Useful Tools for Business Analysts - Part 2

In this episode, I will focus mainly on documentation related tools that comes in handy in my day to day life. If you have not checked out Part 1, you can do so here. 

As a Business Analyst, one of your main roles is to elicit, analyze, document, wireframe, and draw diagrams. 

When choosing software to aid you with the above, there are a few characteristics you need to look for. 

• Accessibility - collaboration is a key requirement in the modern world. Hence, the documentation you create should be easily accessible to anyone. It is ideal if multiple personnel can view or edit what you are working on at the same time. 
• Have all the control - There will come situations where you need to add in specific collaborators, manipulate granular permissions. Hence, look for an adequate level of access control. 
• Ease of Use - having all sorts of manipulations, and you should be able to cosmetically enhance the same. 
• Packages and Pricing

Now, many software out there satisfies these basics but there are pros and cons of each. Here are a few I have used! 

Confluence

Confluence is the web-based documentation partner of Atlassian. Hence, if you are using JIRA, this is a good option you can take due to the seamless integration capabilities. However, this is not free and you will have to pay for it. 

On the upside, 

• Confluence has many templates to choose from
• Whether it is meeting notes, functional specifications, personas. 
• Even release notes can be promptly created and linked to a release in JIRA
• Version control and edit history
• If you are using JIRA, this is basically giving your team one point of control and a single space to store all your critical project information and documents. 
• Confluence suits both technical and business teams. 
• This is because many useful third-party applications are readily available for embedding in your confluence documents. 
• Something I find really useful is draw.io (discussed below)
• This, therefore, allows you to draw flowcharts and other business or technical diagrams within the confluence document easily. 

The downside, however...

• Confluence is only web-based. Just like JIRA. Therefore, you need to make sure you have internet access in order to access your documentation. 
• The navigation has gotten better over time, but still, there is some room for improvement. 
• The user interface itself feels cluttered due to the amusing amount of options and controls available. 
• Again, it could be a little expensive. At the time of writing this article, the price per month for 11-100 users remains at USD 5.00/User. 

Google Docs

Simplicity is the main thing I love about Google Docs. This, as the name suggests is offered by Google. So, this has an intuitive interface with just enough functionality to carry out essential tasks. 

The good about it... 

• You can experience real-time collaboration at its best. 
• There is even a little area in the workspace, where you can chat with other collaborators who are online - without navigating away from the document. 

• It is free so long as you use it for personal reasons and have a Gmail account. However, if you are an organization, you will have to be a part of GSuite. 

• Google Docs also has an offline work mode. Your changes will sync once you go online. 

Cons -

• Not so specialized - Unlike confluence, it is not specialized towards the goal we want to achieve. Hence there are no templates that we can really make use of. 
• It could be cumbersome for you to link this with JIRA tasks or other project management tools you are using. 
• Unlike specialized tools, you do not have the luxury of inserting huge diagrams (like flowcharts) in a very user-friendly manner. (when it comes to confluence, you can even edit it then and there). 

Personally, I like this. It is easy to use and has a very relaxing feel to it. 

So now, let's explore some tools that you can use to create diagrams ranging from a simple mindmap to a complex sequence diagram. 

Draw.io

This was (shortly, you will get to know why its the past) my go-to tool.  

Although the interface ain't not so fancy, it offers all the control that is required for you to draw up a diagram. 

As a BA, I like to refrain from being too traditional but make whatever diagrams I cook up, interesting and user friendly. In the end of the day, all we want is for our audience to really grasp what we present. 

Hence, draw.io's search shapes came in very handy to me. I could insert all sorts of icons into the diagrams, apart from the traditional squares and circles. 

Also, it has a very flexible, lightweight interface. 

It is also free to use!

Note that draw.io diagrams can be created and embedded in Confluence documents. 

Miro

This is what I left draw.io for!

Once I started using this, it became my personal favorite! Why? 

There are so many easy to use templates! And the interface - remarkable.

This is not only a tool for drawing things. This highly collaborative platform brings everyone together. 

Hence, if you are working remotely, this is the go-to tool.

I mainly use this to draw complex flows, but I also use this as a tool to brainstorm, facilitate meetings, cook up quick presentations, design app, and website mockups. You can make your artifacts quite fabulous with the use of icons and even emojis! 

Furthermore, it has a neverending canvas for you to work on. 

Since there are options of calling, messaging built into miro, it takes collaboration onto a new level. 

 

The numerous templates available in Miro:

The only issue I face with miro is that this is NOT the ideal tool for lengthy documentation. So, don't expect to write your requirements specifications here. 

Also, great value comes at a price if you want the full integrative functionality. However, the free version is adequate enough for personal use. On the upside, you have a free plan with 3 editable boards allowed. 

At the time of writing, miro costs a minimum of $8 per member per month. 

LucidCharts

This could be considered a competitor for Miro. 

In my career, I have sometimes used LucidCharts as a reference point to get a quick understanding of certain BA documentation templates. Lucidchart has pre-filled example templates from which you can learn and adapt a great deal. 

Again LucidCharts has a price point equivalent of Miro. Interface-wise, I would still go for Miro. 

Also, the collaborative tools in Miro are far more advanced yet simple to use. 

Visual Paradigm 

Visual Paradigm is an all-in-one UML, SysML, BPMN Modeling Platform. As the first sentence suggests, this is a little more technical. 

The interface is not so easy to use and can come off as a little overwhelming for any beginners out there. 

The flexibility and usability you experience in the rest of the tools are hardly found on Visual Paradigm. Visual Paradigm not so common among BAs but it more aligned in technical terms. Hence, this is popular among developers.

 The reason being, it even has tools that could generate code out of more technical diagrams such as ERDs (Entity Relationship Diagrams). 

What's next?

In an upcoming article, I will walk you through some of the wireframing tools that I use. 

Out of the tools above, for wireframing miro and draw.io can be used - but the customization options on that end is limited. However, if you are looking to draw a basic mockup, it works just perfectly!