Business Analyst Community & Resources | Modern Analyst

Hey IIBA, What’s Up With That?

Howard Podeswa — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 06:07:00 GMT

Recently, I was asked by the IIBA to present a talk at one of their chapter meetings. I am reprinting here my response to that invitation in the hope that it will begin a conversation with fellow EEPs and BAs about an area of great concern to the profession.

Hi xx

…. Regarding the IIBA talk, there is another issue that I am considering. It's part of a longer discussion, and I hesitate to draw you into it, but as it affects my response to your invitation I feel it requires some explanation. Basically, I have been very unhappy with the direction the organization has been taking and have been seriously reconsidering my - and my company's - relationship to it in lieu of recent developments. When I first joined the organization, back in its founding days, I, like many other volunteers who gave their time freely, without charge, to review the BABOK, saw the organization as a means for improving the profession by pooling together the resources of its practitioners so that best practices could be disseminated widely amongst the community. I fear the organization has steered off-track, and have great reservations regarding what it is becoming - or already has become. The recent EEP contract changes have only served to confirm my worst fears: students taking any training that 'uses' more than 3 sections of the BABOK will be required to purchase the entire BABOK - even if they already have a copy. In fact, it has been clarified to me that they will be required to purchase the book each time they take such a course - raising the spectre of trainees forced to purchase multiple copies of the BABOK due to courses they have taken with multiple vendors. It's a heavy-handed approach (and potential book-keeping nightmare) that will only serve to restrict the propagation of BABOK practices - where the IIBA should be seeking to do the reverse: open up the BABOK so it is as widely used as possible. For a comparison of approaches, see the OMG, which offers its UML standards and guidelines as a free download to all who want it (member or non-member) and which is very generous in providing permission to quote its text in printed publications. This is what an organization does whose first and foremost goals is to propagate best practices.

The IIBA faces an identity crisis: is it to be a revenue-generating machine, dedicated foremost to its own financial success, or a service to the BA profession?

These are some of my thoughts and concerns. If you'd like to continue this conversation, I'd be pleased to discuss it further.

Best regards
- Howard

Howard Podeswa - Noble Inc.

Thoughts on the Agile Extension of the BABOK

Jarett Hailes — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:23:00 GMT

Today was the last day people could provide feedback to the IIBA’s Agile Extension of the BABOK. The most recent draft of the document was published in November 2011 for review and comment. The purpose of the extension is to provide readers an understanding of how business analysis can be performed within an Agile environment. Various Agile methodologies such as Scrum, XP and Kanban are presented in high level summaries, and then business analysis activities from the BABOK are mapped to the main events that occur in the general Agile environment. Finally, a list of techniques that can be applied to the BABOK activities in an Agile setting are presented.

Overall the document is well written and does a good job of describing how business analysis fits into an Agile setting. This is a topic that has been much discussed in the past few years, and two years ago I wrote an article that summarized several leading Agile experts’ views on how the Business Analyst role fits into the evolving Agile framework. As Agile methodologies continue to gain traction in corporate software development processes, it makes sense to ensure that Business Analysts feel comfortable with how their skills transition to a different environment.

That said I have a concern about having such an extension does to the perception of business analysis as a profession and to Business Analysts as a role. I do not see business analysis as some activity that is merely a component of software development or IT solution delivery. Business Analysts can play a strategic role in the organization to help ensure that the organization is capitalizing on its opportunities and adapts efficiently to changing market, regulatory and internal cultural changes. When BAs are deployed throughout an organization they can get a hands on sense of what’s working, what’s not, and can draw upon technical and behavioural expertise to find innovative ways to help the organization continually improve its operations. I have had the opportunity with several clients to step outside of IT departments and play such a role, and not only is it personally rewarding but it is also where I have been able to provide the most value.

In many organizations I come into contact with business analysis is perceived as some 'IT thing' done to 'help the techies figure out what the business wants'. This perception often comes found the originations of professional business analysis, and while understandable, it is something that must be challenged in order to unlock the potential of having professional Business Analysts throughout the organization working on problems that are not limited to an IT solution scope.

The second version of the BABOK made great strides towards demonstrating how business analysis can be performed outside of IT and explained why it is needed by organizations to adapt to today's constantly changing environments. While some organizations are starting to see the value of BAs outside of IT, having a document such as the Agile extension reinforces existing preconceptions of business analysis in a limited role. In some ways publishing an Agile extension seems like a mea culpa to the wider business audience, indicating that it is wrong to think of business analysis outside of a software development context. I am sure this is not the intention of the IIBA, but given the stage of development of the profession it may be an unintended consequence.

I have been meeting with several executives, managers of Business Analysts and consulting business development personnel in a study group of the BABOK. Through their reading and discussion of the BABOK’s concepts they have come to recognize the value of the information outside of an IT setting, which has taken some work given that while the BABOK V2 is more generic than before, many of the concepts and examples rely heavily on the IT domain. When I mentioned that there was now an Agile extension, most wondered if in fact we had all been reading too deeply into the BABOK; maybe it was just for IT environments after all.

Perhaps I am being too harsh on having such an extension – after all the Project Management Institute has a construction industry extension to the PMBOK, which is one of the industries that were a main influence in the beginning of the institute, as well as for government. The PMI even has an Agile practitioner certification, which is decidedly focused on software development. Nonetheless, I feel that given the developmental stage of business analysis as a profession, having such an extension sends mixed messages on the applicability of the body of knowledge, and limits the career opportunities for Business Analysts in the near term.

As I mentioned above I think the content is valuable and good for BAs who are working in the IT domain to know, but I believe that some other term may be been better suited to describing the document. Calling it an extension of the BABOK ties it too heavily to the general body of knowledge in my mind. I could have seen this as a valuable ‘industry application guide’ or something along those lines.

What are your thoughts on the Agile extension? Do you like the content? What do you think that such an extension does to the perception of business analysis in general and outside of the IT domain in particular?

Business Analysis Conference Europe 2010

Adrian M. — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 06:36:00 GMT

The Business Analysis Conference Europe 2010 is building on its highly successful inaugural conference with more workshops and a third track – Business Agility and Business Analysis. It brings together business analysis specialists from across Europe and beyond, providing a platform for promoting the BA profession and opportunities for BAs’ professional development.

The conference runs from 28th to 30th September 2010.

This year we have partnered with the IIBA UK to run an online pre Conference series. Conference speakers will be providing articles to give a real insight into the benefits of attending the Business Analysis Conference in Europe.

One of the keynote speakers, John Seddon, has contributed a piece on the Systems approach to the design and management of service organisations.
The Telegraph described John as a 'reluctant management guru', a description John accepts as his interest is in changing management thinking.

(John Seddon’s key note Conference contribution is described here)

Ellen Gottesdiener and Allan Kelly who are recognized experts on Agile, will share their views on business analysis and Agile from both sides of the pond.

(Ellen Gottesdiener’s Conference contribution is described here)
(Allan Kelly’s Conference contribution is described here)

Joe Da Silva is an experienced business analyst for Skandia who will explore the diverse roles a business analyst can play. (His conference presentation explores his experience in Enterprise Analysis when his organisation recognized the benefits of using internal business analysts instead of expensive, external consultants).

(Joe Da Silva’s Conference contribution is described here)

These are just a few of the articles that are planned and there may be a webinar in the last couple of weeks prior to the conference.

Business analysis is now the central discipline for defining creative and agile options for business change and ensuring that solutions meet business needs. The Business Analysis Conference 2010 will provide an interactive forum where business analysts can learn and debate the essential competencies needed to rise to the challenges faced by their organisations today and in the future.

Read more about the Business Analysis Conference Europe 2010 here.

IMPORTANT DISCOUNTS:
There is a 10% discount available to IIBA members and 15% available to members of the UK Chapter. There is also a discount of up to 25% for group bookings.

Modern Analyst members and Business Analyst Mentor (www.bamentor.com) readers qualify for a 10% discount (Note: this cannot be combined with any other discounts).

BABOK 2.0 Free Download/Access (V2)

Adrian M. — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:35:00 GMT

I've seen so many questions being asked by people looking for a free download of the BABOK® 2.0 (Business Analysis Body of Knowledge®).

And the clear answer is yes and no.

Members of the IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis) can download the BABOK® 2.0 for free from the IIBA's website (login required).

Outside of that, there is no other legal way to download BABOK® Guide.

But do not despair! The IIBA has placed a version of the BABOK® on Google books which, while it cannot be downloaded, it can be accessed via the web and it's free.

Here is the link to BABOK® Guide you can access for free:

Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK®) on Google Books

While not a free download, there are also other ways to get information about the BABOK®:

Article: An Introduction to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK 2.0)

Buy a hard copy of the Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK®)