As a seasoned application architect who once walked in the shoes of a business analyst, I understand the desire to embark on a career transition journey. Making the leap from analyzing business processes to designing intricate software systems may seem daunting, but I'm here to tell you that it's not only possible but also incredibly rewarding. Drawing from my own personal experience, I want to offer some advice and encouragement to fellow business analysts who aspire to become application architects.
As a member of a team of systems analysts, I recently embarked on a challenging project involving mortgage origination systems. Little did we know, this journey would be characterized by uncertainty at every turn. Assigned with deciphering complex requirements and translating them into a functional system, we found ourselves navigating unfamiliar territory with a mix of excitement and apprehension.
So as a BA, you are important and beneficial to an organization. You are extremely critical to an organization. Now all you have to do is demonstrate how and here are some tips on how to demonstrate value.
Business Analysts elicit and document requirements in some way, shape, or form. By thoroughly understanding the needs and objectives of stakeholders, YOU ensure that projects and initiatives are aligned with the organization's strategic goals and objectives. Therefore, you are helping the organization to live up to the clear direction and purpose that was set, minimize conflict, promote teamwork, and ensure resources are utilized efficiently.
Companies that treat the documentation of customer stated needs, wants, demands, desires, ideas, specifications as the focal point of the BA work tend to pay a steep price by solving the wrong problem or addressing a problem manifestation rather than the underlying business issue. And now, with LLMs readily available to produce similar outputs at a much faster pace, there is reason to believe that these document-centric roles will soon join the statistics of LLMs replacing human jobs.
An adept BA, on the other hand, has no reason to fear an existential threat. It’s hard to predict exactly how generative AI will end up integrated into our work lives going forward. Still, LLMs are far from being able to send stakeholders in the desired direction, identify the initiatives that actually make sense and are likely to produce the desired result, and reliably answer the question, How does this project/feature/requirement we’re working on contribute to the organization’s strategy?
This simple activity was priceless in showing what you get when asking a group of BAs what may seem like a few simple, straight forward questions. And this all ties into the BA Mindset.
So what is the BA Mindset? It’s one thing to do business analysis activities, it’s another to THINK like a business analyst.
Let’s dive into what it is to be a business analyst and how the BA mindset fits into that.
As a business analyst, my journey unfolds with the same dynamic tension that propels the cat-and-mouse chase in this biographical film. Like Abagnale, I navigate through the intricate web of corporate challenges, constantly adapting and problem-solving in a landscape where the unexpected becomes the norm. The whispers of a business analyst form a subtle symphony, weaving through the complexities of uncharted territories, inviting stakeholders to join the pursuit of solutions, all while mastering the art of capturing elusive answers in the corporate labyrinth. So, in this enigmatic dance of analysis and innovation, the question remains — can you catch me if you can?
As a Business Analyst, there are so many directions or paths, you can take as BA and it's not because you have the title of BA, but it's because of the value you bring to any organization will all the skills and competencies you have. In this article, I will explore some common paths you can consider. For the context of this blog, we are going to consider rising from a Junior BA perspective.
There are many reasons professionals like yourself want to pursue certifications. Certifications offer several benefits and advantages that can help you advance your career and reach your personal and professional goals. Understanding WHY you want to pursue a professional certification is key. There are some professionals who have certifications but cannot successfully demonstrate the concepts learned in the course or program. This then makes you wonder what was the reasoning behind obtaining the certification in the first place.
This is no different from the technology dilemma that many BAs find themselves in as they work to advance their BA career. There is no way you can learn everything at one time, but you can take gradual steps to continue to advance your skills. So don't fear, I am here with some tips on how to approach this dilemma and lessen some of that overwhelm that plaques business analyst. And I truly believe the reason this is a stress is because you want to stay relevant in the field of business analysis if you are currently in a BA role or working to obtain a BA role.
"So what do you do?"... You are networking, or with family or new friends and someone is bound to ask. This has become a laborious question for so many Business Analysts. It often becomes the running joke and each BA eventually lands on some level of elevator pitch that leaves the curious onlooker befuddled and sidestepping to move into the next topic. But why is explaining the job of a Bubsiness Analyst so tricky and what does that mean for the future of the BA discipline?
A Technical Business Analyst (TBA) is a professional who bridges the gap between business and technology. They are responsible for understanding the business needs of an organisation and translating those needs into technical requirements that can be implemented by developers. TBAs typically have a strong understanding of both business and technology, as well as the ability to communicate effectively with both groups. A digital business analyst (DBA), just like a TBA, is a professional who bridges the gap between business and technology. And, just like a TBA, they are responsible for understanding the business needs of an organisation and translating those needs into digital solutions that can be implemented by developers. DBAs typically have a strong understanding of both business and technology, as well as the ability to communicate effectively with both groups.
A job interview is the most crucial and stressful step on the path to a new job. Very few people can “wing” it. Usually, these are experienced professionals who have done it many times. They would have practiced so much that they’ve become interview athletes.
How to become an expert at winning job interviews, in particular for jobs in business analysis? Follow these steps to prepare, practice, analyze your performance, and improve with every interview.
Many organizations acquire and adapt purchased packaged solutions (also called commercial off-the-shelf, or COTS, products) to meet their software needs, instead of building new systems from scratch. Software as a service (SaaS), or cloud, solutions are becoming increasingly available to meet software needs as well. Whether you’re using a package as part or all of the solution for a new project or implementing a solution in the cloud, you still need requirements. Requirements let you evaluate solution candidates so that you can select the most appropriate package, and then they let you adapt the package to meet your needs. This article describes several ways to approach requirements definition when you plan to acquire a commercial package to meet your needs.
It is more than important the modern business analyst to focus on the end to end customer experience. A BA shall act as a consultant that listen to the pains of the end users and is dedicated in solving them through providing solutions that will alleviate those pains. How do you define a customer-centric mindset you can actually execute? Below are some elements of the customer – centricity mindset...
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