The Organisational Context

Prerequisites:

Those wishing to acquire a basic level of understanding about business and its workings.

Those wishing to attain the ISEB Certificate in the Organisational Context. (These delegates should also book on course code TOCEX-1). Candidates with special examination requirements should consult the ISEB web site (www.iseb.org.uk) for the ISEB Special Needs policy. Note that the ISEB must be advised at least four weeks in advance of any special requirements.

There are no specific pre-requisites for this course.

Course Description:

In order to create beneficial change in today's dynamic business environment, it is necessary for business analysts to understand the organisational context in which they operate. Organisations are becoming increasingly dependent on information systems and the technology associated with them, but will fail to capitalise on them if business solutions developed do not relate closely to the business needs, legislative constraints and business structure.

This course examines those aspects of commerce that directly affect the way any business operates, from initial start up through to maturity. Many delegates will come from large, well established organisations where procedures and processes exist to ensure that funds are available and are invested wisely. However, many of these aspects will not be appreciated or recognised and business solutions may not be as effective as they could be.

At the end of the course delegates may sit an examination to attain the ISEB Business Systems Development certificate in the Organisational Context. (These delegates should also book on course code TOCEX-1). This course may be taken as part of the programme leading to the ISEB Diploma in Business Analysis.

This is an intensive three-day course with a combination of lectures, in-class exercises, and case studies.
Those delegates taking the ISEB certificate will need to spend 60-90 minutes each evening on revision and example examination questions.

The recommended combination and sequence of courses for delegates wishing to complete the programme leading to the ISEB Business Analysis Diploma is either (1) The Organisational Context, Business Analysis Essentials, Modelling Business Processes and Requirements Engineering or (2) The Organisational Context, Business Analysis Essentials and Business Systems Analysis using UML

This course includes the following modules:

Types of Business Organisations

• Sole Traders
• Partnerships
• Private Sector
• Public Sector
• Not for Profit

Law and Government

• What is Law
• Criminal and Civil Law
• Legislative process in the UK

Structure and Management of Organisations

• Functional
• Project
• Matrix
• Virtual
• Depth of Structure
• Centralisation / Decentralisation

Professions and Professional Bodies

• Legal Status; Reservation of Title and Function
• Professional bodies that influence the IT industry

Business Functions

• Sales
• Marketing
• Operations
• Procurement
• Finance
• Human Resources
• IT

Financing a Start-up Company

• Why capital is needed
• The Business Plan or strategy
• Sources of Finance

Legal Issues

• Anti-discrimination legislation
• Software Contracts and Liability
• Intellectual Property rights
• Data Protection
• Privacy and Freedom of Information
• Internet Issues
• Computer misuse

Investment Appraisal

• The justification process
• Business cases
• Costs
• Benefits
• Appraisal methods - payback, net present value, internal rate of return
• Discounting
• Example cost/benefit analysis

Financial Acounting

• Capital Expenditure
• Asset
• Liability
• Basic ledgers
• Profit and Loss Account
• Balance Sheet

Management Accounting

• Types of Costing - Standard, Variable, Marginal
• Overheads
• Principles of Budgeting
• Cashflow Forecasting

Performance Measurement

• Financial Ratios
• ROTA, ROCE, Liquidity, Gearing

Case Study

• A case study is used throughout to provide continuity and working examples of the topic areas