On the Usefulness of Job Titles
By Adriana Beal – Apr 2015 In his recent article called Why are we still talking about PM vs. BA?, Kupe Kupersmith wrote: Does a CIO or the business leaders you work with care that independently you...
View ArticleIncrease the success rate of your software projects by changing your reward...
By Adriana Beal – Jan 2015 Imagine pouring money into building a new software feature or buying a new tool, only to see it ignored by the intended audience. A few recent examples I’ve witnessed: A...
View ArticleA reader asks: how do I map a business process involving multiple departments...
by Adriana Beal Process mapping is a well-known technique for creating a common vision and shared language for understanding and improving business results. It helps business analysts identify...
View Article10x Thinking for Business Analysts
Knowledgeable business analysts are plenty. But BAs are not being paid for knowing; they are being paid for getting the right things done. If you’re like many BAs I know: a hard working professional...
View ArticleHow to get disproportionate results from your professional development efforts
Knowledgeable business analysts are plenty. But BAs are not being paid for knowing; they are being paid for getting the right things done. The 10x Thinking framework was created to help accelerate your...
View ArticleShould you pursue a certification in business analysis?
(Originally published on LinkedIn and captured here for future reference.) Which business analysis certification do you recommend for my circumstances? What tips to you have for me to successfully...
View ArticleStop prioritizing features
By Adriana Beal What do you think of our process to prioritize new features? Whenever I hear this question, my first thought is that I don’t even need to look at the process to conclude that it is...
View ArticleUse this simple trick to become a better stakeholder interviewer
By Adriana Beal In order to excel in their role, business analysts need to be clear on the business goals their project is meant to support, and how success is going to be measured. Yet, oftentimes...
View ArticleWhat can managers and BAs do to prove the value of business analysis?
Executives that have first-hand experience with high-quality business analysis don’t need convincing: they are aware of the key role a dedicated business analyst can play in software projects, from...
View ArticleWhich type of business analyst are you?
Photo credit: Mayr If you look at answers to the question “what does a business analyst do?” in discussion forums, you’ll get a variety of answers, many of which summarizing the job in a limited way,...
View ArticleHow to stop non-BAs from taking over the requirements work?
Photo Credit: Marcello Maria Perongini A reader asks: In my organization, it’s common for a business or technical person to take over the requirements documentation task for an internal system without...
View ArticleThe Superpower Series
Here at Beal Projects we believe that you have the opportunity to take control of your career, regardless of your previous experience. And December has been nominated “the month of your new superpower”...
View ArticleHow to develop confidence in your abilities while still learning a new...
Many business analysts fail to achieve top performance while starting to work on a new domain simply because of their fear of making mistakes. I’ve heard analysts freely admit that looking less than...
View ArticleA reader asks: “how do I motivate myself when my employer treats me as a...
Even though many BAs continue to be frustrated by a limiting role, the answer hasn’t changed from the time I wrote this article for Modern Analyst with 4 actions that can help you elevate your role: 1....
View ArticleHow to make sure you’re dealing with the real problem and not just a problem...
In his article Outside-In User Story Example, my favorite product management expert, Scott Sehlhorst, describes how users “almost always fixate on problem manifestations, versus underlying problems”:...
View ArticleHow do you know when a feature customers are asking for is worth building?
One thing I like about digital products is that this kind of product is never finished. Not only they can continue to change over time, change is often critical to keep the product relevant in the...
View ArticleA BA asks: when replacing a system, how much do you need to care about the...
A BA asks: During IT project implementations, how easy is it to determine the level of the (AS-IS ) detail required? Do you prefer the solution (TO-BE ) be informed by the AS-IS or rather should it be...
View ArticleIt’s time for business analysts to add machine learning to their “bag of tricks”
Are you tired of hearing about machine ... [Read more...]
View ArticleThe difference between a tactical and a strategic business analyst
When asked to describe their role, many business analysts working on customer-facing software products or internal information systems use terms like “liaison”, “bridge”, “communication line”, and...
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