IT Course Feedback : Some suggestions for improvement

[Pradeep Raj]

Dear Sir,

hope you are doing good.

 

I just wanted to give some inputs to improve the IT course. I hope there is enough time to implement these changes.

 

A) There has to be more emphasis on learning the analytical skills e.g. requirement gathering and analysis, preparing Use case diagrams, , Agile (Scrum etc) methodology of Project Management etc.

 

It will be more effective if these classes are handled by people who are using these concepts in the industry right now. The classes should certainly have good case studies so that the students practically work on them.

 

I have included below a list of skills that are taught in the CBAP Certification programs for Business Analysts (21 contact hours program). These are the kind of skills that are expected in the real world and the course need to focus more on the kind of skills. Some of these might have been covered in our course in just a theoretical way, but they need to be practically done (live case studies and evaluation). Also, there are some tools like Rational Rose etc for which I request you to get these tools (atleast any trial versions if there is a budget constraint).

1. What is Business Analysis?
2. Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring
3. Requirements Elicitation – Gathering Information
4.Requirements Management and Communication– Defining the process
5. Enterprise Analysis– Defining the problem
6. Requirements Analysis and Documentation – Defining the Solution Model
7. Solution Assessment and Validation – Supporting the Balance of the Product Life Cycle
8.Underlying Competencies for BA -soft skills
9.Techniques for Requirement gathering process
10. UML modeling and prototyping (Rational Rose, Visio, Erwin, Visual paradigm, Enterprise Architect) with case studies and templates.
11. Project management (procurement management, Risk management, proposal writing) with case studies and templates.
12. SDLC (Traditional methodologies and Agile methodologies) models, Quality standards (ISO, CMMI) and Testing (Manual and Automation) with case studies and templates.
13. Different domains introductions (Telecom, Banking, E-Gov, Travel and hospitality, Health care, BPO,Engineering services).
14. Requirement gathering tools (Rational Requisitepro, Caliber RM, TopTeam)

Practical Application Sessions:

1. Design and facilitate a Requirements-Gathering session

2. Developing Use Cases and a Use Case Diagram

3. Create a Business Process model

4. Creation of Business Requirement Document, UAT Test Plan

5. Hands on experience in Rational Requisite Pro, MS Visio ,Rational Rose and Visual Paradigm

(B) We had a small session for Use case diagrams in the OOAD class, but there should be more exposure to it and more classes need to be spent (may be in form of a mini project which can include most of the phases of SDLC). More time can be spent to these concepts by cutting down the time spent on the clases like Networking (trimming it down to know the basics and the business aspects alone). Training in Requirement gathering techniques and converting it into specification documents through Use case diagrams or wireframe diagrams etc is very important for IT. I request you to let them train as much as possible on these skills.

(C) I found a link for a consulting organization which gives free Six-sigma certifcation at White Belt level. This is a very basic understanding but I'm sure we can mention this certification in our CV as small additional asset. The link is http://kinduz.com/onlinecourses/ . Its a course designed in partnership with Computer Society of India. May be you can ask all the students to register and complete the Lean Six Sigma certification (White Belt).

Just wanted to share these thoughts with you to improve our course. I will share with you if I have any more suggestions.

Thanks and regards,

Pradeep