Capstone Project: Applying Business Analysis Skills

Advanced Level
2 weeks to complete at 10 hours a week
Flexible Schedule

Shubhra Das , IBM Skills Network Team

What You’ll Learn

Gain practical, in-depth experience that builds confidence and readiness for entry-level roles in business analysis

Apply the concepts and skills acquired to execute a practical business analysis project

Showcase proficiency in core business analysis skills, including process modeling, requirements gathering, risk assessment and system analysis

Demonstrate proficiency in using relevant business analysis tools and technologies, such as Excel and LucidChart

Skills You’ll Gain

Operational Analysis Looker (Software) Requirements Analysis Work Breakdown Structure Data Analysis Software Risk Analysis Stakeholder Management IBM Cognos Analytics Business Process Modeling Presentations Stakeholder Engagement Scope Management Business Requirements Risk Mitigation Business Analysis Requirements Elicitation Dashboard Project Management Risk Management Process Mapping

Shareable Certificate

Earn a shareable certificate to add to your LinkedIn profile.

Develop Your Specialized Knowledge

Learn new concepts from industry experts

Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool

Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects

Earn a shareable career certificate from IBM

There are 6 modules in this course

This module lays the groundwork for the capstone project by introducing the case study that you will work on. It also highlights the prerequisites, including awareness of the key concepts and essential tools of business analysis required to work on the capstone project. The module focuses specifically on requirements gathering, requirements prioritization, and documentation. You'll learn how to identify, organize, and document business requirements effectively. Through hands-on labs and demonstrations, you’ll practice creating a Business Requirements Document (BRD) and a Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) – the foundational artifacts in business analysis.

This module focuses on two critical aspects of business analysis: stakeholder analysis and engagement and project management. With the demonstration videos and practical labs, you will develop a comprehensive Stakeholder Analysis and Engagement Plan, ensuring alignment with project objectives. Next, you will work on Project Scope Management and create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to define and organize project deliverables. The module will enhance your ability to engage stakeholders strategically and manage project scope efficiently.

This module focuses on mastering process modeling techniques, a key aspect of business analysis that helps visualize and optimize workflows. You’ll gain hands-on experience with tools like Lucidchart or MS Visio to create clear and actionable process models. Building on these fundamentals, the module progresses to advanced process mapping techniques, including Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) and Swimlane diagrams. Through guided demonstrations and practical labs, you will refine your ability to create detailed process maps that improve clarity and identify opportunities for process optimization.

This module equips you with essential skills in data analysis and visualization, focusing on leveraging tools like Excel, Cognos, and Looker. You’ll begin by mastering data cleaning, manipulation, and analysis in Excel, ensuring the accuracy of your datasets. Next, the module focuses on dashboard creation using Cognos or Looker. You'll learn to design effective dashboards to present insights effectively, improving decision-making and stakeholder communication. Through guided demonstrations and labs, you will build dashboards that transform data into actionable visualizations.

This module focuses on the critical aspects of risk identification, management, and mitigation in business analysis. You’ll begin by learning the essentials of risk management, including how to identify potential risks and document them effectively using tools like a Risk Register and SWOT Analysis. Building on this foundation, the module advances to risk mitigation and control strategies. You’ll explore techniques for developing a Risk Matrix and creating mitigation strategies. Through practical labs and demonstrations, you’ll create a Risk Mitigation Plan that includes contingency measures to address identified risks.

In this final module, you will work on combining and presenting your project work into a compelling presentation that demonstrates your analytical and presentation skills. You’ll learn to structure and design effective presentations, applying best practices for clarity, engagement, and professionalism. Finally, you will submit this presentation highlighting insights derived from the project, which will be AI-graded.