide examples of features needed in products to signify improvement or an upgrade from existing ones.

Activity

Students will engage in an asynchronous online discussion forum set up for this purpose in the LMS in which they are to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts of the current state, future state, and gaps by describing in their initial post examples of products in their current state, suggesting new features needed in these products to signify improvement or an upgrade to the current state. Expectations will be that students will need to post their initial individual responses by mid$-$week $($Thursday$),$ and that they must respond to at least two other initial responses, or secondary responses of other students, arguing for or against the suggested improvements, before the end of the week $($Sunday$).$