Jonathan "Kupe" Kupersmith is Vice President of Brand Development, An interesting discussion was started on a LinkedIn group a few weeks ago posing the question, "What would you think is the single factor that determines project success?" This sparked a healthy debate and made me think on a more micro level for business analysis. I asked myself what are the foundational skills needed by a business analysis professional? It did not take me long to answer my own question. Let's see if you agree.
Let me start with what I think they are not. In our profession it has been discussed that at a minimum, BAs had to know the accepted techniques used in the role. Examples include use cases, workflow diagrams, context level data flow diagrams, etc. These are critical pieces to making an excellent BA, but not the foundation. They are interchangeable and new ones can pop up at any time. Did people not analyze before use cases became a standard format for analyzing and documenting requirements? Sure they did. These techniques are not a constant.
Analogy time! Let's consider a house. The foundation is solid (hopefully). It supports the living space of the home. The living space is filled with appliances, furniture, art, rooms with doors, closets, windows, etc. Depending on what you are doing in your home at any time, you use some rooms, some furniture, and maybe an appliance. At the same time rooms, furniture, and appliances are not being used. Then there is the bread maker you were given for a house warming gift. That baby only comes out during special occasions. The rooms, furniture, and appliances are the equivalent to the techniques I mentioned earlier. The techniques are used when necessary. Every project does not require the use of every technique you have available. So then, what are the real foundational skills you need?
When I think of a foundation, I think of something that is constant, always there. Your foundation needs to be built with trust, analytical and problem solving skills, mixed with ethics, personal organization, business knowledge, and communication and interaction skills. These are often referred to as soft-skills, but these are nothing close to being soft. This is your foundation. From here everything is possible.
In the IIBA BABOK these skills are called underlying competencies. The writers of the BABOK define these as "the skills, knowledge, and personal characteristics that support the effective performance of business analysis." The writers got it right by using the words "underlying" and "support". Without these skills BAs cannot perform at their peak, just like a beautiful front door that won't open or close properly because of a settling foundation.
Knowing the technical aspects of the techniques available to you is not enough. Even if you know the when to use an Activity diagram and all the symbol definitions, it is useless if your foundation is not secure. What good is that technique if you don't have the interaction skills to elicit the requirements, or the communication skills to ensure you understood the requirements, and the ability to ensure the solution team clearly understands the need.
Take a few minutes and inspect your foundation. Is it secure?
Foundationly yours,
Kupe
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Jonathan "Kupe" Kupersmith is Director of Client Solutions, B2T Training and has over 12 years of business analysis experience. He has served as the lead Business Analyst and Project Manager on projects in various industries. He serves as a mentor for business analysis professionals and is a Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) through the IIBA and is BA Certified through B2T Training. Kupe is a connector and has a goal in life to meet everyone! Contact Kupe at kupe@b2ttraining.com.
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written by Kupe Kupersmith, February 17, 2010
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written by Simon Papson, February 17, 2010
During a recent interview, the manager interviewing me seemed to be trying to determine my personality traits, rather than asking anything about skills. One thing he asked about was how I would go about saying “No” to a stakeholder (as in, “No, you can’t have the world on a plate.”), while still ensuring the business actual needs were being understood and met.
Then, at the end of the interview, he surprised me (and, I think, himself) by saying: “OK. I’m a user. I want a... login screen. Ask me about it.” Basically, he got me to elicit his requirements right there on the spot! I was nervous, naturally (I’d never had to do that in a job interview before!), but I strongly believe that it was this part of the interview which got me the job.
This same manager has since said that “Anyone can pick up a book and learn the theory.”, which has a strong element of truth in it, and is exactly what Kupe’s talking about here. My manager focussed on the qualities which he believes make a good Business Analyst: communication, negotiation, requirements elicitation, and understanding the actual (rather than stated) needs of a business. In some ways, these could almost be considered to be personal qualities rather than skills – you either have them or you don’t (How does one learn to have an inquiring nature, to ask “Why?” that one more time...?). Drawing diagrams and creating models are useful skills, and should be learned from a book as needed, but they’re only icing on the cake that is a Business Analyst.
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written by John Talbot, February 18, 2010
Thanks again, your article and the comments from Doug and Simon show what the basis of even a halfway decent BA is, and I think I can distill it to one word: credibility. If people, be they users, project managers, directors, suppliers, developers and very probably their spouses and kids don't believe them, then their BA career will in all probability be short and unhappy. Moreover, it makes things tough for any BA that subsequent crosses the path of those the "failed BA" has met.
We all know it isn't an easy role, but maybe there is a need for a fault and pain-free way to release people from BA work once it is clear that they aren't cut out for it?
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written by Kupe Kupersmith, February 18, 2010
@John - Credibility...that's it. All of this stuff helps you gain credibility.
With your comments you both inspired my next blog. Thank you! I wont give any details. like in radio, that was the tease. Check back in 2 weeks!
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written by Steven Blais, February 22, 2010
One of the significant problems in laying that foundation for a business analyst is in the appellation given to the specific traits of communication, influence, managing expectations, facilitation, etc. The term is "soft skills". So what we are doing is building a solid foundation with soft skills. Sounds kind of oxymoronic,. no? I think the whole concept of "soft" skills is wrong. Learning how to communicate well, both ways, is very hard. Mastering a programming language is kindergarten stuff in comparison. And yet, as business analysts we have to create a solid foundation in these skills first to be a success!! No wonder BAs are paid the big bucks. O, wait, those are the BAs....
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I wish I had something different to offer you on your assessment of foundation, but I couldn't agree more. Without the skills that you listed at minimum (trust, analytical and problem solving skills, mixed with ethics, personal organization, business knowledge, and communication and interaction skills), not only will the door not open, no one wants to use it to begin with.
When interviewing analysts, these are frequently the things that I hone in on during conversation in order to try to get a preliminary view of any potential cracks in what you've termed the foundation of the analyst.
When working with other analysts, I pay close attention to not only their actions in performing work tasks, which is where hard skills come in, but also to use of these foundational skills. I watch if their actions match their dialog; in other words are they saying one thing while doing another. Most importantly I watch how they affect that sacred trust bond with their customers.
Nice job...again