As Business Analysts, we are professional change practitioners. We are experts in the field of “change” and should expect to add maximum value to the organisations we work for. To be effective in this role I believe we must manage change in our own professional development and stay up to date with industry and BA…
I’m pleased to say that my most recent blog article has been published on “Bridging-the-gap.com”, where I have contributed as a guest author. The post is in response to a reader’s question, and focusses on what jobs can lead to a BA role. I’d love to hear what you think, so please feel free to…
As business analysts, it’s essential that we manage time effectively. I’m sure we’ve all worked on projects when there just don’t seem to be enough hours in the day. Not only do we need to manage our own time, but we also need to make the most of the time available with our users or…
As business analysts, it’s essential that we work closely with our business stakeholders. Whether we’re working on strategy, feasibility or requirements, this closeness often helps to ensure that we gain a real and detailed understanding of the problems that our stakeholders face. In some cases we might try and completely immerse ourselves in the world…
Over the past few months, I’ve spoken to a number of my peers who work in different companies and different industries who have been facing a similar set of challenges. A common problem in the project world seems to be that some business stakeholders just don’t understand the role of a BA. In a worse…
I’d hazard a bet that we’ve all been there. We’ve all worked on that project, the one which seems to go round in circles with hundreds of false starts, changes of approach and seemingly endless issues to manage. After six months the team is making slow but significant process… yet team members seem completely burned out!…
I took part at a fascinating debate at a recent IIBA event. The debate focussed on the distinction between a Business Analyst (BA) and a Subject Matter Expert (SME), and the extent that the BA should “learn” the business. There is an ongoing debate within the BA community over the level of industry (business domain)…
I believe that one of the most important success factors in just about any project is having a shared understanding of the “problem” that needs to be solved. Once the problem has been clearly defined, it is much easier to define the scope of the project (and far easier to analyse, define and prioritise requirements).…
One of the great things about the Business Analysis profession is that all of us have different backgrounds. I made a number of career moves before I became a BA, and I have never looked back (!) I’ve been working as a BA for a fair few years now. However, it strikes me that when…
In recent times, there has been a renewed focus on Stakeholder Management during business change projects. Formal Stakeholder Management helps to ensure that expectations are managed, and conflict is addressed. With this renewed focus on formal management techniques, it’s easy to forget the value of your informal network of colleagues, suppliers, friends and associates. Your…
