The Business Analyst Blueprint® Framework
To be successful as a business analyst, you need a toolbox and a framework. 🎯 A TOOLBOX of techniques that you can pick and choose from, based on the needs of your project and team. …
What is Data Mapping?
As a business analyst, you need to have the ability to showcase how data seamlessly flows between information systems, ensuring smooth operations, and avoiding the headaches of data inconsistencies and mapping issues. With data mapping, …
The Power of Wireframes
Imagine using a simple wireframe to create a visual representation of a screen in just a matter of minutes. No, you don’t have to be a UX designer to even aspire to be one. In …
How to Create a System Context Diagram
Looking to master the art of clarifying project scope in a flash? Say hello to the System Context Diagram, your secret solution to project scope! In today’s world, projects are only becoming more and more …
The 7 Secrets of Good Business Analysts
In my experience as a business analyst, manager of business analysts, and now trainer of business analysts, there are certain qualities that set high-performing business analysts apart. These qualities make them highly coveted by managers …
How to Get Meaningful Sign-Off on Requirements
One of the most frustrating challenges on a project is when the developers build a solution that everyone thought the business signed off on only to have significant changes surface during testing or even after …
5 Types of Requirements Documents Business Analysts Create
Strong business analysts know use a variety of techniques and craft specifications for specific project and stakeholder needs. Find the options you have for packaging requirements.
5 Ways to Avoid Repeating Past Project Mistakes
As a business analyst, you want to create the best documentation and models possible. But focusing too much on perfecting those documents early on is actually a big mistake I see a lot of business …
5 Effective Diagramming Tools You Can Afford
Did you know that using visual models can improve communication, reduce misunderstandings, and facilitate collaboration in business analysis projects? If you’re not using some type of diagramming tool in your business analysis job, you may …
How To Avoid Imposter Syndrome
I have coached a lot of incredibly talented professionals and almost every one of them have moments (or days, weeks, months, or even years) of self doubt. It’s normal and natural to feel nervous, especially …
Business Analyst Certification Options – Introducing the Applied Certification in Business Analysis™ (ACBA)
As Bridging the Gap introduced the Applied Certification in Business Analysis™, which you can earn when you participate in The Business Analyst Blueprint® certification program, we’ve been receiving a lot of questions about the ACBA, …
Unlocking Your Potential as a Business Analyst: Harnessing the Power of Essential Oils
Discover the keys to boosting your confidence, enhancing mental clarity, and unlocking your full potential as a business analyst. In this video from an exclusive LinkedIn Live session we delve into the transformative world of …
Unlocking Your Potential as a Business Analyst: Harnessing the Power of Essential Oils
How to Provide Work Samples that Get You Hired for a Business Analyst Job
Work samples can be powerful if they match your interviewer’s expectations but dangerous if they don’t. Learn how to overcome the most common problems your work samples might have so you get the job offer.
The Difference Between Business Intelligence and Business Analyst Roles
It’s all about data these days and in this video, Laura Brandenburg explores the key differences between business intelligence and business analyst roles. If you’re looking for a career that’s high in demand, has immense …
The Difference Between Business Intelligence and Business Analyst Roles
Navigating the Interplay between Project Management and Business Analysis for Project Success
Project Managers and Business Analysts are two roles that are often intertwined and sometimes confused. While similar, they have distinct responsibilities and skill sets. I recently hosted a LinkedIn Live with project management expert, Elizabeth …
Navigating the Interplay between Project Management and Business Analysis for Project Success
How to Excel as a Lead Business Analyst
Becoming a Lead Business Analyst is a significant step in your career. It means more authority, more responsibility, and more impact. If you’re curious whether or not you are prepared for a Lead Business Analyst …
What is a Functional Analyst?
Looking to take your career as a business analyst to the next level? Wondering how a Functional Analyst role can fit into your career path? There is a lot of confusion in the industry about …
How to Leverage a Hybrid Role For Your Career Expansion
Hybrid roles are becoming more of a reality in today’s workforce. You may be a business analyst while also taking on other roles like becoming a project manager, tester, product manager, or even a developer. …
From Product Manager to Business Analyst: Nina Brackett
Today we meet Nina Brackett, an ACBA and Senior Business Analyst, who recently completed The Business Analyst Blueprint® certification program and gained the confidence in her role that she had been searching for. What we …
These Are the Top Technical Skills that Business Analysts Really Need to Know
Today we’re going to answer a question that comes up quite often, and that’s what technical skills a business analyst needs to be well-positioned in the job market and to be able to have detailed …
These Are the Top Technical Skills that Business Analysts Really Need to Know
What is the Difference Between a Subject Matter Expert and a Business Analyst?
As you explore job roles, are you curious about the difference between a business analyst and a subject matter expert (SME)? Are you unsure if your skills qualify you as a subject matter expert or …
What is the Difference Between a Subject Matter Expert and a Business Analyst?
Job Titles for Business Analysts
Are you looking for a business analyst job and finding a dizzying array of job titles? Do you have a title other than Business Analyst but know you really are a business analyst or have …
How to Use ChatGPT (and OpenAI) to Increase Your Efficiency as a Business Analyst
You’ve likely heard about ChatGPT, the free tool released by OpenAI. Imagine being able to expand your thinking, create draft documentation with ease, and streamline your work as a business analyst. This is all possible …
How to Use ChatGPT (and OpenAI) to Increase Your Efficiency as a Business Analyst
How to Build Rapport with Critical Stakeholders
Are you working with new stakeholders in a new company or project? As a business analyst, building rapport with critical stakeholders is one of the best ways to get a new project started effectively and …
How to Manage Change Requests
As a business analyst, you can make a huge difference in how change is managed and save your teams a lot of re-work while neutralizing the negative energy often associated with change. In this short …
How to Analyze a “To Be” Business Process
As a business analyst, it’s your role to analyze the To Be Business Process and help your stakeholders define how work will flow once the new solution is in place. Is your organization rolling out …
How to Analyze an “As Is” Business Process
As a business analyst, it’s your job to analyze the As Is Business Process in your organization to help everyone get on the same page. If customers are getting frustrated with your organization’s level of …
From Technical Writer to Lead Business Analyst and a $20K Salary Bump: Amelia McHenry
Today we meet Amelia McHenry, a Business Analyst, who completed The Business Analyst Blueprint® program where she gained the confidence to go from a technical writer to a lead business analyst while increasing her salary …
From Technical Writer to Lead Business Analyst and a $20K Salary Bump: Amelia McHenry
Elevating the BA Contribution on an Agile Software Development Team: Dave Gallant
Today we meet Dave Gallant, an ACBA and Business Analyst for the Federal Government from Ontario, who recently completed The Business Analyst Blueprint® certification program where his biggest takeaway was an increase in confidence in …
Elevating the BA Contribution on an Agile Software Development Team: Dave Gallant
Business Architecture: The Ins and Outs with Whynde Kuehn
Whether you’re learning about business architecture for the first time or dreaming of ways to grow your BA career into a business architecture role, my conversation with Whynde Kuehn will help you discover the value …
From imposter syndrome to certification-backed confidence: Alison Whitwood
Today we meet Alison Whitwood, an ACBA and Technical Business Analyst from Sydney, Australia, who recently gained the confidence she needed to succeed in her new role. What we love about Alison’s story is how …
From imposter syndrome to certification-backed confidence: Alison Whitwood
How to Write User Stories
User stories are a way of capturing requirements that are commonly used on agile software development teams. The cornerstone of a user story is a single statement in the following syntax: “As a [user], I …
How to Draw a Process Map
A process map is a visual model that shows how a collection of activities are sequenced together to accomplish work in an organization. One of the great things about process maps is that they are …
What Requirements to Specify for COTS and SaaS Projects
With the vast majority of projects being delivered using pre-built solutions, it is important to understand how to specify requirements for COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf) software and SaaS (software-as-a-service) projects. In this video, I am going to …
10 Tips to Engage Stakeholders
Stakeholder engagement is critical to success as a business analyst. Yet, often BAs will face challenges getting stakeholders engaged on their projects. They don’t show up to meetings or don’t provide the input you need …
The Difference Between a Product Manager Role and a Business Analyst
The product manager role and business analyst role go hand in hand. Many product managers get their start as business analysts, and as a product manager, you can expect to work closely with a business …
The Difference Between a Product Manager Role and a Business Analyst
Director of Operations: An Insider Look
Today we meet Paula Bell, an ACBA and the new Director of Operations for Bridging the Gap. From Program Instructor to Program Manager and now to Director of Operations, we are going behind the scenes …
The Top 5 Elicitation Techniques Used By Business Analysts
Elicitation is the process of discovering the requirements. In particular, elicitation often refers to engaging with stakeholders to understand their needs and expectations when it comes to the scope and detailed requirements of the project. …
Requirements Prioritization Made Simple
Ask your stakeholders to prioritize requirements and you are likely to hear groans. While conceptually we understand that project budgets are limited, and requirements prioritization helps us receive the most possible value for our investments …
How Business Analysts Create Value
As a business analyst, I’m focused on creating positive change for my organization, and ensuring my work adds value and increases the return on investment for projects.For those unfamiliar with business analysts, or who have …
BTG Template Bundle Product Demonstration
One of the more frequently asked questions we receive from potential buyers of our template products is, “What do they look like?” To answer this question, I recorded a short demo of each of our …
5 Steps to Becoming a Business Analyst
Plan out your next step into a business analysis career. Don’t miss the FAQ at the end which highlights the concerns we receive most often. After working with hundreds of course participants and clients, chances are we have your career situation covered!
Confidently Transitioning into a Senior Business Analyst Role in the Cybersecurity Industry: Michelle Bosomworth
Today we meet Michelle Bosomworth, an ACBA and Senior Business Process Analyst in the Cybersecurity industry from Southwestern Ontario, who recently acquired a senior role in her company while sharpening her skills through The Business …
From Project Manager to Business Analyst: Wendell White
Today we meet Wendell White, an ACBA and Project Manager, who recently completed The Business Analyst Blueprint® certification program. What we love about Wendell’s story is that, similar to many course students, he wasn’t aware …
Contracting as a Salesforce Business Analyst: Stephanie Belhomme
Today we meet Stephanie Belhomme, an ACBA and Salesforce Admin from New Jersey, who used The Business Analyst Blueprint® certification program to solidify her business knowledge and maximize her opportunity with clients. What we love …
Contracting as a Salesforce Business Analyst: Stephanie Belhomme
Mental Fitness for Business Analysts
Do you ever feel like you are holding yourself back from your full potential in your career and relationships? The concept of mental fitness is all about our ability to deal with life’s challenges big …
Requirements Estimation: How to Create a Business Analyst Timeline
Here’s a scenario you may have run into: You receive a short request from a stakeholder about a new project. It’s been given top priority by your manager and so it’s the next project …
Requirements Estimation: How to Create a Business Analyst Timeline
The Power of Perseverance: John Sim Becomes a Salesforce Business Analyst Consultant
Today we meet John Sim, an Applied Certification in Business Analysis™ (ACBA) recipient and Financial Business Analyst from San Francisco, who recently landed a job as a Salesforce Business Analyst after much determination. What we …
The Power of Perseverance: John Sim Becomes a Salesforce Business Analyst Consultant
Dealing with Difficult Stakeholders Who Are Resistant to Change
As business analysts improving business processes, it’s not uncommon for us to encounter stakeholders with a deep-rooted suspicion of IT and the belief that no matter what, the solution is not going to work for …
Dealing with Difficult Stakeholders Who Are Resistant to Change
How to Conduct a Requirements Review
A requirements review or walk-through is a meeting where you gather all of your stakeholders together and walk-through the requirements documentation, page-by-page, line-by-line, to ensure that the document represents everyone’s complete understanding of what is …
Gaining the Confidence and Skills to become a Salesforce Consultant: Faraz Khan
Today we meet Faraz Khan, an ACBA recipient and Salesforce Consultant, who recently was invited as a speaker for the Salesforce BA Summit alongside our founder, Laura Brandenburg, and Bridging the Gap instructor, Dr. Michael …
Gaining the Confidence and Skills to become a Salesforce Consultant: Faraz Khan
The Agile Business Analyst: 4 Crucial Strategies for Success
Many business analysts feel like their role is not needed in agile. We hear that agile teams don’t want “requirements” and so we assume they don’t want business analysts! Nothing could be further from the …
The Agile Business Analyst: 4 Crucial Strategies for Success
Why You Are Getting Interviews But Not an Offer for a Business Analyst Job: Natalie Fisher
Today we meet Natalie Fisher, a career mindset coach, who explains why you may be getting job interviews, but no job offers. Natalie has helped hundreds of people get unreasonable job offers that they originally …
Why You Are Getting Interviews But Not an Offer for a Business Analyst Job: Natalie Fisher
Starting a New Business Analyst Job – 5 Things to Do First
When you are starting a new business analyst job, it’s an exciting time, but it can also be nerve-racking. Will you be expected to hit the ground running, and if so, what does that mean? …
Top 10 Business Analyst Job Interview Questions and Answers
Are you preparing for a business analyst job interview and wondering what questions you might be asked? In this article, we’ll look at the types of questions you are likely to be asked in a business …
How to Get Started as a BA Even if You Have No Formal Experience
If you are looking to start a business analyst career, but don’t yet have any business analyst experience, you might feel caught in a trap. What comes first, the business analyst or the business analyst …
How to Get Started as a BA Even if You Have No Formal Experience
How to Protect the Emotional Investment You Make in Your BA Work
As a business analyst, it’s not uncommon for me to get way over-invested emotionally in my projects and my work. I’m guessing a lot of you have a similar challenge. In today’s world, we are …
How to Protect the Emotional Investment You Make in Your BA Work
10 Business Analyst Performance Goals
Not sure where to focus your professional development efforts? Find ideas for expanding your business analysis experience and leveraging the opportunities available in your organization.
Providing Credibility for Your Knowledge and Experience with the ACBA: Emma Lander
Today, we meet Emma Lander, an ACBA and CSI Analyst from Bournemouth, England, who recently completed The Business Analyst Blueprint® certification program while simultaneously transitioning into a new career. What we love about Emma’s story …
Providing Credibility for Your Knowledge and Experience with the ACBA: Emma Lander
How to Take Your Career into Your Own Hands by Examining the Environment Around You: Beverly Sudbury
Today we meet Beverly Sudbury, an ACBA Recipient and Business Process Analyst from Prince Edward Island, who recently took control of her career and went from a Software Tester and instead worked to become a …
How to Take Your Career into Your Own Hands by Examining the Environment Around You: Beverly Sudbury
An Introduction to Business Analysis and the Business Analyst Process Framework
One of the most common challenges I see in the business analysis profession is a struggle to help stakeholders understand the value of the BA functions on any type of project, and, quite honestly, gaining …
An Introduction to Business Analysis and the Business Analyst Process Framework
How to Create an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)
An Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) is a data model describing how entities (or concepts or things) relate to one another. When created by business analysts or business users, ERDs can be used to understand the …
How to Write a Use Case
A use case is a powerful tool to both analyze and communication the software requirements. If you have a business background, they will help you define what the software needs to do, even if you …
How to Analyze a Business Process
When you are trying to figure out what problem to actually solve before you dive deep into the software requirements, you’ll want to analyze the business process. And to do that, you create both a …
Bridging the Gap welcomes 2 new instructors to the team!
In all the hustle and bustle of starting the Fall 2021 session of The Business Analyst Blueprint® certification program and opening up early registration for the Spring 2022 session, I neglected to announce our two …
What is the Difference Between a Business Analyst and a Systems Analyst?
I’m often asked about the difference between business analyst and systems analyst roles. In reviewing job profiles, the roles can seem very similar. In this quick video, I describe how both roles are defined so …
What is the Difference Between a Business Analyst and a Systems Analyst?
4 Strategies to Manage Information Overload as a New Business Analyst
Business analysts will often find themselves in “information overload” mode. On a new project, with new stakeholders, in a new business domain, it’s not uncommon to be on the receiving end of new terminology, new …
4 Strategies to Manage Information Overload as a New Business Analyst
22 Visual Models Used by Business Analysts
Today we’re going to go through 22 different models BAs use in their work. You may not be aware of all 22 of them, so even if you’re familiar with a few, keep your eyes …
3 Diagrams to Add to Your Business Requirements Document
Do you create a traditional Business Requirements Document to capture your business and/or functional requirements? Adding a few diagrams to your BRD can make it more impactful and easier to understand. In this video, I …
The Senior Business Analyst – 6 Areas of Responsibility
Are you wondering if you’d be qualified for a Senior Business Analyst position? Or perhaps you’ve been a business analyst for a while, and you are wondering how you can get promoted to a Senior …
Can you really be too business oriented?
Have you been told that you are “too business oriented?” How could that be? As business analysts, we are supposed to figure out what the business wants and needs, right? Yes…and, well, no. Watch this …
BA Veteran Increases Her Visibility on LinkedIn and Lands a 20% Salary Increase: Tammy Schlador
It’s my honor today to introduce you to Tammy Schlador, ACBA, and a Senior SAP Business Analyst, from Tempe, Arizona, who recently landed a new BA position and received a 20% salary increase. In this …
BA Veteran Increases Her Visibility on LinkedIn and Lands a 20% Salary Increase: Tammy Schlador
How to Find Business Analyst Volunteer Positions
If you are not yet a business analyst and are not currently employed, one of the best ways to build experience is to volunteer to do business analysis. Volunteering is also a great solution for …
Doing Business Analysis In a Non-Profit: Cathy Warren, ACBA
Today we meet Cathy Warren. Cathy was a Systems Analyst 20 years ago and is currently a Program Director at a non-profit, and has applied her business analyst skills in this role. Cathy joined The …
From Underwriting to Business Analyst with English As Her Third Language: Zineb Iotti
It’s my honor today to introduce you to Zineb Iotti, ACBA, in Zurich, Switzerland, who is now doing business analysis under the title of Transformation Manager on a multi-lingual team. In this interview, you’ll discover: …
From Underwriting to Business Analyst with English As Her Third Language: Zineb Iotti
Becoming the Go-To Business Analyst – An Interview with Andrea Wilson, ACBA, PMP
It’s my honor today to introduce you to Andrea Wilson. Andrea Wilson is an ACBA recipient and is doing business analysis under the title of Information Management Resource Consultant in Tallahassee, Florida, working in the …
Becoming the Go-To Business Analyst – An Interview with Andrea Wilson, ACBA, PMP
How to Build a Business Analyst Career Path
What does the business analyst career ladder look like? What should your business analyst career path be? Discover what steps you can take to solidify your business analyst career.
The Most Critical Business Analysis Skills You Need to Be Successful as a Business Analyst
Discover the most critical business analysis skills for new BA – including core skills, business analysis skills, soft skills, and skills that can be required for specific types of BA jobs.
The Typical Day of a Business Analyst
Hi, I’m Laura Brandenburg from Bridging the Gap, and we provide online business analyst training and certification programs for business analysts who are looking to start and succeed in their business analyst careers. If you …
User Stories Versus Use Cases
If you are on an agile team, do you write user stories, use cases, or both? My take is that until you know how to think in use cases, you need to write them to …
How to Excel as an Introverted Business Analyst
Do you have an introverted personality as a business analyst and you are wondering how to best leverage your personality to excel at your work? Or perhaps you think because you are introverted, you are …
42 Reasons To Start a Business Analyst Career
Business analysis might sound interesting, but is it the right career option for you?
What Goes Into a Functional Specification?
If you find yourself in a business analyst role on an IT project, it’s likely that at some point you’ll need to create a functional specification – and these can take many different forms depending …
8 Business Analyst Resume Secrets You Need to Know (Especially If You Don’t Have the BA Job Title)
If you’ve never held the job title of “Business Analyst” it can be difficult to get an interview for a BA job. Learn how to showcase your relevant skills and experiences in a business analyst resume.
3 Ways to Write Clearer Requirements
Clarity is one of the most fundamental attributes of writing good requirements. Clear requirements are less likely to be misunderstood by business stakeholders and technical implementers. Clear requirements require fewer review cycles to confirm and …
Business Analyst Interview Questions and Answers – How to Really Sell Your BA Skills
If you are preparing for your first business analyst job interview or if it’s been awhile since you’ve interviewed, you are probably wondering what to expect. Interviewing for a business analyst job is very different …
Business Analyst Interview Questions and Answers – How to Really Sell Your BA Skills
How to Build Engagement with Stakeholders
Stakeholder engagement is incredibly important to successful business analysis. Without engaged stakeholders who care about the project and understand the work you do as a business analyst, you will work harder to discover the right …
How to Get Started as an Entry-Level Business Analyst
Here at Bridging the Gap, we help mid-career professionals start business analyst careers. But we receive a lot of questions from recent college graduates looking for entry-level business analyst positions, and so I recorded this …
Restarting Your Career After a Career Break
One challenge I see a lot of people breaking into the business analysis field face is how to get back into the role after a career break. You may have taken a career break for …
Getting Hired as a Business Analyst After Immigrating to a New Country: Eno Eka
One question we receive often in the Bridging the Gap community is around how to immigrate into a new country and find a business analyst job. I’m so grateful to Eno Eka for sharing her …
Getting Hired as a Business Analyst After Immigrating to a New Country: Eno Eka
From Administrative Assistant to Business Analyst to Strategic Initiatives in Healthcare: Jami Moore
Today we meet Jami Moore. Jami participated in the Spring 2020 Session of The Business Analyst Blueprint® program, and has achieved some phenomenal successes in her career as a business analyst. You are going to …
From Administrative Assistant to Business Analyst to Strategic Initiatives in Healthcare: Jami Moore
What a 17-Year Career Path in Business Analysis Looks Like: Stephanie Cracknell
It’s my honor today to introduce you to Stephanie Cracknell, one of Bridging the Gap’s early course participants who has come a long, long way in her career since participating in our programs back in …
What a 17-Year Career Path in Business Analysis Looks Like: Stephanie Cracknell
Black Lives Matter – A Message From Laura
I feel like I’m a bit late in sharing this message. I’m always one to respond rather than react. And I mean what I say. As I’ve mentioned in previous messages, I’ve been on a …
Building Her BA Skill Set and Paid Contract Work During COVID-19: Becky Goll
It’s my honor today to introduce you to Becky Goll. We recorded this interview when Becky was about halfway through The Business Analyst Blueprint® program. When I heard about what she was doing, I didn’t …
Building Her BA Skill Set and Paid Contract Work During COVID-19: Becky Goll
Moving into Agile Technical Leadership Without a Coding Background: David Sullivan
It’s my honor today to introduce you to David Sullivan, a Senior Business Analyst from Madison, Wisconsin. David jumped in to lead his team of business analysts shortly after participating in The Business Analyst Blueprint® …
Moving into Agile Technical Leadership Without a Coding Background: David Sullivan
Helping Business Analysts Survive and Thrive Through the Pandemic
I’m writing this post on May 26, 2020. It was just over 2 months ago that the U.S. shut down international flights and schools started being cancelled country-wide due to COVID-19. For the first few …
Helping Business Analysts Survive and Thrive Through the Pandemic
I Survived the Layoffs…Now What?
As we see increased unemployment, today’s organizations are figuring out how to do more with less resources. If you have survived a layoff, or even if you are dealing with increased organizational pressures to deliver …
How to Articulate Your Transferable Business Analysis Skills Across Industries
It’s no secret that we’re facing record unemployment. And I’ve heard many stories of those in our community being laid off or furloughed, and now facing a flooded job market and wondering if and how …
How to Articulate Your Transferable Business Analysis Skills Across Industries
3 Tips for Effective Virtual Meetings
Many business analysts are finding themselves working from home right now and needing to elicit requirements and conduct virtual meetings. If you’ve been historically used to working in-person, this can be a huge shift. In …
What Real Job Security Looks Like Right Now
These times have certainly shifted our perceptions of security. What felt so certain – so secure – a few months ago, feels anything but today. This is actually a huge opportunity to see the truth …
How to Focus When You Are Working from Home
So many are working from home right now, and it can be a challenge to focus on “heads down” type of work. I share 3 concrete strategies for staying focused as well as look at …
The BA Essentials to be Focusing on Right Now
There is no doubt that these are challenging times and a lot of people in our community are facing hardships right now. But there is also an immense amount of opportunity. Organizations need business analysts …
What this Pandemic Shut Down Means for You and Your Business Analyst Career
There’s no doubt that these are challenging times and a lot of people in our community are facing hardships right now. But there is also an immense amount of opportunity. Organizations need business analysts now …
What this Pandemic Shut Down Means for You and Your Business Analyst Career
Into a BA Leadership Role with Expertise in Salesforce.com: Toni V. Martin
Toni V. Martin started her career in marketing and started developing a specialty in Salesforce.com, a business application that automates and streamlines sales business processes. After taking the BA Essentials Master Class, Toni quickly moved …
Into a BA Leadership Role with Expertise in Salesforce.com: Toni V. Martin
Working from Home as a Business Analyst – Coaching Session Replay
With one company after another announcing mandatory work-from-home policies with the COVID-19 events, you might be working from home this week. Many professionals in our community have never worked from home before or facilitated a …
Working from Home as a Business Analyst – Coaching Session Replay
Getting Her Confidence Back After a Career Break and Into a High-Level Business Analyst Consulting Role: Julie Ayres
If you’ve ever faced a career break, you know how it can shake your confidence. Julie Ayres, from Perth in Western Australia, has spent the last few years consulting as a business analyst and overseeing …
From QA to ServiceNow Business Analyst: Manuel Ninapaitan
It’s my honor today to introduce you to Manuel Ninapaitan, who transitioned from Quality Assurance into a ServiceNow Business Analyst role after participating in The Business Analyst Blueprint® program. In this interview, you’ll discover: How …
From Donor Management to Remote Business Analyst: Lane Malone
It’s my honor today to introduce you to Lane Malone, who transitioned from Donor Management in the Non-Profit Sector into an official Business Analysis Role. Watch or read to learn how Lane: Proved the value …
From Donor Management to Remote Business Analyst: Lane Malone
How Business Analysis Can Help a Non-Profit Organization: Emily Tom and the Ottawa IIBA BA-Blitz
Today, it’s my honor to introduce you to Emily Tom, of the Ottawa IIBA chapter, and organizer of their first “BA Blitz” – a hack-a-thon type of event where 21 local business analysts of all …
How Business Analysis Can Help a Non-Profit Organization: Emily Tom and the Ottawa IIBA BA-Blitz
Finding Confidence in Her Value as a Business Analyst: Kira Judge
It’s my honor today to introduce you to Kira Judge. Kira was a participant in the Spring 2019 Session of The Business Analyst Blueprint®. In this interview, she shares her journey to finding her confidence …
Finding Confidence in Her Value as a Business Analyst: Kira Judge
How to Figure Out the Next Step in Your Career
Wondering what the next step is in your career? Overwhelmed by all the options and feeling stuck? Here are 2 quick questions that will help you get more clarity about what your next step looks …
What Questions Do I Ask During Requirements Elicitation?
Are you looking for a simple way to get more out of your requirements elicitation sessions? Would you like to make better use of yours and your stakeholder’s time? Would you be interested in learning …
The Origin of the Bridging the Gap Business Analysis Process Framework
Hundreds of business analysts have learned and applied the Bridging the Gap Business Analysis Process Framework to make their BA work more effective and successful. And I’ve been receiving lots of questions about how this …
The Origin of the Bridging the Gap Business Analysis Process Framework
Medical Interpreter On His Way to Business Analyst: Dilli Sharma
Today we meet Dilli Sharma, and it was such an incredible honor to meet him and hear his story. Dilli is currently employed as a Medical Interpreter and does an incredible job identifying his transferable …
Medical Interpreter On His Way to Business Analyst: Dilli Sharma
How to Land Paid Contract Work as a Business Analyst with a Software Background: Todd Fleming
Today I’d like to share Todd Fleming’s success story with you. Todd is from Somers Montana, which is near Kalispell, Montana – a beautiful area of the United States I hope to visit someday! Todd …
How to Land Paid Contract Work as a Business Analyst with a Software Background: Todd Fleming
How to Up-Level to a Senior BA Role: Munzolli Tower’s Success Story
Today, I’d like to share a course participant success story with you. Munzolli Tower, from the New Jersey area, is a business analyst with a business background. During the Spring 2019 session of The Business …
How to Up-Level to a Senior BA Role: Munzolli Tower’s Success Story
Are You Too Old to Be a Business Analyst?
Today we’re touching a really sensitive topic – your age and how it impacts you as a business analyst. Almost every week, we receive a question around, “Am I too old to be a business …
Getting Out From Under a Never-Ending To-Do List: Kenji F.
Maybe you get an incredible amount of work done, but it never feels like enough. Perhaps your to-do list is always growing, no matter how hard you work or how many hours you put in. …
What a Confident Business Analyst Looks Like: Diana Sofariu’s Successes as a BA Consultant
Diana went from lacking confidence to taking being recognized for her confidence with opportunities to train new business analysts and get her presented to her organization’s most challenging client. Watch to learn how Diana: Reframed her …
What a Confident Business Analyst Looks Like: Diana Sofariu’s Successes as a BA Consultant
Super Effective Meetings: 5 Quick and Easy Tips
Running an effective meeting is a critical skill for business analysts to master. You’ll facilitate all kinds of meetings with all different levels of stakeholders as a business analyst – discovery meetings, requirements review meetings, …
Successful Business Analysis Consulting – Interview with Karl Wiegers
Today we meet Karl Wiegers, author of 11 books (including Successful Business Analysis Consulting) and he shares loads of wisdom with us from his 30+ years as a business analyst consultant. Watch or read to …
Successful Business Analysis Consulting – Interview with Karl Wiegers
A simple flip to help you achieve your dreams
We all have dreams we want to achieve. But often we allow our limiting beliefs to get in the way of taking action to achieve our dreams. Here’s a quick way to flip the reasons …
Leading the Way in Sustainability – Interview with Lisa Curll from Dominion Energy
Today we meet Lisa Curll – Business Performance Analyst managing sustainability projects at Dominion Energy. She has so much wisdom to share with you – I invite you to jump right in. Watch or read …
Leading the Way in Sustainability – Interview with Lisa Curll from Dominion Energy
How to Build Confidence
Confidence is a belief – it is a belief in yourself and your ability to achieve a specific result in your life and your career. In my work helping business analysts, I see a lot …
The Career Trajectory of a Senior Business Analyst: an Interview with Disha Trivedi, CBAP
I’m so honored to share this interview with you today. I’ve known Disha Trivedi almost since the inception of Bridging the Gap. She’s been a course participant and we both completed our CBAP certification around …
The Career Trajectory of a Senior Business Analyst: an Interview with Disha Trivedi, CBAP
Amelia Kram McHenry – From Informal BA to BA Lead making $90K/year
When Amelia joined The Business Analyst Blueprint® in January 2018, she had the ‘business analyst’ job title but not the responsibilities. She even had to volunteer outside her actual work just to complete the program and be …
Amelia Kram McHenry – From Informal BA to BA Lead making $90K/year
Annette Richards: From Senior BA Lead to BA Manager, By Gaining Confidence in Her Skills
Today we meet Annette Richards, who was in a senior business analyst lead role when she joined The Business Analyst Blueprint®. And, as she says, she knew more than she thought she knew. But it …
Annette Richards: From Senior BA Lead to BA Manager, By Gaining Confidence in Her Skills
Innovation in Learning – Leveraging the Real World in Training to Create Success
I was honored to be one of the featured speakers at Penny Pullan’s Business Analysis Summit. The topic was Innovation and I specifically answered questions about our innovative learning model at Bridging the Gap, and how we help mid-career …
Innovation in Learning – Leveraging the Real World in Training to Create Success
Thomas Clarke Goes From Research Assistant to Business Analyst in Just a Few Months
Today we meet Thomas Clarke who transformed his career from data entry to research assistant to business analyst! Thomas leveraged his participation in the BA Essentials Master Class from Bridging the Gap to learn how …
Thomas Clarke Goes From Research Assistant to Business Analyst in Just a Few Months
How to Anchor In Your Career Goals
In September 2018, our family evacuated for Hurricane Florence. We are so grateful to be home safe and sound, and dealing with just minimal damage. So many lost everything. I finally had a chance to …
What’s one challenge you are facing in your business analyst career?
If you could solve one challenge in your business analyst career, what would it be? What’s holding you back from more success? Tell me where you are at in your career by leaving a comment …
What’s one challenge you are facing in your business analyst career?
How to Handle Organizational Change and Get What You Want Out of Your Business Analyst Career
When organizational change (or any sort of external industry factor) looms, it can feel like our career paths are constricted. The reality is that when you know this one specific thing, you’ll see these changes …
How to Handle Organizational Change and Get What You Want Out of Your Business Analyst Career
How to Almost Instantly Achieve More Success in Your Business Analyst Career
Today we have a super quick, but super high-impact tip for you – and it will help you achieve more success in your business analyst career almost instantly! For those who like to read instead …
How to Almost Instantly Achieve More Success in Your Business Analyst Career
How to Catch Up on Technology and Skills in a New Organization
In a recent webinar, one of our community members asked this powerful question: I have been in a BA role for over 8-years and recently changed organizations and I am finding that I am not …
How to Catch Up on Technology and Skills in a New Organization
Perry McGuire Boosts His Practical BA Skills, and Soon After Lands 2 BA Job Offers in the UK
Perry McGuire joined The Business Analyst Blueprint® having held the title of business analyst, but not fulfilling the full scope of business analyst work he found in his local job postings in Jersey, one of …
Perry McGuire Boosts His Practical BA Skills, and Soon After Lands 2 BA Job Offers in the UK
Sara Rankin Gains Confidence to Build a Business Analyst Career Using her Innate Gifts
Sara Rankin has always loved asking questions and solving problems, and only recently learned that there is a profession and a job title for doing just that! I love Sara’s story of self-realization and self-actualization, …
Sara Rankin Gains Confidence to Build a Business Analyst Career Using her Innate Gifts
Michael Rodriguez Raises His Level of Thinking, and Affirms He is Doing Things Right as a Business Analyst
When Michael Rodriguez joined The Business Analyst Blueprint®, he had quite a bit of experience (like 10-15 years of experience) gathering requirements as a software development lead. He is a highly skilled and competent professional, …
How to Gain Funding for Training Opportunities
The best business analysts consistently update and upgrade their skills, to add even more value to their organization and achieve better business outcomes. As an online provider of training to business analysts, one of the …
3 Ways to Find Cost-Effective Solutions to Business Problems
One way BAs add value is to find more cost-effective solutions to business problems, saving company time and resources in big projects where small changes might be just as effective. And even for larger projects, …
3 Ways to Find Cost-Effective Solutions to Business Problems
From Technical Recruiter to Business Analyst: Jack S. Michel Jr. Shares His Clear Path to Success
I met Jack Michel while speaking at the Charlotte IIBA meeting. He introduced himself and let me know how Bridging the Gap had helped him go from his role as a technical recruiter to get …
From Technical Recruiter to Business Analyst: Jack S. Michel Jr. Shares His Clear Path to Success
3 Tips for Minimizing Requirements Changes
We know that one of the ways we add value as a business analyst is through reducing rework and requirements churn. We get everyone on the same page about what DONE means, and minimize unnecessary …
3 Situations that are Absolutely Perfect for Use Cases!
A use case is a type of textual requirements specification that captures how a user will interact with a solution, specifically a software solution, to achieve a specific goal. They are a very common way …
How to Structure a Business Analyst Team
This question came to us from our Facebook page. When you have multiple projects and multiple business analysts, how do you structure your team and work assignments? Like so much in BA, it depends. The …
What Tasks to Give to a New Business Analyst
This question comes to us from Marie, who is a business analyst manager and often has people in her organization approach her for help getting started in business analysis. She wanted to know how to …
Getting Clear Requirements in Agile from Waterfall Stakeholders
We’re going to the dark side of business analysis and agile requirements today, and looking at how we really help out end users who still have a waterfall mindset get clear about their requirements. This …
Getting Clear Requirements in Agile from Waterfall Stakeholders
How to Transition to Agile as a Waterfall Business Analyst
So, you’ve heard the news – your organization is going agile. Or you are looking for jobs, and every single one requires agile experience. What does this mean for you, your career, and business analysis? …
The Inner Game of Succeeding as a Business Analyst
Succeeding as a business analyst takes more than just knowing all the right questions and techniques. It also requires getting your mindset right – this is what is called the inner game. I also share …
Your Organization Needs You to Step Up
Business analysts create positive change, make our organizations more efficient, and help us add more value to our customers. If you’ve been frustrated by your lack of opportunity in your business analysis career, this is …
How to Avoid Missing Software Requirements
There are 2 primary reasons that business analysts miss requirements and I cover them in this video. Want to learn more? Watch this short video! And then register here for the free 3-part video training.
Secrets to Getting Started as a Business Analyst
One day, I was headed back to my desk after a meeting and a senior business analyst stopped me in the hallway, inviting me to apply for a new position on the business analyst team. …
Shelly Feyerherm – Experienced BA Who Deepens her Knowledge and Re-Certifies for the CBAP
Today we meet Shelley Feyerherm who joined The Business Analyst Blueprint® program as a CBAP® with several years of business analysis experience. She shares how the program helped her deepen her knowledge of core business …
Shelly Feyerherm – Experienced BA Who Deepens her Knowledge and Re-Certifies for the CBAP
Jennifer Hurley Leverages Flexible Training to Get Hours for Certification
Today we meet Jennifer Hurley who joined The Business Analyst Blueprint® program with a team of business analysts, as part of pursuing her certification goals. As a single mom, a lot of training options are …
Jennifer Hurley Leverages Flexible Training to Get Hours for Certification
Roshni Dominic Starts a Part-Time BA Role at the British Red Cross
Today we meet Roshni Dominic. Roshni is located in the UK and participated in the 2017 session of The Business Analyst Blueprint®. Just a few weeks into the program, she turned her Support Analyst Role …
Roshni Dominic Starts a Part-Time BA Role at the British Red Cross
How to Get Your BA Career Back On Track
I firmly believe that once you are a business analyst, you are always a business analyst. However, it’s easy to fall into a role where you are no longer doing traditional business analyst work, and …
Are You Really a Business Analyst?
Because we know how to analyze so well, we can analyze and criticize the work we do, and not really appreciate the skills we have. Are you really a business analyst? Yes, you are. Learn …
Trick or Treat
Trick or Treat! It’s Halloween here in the United States and so I decided to have a little fun with this week’s video. We’re looking at 3 “tricks” or issues that can trip us up …
3 Business Process Modeling Case Studies
Business process modeling is used by BAs and non-BAs alike to create lasting change in organizations. It’s how we actually make our ripple effect as business analysts. Today we get specific as I’m sharing 3 examples …
The Ripple Effect of Your Work as a Business Analyst
As business analysts, we find it really hard to communicate our value. And we often feel under-valued and under-appreciated. In reality, our ripple effect is huge. You know when you throw a stone in a …
How to Avoid Incomplete Business Requirements
There are many reasons that BAs end up producing incomplete requirements, and this can have an extremely negative impact on our job performance. Today we’re taking a question from one Bridging the Gap community member, …
Cloud Implementations: Can You Guess the 3 Types of Requirements that are Still Critical?
As more organizations are working on cloud implementation projects, or leveraging software available in a SaaS (Software as a Service) environment, many business analysts feel that it isn’t necessary to capture requirements at the same …
Cloud Implementations: Can You Guess the 3 Types of Requirements that are Still Critical?
From Customer Service to Business Analysis – Adam Haesler Does Not Take “No” For an Answer
I’m so excited to be able to share this case study interview with you. Adam Haesler’s BA career has been evolving for the last 2 years, and he recently landed his first formal business analyst …
From Customer Service to Business Analysis – Adam Haesler Does Not Take “No” For an Answer
5 Ways to Get Your Business Analyst Department Recognized
A lot of business analysts face challenges getting recognized for their value, and as a result, get cut out of important project work. Instead of doing the critical work to solve bigger problems for their …
Unrealistic Requirements Deadlines – How to Respond to Your Project Manager
Today we’re talking about an issue that’s more common for business analysts than you might expect. And that’s how to handle the situation when your project manager insists on an unrealistic requirements deadline, even after …
Unrealistic Requirements Deadlines – How to Respond to Your Project Manager
3 Essential Steps to Starting Off a New Project as a Business Analyst
Have you ever been asked to just get started writing the requirements? While it can feel quick and effective to jump right in and start documenting, this habit is likely to lead you down the …
3 Essential Steps to Starting Off a New Project as a Business Analyst
How to Handle Push Back from Your Technology Team
Today we’re talking about a problem all business analysts face – what to do when the developers push back on your requirements. Here are a few key points: Re-frame what the developer means by “that’s …
65 Business Analysis Techniques
The business analyst’s toolbox is chock full of dozens of business analysis techniques. Here is a list of 65 business analysis techniques that are useful to know about. Not that you would use every technique …
From Operations to Business Analyst: Pieter Pretorius from South Africa
In this interview, Pieter Pretorius from South Africa shares how he went from an operations role to a business analyst, by leveraging an opportunity to be a subject matter expert on a project to get …
From Operations to Business Analyst: Pieter Pretorius from South Africa
From a Finance Career to Business Analysis: Tracy Smitheram moves from Australia to New Zealand and starts her BA career
In this interview, Tracy Smitheram shares her story of moving from a finance career to business analysis. One limiting belief that a lot of aspiring BAs get caught up in is the idea that in order to be a …
The Business Analyst Litmus Test
If you’ve been wondering whether or not a business analyst career is really right for you, I’ve got a quick and easy litmus test you can use to figure it out (above and beyond desiring …
Thoughts on the IIBA new ECBA certificate
I’m often asked about my opinion on the new Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™) from the International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®), and whether it’s a good investment of time and energy. At Bridging …
With Gratitude
This coming Thursday is Thanksgiving here in the US. This is a time of year I always step back and reflect on what’s important to me and start looking forward to the year ahead. There …
From Tax Auditor to Business Analyst – Damon
In this interview, Damon shares his story going from tax auditor to business analyst to software developer to business analyst again. I love how Damon’s career path took a side road when he dipped his …
How to Move from Software Developer to Business Analysis
A software developer is a professional who designs, creates, and customizes software applications to meet the business and functional requirements which are typically analyzed and specified by a business analyst. The Skills Software Developers Bring …
How to Move from Customer Service to Business Analyst
Customer service representatives are professionals who help new or prospective customers solve problems or answer questions related to a product or service. The Skills Customer Service Professionals Bring to a Business Analyst Position Customer service …
How to Move from Project Manager to Business Analyst
A project manager is responsible for overseeing the project from concept through to delivery. In reality, there is a lot of overlap between business analysis and project management roles, and many project managers are doing …
How to Move from Software Tester to Business Analyst
A software tester is a professional responsible for verifying that the software solution meets the specified requirements. Software testers and business analysts are like two sides of the same coin. The Skills Software Testers Bring …
How to Move from Technical Writing to Business Analysis
A technical writer is a professional who creates technical documentation that helps people understand how to use a product or service. Documentation includes work like user guides, help files, as is business processes and procedures, …
Why business analysts can be difficult to manage
Way back before I was a BA consultant, and before I started offering BA training at Bridging the Gap, I was in a director-level role leading a department of business analysts, project managers, and quality …
Am I doing this correctly?
If you are relatively new to the business analyst profession, you might be wondering if you are actually doing things correctly. The business analysis process appears to be so nice and neat and linear until you …
How to Resolve Feature Battles
Here’s a scenario you might face as a business analyst. The head of the customer service team, we’ll call her Joy, has submitted a project proposal to get a new field added to the contract …
The luck of the business analyst
In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, let’s chat about the luck of a business analyst. Because every once in a great, great while, you might actually get lucky as a business analyst. Here’s what …
8 things to love about business analysis
Happy Valentines’ Day! This year my daughter went ALL OUT on her Valentine’s Day cards for her pre-school class, using stickers, stamps, and even some glitter to make each card unique and then carefully writing …
8 great things that happen when you have a project list
We’ve been talking this week about how to get past barely managed chaos using a project portfolio management process. I won’t lie. It’s a lot of work to make this happen. You, personally, need to …
How to Manage a Project Portfolio (And Get Past Barely Managed Chaos)
Project Portfolio Management is a term that’s used to describe how project managers and business analysts organize, prioritize, and show relationships between multiple active and proposed projects for their organizations. Sound portfolio management enables key …
How to Manage a Project Portfolio (And Get Past Barely Managed Chaos)
7 Mistakes Even the Best Make When Writing Use Cases
Do you find your developers have one follow-up question after another about how the system is really supposed to work, even though you documented the functionality in a use case? Worse yet, did your development team …
From Liberal Arts Degree to Business Analysis: Hyun Woo
I’m so grateful to Hyun Woo (called “Woo”) for sharing with us today his two-year journey into business analysis. He’s living proof that there is always opportunity to build new business analysis experiences, and that …
5 Business Analyst Nicknames
No matter that we business analysts get labeled by an almost dizzying array of job titles, we also can get some fancy nicknames. In the spirit of keeping it light this week, let’s look at …
Quick tips for managing requirements issues
Today we’re wrapping up our series going into a little more detail on the things I would have liked to have known before I started my business analyst career with an article about how to …
4 steps to finalize a requirements document
One of the things that I wish I’d known when I started out as a business analyst was I would need to take deliberate steps to ensure my stakeholders truly got what they wanted and …
How to get the information you need from your stakeholders
If you’ve ever been told that you aren’t pushy enough to be a business analyst, you are going to want to read today’s article. Pushy isn’t easy, and it isn’t in our DNA as business …
4 ways to set clearer expectations
If you like the hit comedy show The Office (American version), you might remember when the new boss asks Jim to complete a “rundown.” Not knowing what a rundown is, Jim spends a lot of …
4 things I would have liked to have known before I started my BA career
During my first months as a business analyst, life was filled with a sort of inner turmoil. Even though I had books on how to write requirements documents, had received individual mentoring on putting together …
4 things I would have liked to have known before I started my BA career
From IT Application Development to Business Analyst, After a 2 Year Break (Sarika)
Today we meet Sarika, who transitioned into business analysis after starting her career as an IT Application Developer and taking a career break of 2 years to raise her child. What I like most about …
From IT Application Development to Business Analyst, After a 2 Year Break (Sarika)
Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis, Part 5: A Project That Switched to Agile in the Middle (That Was Fun!)
Welcome to part 4 of our 5-part Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis series where I’ll walk you through how I’ve handled some of my most interesting business analysis projects using the business analysis process. Part 5 …
Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis, Part 4: Applying the Business Analysis Process to Small Initiatives
Welcome to part 4 of our 5-part Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis series where I’ll walk you through how I’ve handled some of my most interesting business analysis projects using the business analysis process. Part 4 …
Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis, Part 3: How to Survive a Project When Everything Goes Wrong
Welcome to part 3 of our 5-part Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis series where I’ll walk you through how I’ve handled some of my most interesting business analysis projects using the business analysis process. Part 3 – …
Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis, Part 3: How to Survive a Project When Everything Goes Wrong
Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis, Part 2: How to Recover from Newbie Mistakes
Welcome to part 2 of our 5-part Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis series where I’ll walk you through how I’ve handled some of my most interesting business analysis projects using the business analysis process. Part 2 – where …
Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis, Part 2: How to Recover from Newbie Mistakes
Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis (5-Part Series)
Welcome to the 5-part Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis series where I’ll walk you through how I’ve handled some of my most interesting business analysis projects using the business analysis process.
Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis, Part 1: The Project Where I Didn’t Get My Way
Welcome to part 1 of our 5-part Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis series where I’ll walk you through how I’ve handled some of my most interesting business analysis projects using the business analysis process. Part 1 …
Behind-the-Scenes in Business Analysis, Part 1: The Project Where I Didn’t Get My Way
From Sales Support to Quality Assurance to Business Analysis (Martin Pakpahan)
Martin Pakpahan started his career in Sales Support and over the course of nearly 6 years worked his way into a business analysis position. One thing I love about Martin’s story is that he focused on …
From Sales Support to Quality Assurance to Business Analysis (Martin Pakpahan)
How to Approach the Data Migration for a COTS (or SaaS) Project
When an organization is migrating from a pre-existing system to a new Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) product, planning the data migration is an important aspect of the project to ensure that the right data ends up in the …
How to Approach the Data Migration for a COTS (or SaaS) Project
3 Reasons to Data Model (Even If You Can Design Databases)
If you come from a technical background, you might be wondering if you can skip data modeling and go right to designing and implementing the database. While you could theoretically bypass any of the data …
The Difference Between Data Analysis and Data Modeling
In today’s information-rich world, we are seeing more and more data-related analysis skills in business analysis jobs. We’ve been asked several times whether business intelligence and business analysis roles are really different roles, and how …
How to Blend a Data Dictionary with Use Cases, Wireframes, and Workflow Diagrams
As a business analyst, it would be rare for you to complete a data dictionary on its own. Rather, it’s likely that you’ll be analyzing data requirements in combination with other business analysis techniques. In this …
How to Blend a Data Dictionary with Use Cases, Wireframes, and Workflow Diagrams
Getting Started with Data Modeling (10-Part Series)
Here are 10 articles to help you get started with data modeling. These are perfect if you want to brush up on data modeling or get fresh ideas to improve your business analyst work.
What Software Tools Business Analysts Use for Data Modeling
Are you ready to get started with data modeling, but wondering what software tools you’ll need? Have you seen some of the more complicated-looking models and wonder how you can create these with your business …
When it Works to Create a Data Map and a Data Dictionary at the Same Time
You might be wondering if you need both a data dictionary and a data mapping, or you might want to make these two deliverables part of one simultaneous analysis activity. Data mapping is a special kind …
When it Works to Create a Data Map and a Data Dictionary at the Same Time
How Data Modeling Fits Into the Business Analysis Process
Part of the value the business analyst provides is selecting techniques to ensure the requirements for a project are fully analyzed and understood. Data modeling can be a significant part of the project requirements to rightfully non-existent, even …
How to Data Model Without Getting Too Technical (or the what and the how)
Although data modeling techniques can look technical, you don’t need to know database programming to complete useful versions of the models from a business-facing perspective. Instead, business analysts create data models that describe the what (of …
How to Data Model Without Getting Too Technical (or the what and the how)
4 Data Modeling Techniques that Solve Tricky Project Challenges
Business analysts solve tricky, icky, sticky project challenges using data modeling techniques. There are 4 data modeling techniques you should get to know as a business analyst, so they can become part of your BA …
4 Data Modeling Techniques that Solve Tricky Project Challenges
The Glossary: A Gateway to Clear Requirements and Communication
A Glossary is a deliverable that documents terms that are unique to the business or technical domain. A glossary is used to ensure that all stakeholders (business and technical) understand what is meant by the terminology, …
The Glossary: A Gateway to Clear Requirements and Communication
What is a Data Dictionary?
A Data Dictionary, also called a Data Definition Matrix, provides detailed information about the business data, such as standard definitions of data elements, their meanings, and allowable values. While a conceptual or logical Entity Relationship …
When to Use Email to Answer Requirements Questions
Today let’s talk about email, specifically emailing to discover information related to requirements questions. You as the business analyst sit down and write a carefully crafted email with a very thoughtful question and send it …
A Historical Look at the Business Analysis Profession (2009-2014)
While business analysis as a collection of activities has been around for decades, preceding even the introduction of the International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®) in 2004, business analysis, as a discipline, has evolved significantly during …
A Historical Look at the Business Analysis Profession (2009-2014)
The IT Business Analyst – 4 Ways the Job Description is Expanding
While it would be natural to assume that an IT Business Analyst works on technology systems, the IT Business Analyst job description is necessarily expanding beyond the “IT” component and into the “Business” component, and that …
The IT Business Analyst – 4 Ways the Job Description is Expanding
The PMI-PBA vs. IIBA CBAP or CCBA
There has been a lot of discussion lately about the impact of the Project Management Institute (PMI)® new Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)℠ certification on the business analysis profession and what it means to the Certified Business …
5 Business Analyst Time-Wasters
At work, how you invest your time can lead to significant business analysis career success … or equally significant failure. No matter how disciplined your organization, there will always be time crunches and there will …
How to Succeed at Your First Project in a New Company: Emily Kong
You may remember Emily Kong. She recently shared her story of turning from IT Analyst to Business Analyst. She was kind enough to check in with us again and let us know about her first …
How to Succeed at Your First Project in a New Company: Emily Kong
What’s the Difference Between PDs, CDUs, and PDUs?
When you begin evaluating training providers, you’ll find a variety of acronyms are used to describe how you can leverage the training programs as part of your certification and re-certification goals. These acronyms often get …
Should I Pursue the CBAP or the CCBA?
When you find yourself in the market for a business analysis certification, you’ll quickly discover that you have many choices. One question we receive again and again is whether to pursue the CBAP or CCBA. …
Starting a New Business Analyst Job (Part 4): Your First 60 Days
You got the business analyst job, now what? Your first few months in a new business analyst job are extremely important. It’s when you lay the foundation for successful, long-term employment. It’s important to build …
Starting a New Business Analyst Job (Part 4): Your First 60 Days
Starting a New Business Analyst Job (Part 3): How to Make the Most of Your First Week
You got the business analyst job, now what? By the end of the first week, you want to be able to demonstrate you’ve made at least some forward progress towards being an effective contributor, but …
Starting a New Business Analyst Job (Part 3): How to Make the Most of Your First Week
Starting a New Business Analyst Job (Part 2): How to Prepare for Your First Day
You got the business analyst job, now what? The first day of a new job can be exciting but also nerve-wracking. Will you be expected to hit the ground running and, if so, what does …
Starting a New Business Analyst Job (Part 2): How to Prepare for Your First Day
Starting a New Business Analyst Job (Part 1): What To Expect on Your First Day
You got the business analyst job, now what? The first day of a new job can be exciting but also nerve-wracking. Will you be expected to hit the ground running and, if so, what does …
Starting a New Business Analyst Job (Part 1): What To Expect on Your First Day
How to Get Your Organization to Create a BA Role (Just For You!)
Many on the path to starting business analyst careers find themselves in organizations with no business analyst role. In this situation, the question becomes, do I need to seek a new BA job outside my …
How to Get Your Organization to Create a BA Role (Just For You!)
3 (and only 3) Reasons to Use BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation)
Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) is a standardized notation for creating visual models of business or organizational processes. Those new to BPMN understandably find it overwhelming. There are flow objects, connecting objects, swim lanes, and artifacts. …
3 (and only 3) Reasons to Use BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation)
3 Signs You Shouldn’t Be Writing a Use Case
With all the craze about use cases lately, you’d think that no collection of requirements documentation would be complete without at least one, and perhaps several, use cases. The reality is that while use cases …
How to Make the Requirements Process Faster With Visual Models
Many business analysts mistakenly believe that adding a visual model to a specification – or preparing one specifically for a requirements meeting – means significant extra work. But in reality, using the right visual modeling …
How to Make the Requirements Process Faster With Visual Models
Next Generation Business Analysts – The Opportunities In Store For You (Insights from BBC 2013)
The 2013 Building Business Capability Conference, sponsored by the International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®), proved to be a setting where the future of business analysis was discussed not only with enthusiasm, but also with …
Next Generation Business Analysts – The Opportunities In Store For You (Insights from BBC 2013)
Why a Computer Science Degree is Not Required to Be Successful as a Business Analyst
Tacked onto the end of many BA job descriptions is a misnomer of a requirement. It often looks something like this: “Degree in computer science (or equivalent) preferred.” While this requirement can be in place …
Why a Computer Science Degree is Not Required to Be Successful as a Business Analyst
From Programmer to Business Analyst: How to Snap Back from a Layoff after 35 Years with One Company
John Jones began his career as a programmer. Through consistent performance and time, he was given more responsibility to talk with the process owners and users to do the analysis before the design and coding work. …
From Programmer to Business Analyst: How to Snap Back from a Layoff after 35 Years with One Company
How to Learn About a New Business Domain
In a new business analyst position, it can be a challenge to figure out how to learn everything you need to know to be successful. Knowledge about the business and industry can be acquired over …
53 Tips For Discovering All the Requirements
Are you wondering what concrete steps you can take to make sure you don’t overlook requirements on your next project? In business analysis, the set of techniques used to discover the requirements is called elicitation. For the most …
What Career Backgrounds Do Business Analysts Have?
Can a software developer become a business analyst? How about a technical writer, benefits manager, financial services representative, or quality assurance engineer? With over 25 career transition stories, it’s likely we’ve got a career background like yours cover.
The Business Analyst Job Search Process: 5 Steps to Getting Hired
Are you looking for a new business analyst job or your first business analyst job? Are you worried about getting hired for the right type of position? Or perhaps you are wondering why your job search …
The Business Analyst Job Search Process: 5 Steps to Getting Hired
Here are 13 Jobs that Can Lead to a Business Analyst Job
While nearly any job can lead you to a business analyst job, some jobs enable you to move you more quickly towards your business analyst career goals. Since you can build BA experience without having the …
How to Put Some Spunk Into Your Requirements
Picture me: young, fresh, and disciplined…leading a very boring requirements meeting where we’re poring over a very laborious requirements document. This was way back when I was too new, too green, to know better. I …
What’s the Business Analyst Role on a Software Project?
Have you ever wondered how a business analyst approaches a software project? Would you be interested in the general phases of work a business analyst completes and what activities are included in each phase? Well, …
What Can I Expect in a Business Analyst Job Interview?
Learn what the interview process is like for a BA job, how recruiters get involved, and the types of questions you are most likely to get asked.
What’s the Difference Between a Wireframe, Mock-Up, and Prototype?
Would you be interested in learning more about how to visually represent your requirements, even if you have little to no technology skills? Have you been seeing the terms “wireframe”, “mock-up”, and “prototype” in BA …
What’s the Difference Between a Wireframe, Mock-Up, and Prototype?
7 Questions That Will Get Even More Information Out of Your Stakeholders
We put a lot of burden on ourselves as business analysts to get as much information as possible as early as possible in the process. The questions we think to ask are critical to getting …
7 Questions That Will Get Even More Information Out of Your Stakeholders
8 Ways to Be Less Irritating and Minimize Follow-Up Questions After Requirements Meetings
Do you find yourself thinking up questions after a requirements meeting that you wish you would have thought to ask? Are your stakeholders frustrated because you come back again and again with more questions? Would …
8 Ways to Be Less Irritating and Minimize Follow-Up Questions After Requirements Meetings
What Experience “Counts” as Business Analyst Experience? (5 Examples)
Have you ever wondered whether a particular experience “counts” as a business analyst experience? Or have you gone through a process to identify your transferable business analyst skills, but still feel yourself coming up short (even …
What Experience “Counts” as Business Analyst Experience? (5 Examples)
How to Discover Your Transferable Business Analyst Skills
Earlier this week I addressed the question of how to determine if you are qualified for a business analyst job and noted that the most important thing you can do is understand is your transferable …
How Do I Know If I’m Qualified To Be a Business Analyst?
Are you exploring a career in as a business analyst? Do you find yourself wondering if your skills and experience are relevant to a business analyst role? Would you be interested in learning about how …
5 Processes Worth Mapping
Business process maps are a growing area within business analysis. But many BAs are cut out from the business process. Others of you aren’t yet in a business analyst role, but would like to get …
Do You Make These Job Interview Mistakes?
Here’s a not so uncommon scenario you might face during a business analyst job interview: Recruiter: Thanks for taking some time to meet with me today. I’m working with a client who needs a business analyst …
3 Shortcuts to Create Wireframes in Record Time
While I find that wireframes help me elicit the right requirements and shorten requirements review cycles by giving my stakeholders a visual point of reference, many business analysts resist creating wireframes because they take can …
Secrets of Successful Agile Analysis: How to Make Your Business Analysis Skills Indispensable
Are you exploring a business analysis career in an agile software development environment? Are you concerned about keeping your business analysis skills relevant in an increasingly agile world? Would you be interested in learning how …
Secrets of Successful Agile Analysis: How to Make Your Business Analysis Skills Indispensable
How to Keep Your Elicitation Session From Going Off Track
Picture yourself leading a requirements meeting early in the project. You show up 5 minutes early, get yourself settled, spread out your notes, and fire up your laptop. You review your agenda so it’s top …
From Software Developer to Business Analyst via an Internal Promotion
Wendy Stookesberry created momentum in her business analyst career by volunteering to do a business analysis task. She got noticed as someone who went above and beyond and one BA task led to another and …
From Software Developer to Business Analyst via an Internal Promotion
Building Business Analysis Experience as a Software Developer
Dave’s story shows us how a little persistence and creativity can go a long way. Dave’s organization does not have a BA practice and he has many software development responsibilities to attend to, yet he …
Building Business Analysis Experience as a Software Developer
What Does Success Look Like?
So often in my work with new business analysts, we have a conflict of perspective. I see someone as successful (say because they had discovered that in their list of transferable skills, they were well-qualified for …
From Desktop Support Technician to Business Analyst: A Journey-in-Progress
I’m very excited to share an “in progress” success story this week. Rob Jowaises has been very active in our Grow Your BA Career LinkedIn group and has graciously shared the ups and downs of …
From Desktop Support Technician to Business Analyst: A Journey-in-Progress
How to Get Your Stakeholders to Stop Repeating Themselves
Do you ever feel like your stakeholders keep repeating themselves? Would you like certain aspects of the elicitation process to go a little faster? In this post, we’ll look at why even when we’re listening …
Turning an Business Systems Analyst Internship into a Job Offer
Today we meet Neslon Colon, a Bridging the Gap reader who has made the transition to business systems analysis at a New York financial services firm after a twelve year background in the Air Force. …
Turning an Business Systems Analyst Internship into a Job Offer
Requirements Gathering vs. Elicitation
Do you refer to some of your business analysis activity as “requirements gathering”? Are you looking at BA jobs and seeing “requirements gathering” responsibilities and wondering what that looks like? And how do you reconcile …
How to Present Yourself as Capable of Doing Requirements Specifications (Even If You’ve Only Created Informal Documentation)
Many new business analysts are confident in their communication and problem-solving skills but feel held back because they’ve only ever created informal documentation to serve a specific audience or project need. Are you confident in …
5 Ways to End Analysis Paralysis on Your Next Business Process Model
Like writers complain of “writers block,” modelers often find themselves in “analysis paralysis.” When modeling a business process, analysis paralysis occurs when we get stuck on a model and are not able to finish it, …
5 Ways to End Analysis Paralysis on Your Next Business Process Model
Michael Scott’s Guide to Facilitating a Meeting
You might not think that Michael Scott of NBC’s The Office has much to teach you about facilitating a meeting. But I disagree! If you’ll take a closer look with me, you’ll discover that Michael does just …
Being a BA is Not for the Faint of Heart
You might hear others say that business analysts are difficult people. In fact, if you’ve been around for awhile, you’ve heard me say it. Are BAs difficult people? Or, to look at the question differently, …
7 Signs You Are Making Progress Towards a BA Career
Career transitions can are full of uncertainty. You hit roadblocks; you work around them. You don’t hear from anyone for months then you get 5 interviews in one week. You plug along adding value, getting …
From Problem Solver to Business Analyst
TH (who prefers to remain anonymous), was able to demonstrate a pattern of progressively growing skills related to business analysis and qualify herself for a business analyst role on an agile team. TH worked in a …
From Application Support Specialist to Business Analyst
I really like how Aniket leveraged working with a tool for business analysts into an opportunity to become a business analyst himself. This is the first time I’ve heard of this particular path, but it …
How to Validate Requirements (BABOK 6.6)
Did you know that requirements can be perfectly well documented and verified, but completely useless? This is why business analysts not only verify requirements, but also validation them. In the BABOK Guide, the purpose of Requirements …
Want to Take on a BA Task? 3 Things Your Boss Needs to Hear You Say
We’ve discussed how building business analysis experience is how you show you have the BA mindset and crack the egg. You might be comfortable asking for permission later (and if you are, go to it!), …
Want to Take on a BA Task? 3 Things Your Boss Needs to Hear You Say
How to Expand Your BA Experience Even if You Aren’t a Business Analyst
Our grocer recently introduced pasture-fresh eggs from a local farm and I’ve been eating a lot of eggs lately. Fresher eggs than I’ve ever had on a regular basis in my life. The kind you’d …
How to Expand Your BA Experience Even if You Aren’t a Business Analyst
The Dwight Schrute School of Business Process Improvement
You might not think you have much to learn from Dwight Shrute from The Office. Why, with the fact that he’s been given a dizzying array of job titles, never with the accompanying salary or …
How to Skip Right Past Entry-Level Business Analyst Positions
If you are an experienced professional, let’s face it, the idea of starting a job that is “entry-level” or with the title of “junior” is not very appealing. Not to mention the salary cut you’d …
How to Skip Right Past Entry-Level Business Analyst Positions
4 Surprising Reasons Your First Business Analyst Job Doesn’t Turn Out Like You Expect
You finally find a job as a business analyst! You start your new job with high energy. But then days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months. One day you wake up and realize …
4 Surprising Reasons Your First Business Analyst Job Doesn’t Turn Out Like You Expect
Landing a Business Analyst Job Just 7 Months Out of College
I met Eric just last week at the Denver IIBA meeting. He has an amazing BA Career Transition story and I’m proud that we here at Bridging the Gap are a part of his success! …
Don’t Do These 7 Things When Getting Started as a BA
If you are trying to decide if business analysis is the right career move, you are probably evaluating the trade-offs, looking at what you’ll need to invest in making this happen vs. the pay off …
How Do I Get Feedback on a Requirements Document Without Sounding Too Demanding?
A reader asks: I am awaiting feedback from a client on a Requirements document. It has been 3 weeks and I haven’t gotten any response. I have already sent an email reminding them. How do I …
How Do I Get Feedback on a Requirements Document Without Sounding Too Demanding?
Business Analysis: Best Practices for Success – An Interview with Steve Blais
Steve Blais is someone I often refer to in my presentations as “the consummate business analyst.” We’ve met Steve before – I interviewed him in 2010 about the essence of business analysis. Since then, he’s published a …
Business Analysis: Best Practices for Success – An Interview with Steve Blais
What Should I Study in College to Become a Business Analyst?
A reader asks: Hello, I am very interested in becoming a business analyst, the only problem is I have no idea where to begin. One main question I have is what do I need to …
What Should I Study in College to Become a Business Analyst?
