May 26, 2025
311 Views
0 Comments
Tariffs are not just economic instruments—they’re strategic signals. For business analysts, Trump's latest trade measures are more than policy—they’re a masterclass in navigating disruption, identifying leverage, and transforming systemic friction into strategic insight. ...
Tariffs are not just economic instruments—they’re strategic signals. For business analysts, Trump's latest trade measures are more than policy—they’re a...
Integrating least privilege into business analysis is critical for developing secure, well-governed systems. When role modeling is handled early, business analysts help reduce unne...
A reader wrote to me with questions regarding a development project that he thought involved too many requirements and too little flexibility around requirement priorities. (You&rs...

More Articles

Sep 22, 2024
17473 Views
3 Likes
1 Comments

Psychological safety (PS) is the shared belief among team members that it is safe to take interpersonal risks in the workplace. PS is relevant to software development (SD) teams, particularly those using agile practices. Some practitioners even claim that “agile doesn’t work without psychological safety”. Effective collaboration, creativity, and collective problem solving are fundamental in everyday SD teams. PS fosters an atmosphere where team members feel free to share their views and opinions without fear of judgment or retaliation, thereby facilitating an environment conducive to effective collaboration. In a psychologically safe workplace, individuals are comfortable sharing their opinions, worries, or doubts, seeking support when required, and acknowledging errors without fear of being blamed or punished. In such an environment, teams and their members feel empowered to take ownership, innovate, take initiatives, and assume responsibility for their deliverables, resulting in better outcomes. The question, then, is how to achieve and sustain a psychologically safe workplace in the context of software development.

Sep 15, 2024
25446 Views
10 Likes
1 Comments

As someone who has worked as a business analyst for more years than I care to admit, one of the most common questions I get is: Which is better, requirements or user stories?” If only the answer were that simple! The truth is, there isn’t a clear winner, because they serve different purposes and complement each other in ways that are essential to a successful project.

I’ve seen teams try to use only one of the two and miss critical aspects of a project. And I’ve seen projects where both were used in tandem, leading to smooth communication, aligned expectations, and a final product that delighted both users and stakeholders. Let me walk you through why both requirements and user stories are important tools in our arsenal as business analysts—and why, as practitioners, we should never limit ourselves to just one.

Sep 08, 2024
20710 Views
2 Likes
0 Comments

I don’t know if you are, but I am a very visual person.  When I see a diagram or process flow it helps me understand concepts quicker than reading it solely in text.  I have found that my mind just works that way and I tend to always make pictures when I am breaking down something complex or trying to understand a concept. I have found I even document my personal and professional goals visually and I do that through mind mapping.  I have found mind mapping to be a great way of brainstorming and organizing my thoughts and I want to share the magic of mind mapping with you. 

Sep 02, 2024
18873 Views
28 Likes
0 Comments

I like use cases. There, I said it, and I’m not sorry. Use cases have fallen out of fashion in recent years, being largely replaced by user stories on agile projects. The two techniques can coexist and complement each other, however.  Use cases offer several advantages that user stories lack. This article describes some of the many benefits that use cases can provide and why every business analyst (BA), product owner (PO), and software development team should include them in their tool kit.

Aug 25, 2024
20258 Views
4 Likes
0 Comments

Business Ecosystem Modeling (BEM) is one such approach that enables organizations to map, understand, and leverage the intricate web of relationships within their ecosystem to drive value. In the context of Enterprise Analysis as outlined in the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK Guide), BEM becomes an essential tool for business analysts to guide strategic decision-making, ensure alignment with organizational goals, and navigate the challenges of the modern business landscape.

Page 8 of 100First   Previous   3  4  5  6  7  [8]  9  10  11  12  Next   Last   

Templates & Aides

Templates & AidesTemplates & Aides: find and share business analysis templates as well as other useful aides (cheat sheets, posters, reference guides) in our Templates & Aides repository.  Here are some examples:
* Requirements Template
* Use Case Template
* BPMN Cheat Sheet

Community Blog - Latest Posts

As Business Analysts in Agile teams, we often hear about Definition of Ready (DOR) and Definition of Done (DOD). But beyond the buzzwords, these two concepts are powerful tools to drive clarity, consistency, and quality in our work. Definition of Ready ensures a user story is truly ready for development. It answers: Is this story clear, feasible...
In today's fast-paced digital world, successful projects aren't just built on great code—they're built on clarity. And that clarity often comes from one key player: the Business Analyst. At the heart of every great product or system is a need—a business goal, a customer pain point, or a regulatory requirement. But busines...
I have always loved cooking. I learned from my Grandma June and her kitchen was her sanctuary, a small, warm sunlit space filled with jars of spices, stacks of cookbooks, and the comforting smell of something always on the stove or baking in the oven. Grandma June was as great a cook as she was a teacher to me. She never followed a recipe “to...

 



 




Copyright 2006-2025 by Modern Analyst Media LLC