Diagramming

• Before you can begin to document system requirements, you must first understand the current process and future (desired) process.
• Diagramming is an excellent tool to quickly document business processes and obtain feedback and agreement from the stakeholders.
• It allows you to solidify ideas and streamline processes by visually communicating the steps needed to execute an idea.

1. What is a Diagram?

• A diagram is a visual representation, or model, of a workflow and outlines the individual steps or components within a process.
• Diagramming uses standard symbols to represent activities and arrows to depict the sequential flow between them.

2. Why Use a Diagrams?

• Visual representations are important because they allow for a more accessible and impactful way to communicate complex information, making it easier for people to understand and retain concepts by providing a visual reference point, particularly when dealing with data, processes, or abstract ideas that might be difficult to grasp solely through text; essentially, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”.
• Because diagrams use visual cues and symbols, they make it simpler to communicate a process to a broad audience. This can lead to increased engagement, as long-form documentation can be more tedious for users to interact with and understand.
• Here are some ways that diagramming can be useful:
  • Helps business users understand how their processes work, and how to improve them.
  • Helps business users identify where bottlenecks, gaps, and other issues occur, where time is wasted, and where changes can be made.
  • Enables faster decision making due to faster communication.
  • Helps train new business users through a user-friendly, visual format.

3. Types of Diagrams

• There are various types of diagrams used in business analysis.
  • Below are some of the most common types used by business analysts:
    • Process Flow Diagrams (PFD): Depict the sequence of activities in a business process.
    • Swimlane Diagrams: Assign responsibilities to different stakeholders in a process.
    • Wireframes: Low-fidelity visual structures for user interface (UI/UX) design.
  • Diagrams that are typically used by systems analysts (but are occasionally used by business analysts) include:
    • Data Flow Diagrams (DFD): Illustrate how data moves within a system.
    • Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERD): Represent data models and relationships.
    • State Diagrams: Represent system states and transitions.