Beyond Average - Becoming a Master Business Analyst

Copyright © 2015 Equinox Limited

Beyond Average:Becoming a Master Business Analyst

IIBA New Zealand ChapterBA Development Day – Auckland SymposiumJohn Barris and Paul Ramsay – 18 November 2015


Too many ‘average’ BAs

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Acknowledgement: IBM Corporation


• Fixed ‘solution’ perspective

• Tell me what you want

• Tell me what to think

• Tell me what to do

• “Would you like fries with that?”

‘The order taker’

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• Fixed ‘process’ perspective

• Tick all the boxes

• Use all the templates

• Follow the process

• “Don’t ask me to think!”

‘The methodologist’

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‘The SME’

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• Fixed ‘business’ perspective

• Limited experience outside area of expertise

• Often lacks formal analysis training

• “We’ve always done it that way, so why change?”


• Fixed ‘vision’ perspective

• Passionate and enthusiastic

• The answer to every problem

• Can’t understand when others don’t follow

• “What’s the next shiny new thing?”

‘The evangelist’

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So what is a master BA?

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Head

Heart

Hands


Head

• Critical – problem solving

• Creative – opportunity and innovation

• Conceptual – putting things in context

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Head – critical

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Head – creative

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Head – conceptual

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Heart

• Curious – why and why not?

• Courage – are you up for the challenge?

• Collaborative – ‘plays well with others’

• Empathy – not another ‘c’ word!

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Heart – curious

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Acknowledgement: Margret and H A Rey


Heart – courage

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Heart – collaborative

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Image: Mitch Gunn


Heart – empathy

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Hands – tools and skills

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Master BAs

• Always learning

• Adapt to circumstances

• Commit to excellence

• Own the outcome

• Enable others

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The ‘T’ profile

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Breadth

De

pth

Strategic

Tactical

Operational

Value


Becoming a master BA

• The order taker – LEAD

• The methodologist – LISTEN

• The SME – LEARN

• The evangelist – LET GO

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Know – self-knowledge

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Know what you know

Know what you don’t

know

Don’t know what you

know

Don’t know what you

don’t know

Know Don’t Know

Kn

ow

Do

n’t

Kn

ow

https://youtu.be/GiPe1OiKQuk

https://youtu.be/GiPe1OiKQuk


Do – competence

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Unaware of a skill you lack

Aware that you lack a

skill

So skilled that you no longer have to think

about it

Actively gaining a skill

through thoughtful application

Unconscious Conscious

Inco

mp

ete

nt

Co

mp

ete

nt


Perform – roadmap to mastery

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Lost opportunity Mastery

FailureWastedeffort

Doing Things Right

Do

ing

the

Rig

ht

Thin

gs


Summary

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Head

Heart

Hands

Know

Do

Perform


John Barris

[email protected]

(04) 494 3740

Paul Ramsay

[email protected]

(04) 494 3716

www.equinox.co.nz

Thanks

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mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.equinox.co.nz/


Only one whodevotes himself to a cause

with his wholestrength and soul

can be a true master.

For this reasonmastery demands

all of a person.


Injecting fresh thinking to solve tough business problems.

Beyond Average - Becoming a Master Business Analyst

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