Instructor Notes Module 2: Identifying
Business Processes, Challenges, and
Vision
Introduction
This module provides students with an overview of the process they will use in
the course to gather, analyze, and present business requirements.
The module also introduces business processes, business challenges, and vision
statements. Each of these concepts is introduced at a high-level and will be
refined later in the course.
Students also read the Ferguson and Bardell, Inc. case study for the first time.
Use the content and activities to provide students with a high-level view of
what they will be doing in the course and how to develop a big picture of a
business.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
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Describe the general process and deliverables when gathering, analyzing,
and presenting business requirements.
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Identify business processes.
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Identify business challenges.
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Create a preliminary vision statement.

Materials and Preparation
This section provides you with the materials and preparation needed to teach
this module.
Materials
To teach this module, you need the following materials:
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Instructor Notes Module 2: Identifying Business Processes, Challenges, and Vision 3

Activities
This section provides procedures for implementing interactive activities to
present or review information, such as games, simulations, or role-playing
exercises.
Activity 2.1: Reviewing the Process
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To prepare for the activity
1. Complete the activity.
2. Write down examples from your own experience that illustrate how you
have gathered, analyzed, and presented business requirements.

This is a short activity. The activity provides you with an opportunity to gauge
students’ understanding of the overall process. Students do not need to know
specific details at this point. They should be aware that they will step through
each part of the process in the following modules.

Activity 2.2: Identifying Business Processes
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To prepare for the activity
1. Read the Ferguson and Bardell, Inc. case study.
The main business processes are accounting, invoicing/billing, and support
systems such as e-mail.
Questions for Class Discussion
The following questions can help start a discussion of the activity:
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What guidelines do you have from your previous project experiences in
developing a business challenge?
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What challenges did you have in writing a concise vision statement?

Instructor Notes Module 2: Identifying Business Processes, Challenges, and Vision 5

Module Strategy
Use the following strategy to present this module:
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Gathering, Analyzing, and Presenting Business Requirements
This section serves as an introduction to the process of gathering, analyzing,
and presenting business requirements that students will use throughout the
course. It introduces the concept of aligning business and technology groups
and using a process to develop solutions to business and technology
challenges.
Remind students that they will be delving into each part of the process in the
modules that follow. Avoid getting into any detail at this point. Emphasize
the deliverables along the way. Indicate the module in which you will cover
each step in more detail so that students can see the course flow.
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Activity 2.1, "Reviewing the Process"
This activity serves as an opportunity for you to learn more about students’
work experience and to assess their understanding of the overall process. If
students have not had much business experience gathering and analyzing
requirements, you will need to use examples from your own experience.
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