Marcos Ferrer, CBAP has over 20 years experience in the practice of business analysis and the application of Information Technology for process improvement. Following graduation in 1983 from the University of Chicago, Mr. Ferrer joined IBM in Chicago, where he worked on requirements and systems implementations in diverse industries. His recent projects include working requirements for the Veteran's Administration, introducing BA practices at the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, and creating bowling industry models for NRG Bowl LLC. In November 2006, Marcos Ferrer is one of the first CBAPs certified by the IIBA. He has served as an elected member of the DC-Metro chapter of the IIBA, most recently as President, and assisted in the writing of the BOK 2.0 test. 
This year the O.B.A.M.A. award goes to the man himself, for his live demonstration of meeting management soft skills for over seven hours, on television! This is NOT POLITICAL - it is just an observation that President Obama is practicing these skills in the face of a very chaotic stakeholder environment.
So, what skills?
How about K.I.S.S.? Obama presented four problem issues, to be discussed, each quite easy to understand.
How about facilitation with detachment? He focused on the problems, did all he could to avoid the personalities, while constantly returning the focus to the issues at hand.
How about managing unproductive contributors? Every meeting has its baggage in terms of folks who simply won't participate in the agenda, are not interested in the problems to be solved, and use the meeting to grind their own axes. Next time this happens to you, remember Obama, and his kind rebukes (Senator McCain, the election is over!).
How about preserving stakeholder interests? Even as strong differences of opinion deadlocked the conversation, Obama kept reminding the participants that real people were being affected by the paralysis. The imaginary people that are against government regulation of healthcare DID appear on Fox News - like the senior citizen who ranted against Obama's plan, from her Medicare paid nursing home bedroom.
By letting the issues contrast against the personalities and private agendas, Obama did NOT win over the objectors to the "project" - they remain determined to keep the status quo. What he did accomplish was to create a forum where the undecided can try to weigh the issues of problem solving against ideology, so at least they know what they are deciding. Helping stakeholders decide is often as good as it gets for a BA.
Rather than dwell on the negative, I ask my kind readers to send me THEIR examples of an Outstanding B.A. Moment in America - we are seeking a right wing nominee, for a fair and balanced presentation!
Have fun, and please let us have your comments.
Don't forget to leave your comments below
written by Neville Scheevel, March 16, 2010
-
- +4
-
-
written by John Clifford, March 18, 2010
Why? Because he has completely mis-analyzed the health care problems the country is facing due to his fixation on a predetermined solution. More important, he is not listening to his customers! Far from being an outstanding BA, Obama is serving as a classic example of how NOT to be effective and successful. When the majority of your customers are SCREAMING at you that they don't buy into your solution, isn't that a clear sign that you need to go back to the drawing board and revamp your requirements? How about when your accountants are warning you that your project will clearly NOT meet its financial targets?
So, we have a 'project manager' who is trying to ram through his version of a solution, that doesn't meet the requirements AND that blows the project budget. To top this off, at a hastily-called stakeholders' meeting, the 'project manager' evades targeted questions about the proposed solution's cost and effectiveness... and then decrees "the time for talking is over."
Tell me again what is so "outstanding" about this performance?
-
- +3
-
-
written by Elaine Boone, March 18, 2010
Your permiss is based on?
'issues, to be discussed, each quite easy to understand' - seriously?
'kind rebuke (Senator McCain, the election is over!)' - kind?
'perserving stakeholder interests' - I'm a interested stakehold. My interests are being perserved?
Obama has strengths, but meeting management SOFT skills?
The next meeting I’m in with someone who won’t participate in the agenda, is not interested in the problems to be solved and are using the meeting to grind their own axes - I probably will think of Obama - he does kind of remind me of some bullies I've worked with. I will also think of you, and try not to interrupt facts using fuzzy logic and come up with mis-guided permisses.
-
- +0
-
-
written by Andris Grunde, March 23, 2010
Anyone see a Monument to No lately? I didn't think so.
It goes back to the old adage about not talking religion or politics among your friends/peers.
-
- -1
-
-
