September 9, 2008 – 10:48 am –
Have you been to a BA conference lately? How about an IIBA chapter meeting? Maybe you visited some of the on-line BA communities like BA Collective? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you have most likely heard people talking about a business analysis center of excellence (CoE). Many companies are looking to mature [...]
August 4, 2008 – 9:14 am –
I recently read an article on CIO.com and thought you may be interested in seeing the Four Secrets to Becoming an IT Star. According to this article, being an excellent BA will help you on the path to stardom.
The fours secrets are
Be good to your end user
Go beyond the walls of IT and learn the business
Understand [...]
July 21, 2008 – 8:00 am –
I recently read an article in Time magazine, Mandela: His 8 Lessons of Leadership, that I recommend you read. As BA's we are leaders and need to continue to learn how to become better leaders. After reading the article I would love to hear your thoughts on how the lessons discussed can apply to our position.
I look [...]
June 23, 2008 – 8:31 am –
If you have not read Part I and II of this blog series feel free to take a look. At the end of Rocky II Rocky wins the title of heavyweight champion. He is now very wealthy and defends his title 10 times. In the beginning of Rocky III a real contender wants a piece of Rocky Balboa. [...]
May 20, 2008 – 2:47 pm –
A question most BAs get asked when assigned to a project is "how long will it take to complete requirements?" Without going into ways to improve your estimating skills, I want to address a key point that is often missed when answering this question. Our answer is usually related to our time and duration needed. This is [...]
May 12, 2008 – 7:55 am –
If you have not read Part I of this blog series you can read it here. In case you are not as familiar with the Rocky movies as I am, here is a little recap of what happens at the end of Rocky. Rocky goes 15 rounds with Apollo Creed. Rocky's right eye is badly damaged [...]
April 28, 2008 – 9:00 am –
OK, I’m coming clean. My all time favorite movie is Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky II, Rocky IV, Rocky V, and Rocky Balboa. Every now and then I watch one of the movies and never get tired of the scenes of Rocky training or battling the next opponent in the ring. But, there is more to [...]
April 14, 2008 – 9:00 am –
Hear me out! I go to my gym to workout at least 3 times a week. I go at different times each visit so I do not have the pleasure of getting to know the staff that well because of the changing shifts. Each time I go to pick up my membership card when getting ready to [...]
March 31, 2008 – 10:55 am –
It is so important for people in the business analysis role to build strong, solid relationships both in and out of the office. Many people dislike the term "networking," but I feel it is one of the most important skills of a successful BA. By helping others and asking for help, solid relationships are formed. [...]
March 10, 2008 – 3:51 pm –
When I was a young buck I could not beat this one kid on the block in a 100 yard dash. I was convinced it was my worn out shoes causing me to lose time and time again. I pleaded and begged my parents to buy me a new pair of sneakers for weeks. Eventually they [...]