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 […]
Requirements Prioritization Made Simple
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
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
How to Handle Push Back from Your Technology Team
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
I’ve always been a big proponent of relationships and relationship building as the number one factor, at least in my view, for a successful analyst. They are critical to the work we do and require
The Second Ingredient That All Successful Business Analysts Possess
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
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
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
The Dwight Schrute School of Business Process Improvement
Are you responsible for the solution? If you read the BABOK closely, you might be surprised to learn that the answer is a resounding “yes.” Of course, the BA is not responsible for delivering the solution
The Business Analyst’s Role in Designing the Solution (BABOK 7.1)
Assess Capability Gaps is one of those tasks that we almost all do, but when we read about it in the BABOK we might wrinkle our brow. It seems so obvious that we may not
BA Stories: Mind the Gap – The Capability Gap (BABOK 5.2)
The business need is one of the most fundamental aspects of business analysis. Yet, I know many BAs do not consider themselves part of defining the business need. Today, I’d like to challenge your assumptions. According
Do You Define the Business Need? (BABOK 5.1)
The purpose of this Evaluate Solution Performance (BABOK 7.6 – the last task included in the BABOK Guide) is: “Evaluate functioning solutions to understand the value they deliver and identify opportunities for improvement.” This task
BA Stories: Evaluate Solution Performance (BABOK 7.6)
I am sure that any business analyst who has written user acceptance scripting can confirm that script writing is super detailed, critically important and mind numbingly boring. But is it important – yes it is.
6 Tips to Keep Writing UAT Scripts Fun
We are looking for possibilities through the lens of the user. Editor’s Note: This relationship started when I queried on Twitter for some help planning a usability study. Leslie Shearer led me to Patrick Quattlebaum,
What a BA Should Know About the UX Profession: Interview with Patrick Quattlebaum
At the start of many projects we are in a state of natural ignorance, as we don’t yet know what we don’t know. This is especially true when defining a problem or strategy or eliciting
8 Provocative Questions that Encourage Lateral Thinking
When I began my latest consulting job, one of my first deliverables was to assist the stakeholders with a process walk through. The purpose of the walk through was to identify gaps in the ‘to”
How to Use a Process Walk-through to Validate Requirements for a New System
Reader question: “If a project is approved, do I still need to do enterprise analysis as defined in the BABOK? Do I need to do a business case?” This question got me thinking about the
If a Project is Approved, Do You Need To Do a Business Case?
We have all been here. You’ve defined just the right feature or solution to solve a specific business problem. It’s elegant. It’s simple. It’s even got a hint of beauty about it. When you get
What To Do When a Developer Says “That’s Impossible”
Let’s assume you’ve done your homework and scoped a project that meets specific business needs or objectives. It’s easy to take a deep breath, kick back, and relax…waiting for the implementation of these great ideas
Your Technical Team Needs Business Context Too
Many times we are so excited to implement a new idea or solve a recently elevated business problem that we forget to stop for a moment and reflect on the direction we are taking. I
5 Questions to Ask Before Starting a Technology Project
