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 Portfolio and

JAMES
THE BUSINESS Leveraging Business Analysis
EXPERT PRESS Project Management Collection
DIGITAL LIBRARIES for Project Success Timothy J. Kloppenborg, Editor
Second Edition
EBOOKS FOR
BUSINESS STUDENTS Vicki James

Leveraging
Curriculum-oriented, born-
digital books for advanced Only 39 percent of projects today are successful. Nearly half of the
business students, written projects that fail do so because of “poor requirements manage-
by academic thought ment” (PMI 2014). Leveraging Business Analysis for Project Success,
leaders who translate real-
Business
Second Edition explores the role of the business analyst in setting a
world business experience project up for success. It informs and educates project managers,
into course readings and sponsors, and organization leaders on what is necessary for proj-

Analysis
reference materials for ect success. This book goes beyond requirements management

LEVERAGING BUSINESS ANALYSIS FOR PROJECT SUCCESS

students expecting to tackle in exploring how business analysis professionals (business ana-
management and leadership lysts, product managers, product owners, and others) can con-
challenges during their

for Project
tribute to increased profitability through project selection, scope
professional careers.
definition, and postimplementation evaluation.
POLICIES BUILT The reader will learn about the history of business analysis,
BY LIBRARIANS

Success
professional organizations and resources to support the profes-
• Unlimited simultaneous sion, and what to expect from the business analysis professional
usage at each phase of the project lifecycle as presented in a case study
• Unrestricted downloading
throughout the book. Project leaders will better be able to support
and printing
• Perpetual access for a
one-time fee
the business analysis needs of the project by understanding the
skills, expertise, tasks, resources, and time needed to do business Second Edition
• No platform or analysis right and maximize the return on investment for each
maintenance fees project.
• Free MARC records
• No license to execute Vicki James is a project professional with extensive experience
in project management and business analysis over the past
The Digital Libraries are a
20 years in both the public and private sectors as a consultant
comprehensive, cost-effective
and on staff. She is passionate about learning and sharing best
way to deliver practical
treatments of important practices in these fields of endeavor. This learning has resulted Vicki James
business issues to every in multiple certifications in project management, business analy-
student and faculty member. sis, and Agile. She has coauthored Strategies for Project Sponsorship
(Berrett-Koehler Publishers 2013) and contributed to The Com-
plete Project Manager (Berrett-Koehler Publishers 2012), by Randall
Englund and Alfonso Bucero, and to Going It Alone: Essential Tips for
For further information, a the Independent Consultant, by Karl Wiegers.
free trial, or to order, contact:
sales@businessexpertpress.com Portfolio and
Project Management Collection
www.businessexpertpress.com/librarians
Timothy J. Kloppenborg, Editor
Leveraging Business
Analysis for Project
Success
Leveraging Business
Analysis for Project
Success

Second Edition

Vicki James
Leveraging Business Analysis for Project Success, Second Edition
Copyright © Business Expert Press, LLC, 2019.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored

in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—
electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for
brief quotations, not to exceed 250 words, without the prior permission
of the publisher.

First published in 2019 by

Business Expert Press, LLC
222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017
www.businessexpertpress.com

ISBN-13: 978-1-94858-081-6 (paperback)

ISBN-13: 978-1-94858-082-3 (e-book)

Business Expert Press Portfolio and Project Management Collection

Collection ISSN: 2156-8189 (print)

Collection ISSN: 2156-8200 (electronic)

Cover and interior design by S4Carlisle Publishing Services Private Ltd.,

Chennai, India

First edition: 2015

Second edition: 2019

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Printed in the United States of America.

 Abstract
Only 39 percent of projects today are successful in adding value to the
product and the organization investing in the project. Nearly half of the
projects that fail do so because of “poor requirements management” (PMI
2014). Leveraging Business Analysis for Product Success explores the role
of the product manager in doing business analysis to set a project up
for success. It informs and educates product managers, project managers,
sponsors, and organization leaders on the prerequisites for project suc-
cess. This book goes beyond requirements management in exploring how
the product manager contributes to increased profitability through busi-
ness analysis: project selection, scope definition, and postimplementation
evaluation. The reader will learn about the history of business analysis,
the product manager’s role, professional organizations and resources to
support the profession, and what business analysis activities occur at each
phase of the project life cycle as presented in a case study throughout the
text. Product and project leaders will better be able to support the busi-
ness analysis needs of the project by understanding the skills, expertise,
tasks, resources, and time needed to do business analysis right and maxi-
mize the return on investment for each project.

Keywords
agile; business analysis; business analyst; business case; product manage-
ment; product manager; product owner; requirements; scrum; waterfall
 Contents
Foreword................................................................................................ix
Introduction.........................................................................................xiii
Part 1 Business Analysis Explained ........................................... 1
Chapter 1 Business Analysis Defined..................................................3
Chapter 2 The History of Business Analysis........................................9
Chapter 3 The Many Hats of the Business Analyst
(Typical Roles).................................................................17
Part 2 What Your Business Analyst Should Be Doing for You ...19
Chapter 4 The Setup.........................................................................21
Chapter 5 Before the Project.............................................................23
Chapter 6 Initiating the Project........................................................31
Chapter 7 Planning the Project.........................................................39
Chapter 8 Working the Project.........................................................51
Chapter 9 Monitoring and Controlling the Project...........................67
Chapter 10 Finishing the Project........................................................75
Chapter 11 After the Project...............................................................83
Part 3 Organizational Strategies for Business Analysis............. 87
Chapter 12 Understanding the Project Track Record..........................89
Chapter 13 The Project Power Team...................................................93
Chapter 14 Business Analysis Communities.......................................99
Afterword............................................................................................103
Appendix A.........................................................................................105
Appendix B.........................................................................................109
Appendix C.........................................................................................111
Appendix D.........................................................................................113
References............................................................................................117
About the Author.................................................................................119
Index..................................................................................................121
 Foreword

Product manager is the new business analyst! This is the theme of this
second edition.
A quick search of trends on Indeed.com shows that product manager
is fourth on the list of job titles in the software development category.

Source: Jobs Category Trends, Software Engineering, https://www.indeed.com/

jobtrends/techsoftware-category-trends (May 7, 2018)

This is a positive trend as often business analysts historically have been

pigeon-holed into a role heavily focused on requirements management.
Requirements management is just a small portion of the overall scope
of business analysis. The change to product manager is an indication of
an understanding of the true breadth of expertise and work needed to
­understand what drives value in the business.
One barrier to business analysis being taken seriously as a profession
is the historical use of analyst in the job title. You will read my discussion
x FOREWORD

with a peer who pointed out that analyst has the connotation of entry or
mid-level role. Product manager does a much better job of describing the
role that requires great skill and dedication in the practice of business
analysis to ensure products delivered add value to the organization. The
term business analysis professional will be used throughout the book to
cover a variety of job titles including, but not limited to, business analyst,
business systems analyst, product manager, and product owner.
I recently attended an International Institute of Business ­Analysis,
Seattle Chapter presentation, Product Management 101, by Angela
­
­Govila, where she describes product management in a nutshell.
Product management in a nutshell

1. Identify product market fit

2. Understand your customers and use cases
3. Determine target customer
4. Define success metrics
5. Establish hypothesis, validate and build feedback loop (a/b testing)
6. Design the minimum viable product (MVP) (prototypes, wireframing,
mock-ups)
7. Develop the product end to end (Agile, Scrum, Kanban)
8. Define product go to market (GTM) strategy and launch plan
9. Roll out product/launch
10. Measure feedback and continuously iterate

IIBA Seattle, presentation April 24, 2018, by Angela Govila—Visit https://

angelagovila.com/ for additional resources and information from Ms. Govila.

The above activities are noted alongside the complimentary section

What Your Business Analysts Should be Doing for You of this book.
I have come to realize that the original publication was a bit heavy
in the discussion of business analysis as it relates to creating internal,
­back-office solutions. This second edition provides additional informa-
tion on analysis for developing consumer-facing solutions.
Figures and trends are updated to the latest data available as of
May 2018.
 FOREWORD xi

Finally, the discussion on Agile and Scaled Agile has been expanded to
accommodate this ever-growing trend.
I hope you enjoy Leveraging Business Analysis for Project Success, Second
Edition, but more importantly, I hope it brings about changes in your
organization that contribute to realizing an increase in the value delivered
from projects.
 Introduction

Challenges Today
Projects throughout the world are challenged. Think of your projects.
What percentage were completed on time, on budget, and with the antic-
ipated scope? What percentage never made it to the finishing line to land
in the big project junk pile in the sky? Organizations such as Gartner and
the Standish Group provide statistics each year that tell the same story.
The fact is only 36 percent of projects today are completed successfully,
with an additional 47 percent in the challenged category.

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016

Challenged Failed Successful

Figure 1 Project resolution results from CHAOS research years

2004 to 2012. The Standish Group. 2014 and 2016, personal
correspondence. Jim Johnson, The Standish Group

The statistics on project success have not significantly changed in the

past 10 years, and neither have the cited reasons for the challenges that
the projects face.
The most cited reasons for challenged and failed projects are as follows:

1. Lack of clear requirements

2. Lack of executive support
xiv INTRODUCTION

Figure 2 Correlation between executive support, poor requirements,

and challenged projects

This book addresses both of these reasons for challenged projects. It

starts with the premise that lack of executive support contributes to the
lack of clear requirements. That’s right. It starts with the executives, not
with the unfortunate project line staff trying to do too much with not
enough time and the wrong set of skills. Figure 2 provides a visual of how
the reasons relate to result in the project challenges we see today.
Strategies for Project Sponsorship (Management Concepts 2013)1 pro-
vides ideas and information to project managers, product managers, and
business analysts to help get the needed executive support in general for
each project. Leveraging Business Analysis for Project Success focuses on
making the business case for strong business analysis by outlining the
executive and organizational support needed to mature organizations’
business analysis practice to improve project success rates. These books
together provide a holistic view on how to reduce the most common risks
that projects face today.

2014—A Turning Point

Business analysis gained a new proponent in 2014 that will change how
organizations view business analysis in the future. Well, to say a new pro-
ponent may be a bit strong as they have always had an interest in business
analysis. The organization I am talking about is the Project Management
Institute (PMI).2
In recent years, we have seen PMI taking a greater interest in b­ usiness
analysis with the latest editions of the Guide to the Project Management

1
V. James, R. Rosenhead, and P. Taylor. 2013. Strategies for Project Sponsorship
(­Virginia, VA: Management Concepts Press).
2
Project Management Institute (PMI), www.pmi.org
 INTRODUCTION xv

Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). The fourth edition, published in

2008, ­included Collect Requirements as a task for the first time (see the
next section for my thoughts on collecting requirements). You can see how
the role of business analysis has evolved for the PMI in their ­discussion
of the business case. The fourth edition states, “The requesting organiza-
tion or customer, in the case of external projects, may write the business
case.”3 Fast forward to 2013 and the release of the fifth ­edition, “ . . .
such ­analysis is usually completed by a business analyst using v­arious
stakeholder inputs.”4 The sixth edition, published in 2017, now refers
the reader to Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practical Guide. PMI
has fully embraced the fact that the business case is an artifact of business
analysis.

“Collect Requirements?”
I have a hard time with this as a project task. The International
­Institute of Business Analysis’s BABOK Guide refers to this activity
as elicit ­requirements. I think of project requirements like Easter eggs
at an Easter Egg Hunt. We can collect those that are right in front
of our face. But to get all of the Easter eggs, we need to do some
­analysis. We need to do a little digging, interview stakeholders (Dad),
and explore until we find the last Easter egg. Because if we don’t find
the last Easter egg, we may have a big stinky mess on our hands down
the road.
This is how we should treat our requirements to avoid a big stinky
mess in our projects. Thorough analysis makes for great requirements.

In 2012, the PMI introduced a new community of practice,

­Requirements Management Community of Practice. Here, PMI members
could share information and find education information on managing
­requirements. What came next should not be a big surprise.
In March 2014, the PMI announced a new credential program, P
­ roject
Management Institute Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA).

3
PMBOK ® Guide, 4th edition, page 75.
4
PMBOK ® Guide, 5th edition, page 69.
xvi INTRODUCTION

While the credential name indicates that it is a general business analysis

credential, the information provided and examination content refer to
proficiency in requirements management within the project and program
context. This is a more narrow view of business analysis than the Certified
Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) credential offered by IIBA,5 which
extends beyond requirements management and the p ­ roject into manag-
ing solutions that add value to the business.
The year 2014 was truly the year of business analysis for the PMI,
with the publication of the PMI’s Pulse of the Profession: Requirements
Management—A Core Competency for Project and Program Success6
­
in A ­ugust of that year and the prerelease of Business Analysis for
­Practitioners—A ­Practice Guide in November.7

PMI’s 2017 annual global Pulse of the Profession study revealed that
“­inaccurate requirements gathering” remained a primary cause of proj-
ect failure (37 percent) in 2014 (up from 32 percent in 2013). This
fact, plus PMI’s focus on this practice area, led us to research this cause
of failure in-depth and publish our findings in this report. (Pulse of the
Profession, Executive Summary)

Note: Inaccurate requirements gathering is now attributed to 39 percent

of project failure as noted in the 2017 Pulse of the Profession.8

5
Credential offered by the IIBA. Credential holders have demonstrated 7,500 hours
of experience in business analysis activities in addition to 21 hours of education, and
have passed a rigorous exam proving expert knowledge in the area of business analysis.
6
A. Smith. 2014. “Requirements Management: A Core Competency for Project and
Program Success.” PMI’s Pulse of the Profession, 2014. http://www.pmi.org/~/media/
PDF/Knowledge Center/PMI-Pulse-Requirements-Management-In-Depth-Report
.ashx, (accessed October 5, 2014).
7
Project Management Institute. 2015. Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice
Guide (Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute).
8
Project Management Institute. 2017. “Success Rates Rise: Transforming the high
cost of low performance”. PMI’s Pulse of the Profession, 2017. https://www.pmi.org/-/
media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/learning/thought-leadership/pulse/pulse-of-the-
profession-2017.pdf
 INTRODUCTION xvii

The PMI also states that this is the main reason for the creation of the
PMI-PBA credential.
The bottom-line is that the PMI is on a mission to enhance the core
competencies of those who elicit and manage requirements for projects
and programs. This is very much like the mission that IIBA has had
since 2003.

Business Analysis Certification Holders as of May 2018

Project Management Institute Professional in Business 2,237
Analysis (PMI-PBA)*
Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA) 842
Certification of Capability in Business Analysis (CCBA) 1,320
Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) 9,168

*PMI Today, May 2018, Project Management Institute

Source: http://www.iiba.org/Certification/Certification-Registry.aspx, May 20, 2018

What I aim to add to the conversation is that projects need execu-

tive support to get skilled staff, sufficient time, and access to people and
­resources needed to elicit and manage quality requirements. This will
maximize the chance for project success and added business value. Read-
ing this book is the first step to realizing these benefits and for the mere
price of this book.

Recent Trends
You can see in some of the more current trends how organizations are
working to try improving the success rates of projects and bringing more
value to the business with these projects. They are finding that none pro-
vide the magic bullet that leads to project success.

Agile
Agile methods, especially Scrum, became all the rage rolling into the
­mid-2000s and going even stronger in 2018. It promised to be a way
to deliver projects without a heavy investment of documentation and
­requirements upfront. The problem isn’t that Scrum is not a way to
gain additional value from the projects an organization takes on. It is.
xviii INTRODUCTION

However, tell anyone that you are doing an Agile project, and the first
thing that comes to mind is that there is not any project documentation.
Wrong! The Manifesto for Agile Software Development9 states: “Working
software over comprehensive documentation.” Agile is not a license to
skip documenting the business need, but rather it provides processes
to do this in a just in time manner, a manner that may not be acceptable
to some organizations or project teams.

Agile methods are not an excuse to hack at breakneck speed to make

a quick buck. Instead, they are a disciplined new product develop-
ment process that is optimized for efficiency, speed, and quality.10

Let’s review the Agile Manifesto for Agile Software Development

together.

Manifesto for Agile Software Development

We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and
helping others do it.
Through this work we have come to value:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items on

the right, we value the items on the left more.
http://agilemanifesto.org/

Starting with the title, we can see this is a manifesto for software
­development. The development of software is a small piece of the overall

9
Manifesto for Agile Software Development. http://agilemanifesto.org
10
D. Rico, H. Sayani, and S. Sone. 2009. “Future of agile methods (Chapter 24).” In
Business Value of Agile Software Methods: Maximizing ROI with Just-in-Time Processes
and Documentation (Fort Lauderdale, FL: J. Ross Publishing), p. 175.
 INTRODUCTION xix

picture in implementing a solution that will be of value to the business.

The manifesto does not claim that processes and tools, comprehensive
documentation, contract negotiation, or following a plan do not provide
value. Instead, the manifesto states, “There is [more] value to items on
the left.”
One of the major challenges with Scrum is that the values of working
software over documentation and responding to change over following a plan
both lead to the need for rework. However, taking the time to do the
needed rework and refactoring often gets neglected, resulting in a solu-
tion that does not meet the business need or requirements. There are two
major contributors to this neglect.
The first is a natural tendency not to redo something that was once
considered complete. Engineers find this frustrating. I have heard my
project teams state that they would rather see the full picture and build it
right in the first place.
The other factor is that the project team does not provide adequate
time in the schedule, or sprint backlog, for rework. The need for rework
needs to be factored into team velocity or by adding user stories for the
rework to the product backlog. Explaining this need to sponsors and
­executive stakeholders is a challenge.
Another issue I have with Scrum is that it ignores the role of the
project manager. In Agile is Not a Project Management Framework,11
I fully detail the need, purpose, and role of the project manager in an
Agile project. In short, there is still a need for a project manager and
champion to orchestrate the project beyond the confines of the Scrum
team.
One big strength of Scrum is the use of the product owner role.
The product owner is the keeper of the product backlog (a prioritized
list of features) and has ultimate authority over this priority within
the development team. The product owner is the single wringable neck
on the Scrum team. The product owner role is best suited to someone
with strong business analysis skills. These skills will allow them to
gain an understanding of the cost–benefit of features and the overall

11
http://project-pro.us/2012/04/14/agile_not_pm_framework
xx INTRODUCTION

value they bring to the final solution. The product owner is also
­responsible for eliciting, documenting, and communicating the require­
ments for each of the user stories (features). This book is for the ­product
owner.
I am a fan of Scrum when the following conditions exist:

• Project management is a role outside of the Scrum team.

• The organization’s management understands and accepts the product
backlog process and prioritization.
• The team is fully trained, understands, and accepts the processes.
• Business analysis is a core component of story writing and backlog
management.

Only recently have I seen some organizational moves in this direction.

Hopefully, the practice will continue to mature across enterprises.

Scaled Agile
Organizations began to see the benefits that Agile and Lean brought in
delivering successful projects but were looking to apply the same a­ gility to
larger-scale projects. Scaled Agile12 came to the rescue with a new Scaled
Agile Framework (SAFe®). SAFe provides a framework to scale large
­organizational projects across many engineering teams. This is handled
through the use of various levels of backlog. A backlog is a prioritized
list of features or functions that will add value to the product and to
the ­organization. Depending on the level of SAFe needed, there may be
a portfolio-level backlog of features that can feed many program-level
backlogs. Each program-level backlog, in turn, feeds many team-level
backlogs. Many teams will work independently to deliver features that
will integrate into a single system. Thorough business analysis for clarity
in understanding the value, and therefore, the priority of each feature
or function is critical to success in SAFe. Business analysis is also a criti-
cal component for successful integration that results in a single cohesive
­integrated solution.

12
https://www.scaledagile.com
 INTRODUCTION xxi

SAFe® for Lean Enterprises—Portfolio SAFe

Figure 3 Image reproduced with permission from Scaled Agile, Inc.

SAFe and Scaled Agile Framework are registered trademarks of Scaled
Agile, Inc. (c) Scaled Agile Framework reprint permissions.

With many product owners involved in the various backlogs it b­ ecomes

more difficult to see the single view of prioritized work that lies ahead.
Organizations must have a single source of prioritized work, so that teams
take on high-value features and functions are ­delivered with thought and
intention for a single cohesive integrated solution.
Please visit https://www.scaledagile.com for additional information
and resources on Scaled Agile.

Product Manager and Product Owner

Companies are using the job title of Business Analyst less. Instead, we
see Product Manager and Product Owner have more prevalence on job
boards. These roles are similar but tend to have a slight distinction worth
noting. Product managers focus on working externally to understand
business value and set product strategy. Product owners are internally
­focused, communicating the business needs of development teams. It is
also important to point out that the Product Owner role evolved from a
role specific to Scrum teams.
xxii INTRODUCTION

The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the prod-
uct resulting from work of the Development Team. How this is done
may vary widely across organizations, Scrum Teams, and individuals.
The Product Owner is the sole person responsible for managing the
Product Backlog. Product Backlog management includes the following:

• Clearly expressing Product Backlog items;

• Ordering the items in the Product Backlog to best achieve goals
and missions;
• Optimizing the value of the work the Development Team
performs;
• Ensuring that the Product Backlog is visible, transparent, and clear
to all, and shows what the Scrum Team will work on next; and,
• Ensuring the Development Team understands items in the
­Product Backlog to the level needed.

The Product Owner may do the aforementioned work, or have the De-
velopment Team do it. However, the Product Owner remains accountable.
The Product Owner is one person, not a committee. The Product
Owner may represent the desires of a committee in the Product Back-
log, but those wanting to change a Product Backlog item’s priority
must address the Product Owner.
For the Product Owner to succeed, the entire organization must
respect his or her decisions. The Product Owner’s decisions are visible
in the content and ordering of the Product Backlog. No one can force
the Development Team to work from a different set of requirements.
Source: Schwaber, K. and J. Sutherland. 2017. The Scrum Guide™, the Definitive
Guide to Scrum: The Rules of the Game.

The foreword included a list of Product Management in a Nutshell.

As this list indicates, the Product Manager typically has more responsi-
bilities in understanding the market and customers. However, a Product
Owner must understand the value of the solution, features, and func-
tions in the context of markets and users to effectively prioritize for
value-added d ­ ecisions. I believe these roles to be synonymous in many
cases. A ­Product Manager may be the Product Owner on a Scrum team.
 INTRODUCTION xxiii

A Product Owner may do market research to determine which features

will bring the greatest value to prioritize the backlog. A Product Owner
may report to a Project Manager who has greater responsibility for market
research and understanding customers. Any of these may be true depend-
ing on the type of product, the size of the company, the adoption of
Scrum, or ­simply job title preference.

Lean

In 2007, Toyota passed General Motors to become the world’s larg-

est motor vehicle producer. The use of Lean Manufacturing (LEAN)
­processes is one important factor in Toyota’s success. “A manufactur-
ing/production system best characterized as relentlessly eliminating
waste from all of its activities and operations. Lean strives to produce
products.”13 The Lean Global Network, established in 2007, promotes
Lean principles and sets the stage for LEAN in the mainstream. This
methodology ­focuses on r­ emoving non-value-added tasks from the proj-
ect. LEAN may be problematic when the view of “non-value added task
does not take into ­account the full project, solution, and stakeholders to
the project.
These five principles of LEAN further articulate the need for strong
business analysis in organizations. Business analysis evaluates scope and pro-
cesses to ensure that each provides value to the customer—not to the lead
architect, not to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), but to the customer.

5 Lean Principles
Value: Identity what really matters to the customer
Value Stream: Ensuring every activity adds customer value
Flow: Eliminating discontinuities in the value stream
Pull: Production is initiated by demand
Perfection: Retaining integrity via Jidoka (autonomation) and
­Poka-Yoke (mistake-proofing)

13
Definition from the Lean Manufacturing Facilitator’s Glossary. http://tpslean.com/
glossary/leanproductiondef.htm
xxiv INTRODUCTION

We Do Analysis

Most organizations do the analysis, as discussed in this text. The challenge

lies in recognizing the value of a business analysis professional. I often hear,
“I am the project manager on my project, and I do the business analysis
work. Is this okay?” If you can effectively perform the tasks of the project
manager and the business analysis to provide the team with what it needs for
a successful project in a 40-hour workweek, then yes, this is okay.
The project manager will often possess some of the specific skills
­required for business analysis and may have some capacity for the work. It is
rare to find a project manager who can answer yes to the ­above-mentioned
question unless they, like me, are also trained in ­business analysis, and the
project is small enough to allow capacity for both.
I have worked on projects that were small and simple enough to play
both roles. It can work. However, I did find that there was an added chal-
lenge in this situation. I found my decisions leaned toward whatever dis-
cipline in which I am currently working. In other words, if I have been
looking at the schedule and cost of the project, I leaned toward project
recommendations that supported cost and schedule over business value.
If I had last been working with stakeholders in eliciting requirements and
understanding what they felt solution success would look like, I’d lean to-
ward recommendations that provided more value to the solution without
as much regard to project schedule and budget. A professional skilled in
both business analysis and project management may fill both roles, and
the only caution is that you continuously keep the overall s­olution and
project in mind in your decisions and recommendations. Take the time
and be willing to ask yourself the hard questions to make sure the overall
project and solution it brings will provide the right value for the right cost.
This book will provide specific examples of how a business analysis
professional can help your business see greater benefits from the projects
selected and implemented. You may find that there are those in your orga-
nization that performs these tasks. An employee does not need to have the
title of Business Analyst to be a business analysis professional. This book
will help you recognize the roles and individuals and provide information
about how to mature and expand the use of the role for better results.
 PART 1

Business Analysis Explained

 CHAPTER 1

Business Analysis Defined

As the past Seattle Chapter President of International Institute of

­Business Analysis (IIBA), I often get questions about how someone can
learn more about becoming a business analysis professional. Often, those
asking have been doing business analysis work for some time; only they
have not yet realized it.
Let us begin by reviewing a couple of definitions of business
analysis.

International Institute of Business Analysis Definition

Business analysis is the practice of enabling change in an enter-

prise by defining needs and recommending solutions that deliver
value to stakeholders. Business analysis enables an enterprise to
articulate needs and the rationale for change, and to design and
describe solutions that can deliver value. (Business Analysis Body
of Knowledge [BABOK] Guide, Version 3.0)

Project Management Institute Definition

The set of activities performed to support delivery of solutions

that align to business objectives and provide continuous value to
the organization. (The PMI Guide to Business Analysis)1

1
Project Management Institute. 2017. The PMI Guide to Business Analysis (Newtown
Square, PA: Project Management Institute).
4 LEVERAGING BUSINESS ANALYSIS FOR PROJECT SUCCESS

The following two lists, activities and work produced, offer additional
perspective on what a business analysis professional does.

Activities Work produced

• Brainstorming • Business case/statement of work
• Document analysis • Business analysis plan
• Focus groups • Communication to stakeholders
• Interface analysis • Data dictionary or glossary
• Requirements analysis • Data flow diagrams
• Organization modeling • Metrics and key performance
• Process modeling indicators
• Organization modeling • Scenarios/use cases
• Process modeling • Sequence diagrams
• Prototyping • User stories
• Survey • Requirements package
• Prioritize

When we compare our current project team roles with the activities
and work produced, you may find that many jobs do the activities and
product the work described of a business analyst. Some common proj-
ect roles that do business analysis include product manager, product
owner, data analyst, project manager, technical writer, and developer.
If the two preceding lists sound like what you do, then you do business
analysis.

What is a business analyst?

Common business analysis job titles:
• Business process analyst
• IT business analyst
• Requirements engineer
• Business systems analyst
• Systems analyst
• Program manager
• Product manager
• Product owner
• Data analyst

What Is a Business Analysis Professional?

The project manager, developer, and data analyst may use some tools and
deliver some of the same results as the business analysis professional does
Another random document with
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shapeless rubble and smouldering ruin on all sides bore witness to
Hun methods of frightfulness.
We at length came in sight of Arsiero and had to leave the car as
the road, which had been getting more and more choked with débris,
now became impassible. Moreover, big shells were coming over with
persistent frequency, and we could not afford to take any risk of our
transport being injured. We had no desire to walk back.
One must have seen the Front here for oneself in order to form
any conception of what the Austrian thrust meant, and how near it
was to succeeding.
Arsiero is situated in the valley of Astico; behind it is the semi-
circle of mountains which form the boundary of the tableland of the
Altopiano, so close as to dominate it completely, foremost amongst
these mountains being M. Cenzio and M. Cimone, standing up like
colossal barriers above the valley.
From the point of view of an artist it would be difficult to conceive a
more delightful panorama than one had before one’s eyes: it was a
glorious picture waiting to be painted in peace time, but you felt that
there was nothing attractive about it from the military point of view. If
an enemy were in possession of all these superb heights, then the
positions in the valley below would be very undesirable, to say the
least of it; and without any knowledge of military matters you realised
that the valley and all that it contained—towns, villages, vineyards
and what not—was completely at the mercy of the men who manned
the guns up above, and also that under cover of these guns
immense masses of troops could be safely brought down the side of
the mountains on to the plains, and established there pending further
movements.
Following up your thoughts as an amateur strategist, you could not
fail to come to the conclusion that the valley was as good as lost if
such a contingency came to pass, unless the defenders could
achieve what looked like a sheer impossibility, and drive the invaders
from their positions on the plain and back again up the mountain
side.
 The idea of such a possibility was too fantastic to waste a thought
on it. Yet this is actually what happened during that fateful week
when Italy was on the brink of disaster.
On the road leading to the town there were signs everywhere of
the Austrians, and of the desperate fighting that had taken place
here only a few days previously. I had thought that there might be a
certain amount of panicky exaggeration in the reports of the extent of
the Austrian advance towards the place, but there were
incontestable proofs in the shape of trenches, barbed wire and so
forth pushed forward well in front of Arsiero.
Every yard of the enemy’s advance had been methodically
consolidated, but nothing had stopped the rush of the Italians—their
blood was up for vengeance—they were fighting on Italian soil and
on their way here had passed through the devastated villages and
ruined countryside, and had heard tales of outrage and infamy.
It was a case of God help the Austrians if they caught up with
them, for along the whole Front there had been considerable
evidence of the enemy’s barbaric methods; in one place, for
instance, near Magnaboschi, hundreds of naked corpses of Italian
soldiers were found in the mire.
With the knowledge of what they might expect if the Italians got to
grips with them, the Austrians, once they got on the run, never
stopped till they were safely back in their old positions, and here they
were putting up a stubborn fight when I was in Arsiero.
They were not beaten by any means, although driven from Italian
soil. That General Cadorna was evidently aware that any relaxation
of pressure would have brought them on again was substantiated by
the number of troops he was keeping in this sector.
Arsiero had suffered considerably, and although not entirely in
ruins, as has been stated, was more damaged by fire and shell than
any place in Italy I had yet seen.
On the outskirts of the town the gairish nouvel art villa of the
famous Italian writer, Antonio Fogazzaro, which must have cost him
a little fortune to build was now but an unsightly ultra-modern ruin
standing in the midst of a wilderness of park-like grounds. One of the
most advanced of the Austrian communication trenches leading into
the valley started from here.
A little distance further down the road were the immense paper-
mills of Rossi and Co., said to have been the largest in Europe, and
which employed hundreds of workpeople.
The buildings were absolutely wiped out. They had been
deliberately set fire to by the Austrians before they evacuated the
town. Nothing remained now but acres of crumbling walls,
smouldering timber, and twisted débris of machinery, over which
hung a pall, as it were, of smoke, a pitiful spectacle of wanton,
insensate destruction.
The town itself, a picturesque, rambling, up-hill and down-dale sort
of place was only destroyed in patches, but with the shells still
coming over there was yet a possibility of its utter destruction.
As the gun-fire seemed to have lulled a bit, we had a stroll up to
the battlefield on the hill beyond the houses. There a barrage of
shell-fire had evidently been attempted, judging from the fragments
of shell-cases of all calibres lying about. In places the ground was
littered with the detritus of war, and looked like an old-iron and rag-
refuse heap. Here and there were interesting curios and many
unexploded projectiles in perfect condition. It occurred to me that I
would take one of these away with me as a souvenir for my studio,
and was stooping down to pick up one when a soldier, who was
passing, rushed towards me yelling out at the top of his voice, “Non
toccate! non toccate! Signore.”
I did not understand much Italian, but I knew enough to
comprehend that I was not to touch it, and thought it strange that
with all this rubbish lying about I could not take something if I fancied
it.
My companion came up at that moment and explained to me that
it was most dangerous to handle these unexploded live shells—even
walking too close to them has been known to cause them to explode.
I did not want any further telling, and contented myself with taking an
empty .77 as a souvenir.

But nothing had stopped the rush of the Italians (see page 158)
To face page 160
 CHAPTER XIII

The fighting on the Asiago plateau—Brilliant counter-offensive of

General Cadorna—I go to Asiago—Wonderful organization of Italian
Army—Making new roads—Thousands of labourers—The military
causeway—Supply columns in full operation—Wonderful scenes—
Approaching the scene of action—The forest of Gallio—The big
bivouac—Whole brigades lying hidden—The forest screen—
Picturesque encampments—The “bell” tent as compared with the
tente d’abri—Our car stopped by the Carabinieri—“Nostri Canoni”—
We leave the car—The plain of Asiago—The little town of Asiago in
distance—The Austrian and Italian batteries and Italian trenches—
Hurrying across—The daily toll of the guns—Asiago in ruins—Street
fighting—Importance attaching to this point—An ominous lull—
Regiment waiting to proceed to trenches—Sad spectacle—The
quarters of the divisional commandant—His “office”—Staff clerks at
work—Telephone bells ringing—The commandant’s regret at our
coming—Big artillery attack to commence—A quarter of an hour to
spare—A peep at the Austrian trenches—A little ruined home—All
movements of troops to trenches by night—Artillery action about to
commence—Not allowed to go to trenches—Adventure on way back
—Attempt cross no man’s land at the double—My little “souvenir” of
Asiago—Bursting shells—Ordered to take cover—The wounded
soldiers and the kitten—Anything but a pleasant spot—The two
Carabinieri—Cool courage—In the “funk-hole”—An inferno—My own
impressions—Effect on soldiers and our chauffeur—The wounded
sergeant—We prepare to make a start back—Irritating delay—A
shrapnel—My companion is wounded—Transformation along road—
Curious incident.
 CHAPTER XIII
The Austrian thrust was not confined to the Arsiero sector, although it
was undoubtedly there that they made their greatest effort in men
and guns. The Asiago plateau in the district of the Sette Communi
was the scene of desperate fighting simultaneously with that around
Arsiero.
The counter-offensive of General Cadorna in this direction was, if
anything, more brilliantly conceived and carried out than in the Astico
valley, and that is saying a great deal. But here again, although
driven back, the enemy was by no means beaten, and continued to
fight sullenly for every yard he was forced to yield. Although the
Italians were pressing closely on the enemy’s heels, it was a tough
job to keep him on the move, as I was able to judge for myself.
I went up to Asiago on my return from Arsiero, and must admit I
was astounded at all I saw; it was inconceivable that so much could
have been accomplished in so short a time.
I have so often insisted on the wonderful organization of every
branch of the Italian Army that I hardly like to revert to it again, but I
had just returned, after having been away for several months, and I
found that my impressions were precisely the same as in the
beginning of the war; preparedness is still the mot d’ordre. An
instance of this will serve to convey my meaning.
It is uphill most of the way to the tableland where Asiago is
situated, and before the Austrian onslaught the roads to the plateau
were of so rough and primitive a description as to be quite
inadequate to meet the requirements of the immense transport
service of the army being sent up.
In order to cope with the exigencies of the situation drastic
measures had to be adopted, which were evidently foreseen and
arranged for in the event of certain contingencies such as the
present one arising.
Thousands of labourers, young and old, of the military classes not
yet called up, but who undoubtedly had been warned for this duty,
were brought from all over the country, provided with picks and
shovels and sent here by express trains. Without the delay of an
hour practically, they were set to work to cut down obstructing trees
and widen, build up and level the existing roads.
Of course they were well paid: five lires a day and their food
provided, but it was not a mere question of pay—of that you cannot
fail to be convinced—only men working with their hearts in their job
could have accomplished what these gangs of men did in the time. It
is truly an object lesson in the value of organized labour.
The fine broad highway, complete in every necessary detail, such
as stone parapets at the curves, and walling-up where there is risk of
landslides, came into being as though by the touch of a magician’s
wand, and proved of incalculable value in the counter-attack which
was meanwhile preparing. The transport of the masses of troops
synchronizing with the completion of the roads.
Certain it is that without such organization it would have required
many weeks to have carried out what was done in a few days, and in
the meantime the invaders, it is to be assumed, would not have been
idle on their side.
When I motored up to Asiago, had I not been told how long this
roadway had been in existence I should have said it was years old,
instead of days.
Along this military causeway was as busy and animated a scene
as could be imagined. The Italians had already recaptured all the
positions in the Sette Communi, and were pushing steadily on
towards the Altopiano beyond Asiago.
The supply columns were, therefore, now in full operation, and one
passed what was practically an endless convoy of munition trains,
motor lorries, picturesque carts from every corner apparently of the
peninsula, and long strings of pack horses and mules. In and out of
this imposing column and up the steepest parts of the road dispatch
riders on motor bicycles dashed along with reckless speed and
marvellous dexterity.
It was a wonderfully inspiriting scene, and this was accentuated as
one gradually began to hear the booming of the Italian guns in the
distance. We were rapidly approaching the scene of action, and the
Austrians were being given no respite.
The effect of all this, together with the glorious air of the mountain,
was as exhilarating as champagne—one felt years younger. The car
seemed to go too slowly, so eager were you to get on, and be in the
thick of it all.
The mountain side was bare and bleak, with scarcely a vestige of
tree or shrub—but on the tableland beyond the crest it gradually
changed, and we entered a belt of pine forest, dark and gloomy.
This was the forest of Gallio. The road wound in and out of the
dense trees, and only a short distance ahead could be seen. We had
now passed the head of the transport convoys, and came up with
reinforcements hurrying forward.
A remarkable scene now presented itself. The forest on either side
of the road was a big bivouac. The gloom under the trees was alive
with troops as far back as one could see. Every yard of ground
appeared to be occupied, whole brigades were lying hidden here
waiting the order to advance. No more effective screen could have
been wished for than this belt of forest, and it must have been a
continual source of anxiety to the Austrian generals to know what it
concealed.
It was probably for this reason that the forest of Gallio was the
hottest section of this Front, as it was continually being shelled, and
the casualties were always correspondingly heavy.
There was something singularly reminiscent of mining scenes in
the Far West in all I saw around me as many of the men had erected
their picturesque little tentes d’abri and formed little encampments in
all sorts of out-of-the-way corners. The soldiers were apparently
allowed considerable latitude in this respect, possibly because these
tents are so easily handled, and by reason of their small dimensions
are easily disguised with foliage.
The big and cumbersome “bell” tent so fondly adhered to by the
British Army Authorities under all circumstances would have looked
very out of date here, where initiative not dogma reigned supreme!
After passing through what gave the impression of miles and miles
of encampment, we approached the confines of the trees, and were
suddenly hailed by two Carabinieri standing under the trees just off
the road, and informed that the car was not allowed to proceed any
further.[A]
[A] The Carabinieri have a special status in Italy, and only men of
the very highest character are accepted for the corps. In peace
time they are country constabulary, and patrol the rural districts; in
war they automatically become military police and are exclusively
employed in the immediate rear of the fighting line, watching for
deserters, looking after prisoners, carrying despatches, and so
forth. They only take orders from their own officers, and never do
any military service. On but one occasion have they become
combatants, and that was at the battle of Palestro in 1859, when
they saved the life of King Humbert by forming a square to protect
him. Their war footing is 50,000, of whom 8,000 are mounted.
Of course our chauffeur pulled up without hesitating: he knew that
Carabinieri have to be obeyed without parley. My companion got out,
and I was following him when, scarcely had I got my foot off the step,
than there was a deafening report like a thunderclap a few yards
away. For a moment I thought my head had been blown off.
“Sonoi Nostri Canoni,” remarked my companion, who had been
there before, and who knew of an Italian big gun hidden in the trees
within a few yards of us; one of many along the outskirts of the
forest, I was told later, and which were giving the Austrians much
trouble. We left the car here to await our return and walked on. A
hundred yards or so and we were clear of the forest, which ended
abruptly on the edge of a slight acclivity.
A little below us was a wide expanse of grass-covered plain, and
in the centre of it, about a mile away, were the white houses of the
little town of Asiago, of which one had read so much during the past
few weeks.
Just beyond the town a line of low-lying hills stood out against the
horizon. On the crest of one of these hills—Monte Interrotto—about
two and a half miles distant were the Austrian batteries, and on the
slopes below were the Austrian and Italian trenches. In the far
distance to the North, Monte Zebio stood out amongst some rugged
peaks.
For the moment the scene was fairly peaceful, that is to say the
guns on either side were only firing in a desultory way; but, of
course, one could not tell how long this would last and what might
“come over” at any moment; however, as we had come here with the
intention of going right into Asiago, this had to be chanced. My
companion advised hurrying across as quickly as possible as there
was no cover anywhere, and the road was quite exposed to the view
of the Austrian gunners.
It was a typical summer morning, with the birds singing merrily on
all sides, so it was somewhat difficult to realize that there was
danger in strolling along leisurely, but before we had gone far we met
stretcher-bearers coming towards us with their sad burdens, and
quite a number of soldiers carrying wounded men on their backs.
No big engagement was in progress we learned, but the guns and
rifles were taking their steady and relentless daily toll all the time.
This constant stream of wounded ended by getting on one’s
nerves, and made you wonder what the fates had in store for you.
The town, from a distance, appeared to be quite undamaged, but
on getting near to it one found it was in a sad state of ruins. Very few
of the houses had escaped the ravages of fire or bombardment.
The position of Asiago, midway between the opposing batteries,
had, of course, in a great measure brought this about, and was
responsible for its gradual destruction.
There was a great deal of street fighting before the invaders were
driven out and back to the hills, and in several places were hastily
erected barricades formed with broken furniture and other
miscellaneous articles. Barbed wire entanglements of a novel
construction were also placed in some of the streets in case the
Italian cavalry attempted to force a way through.
So Asiago was very closely connected with the stirring events that
were taking place, and from being an unheard of little frontier town,
had become one of the most spoken of places in Italy.
The fact that the communiqués referred to it almost daily is proof
of the importance attaching to this point, and it required ceaseless
vigilance on the part of the Italians to retain their foothold in its ruined
streets. But no attempt has been made to fortify the place, its
defences are the trenches on the hills beyond, and which, at the time
I was there, were gradually being pushed forward.
Any troops in the town itself were only there de passage for a few
hours. It would have been risking unnecessary sacrifice of life to
have kept them there for any length of time.
We were in about as exposed a position as could probably have
been found on any front, but for the moment there was an ominous
lull which portended no good, and so it turned out. The respite was
not to last long; the Asiago plateau is far too important a sector of the
front to be left long in quietude.
The little town must have been a delightful place before the war,
and even now, destroyed though it mostly is, there are a few
picturesque corners which the bombardment has spared. There
were comparatively very few soldiers about, and the deserted, ruined
streets looked unutterably sad; but right in the centre, on an open
piece of waste ground, sheltered by some tall houses and a roughly
made “screen” of odd pieces of corrugated iron, a regiment was
waiting for nightfall to proceed to the trenches outside the town.
I had a good look through an aperture in the screen: the men were
noticeably subdued in their demeanour, as well they might be,
considering that at any moment they might be under a hail of
projectiles and with no means of escaping it.
They had evidently been on the road for some time, as they all
looked grimy with dust and dirt and tired out, judging from the way
most of them were lying about sleeping. It was an extremely sad
spectacle, and I had no inclination to make a sketch of it, novel
though it was.
We enquired our way to the quarters of the Divisional
Commandant, as my companion had a letter to deliver to him, and
an officer we met sent some one with us to show us the house, as
outwardly there was no indication of its being occupied. The number
of deep dug-outs protected with sand-bags one saw everywhere was
sufficient proof of the awful time the men stationed here went
through. As we went along we were constantly meeting stretcher-
bearers bringing along wounded men. At the corners of streets men
were sheltering close up to the walls as though expecting at any
moment something to happen.
The Commandant’s “office” was in a house that had suffered
badly: there were gaping cracks in the walls, and it looked as if any
explosion near it would bring it down with a run.
There were quite a number of staff clerks at work in the ground-
floor rooms, and the telephone bells were ringing incessantly.
We were received by the Commandant with much cordiality, and
the position of affairs in the immediate vicinity explained to us very
lucidly by means of a big military chart fastened to a table in one of
the rooms, but he expressed regret at our having come just on that
particular day as a big attack by the artillery was timed to commence
at eleven o’clock (it was then 10.45), and he feared we should not be
able to get back so soon as we wished.
As though in defiant response to his statement, there was at that
moment a loud report from an Austrian battery, and a big shell
screeched by overhead.
There was still a quarter of an hour to spare before the Italian guns
were to start off, so the Commandant suggested our going upstairs
to the third floor to have a peep at the Italian and Austrian trenches
through a shell-hole in the roof. The house was quite new and built in
flats, which had evidently been occupied by fairly well-to-do people.
 The room we went into had evidently been a sort of bedroom and
nursery combined: it was in a complete state of ruin, furniture
smashed, women’s clothes jumbled up all over the floor, with tiles
and bricks and mortar, here and there among the débris a child’s toy,
a broken doll, and what not, letters and papers strewn everywhere,
and all sodden with rain. There was something inexpressibly pathetic
in this little ruined home.
The Italian and Austrian trenches were but a few hundred yards
away, and only quite a short distance separated them. There was,
however, very little to see even through our powerful binoculars. The
whole hillside was very bare, and the trenches looked like mere
furrows in it, and yet one knew that these furrows were full of men
waiting the opportunity to get out and kill each other.
There was not a sign of life anywhere, as it meant certain death to
show yourself if only for an instant, the Commandant told me; even
where we were in this third floor room we ran the risk of being
spotted by some vigilant sniper, for the dilapidated roof offered very
little shelter.
All movements of troops up to the trenches were made by night,
and once the men were in position they were completely isolated, it
only being possible to take them their food once during the day, after
dark.
On the crest of Monte Interrotto opposite us, about fifteen hundred
yards distant, was a curious little squat-looking building which had, I
was told, been originally erected as a fort, but now it was merely a
landmark probably, and abandoned, or it would have certainly been
obliterated by the Italian artillery.
It was just upon eleven o’clock when we came down, and the
telephone bells were ringing furiously—the artillery action was
evidently about to commence.
My companion, who, by the way, had a camera with him,
suggested our going out to the trenches, but when he mentioned it to
the Commandant he was told that he, as an officer, could of course
go if he wished; there was nothing to stop him, but I could not be
allowed to accompany him under any circumstances.
The reason for this interdiction was not explained as far as I could
gather. There was, however, no arguing the matter, so rather than
leave me he decided that since that was the case, and there was
nothing more to see here it would be better if we chanced it and
made a dash back to the car whilst there was yet perhaps time.
Whilst we were talking, the Italian batteries were already opening
fire all along the line, though apparently only in a tentative range-
finding sort of way to start with, and the Austrians were beginning to
reply by dropping shells round Asiago, several big projectiles
bursting in the outskirts of the town.
It looked, therefore, as though we were going to have an exciting
time getting back, and so it turned out. The Commandant grimly
wished us luck, and off we went.
We had not got far when our adventures commenced. A big
shrapnel bursting right over us. Fortunately we had heard it coming,
so had time to get behind a wall. The fragments of the shell beat
down on the ground like Brobdingnagian hailstones.
After that the firing from both sides seemed to become general,
and it was evident that the attack was developing seriously.
Out in the open, as I have said, there was no cover whatever, so
there was nothing for it but to attempt to get across the mile of “No
man’s land” at the double.
Some soldiers, who were going across also, set the pace to start
with. I must regretfully confess, however, that I am long past
athletics, and even in my best days was never much of a pedestrian,
so I very soon had to give in and take it easily.
 And came up with reinforcements hurrying forward (see page 165)
To face page 172

My companion, who was quite a young man, could without a doubt

have run the whole distance, but he good-naturedly slowed down to
remain with me.
Apart from my lack of stamina, I was somewhat severely
handicapped for sprinting, as, at the Commandant’s quarters I had
been given the butt-end of a big shell as “a little souvenir” of my visit
to Asiago.
It certainly was an interesting trophy, though a trifle weighty, as
may be imagined, and I did not want to leave it behind if I could help
it, as I have a mania for collecting war “curios” for my studio; but it
was a terrible temptation to drop it now and chance getting another
later on. However, I stuck to it like grim death and, I may add,
eventually brought it to London.
The idea of a man of my years and experience attempting to run a
mile in a blazing hot sun and under fire with a piece of iron weighing
some 12lbs. under his arm was doubtless ridiculous, and probably
my companion thought so, though he said nothing.
We had just got out in the open when we heard a terrific explosion
and, looking back, we saw that a shell of the biggest calibre had
burst in the town.
An immense column of white smoke and dust rose high in the air,
and in it you saw fragments of timber and other débris suspended by
the force of the explosion in the still atmosphere for what seemed a
few seconds—so long, in fact, that my companion actually had time
to get his camera out of its case and take a snapshot.
The artillery duel was now spreading ominously, and we could see
that shells were bursting unpleasantly near the spot where we had
left the car, the objective of the Austrians being, of course, the Italian
batteries along the edge of the forest.
About half way across was what looked like a railway embankment
or something of that sort, the road passing under it by a low archway.
There was a cottage close by, and when we got up to it we found
that it was a sort of infantry post in charge of a non-commissioned
officer, and that the soldiers who had preceded us had been ordered
to take cover here for a time—and we had to do the same—the
object of this evidently being to prevent too much movement being
seen on the road.
The cottage was little better than a shanty, and afforded no
protection whatever. In the one room were several badly-wounded
men lying on stretchers on the ground.
The thunder of the guns and the bursting shells outside did not
appear to affect them at all; in fact, two of the most heavily bandaged
were actually playing with a pretty little tabby kitten that, strangely
enough, was there. It was a curiously homely note, and singularly
out of keeping with its surroundings.
The sergeant detained us some little time, and then only allowed
us to go on singly and with intervals between. He evidently was
using his own judgment in the matter.
 When we reached the forest the shells from the Austrian batteries
appeared to be passing overhead in a continuous flight, their wailing
screech sounding like a high wind in the tree-tops.
It was as if a gale were raging, accompanied by incessant crashes
of thunder. Branches of trees were being brought down by the shells
in every direction, and altogether it was anything but a pleasant spot
to find oneself in.
Yet close by, standing as calmly as though waiting for the storm to
pass, were the two Carabinieri we had previously seen, and who
were evidently on guard here.
In all my war experiences I have never witnessed anything to
surpass the sangfroid displayed by these two men. Neither the
bursting shells nor the falling trees appeared to perturb them in the
least. They were as unruffled as a London policeman on point duty. It
was a display of cool courage I shall long remember. Their horses,
standing just behind, shared their master’s composure; they showed
no signs of nervousness, and were not even fastened up.
I shall have occasion later to again refer to the remarkable
fearlessness of the Carabinieri—it was one of the things that
impressed me most on the Italian Front.
The car was not where we had left it, and the Carabinieri told us
that the chauffeur had thought it advisable to move it to a less
exposed place further up the road so as not to risk its being
smashed to pieces.
We hurried on and soon found the car, but no chauffeur. After
calling out for some minutes and with difficulty making ourselves
heard above the din going on; we saw him coming up from what
looked like a cellar under the trees.
This was a “dug-out” or what our English Tommies have
humourously designated as a “funk-hole,” and was constructed of
heavy timber covered with turf and several layers of sandbags. It
was entered by a short flight of steps, so we went down to have a
look at it. One might have been in a settler’s hut out in the wilds
somewhere, though for the matter of that all log shanties convey that
impression.
It was a very rough and gloomy place, but I was told that the King
had taken “cover” here only the day before, and had been forced to
stay in it for several hours.
Some soldiers were there, so we sat down with them and had a
chat, and it was well we did, for the firing increased in intensity every
moment, and heavy projectiles began to burst on the roof of the
“dug-out” with such terrific force that one expected at any moment
the whole place would be blown to atoms.
The very ground trembled under the shock of the explosions. I
never thought that human ears or nerves could stand such an
inferno as we were in for during the next hour.
The effect on me personally was at first a sort of atrophy of my
senses—a feeling came over me that if this was to be my end, well
let it be a quick and complete finish, no blinding or maiming or other
drawn out agony. Next a sensation of extreme hunger, which at the
time I felt inclined to pat myself on the back for, as indicating heroic
indifference to my surroundings, but which later I learned, to my
disappointment, is a well-known manifestation of “funk,” a form of
nervous dyspepsia—“fringale,” the French call it. But gradually these
impressions wore off, and I looked around with curiosity to see how
the young soldiers around me bore themselves.
Several were in a state of absolute terror at each explosion, and
were wringing their hands and ejaculating under their breath “Oh,
Dio—Oh, mamma!” whilst others sat stock still and gazed in front of
them in moody silence.
Our chauffeur was very much upset and made no attempt to
disguise it; so much so, in fact, that I wondered how on earth he
would be able to drive us back; his nerve seemed to be quite gone,
and his face was ghastly white.
Suddenly a soldier rushed down the steps calling out frantically
that the sergeant was mortally wounded and asking if anyone had
any brandy. No one had any, and I made a mental note never again
to be without a flask of it in my pocket. The poor fellow was lying just
outside the dug-out with his leg badly smashed up by a big fragment
of shell.
He was losing consciousness and kept sobbing and crying out for
his mother. Fortunately some stretcher-bearers were near by, so in a
very few minutes he was bound up with an improvised tourniquet to
stop the hemorrhage and hurried off to the nearest ambulance
station, though I doubt whether he ever reached it alive.
We returned to the dug-out as the firing shewed no signs of
abatement; but my companion began to get fidgetty, and at last said
we might have to stay there for hours if we waited till all was quiet,
and suggested our risking it and making a start.
Of course I could only agree; but the chauffeur was not so
anxious. He was, if anything, still more upset by what had just
happened; however, a few kind but forcible words brought him to his
senses, and with an effort he managed to pull himself together.
So we all went out somewhat anxiously to see if the car was still in
existence, and found that, fortunately, it had passed through its
ordeal of fire unscathed and had not been touched.
There was no time to lose, as may be imagined, with shells
bursting all round us, but as might have been expected, because we
were in a hurry to get away there was an irritating delay, and this
delay was directly the cause of an incident that now occurred, and
which might very easily have had a fatal result.
The car had to be turned round, not a quick operation at the best
of times, and especially in a narrow road, but under fire, a decidedly
nerve-testing job.
We were standing in the roadway watching with impatience the
apparently awkward manœuvres of the chauffeur when there was a
flash like lightning, a loud report and a shrapnel burst right over our
heads not more than twenty feet up.
Instinctively I raised my arm to shield my eyes, as I always do;
almost at the same moment I heard my friend, who was just by, call
out that he had been hit in the shoulder.
 Looking round I saw him stoop down and gingerly pick up a long,
jagged fragment of shell lying at his feet. This was the piece that had
struck him—it was almost too hot to touch.
He said he did not think he was much hurt, and that it was no use
waiting there to do anything for it. So we lost no time in getting off
before something more serious happened; we were only asking for
trouble every moment we delayed.
As a matter of fact, although he made light of it, he had a nasty
flesh wound; it turned out that the strap of his camera case, together
with his thick overcoat and tunic, had undoubtedly saved his arm.
We had only gone a few yards when a remarkable state of affairs
revealed itself: the road had disappeared, so completely was it
hidden by trees and branches brought down by the shells.
It was positively startling to see such a transformation in the
comparatively short time that had elapsed since we had come along
it.
Here was a pretty fix, but luck favoured us in the shape of a
soldier, who saw our predicament and indicated a way of getting
round the obstacles and regaining the road further on.
I will candidly confess that I was not altogether sorry when we at
length got out of range of the Austrian guns.
We had been under fire for more than four hours, and I had had
about enough of it for one day.
There was a big stir amongst the troops bivouacked in the forest,
and we passed several regiments on the road, which led one to infer
that the artillery duel was to be followed up by an infantry attack on a
large scale at nightfall, and so it turned out, as I afterwards learned.
But these operations on the Asiago plateau were then, and are
still, of almost daily occurrence, and, serious though they may
appear when seen at close range as on this particular occasion, are
evidently but a side issue in General Cadorna’s main plan of
campaign.