Month: March 2020

Let us discuss about some simple domains now to get some domain knowledge; I feel this will help you to get some idea about domain knowledge. Let us discuss about Website design and development and how it will be taken place.

As we are reading blogs and accessing multiple websites on our daily life, we know what is website and how it looks like and what purpose wee will browse the websites.  Let us discuss in depth what are the things to be taken care before developing website. Here we can observe our website https://www.bacareers.in also for reference.

Website Design and Development:

Website will contain information/content and can be accessed though network. It can be on private network (intranet) or public network, popularly known as internet. Website can be built using html or flash or combination of both HTML and flash. Most commonly we will find HTML. Using HTMl tags/syntax web page will be created.  Now a day’s websites can be building with wordpress also. It works with plug-in.
A website can be of one page or more than one page. Website is commonly used for publishing information or advertise. Website is one of the powerful tool for advertisement /promotion. Not only promotion but also e-commerce (buying & selling online, Ex: Amazon, Flipcart), news websites like times of india, gaming sites needs website. In simple language we can say any business; anything in this world has a website.   Education websites Ex: https://www.bacareers.in  and Some other websites related to Education.Top Websites to improve knowledge as a Business Analyst.

Common elements used along with HTML are CSS (cascading Style Sheets), JS (java Script) and Flash (flash is optional). People prefer HTML compared to flash because flash page Loading time is bit long compared to HTML page. Web page usually ends with extension .html or .htm (other than.html and .htm there are   .jsp, .aspx etc but let us not get too technical, Business Analyst need not know what technologies are using to built a website, just I mentioned here for understanding purpose).

A website needs a domain name (note this is not the domain which we are talking – do not get confused) DOMAIN NAME means the website link name which will be unique always.  For example bacareers.in, this is the domain name for my website. Like www.google.com ,www.youtube.com , www.yatra.com , www.facebook.com 
If you see here bacareers.in, google.com , youtube.com, yatra.com are called domains. Domain name cannot be duplicated. Only one domain exists. There are some servicing companies and whoever wants website they should go to register DOMAIN NAME. Usually there will be some charges for registration and annual renewal charges as well. Not only .com’s there are different extensions like .info, .net, .tv, .biz, .org, .gov, .in etc   these are also website domains like .com (For Example: Godaddy, We can visit godaddy website to understand how to check the domain availability and hosting plans and charges, this is for your knowledge purpose) For Example I mentioned godaddy, there are so many domain and hosting providers, you can find more once you google it.

Once DOMAIN NAME is registered, website needs hosting space, usually called server. There are so many companies which provides hosting service. We need to purchase some space from them like 50 MB, 1 GB space . Once space is purchase, after website is built we can host website.

Domain Name & hosting space should be pointed so that when people type https://www.bacareers.in  website hosted on server (hosting space) will display.

How Domain Name and Hosting are pointed? Let us not go technical again but for your information at high level, there will be something called name servers; we need to map the name servers of hosting account and domain account.

Some Domain registration service providers will also provide hosting space as well.

How does website project happen? Mainly what does business analyst does here? Let’s see:
In a software company which works on Website Design & Development there will be team usually;

As we discussed in previous articles, there is a team in Software Company to develop the product and get the orders.  Let us observe below who are the stake holders in this project and their roles.

• Business Development (BD) team / marketing team: These people get website orders
• Business Analyst – get requirements (what to be designed? How to be designed? What information? How should be the flow? Etc.
• Designers (Graphical Designers / UI Designers) – Create designs.
• Deployment / Implementation Engineer: Deploy or host on server
• Project Manager: manages the project and delivers on time.

You know about marketing people, they just get projects /orders. What does business analyst do in website design & development projects? Once project is awarded Business Analyst will start with requirements. Most common thing in website projects are sending initial questionnaire, where in client can answer in, Yes/No format for most of the questions. Questionnaire will be like;

• Project Name?
• Website name? Or what name should appear on website? Ex : bacareers.in
• Does Domain Exists (note: This domain is different one). If yes, what is the name?
• Do you have a Logo? If yes, provide us in a Jpeg or Png format; If no, do you want us to design logo for you?
• How many pages to be created? And provide names for the pages. Like service, about us, contact us, Blog, Articles and Faq etc.
• Do you need Form for contact us page? Where in user can submit details and email will be triggered.
• Mention some of the reference websites and provide link.
• Who are your competitors? Provide some information
• What colors to be used for website (color theme)?
• Is it one color or two colors? Or more than 2 colors? Name the colors?
• Who are the audience for the website? Like children, business people etc
• Brief about your business?
• Do you have any hand-outs of your business? Like advertisements, business cards, brochures etc.
• Do you have any specific images/pictures of your business? Or you want to add any pictures on website? If yes, please send in jpeg or png format
• Do you need SEO (Search Engine Optimization) done for website? If yes provide Meta tags or key words.
• Etc (some more questions)

Note : Sometimes client may ask us to prepare prototype like how website looks like. In this case Business Analyst will prepare the prototype with using prototyping tools, here buttons, fields and everything will be there but functionality will not work. Because of prototyping client can also understand how his website will looks like and we can easily communicate with the development team also exactly what we are looking for.

Sometimes client will answer all the questions and some time partially, business analyst will have a call or meet client to discuss on questions and finally have answers.

Once answers are ready business analyst will discuss with Graphical Designers about the concept and requirements. Graphical designers will create some sample designs (usually designs will be created using tools, many tools available)

Business Analyst will share sample designs in a jpeg format (having water mark – water mark will be some text or symbol embedded in the sample, so that client does not own it before completion of the project). Usually there will be some recommendations / changes from client and that will be done from designers. Once Design is finalized from client, Business Analyst will get sign-off on design.

Designer will slice the design (Photoshop file .psd) into HTML. Usually Dreamviewer software will be used to slice HTML. Dreamviewer is also an Adobe product. Designer will adjust and tune designs by applying CSS and wherever necessary apply Java Script (for more information on java script, CSS – visit w3shools website).

Finally website will be ready for launch. Before launch website will be hosted on a test server and will be shown to client for final proof reading, testing will be done if any mistakes are there and same will be rectified. Once approved by client – deployment engineer or implementation engineer will deploy website on hosting server and website will be released.

Most Common erros / bugs in website:

• Spelling mistakes
• Cross browser compatibility – like in Mozilla firefox website will look good but in internet explorer it may not and vice-versa.
• Mobile Friendly: Website looks good in desktop and but in mobile may not, like font and color and menus etc.,,,

Whats new/latest in website? 

CMS website (Content Management System) – when website is launched and later if client wants to change some text or add new picture into website, client has to come back to designer or software company   i.e. client will be dependent on software professionals. If website is built and powered by CMS then client himself / herself can change website content and update without technical knowledge, without HTML, CSS knowledge.   With CMS enabled webpage will open in a editor just like MS-Word, whatever needed can be edited/inserted/deleted/updated and all needs to be saved that all. It is very simple. Most common editors used are FCK Editor, Wyswyg editor, Tiny MC editor.

Also some readily available frameworks in PHP are available where CMS will be default like Drupal, Joomla, Typo3 (lets not go in deep.. this is just for information)

So at higher level we have covered important part of website design and development.

Most commonly once website is done, SEO will be initiated (Search Engine Optimization). Let’s not go deep into SEO because SEO itself will become a separate domain. In simple words making website searchable by search engines like Google, yahoo, Bing, MSN.

To make this happen lot of techniques are there like Meta tags identification, keywords, google analytics, google webmaster tools, submitting website for search engines, pay per click, link exchange websites etc.

WordPress Website: If website is built and powered by WordPress then client himself / herself can change website content and update without technical knowledge, without HTML, CSS knowledge. Client can modify whatever they want with using elementor and other plug-in.  Wordpress will work with plug-in, so we can install the plug in which we need as per our requirement.

Pallavi

Business Analyst , Functional Consultant, Provide Training on Business Analysis and SDLC Methodologies.

www.bacareers.in

What is Domain Knowledge :

Let us observe what is domain knowledge, when you are reading the job description of Business Analyst, most of the companies will mention as domain knowledge is mandatory. We may think what domain knowledge is and how it is relevant for Business Analyst.

Once we had gone though the Job description of the Business Analyst, below questions may come in our mind.

• How to get Domain Experience or knowledge  and from where I can get? 
• Why Domain Experience or  knowledge is needed for Business Analyst?
• What happens if I am not a Domain expert? 
• If I do not know about domain – can I get a Business Analyst Job? 

Usually these types of questions will be there in fresher business analyst aspirants. Need not to worry about this? Before we speak more about domains and acquiring domain Experience or knowledge let us know about domain and its importance.

Domain – In simple words we can say, particular area of work or specific area to be worked upon.  For Example: Healthcare, Banking, Investment Banking, Telecom, Payments,E-Commerce, finance, insurance, CRM, supply chain, logistics etc…

Domains for Business Analyst will be like Healthcare, Banking, Investment Banking, Telecom, Payments, E-Commerce, finance, insurance, CRM, supply chain, logistics etc…

Here we need to understand one important thing that Domain can be understood in 2 ways, one is technical guys Domain and another is general domain (which is for business analysts/functional guys).

For Developers and tech persons domain will be software which they worked on. For Example:  Java, J2ee, JS, Oracle,.net etc.,

Why domain Experience or knowledge is important? 

Most  of software companies will not work on all domains. Companies will work on only selected domains. Very rarely companies work on many domains. Very few companies will work on all the domains.

However, the important point is if a company is hiring business analysts and if candidate knows about domain which that company works then it will be added advantage because training program will be of short duration and Business Analyst can understand the product functionality quickly.  

And as he has experience in domain he can convince and explain easily product functionality to internal and external stakeholders. BUT usually companies will not expect domain expertise from freshers but if candidate is having expertise then obviously that candidate will have advantage over other candidates and can be picked by employer.  

How to get domain Experience or Knowledge?
I know now you are thinking about how to get domain Experience or knowledge?
Now let us see how to get domain Experience or knowledge?  As you completed your graduation or post graduation recently and as you are a fresher you may not have any experience and you may think “no one explained about domain Experience or knowledge during college”, this may be your first question in your mind.

Not a problem, now a day you can get domain Experience or knowledge by browsing internet without attending any classes and you need not go anywhere.  What you need to do is, you should have some patience and ready to read and learn.  Just read some articles related to domains and discuss with your friends and who are working on some domains. Always note down what you feel is important. This is very important to gain domain Experience or knowledge.

The very important thing you should keep in mind is – every piece of information about domain is valuable. Domain Experience or knowledge just means “knowing more” that’s all. For example, lets take example of Health Care.

We think health care is about hospital and to build software for hospital. The common requirements we think are… patient & doctor but it involves many things like Lab, Insurance, in insurance there are different insurance like cashless, pay & reimburse, other services like MRI, scanning, Pharma (drugs),   inventory (inventory of medicines, surgical equipments), government rules and regulations pertaining to insurance, drug control board, reports, rooms availability(General Rooms, Special Rooms), doctor availability, maintain appointments, bill payments, administrator to manage software etc… so all needed is to know bit more. That itself is domainknowledge.

In the same way you can think about other domains also, like Banking, E-Commerce and Telecom.  I will try to explain one or two domains in coming articles.

Please keep in mind, companies may not expect domain knowledge from freshers but it is always good if you have some knowledge on which you are going to work. 

How to improve domain Knowledgehttps://businessanalystlearnings.com/blog/2014/2/5/4jzgg9678pktjebcvozf1g8x91e3f1

Let us discuss on future articles on below.

Telecom Insurance interview questions

Some of the Example Domains and sub domains:  Travel insurance, software testing, health insurance, manage customer, customer service, insurance covers, types of insurance, life insurance, insurance protects, general insurance, insurance business,  social media, accidental death,  crm interview questions and  medical expenses.

FAQ’s: Domain Knowledge

Pallavi

Business Analyst , Functional Consultant, Provide Training on Business Analysis and SDLC Methodologies.

www.bacareers.in