EDITOR'S NOTE - Time for Reflection
With 2008 coming to an end, it's time to reflect back at what we have accomplished and learned.  Are we better off than we were a year ago?  Are you?

On our side we started the year with just over 2,000 registered members and we are on track to reach close to 12,000 by year's end.  ModernAnalyst.com is indeed the premier online community for business analysts.  I would like to thank each and every one of you for making it the destination of choice for business analysts.

In this issue of the eJournal you'll find food for thought to help you reflect on your own accomplishments and lessons learned throughout the year.  Also - make sure you don't miss the new templates we've added just for you.

- Adrian Marchis, Editor

FEATURED ARTICLES
Lessons Learnt, A Year in Review
by Robin Grace, Principal Consultant BA Practice for IndigoCube
I have spent this year visiting many companies and discussing their business analysis function. In some cases, I have performed an assessment on the business analysts as well as the business analysis function within many large companies. It has now got to the point where I could document the findings before I start the investigation. The reason for this is that the problems are the same. From articles and discussions from other countries it appears the problems are similar the world over. These are the problems I encounter most often...
Read more... 

Putting the User Back in User Acceptance Testing
by Jonathan “Kupe” Kupersmith, Director of Client Solutions, B2T Training
Why is it so challenging to get users involved in User Acceptance Testing (UAT)? Isn’t it called UAT because the users are the main participants? My experience has shown that involving users in all phases of the project, especially UAT, is the best way to ensure project success. This article will present a proven approach to increasing user involvement by addressing the problems with traditional approaches to UAT.
Read more...

Lessons Learned: Share Them!
by Stewart Allen, Certified Information Security Consultant
Here we are, the end of another year, and the question I always ask is "What have we learned?" If we are not learning something, be it from a success or a failure, or something in-between, then how can we move forward?... A true modern analyst takes ...
Read more... 

WEBINARS
How to get started Documenting Processes with Business as an equal partner - On Demand: View it Now! 

ANALYST DIARY
Business Analyst Consultant: Ed Taaffe
Company: HBOS plc 
Title: Business Analyst Consultant
What is your main role at your current employer?
I am described as a Bridger, this is by my own choice after a number of identical roles that seemed to hinge on building bridges between the business leaders and IT people.  I'm not sure how it has come about, but I am increasingly finding a real divide between IT and business stakeholders to the point where businesses are sometimes choosing to outsource everything in the belief that they may have more control this way.
Read more...

MORE FROM ModernAnalyst.com
New Templates
Business Case Template
Feasibility Study Template

Articles of Interest
UML - Business Context
What is a Business Analyst?