Important Business Analysis Techniques You Should Know
Business moves fast and is ever-evolving. To excel in this very pivotal role, Business Analysts (BAs) need to be well-versed in analysis techniques that can help us draw out information and produce insights that uncover needs, opportunities, weaknesses, and issues. Read on to learn about some important techniques BAs need to master.
Leveraging Business Analysis for Data-Driven Decision-Making in Organizations
In today’s data-rich landscape, businesses are constantly inundated with an overwhelming amount of information. But extracting valuable insights from this data is vital for making informed decisions that can drive growth and success. In this article, we’ll explore how Business Analysts use data to empower organizations across various domains.
What’s the Business Analyst’s Responsibility When a Traditional Project Is Being Initiated?
In the world of change initiation, the role of a Business Analyst (BA) is crucial for ensuring value and success. However, the specific responsibilities of a BA during the project initiation phase can vary greatly across organizations. In some companies, BAs are brought in very early in the process – they might even initiate it! – but in other companies, Business Analysts are brought in much later in the process.
The Importance of Innovative Thinking in Business Analysis
While it is easy to assume that our role as Business Analysts is entirely driven by process – and, let me be clear, processes are a large component of our jobs – there is a large degree of creativity and innovation involved in what we do. We bring organizations new and fresh ideas for processes and products, solutions to problems that they’re experiencing, and creative ways that they can optimize their business.
I was reminded of this after reading an article based on an interview between Koryn Anderson (of the International Insitute of Business Analysis (IIBA) Global Chapter Council) and Professor Carlos José Locoselli, Director of Education for the IIBA Brazil Chapter. In the article, Anderson reminds us of the popular Ralph Waldo Emerson quote:
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
Why We Need Diverse User Stories in Business Analysis
When Business Analysts undertake a project, one of the most essential components for success is understanding the needs of the end user and their purpose for those requirements. To aid in this, BA’s compile and analyze User Stories that provide small but powerful input from end users and customers.
User Stories are extremely valuable tools for organizing information and requirements directly from those who will be using the software, processes, or the end result product that you’ll be delivering. In this article, we’ll take a look at the essentials of User Stories and the benefits they generate for project teams and the customers or end users.
Using the Observation Technique to Identify Problems and Opportunities
“To acquire knowledge, one must study. To acquire wisdom, one must observe.”
-Marilyn vos Savant
One of the most powerful techniques to employ for problem identification is Observation. This method is used to elicit information by viewing and understanding someone or a group of people in their environment. This enables you to watch how people accomplish their work, the steps they follow as they move through processes, and the manual entries they make. You’re also able to observe and compare the process they’re following versus the ‘standard or best practice process’ or how others in their role are accomplishing the same tasks. These observations provide you with insight into pain points, roadblocks they are running into, workarounds they use, and clues as to where you can suggest adjustments that would generate value.
The Benefits and Drawbacks You Should Know About The Survey Technique
Surveys are a technique that can help identify potential problems or pain points within business processes and operations. With a well-defined objective and solid planning, a Business Analyst can administer a survey that elicits a lot of thoughts and ideas from respondents, provides them with useful insights, and helps pinpoint them to the heart of existing issues.
But how do you know which type of survey method to go with, and what are some of the fundamentals for survey success? We’ll break this all down together.
How Being a World Traveler Teaches the Observation Technique
There’s nothing quite like traveling to another part of the world and immersing yourself in a culture that is so unique, so very different from our own, that it leaves you in awe. Stepping into an environment so drastically different than the one you’re used to can awaken you to so many wonderful new experiences – culinary adventures, jaw-dropping sights, captivating aromas, exciting events, and great people! But you may also find yourself surrounded by unfamiliar languages, customs and traditions, and practices. (yes, this is relatable to our profession – stick with me here!)
I’ve heard from other Business Analysts, and know this from personal experience, that we often find ourselves employing our professional skills in our personal lives – even during our vacations! One technique that I find I use – particularly when immersed in another culture – is the observation technique.