WHAT S A STATE MODEL?

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1 WHAT S A STATE MODEL? Presented by Francine Wolfe Sr. Business & Process Analyst Cushman & Wakefield Past President, IIBA NJ Chapter Deputy Director, IIBA Eastern Region

2 LEARNING OBJECTIVES Understand what a state model is Why use a state model? How do state models complement other models & requirements? Know how to create state models when needed 1

3 WHAT IS A STATE MODEL? DEFINITIONS Wikipedia A state diagram is a type of diagram used in computer science and related fields to describe the behavior of systems BABOK A state diagram shows how the behavior of a concept, entity or object changes in response to events. What do they look like? Here is a simple example for an approval process

4 WHY AM I TALKING TO YOU ABOUT STATE MODELS? Best kept modeling secret. Easy. Enhance your toolbelt. My state model?

5 WHY AM I TALKING TO YOU ABOUT STATE MODELS? Best kept modeling secret. Easy. Enhance your toolbelt. My state model? Another way to view the same model

6 WHY AM I TALKING TO YOU ABOUT STATE MODELS? Best kept modeling secret. Easy. Enhance your toolbelt. My state model? And with a few different life choices

7 STATE TRANSITION MODELS Why do we need them? In Business Analysis, various models are used to provide a view into the problem domain: Process Models Data (or Object) Models Use Cases Decision Models State Transition Models Are there other models that you use? Taken together, models provide a multi-dimensional view State Transition Models (and Decision Models) are less popular Questions that a State Transition Model can answer: How do I know that my Prospect has become a Client? Can a Closed defect be reopened? Does a request need approval prior to fulfillment? Is it still considered a request after fulfillment?

8 STATE TRANSITION MODELS Using State Transition Tables State Transition Tables are a simple way to identify the allowable sequences of states State Transition Next State Start Create defect New New Assess as valid Open New Assess as invalid Rejected Rejected Revise description New Open Assign to developer Assigned State Transition Next State Fixed Confirmed by QA Resolved Fixed QA still produces defect Open Resolved Confirmed by end user Closed Resolved End user still produces defect Open Closed Defect recurs New

9 STATE TRANSITION MODELS Using State Transition Diagrams State Transition Diagrams are a convenient graphical way to see how to move from one state to another The elements are simple: States Transitions Start state and End states Let s take a closer look at the sample given earlier Start State Transition to Pending Review State In this example, Rejected is an End State (meaning that the decision is final)

10 ANOTHER EXAMPLE (MY CURRENT PROJECT) Using State Transition Diagram with other models To help my developer get a better idea of how prospects and listings were related

11 ANOTHER EXAMPLE: VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT

12 USEFUL EXTENSIONS TO THIS TECHNIQUE CONSIDER USING COLOR TO INDICATE STATUSES THAT CAN ONLY BE CHANGED BY SPECIFIC TYPES OF USERS CONSIDER USING BOLDER LINES TO INDICATE THE HAPPY PATH ADD A NARRATIVE BELOW THE DIAGRAM TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION USE BOTH THE DIAGRAM AND THE TABLE TO MAKE LOOK-UP EASIER ANY OTHER IDEAS?

13 THE STATE MODEL MAY CHANGE OVER TIME and Current sometimes version, but tables there are are easier issues to understand than diagrams New Request Anyone New Approved for Req How do I show that I am stuck waiting for requirements approval? Product Mgmt/BA Requirements Closed in error Dev Are there other reasons to get to this point? Requirements incomplete Not now Reqts Approved Rejected, Duplicate, Or Out-of-Scope QA Requirements Incomplete Prototype accepted & unit tested Prototype Needed More Analysis Needed Ready for Dev Out-of-scope Out-of-scope Approved for Dev Prototype Approved Prototype needed Rejected, Duplicate, Or Out-of-Scope Current State Next State Reason New Requirements Approved for Req New Analysis More Analysis Needed New Closed Rejected New Closed Duplicate What if we New Closed Out-of-Scope New aren t going Deferred to Out-of-Scope Requirements Ready for Dev Requirements Approved fix the bug? Requirements Analysis More Analysis Needed Requirements Closed Deferred Rejected Requirements More Analysis Closed Duplicate Requirements Needed Closed Out-of-Scope Requirements More Analysis Deferred Out-of-Scope Requirements Needed Prototype Prototype Needed Obsolete Not Analysis Requirements More Req Needed Bugs Bugs Identified ready Analysis Identified Prototype Prototype Needed Analysis Closed Rejected Analysis Closed Duplicate Analysis Closed Out-of-Scope Analysis Deferred Out-of-Scope Not now Unit test Tests Ready complete for Dev QA Development Approved for Dev pass UAT Ready Ready for Dev Analysis More Analysis Needed to Prototype Ready for Dev Requirements Requirements Incomplete Deploy needed Ready for Dev Prototype Prototype Needed Tests Ready for Dev Closed passed Rejected Ready for Dev Closed Out-of-Scope Ready for Dev Deferred Out-of-Scope Development Requirements Requirements Approved for Incomplete Development QA Dev Production Complete, Unit Tests Pass Development Prototype Prototype Prototype Needed Prototype Analysis Released More Analysis Needed Prototype Development Prototype Not Found Approved QA UAT All in tests Production pass QA Development Bugs Identified QA Rejected or Analysis More Analysis Needed How UAT do I know if Rejected Development Released to Out-of-Scope Bugs Identified Production UAT other release Approved for Production UAT successfully completed UAT Analysis More Analysis Needed planning activities UAT Deferred Confirmed in Not Ready UAT took place? Closed Production Rejected Approved for Production Closed Complete, in Production Approved for Production Closed Rejected Approved for Production Closed Out-of-Scope Approved for Production Deferred Out-of-Scope Approved for Production UAT Closed More UAT Needed Approved for Production Development Bugs Identified Closed Deferred Closed Obsolete Deferred Analysis More Analysis Needed Deferred Approved for Production Ready to Deploy Deferred Development Approved for Dev Deferred UAT More UAT Needed Development

14 GENERAL STATE MODELING PRINCIPLES 1. States are adjectives (pending, closed, new) 2. Transitions are activities (document received, approval granted) 3. Transitions define all allowable pathways 4. States are always mutually exclusive 5. Keep your toolbelt handy

15 LET S TRY IT! Pick a simple example: defect lifecycle? Customer lifecycle? System lifecycle? Other ideas? 1. Identify the states 2. Figure out where to start & how to move between the states 3. As you continue to identify transitions, ask what if that doesn t happen?

16 ANY