I am currently working on a project where the goal is to improve an existing process around test data creation and validation. There have been issues where test data has not been created in time and this has caused projects that are dependent on that data to have to be delayed or implemented without full testing. One of the solutions is just to throw more resources at the problem which has helped some. The better and longer lasting solution is to reengineer the test data creation process so more can be done in the time allotted and errors can be reduced. I have been tasked as a BA on the project to help update the existing process. It is difficult to look at a whole process from end to end and try and find ways to improve it. One of the things that can be done is to break the entire process into smaller sections. I have found that creating use cases is a great way to do this. It helps to identify the different actors in the process. It also helps to discover scenarios that may not be as obvious at first glance. For instance the basic process flow is; Data request submitted, data request reviewed, data created, data delivered. If you break those sections down further you will discover many "alternative flows" that need to be documented. After identifying all the current state use cases I am able to look at ways to improve the process within each use case. This has greatly helped facilitate requirements gathering and documentation. By putting the process into a story first it allows the end users to better understand their process and help suggest ways to improve it. Using a use case diagram created in Visio and the Use Case document template created by CapTech I have been able to show the business how many different pieces their process has, how the different processes and users are connected, and where some obvious areas for quick improvement are.
