Launch Your Business Analysis Career has been open for enrollment for just over a week now. We have several potential business analysts signed up, downloading lessons, and participating in the forums.
There are 3 lessons available:
- How I Explain the BA Role to My Family
- 5 Key Elements of Business Analysis You Don’t Want to Miss
- You Don’t Have to Work on a Complex Project to be a BA
By far the first lesson has created the most discussion so far. Here’s a sneak peak:
View of sample lesson - you can listen and download the files in multiple formats.
Participants have shared what metaphors resonated with them. They’ve started to stretch the metaphors a bit to turn them around and see not just how they’d use them to explain business analysis to their families, but also how the metaphors might help guide them to the type of BA they want to become.
One member even extended the architect metaphor into a bit of a project management and we quickly called her out, after which she admitted she sees business analysis as a path to project management. (Maybe we’ll convince her to stay a BA or maybe we’ll have to forgive her when she leaves us in a few years. 
)
Forums discussion so far -- lesson 1 is obviously getting the most discussion with 17 posts!
Although I can’t speak for Doug and Michelle, I’ve been having fun with the process. Someone tweeted earlier this week about how seeing someone grow and take on new challenges never grows old. I’d have to admit I agree. I’m truly excited that this new learning format has enabled me to help more people build their business analysis career plans.
As things pick up with Launch Your Business Analysis Career, I might be a bit more quiet in other online forums for awhile. I’ll continue to post here at Bridging the Gap once per week, but I won’t necessarily get to every comment or email each day. The lion share of my attention and effort will be focused on helping these new members and my other mentees. After all, these are the people helping me pay my mortgage and keep food on the table — they do deserve the best I have to give. In the next couple of weeks, we will get the free become a BA e-course back up as that is the best way for those of you new to Bridging the Gap to decide if you might be a good fit for future enrollments of Launch Your Business Analysis Career.
You still have until Monday to sign-up for the course and get in on all the fun. I’d love to have you join us. Learn more and sign-up.
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By Laura Brandenburg. Laura Brandenburg is passionate about business analysis. She's found her niche helping aspiring business analysts find transferable skills and position themselves in the BA job market. To stay up-to-date on the latest from Bridging the Gap be sure to sign-up for our free email course and weekly eNewsletter. View more blog posts by Laura Brandenburg |
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I had the pleasure of visiting the first two lessons and reading the discussion for lesson 1, and have to say that even experienced BAs would enjoy and find food for thought in these lessons.
Great job, Laura! I have no doubt that the participants will experience a huge return on the investment they are making.
You know, Laura, I actually put the first Lesson of My Business Analysis Career to use last week when I was asked by my mother in law to explain what it is I do for a living. I used the Bridging the Gap metaphor and I really do think it helped clarify for her. So there you go, not only does it prompt us to think in terms of what we actually create in our roles but it also came in very useful as a way to explain to someone who doesn’t know what a BA does.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I am honored to have your comments here!
Adriana, I definitely see your point and, quite honestly, it’s been a challenge when shaping the course not to expand the focus too much. Every time I come up with a new idea, there are many ways to expand that idea and make it applicable to a wider audience! However, I know there are a lot of courses out there catering to BAs at “all levels” and not much just for someone trying to make a career change, so I’ve tried to maintain a razer-sharp focus on exactly what someone coming into the profession needs to learn and do to be successful. That being said, I’d expect that some members might come back to these lessons again later on and glean even more from them. As we expand our experience, the lessons will have more meaning as well.
Kimberley, Giving members new language to talk about their career change was definitely the original intent of the article, since I know new BAs (and experienced ones) face this challenge a lot and it can be an important “hump” to get over. Part of the reason this is a charter membership group (and not a pre-formed, set-in-stone curriculum like a typical “course”) is to make room for adjustments, It was interesting to me to see the metaphors serve multiple purposes and I’ll be bringing what we’ve learned so far in the forums into future lessons as well.
I’m glad the original purpose came in handy for you as well! Out of curiosity, which of the 3 metaphors did you use when explaining business analysis to your grandmother?