Skip to main content

Author: Kupe Kupersmith

Don’t be a Business Analyst Bully!

Written by Kupe Kupersmith on . Posted in Articles.

Kupe_Oct_12-finalI was involved in a conversation a few weeks ago with a group of business analysts.  The topic was around how to get reviewers of requirements to be engaged and get the necessary sign-off.  I noticed two schools of thought emerged.  One was an advocate approach and the second was a bully approach.  The advocate approach was geared towards truly receiving buy-in, where the bully approach consisted of assuming buy-in and using pressure to get sign-off.

Although similar to a bully on the school yard making you give up your lunch money or face being beaten up, the bully BA approach consisted of fear tactics.  The ideas suggested consisted of sending a document out for review and if there were no questions by a certain date that meant approval.  Silence was an approval.  The bully approach also consisted of escalating to the reviewer’s management if sign-off was coming too slowly.  What good comes from the bully approach?  In my opinion…nothing.  All it does is push off the inevitable which is the stakeholders’ finding issues in UAT or in the production environment.  The stakeholders do not take accountability when the bully approach is used.

If stakeholders were comfortable with the requirements presented for sign-off there would be no issue obtaining sign-off.  The main reason reviewers don’t want to sign-off on requirements is because they don’t know for sure what was captured will meet their need. Therefore, they don’t want to be held accountable.  Forcing them to sign-off just moves back the time when they’ll see the solution and really be able to give their input and approve.  If that time is in UAT, it’s too late. 

What value is there in getting buy-in on written requirements, both textual and models?  For the development and QA teams there is definite value.  Things like use cases are used as the basis for test cases.  The requirements give the development team necessary information to design a solution.  But, do they really help the business stakeholder get a crystal clear picture of what that solution will look like? It helps somewhat, but it does not give the stakeholder the comfort they need to sign-off.  Think about a home builder giving you a list of requirements for your new home.  They may include details like three bedrooms, two baths, a two car garage, finished basement with a media room, etc.  Even if they gave you extreme details related to each room, you would still not feel comfortable signing off and letting them build your home.  You would want to see pictures.

Pictures were the essence of the advocate approach discussed.  Along with the textual requirements and models you need to add pictures and possibly a way for the stakeholders to touch and feel a potential solution.  These pictures can be anything from hand drawn prototypes on a piece of paper to a working simulation.  These pictures give your stakeholders a much better idea that the solution team is headed in the right direction. 

I want to share how I used prototypes in the past to give my stakeholders the comfort level they needed to obtain signing off on requirements.  The examples I want to share are related to process change and data integration.  I assume many of you have done prototypes of user interfaces and are hopefully incorporating them in your daily work.

Process Change

I worked on a project where we analyzed the business areas process for managing inventory. During our analysis the consensus was the system supporting the process could work with the updated process.  So no system changes were being planned as part of the solution.  Before we finalized requirements and moved forward with the solution we set up a prototype or simulation.  We set-up a test environment for the application and sequestered a conference room where we simulated the new process.  We went through every scenario and saw the new process in action.  Two things happened. One we realized the application did need some slight modifications and, with those modifications the process would work and meet the goals of the project.  After this simulation the stakeholders felt comfortable signing off on the requirements giving us the go-ahead to design and implement the solution.

Data Integration

Another initiative I worked on included updating the method used for data transfer between two systems.  In this case there were no changes to the source or target system.  The goal was to improve the speed and accuracy of the data transfer between the two systems.  A large textual doc was created with data mapping and rules. This was perfect for the development team and overwhelming for the user community.

In this case we created screen shots for each scenario triggering the data transfer.  For each scenario we had a screen shot of the source system triggering the transfer and a screen shot of the target system once the transfer was complete.  This allowed the user community to see the cause and effect which gave them the comfort to sign-off.

There are many options available to you to help with prototyping and simulation from free solutions to various levels of fee based solutions.  If you want to be an advocate you need to be creative and give your business stakeholders reason to feel comfortable with the solution requirements.   

Don’t be a bully!

Kupe

Don’t forget to leave your comments below

How a Business Analyst Becomes an Advocate

Written by Kupe Kupersmith on . Posted in Articles.

Kupe_Sept_28-croppedIf you know me, you know I make it clear that building relationships is one of the most important skills of a business analyst.  By building strong relationships with your stakeholders you become an advocate for the business and your project team. But, how do you build these relationships?  How do you become an advocate?

 In April of this year I started doing an improvisation workshop for business analysts called “Business Analysis through Improvisation”. If you read my earlier post, “Improv Comedian Turns Business Analyst“, you know I regularly performed with an improv troupe for many years in Atlanta.  In the workshop, I discuss and demonstrate improvisation rules and guidelines that I feel help the attendees be better BAs.

Here are two rules that I cover in the workshop that I want to highlight here.  These rules will help you build strong relationships so you’ll be viewed as an advocate. 

Keep Conversations Moving Forward

I covered this in my earlier post, but I felt it was important to bring this up again.  In improv, as you probably know, there are no scripts.  The same is true for business analysis. I can bet you never have a word for word script ready that you use in your conversations and interviews with stakeholders.  Because there are no scripts, in improv you can never “deny” the other actor.  If an actor says something to you, you have to accept what they say and add to the conversation.  You never outright say no.  If someone walks into a scene and exclaims “Wow, I love that you colored your hair yellow,” you never say “it’s not yellow.” That denial instantly puts the burden back on the other actor to come up with something else. It kills the scene and ends the conversation.

In business analysis, for example, our business stakeholders come to us with changes in scope. If you always say “No, sorry that was not in scope”, you are out right denying. You end the conversation with the stakeholder. You may think you are ending the discussion about new scope all together, but all you did was make the stakeholder mad. He’ll just escalate and talk to your PM or manager to try and get the new items in scope. Does this mean you should say yes?  To be an advocate and build a strong relationship, you don’t have to say yes, but you need to go with the conversation.  In a situation like this, after clarifying the need I’ll say something like “we can definitely add that feature, let me work with the team to see what the impact on the cost and schedule will be. Then we can discuss if you still want to include it in this release.” Doesn’t that sound so much better? You keep the dialogue moving forward. You come across as a team player, as an advocate. By not denying you help everyone make an informed decision on how to move forward.

Another example, when you can deny is when a stakeholder comes to you with a solution. In business analysis we are taught to understand the root problem or opportunity before jumping to a solution.  Often, the business stakeholder comes to our team with a solution.  A denial type response would be something like, “Let’s not talk about the solution before we have had time to understand the true business need.” Should you discount their solution option?  Do you assume they have not done the business requirements for the project?  Instead you can respond by saying something like, “Great, tell my why you need that solution.”  By starting the conversation that way you’ll get the answers you need and be able to help the business address the problem or opportunity with the right solution.

Be in the Moment

Since there are no scripts in improve, you need to be completely focused on what is happening on stage.  You have to be a true active listener.  If you are not in the moment, you’ll miss words and signals from other actors on the direction of the scene.  It becomes apparent real quick if you are not in the moment.  You’ll say and do something that makes no sense. 

There is plenty of talk that we need to be active listeners and be in the moment.  Business analysts are communicators, we are great listeners.  But, how many of us are really great active listeners? It is not all our fault, society is against us!  Things like instant message, email, a smart phone at your hip, back-to-back-to-back meetings, and a full plate at work and in your life make it easy for us to be distracted.  What happens is we are always multi-tasking.  Women, historically, are the best multi-taskers.  This goes back to the hunter-gatherer theories where men were the hunters and had to be singly focused on the animal they were going to kill that day.  Women were the gatherers, collecting fruits and vegetables, taking care of the kids, and the home.  There is a great one man play called Defending the Caveman that explains this theory in a very funny way.

 One of the biggest relationship killers is not being in the moment.  How do you feel when you are having a meeting with your manager about an issue you’re having and he is multi-tasking; checking his email or asking you to hold on while he takes a call?  I know I would feel like he doesn’t really care much about helping me with my issue.  This is what your stakeholder will feel like if you do the same during an elicitation session.  If you felt it was important enough to schedule the meeting, then focus on that meeting.  Act like a hunter and focus only on that meeting.  If other important activities need to be addressed, it is better to reschedule the meeting then keep interrupting it.

Keeping conversations moving forward and being in the moment are two ways to build strong relationships and be viewed as an advocate.  Continue to work on these areas.

To your relationships!

Kupe

Don’t forget to leave your comments below

Business Analysis May Be the Problem

Written by Kupe Kupersmith on . Posted in Articles.

Kupe_Sept14I recently ran across this quote from Marilyn Kennedy a leadership coach, “It’s better to be boldly decisive and risk being wrong than to agonize at length and be right too late.”

Taking a look at her site it appears she is not speaking directly to business analysts, but I can tell you this quote should speak to you as a business analyst. When I read the quote the first thing that popped in my head was “analysis paralysis”.

Often BAs struggle with determining when enough is enough.  Even with the great work many of us are doing to help improve project success and business improvements, the need for the right level of business analysis can be a tough sell. In our field, I believe the “Great Perception” is still alive…we don’t need analysis, we need development.  The quote got me thinking of a reason why this perception exists.  

The problem partly stems from our name.  We are business analysts and we perform business analysis.  Is that the best name to describe what we do?  My BA colleagues everywhere and friends at the IIBA® are probably rolling their eyes…please hear me out. In my opinion the word analysis is kind of fluffy.  A Merriam-Webster definition of analysis is, “an examination of a complex, its elements, and their relations”. I see why discussions continue about not needing business analysis.  Uninformed about the value of business analysis, managers and executives don’t want an examination of their problem or opportunity.  They want solutions.  The definition of develop according to Merriam-Webster is “to create or produce especially by deliberate effort over time”. That’s what I want.  That’s why development is a must. It sounds more concrete. Analysis alone is not concrete.

I suggest we describe ourselves as Business Advisors.  An advisor is someone that recommends, gives advice, and informs. My comparison is a financial advisor vs. a financial analyst. For my retirement fund I don’t want a financial analyst…someone that analyzes the market and trends.  I want a financial advisor.  I want someone who will analyze my current portfolio (AS IS), work with me to define how much I need to retire (TO BE), and then recommend options to fill the gap.  Doesn’t that sound like what we do?

Barring a major change like the IIBA® renaming itself to the international institute of business advisors, what can you do to change the perception? When working with team members and business partners that may not know the value of business analysis, you need make it clear that you are in the advisor or solution business. The best way to recommend solutions is to do the right level of analysis first.  This way they know why you are asking the probing questions.

In addition, this is a big reason I advocate for business analysts developing a business analysis work plan.  If you lay out what, why, when and how you will be taking on the analysis effort for a project, you now have a negotiation tool with real data to negotiate the necessary time and stakeholder involvement. Your work plan should include a:

  • stakeholder communication plan
  • list of deliverables
  • detailed task list
  • time and cost estimates for you and other stakeholders

By discussing your plan with your manager, project manager and business partners you can discuss how these activities will help develop recommended solutions that address the problem or opportunity the business is facing.

What do you think?  Are you an advisor?   

Happy Advising,
Kupe

Don’t forget to leave your comments below

Out of the Box Business Analyst Career Path

Written by Kupe Kupersmith on . Posted in Articles.

OutOfTheBox1What are the career options for a business analyst? That has been and still is a highly discussed topic. For a long time the only clear option for BAs was to be promoted to a project management role. I recently did a webinar with BA Times, “What? You Don’t want to be a PM!“, where I discussed career options for BAs in addition to project management. The options I proposed I now view as “in the box” career moves. For BAs that want to be in the IT space, I proposed a potential path as Jr. BA, Sr. BA, BA Lead, BA Manager, Director, VP, CIO. Additionally within IT, BAs can move into a business architect position and/or strategic business analysis role where they look across the company to help determine the best projects to pursue to maximize business value. If you want to expand outside your company you can become a consultant. I also proposed BAs can move into the lines of business. As a BA you gain valuable information about the business goals, operations, and areas for improvement. All of those options are wonderful and do give the BA other avenues to pursue besides just project management. The skills you build as a business analyst, without a doubt, prepare you for those career moves.

As I was discussing this topic with a colleague, Angie Perris, she enlightened me that my current role or career does not clearly fit into one of the roles mentioned above. In part of the BA consulting that I do (which is an “in the box” career move), I am now responsible for leading and managing the B2T Training brand and marketing efforts. I consider brand management and marketing “out of the box” career moves for business analysts. This started me down a path that BAs are not limited in their career options.

How I Got Here

A few years ago, I decided to dedicate my working hours to business analysis. An opportunity arose giving me the chance to work in a capacity where I think about business analysis full-time, I perform business analysis activities, and I get to help other companies transform their business analysis practice. By making a change from working full-time in an IT department as a business analyst my horizon opened wider than I ever anticipated. My passion for business analysis is still very strong now along with branding and marketing. I view this as having multiple children. When you have your second and third child you don’t love the first and second one less. Your heart grows and you love all; you give even more.

In my role I am learning new skills through experience, mentors, and formal and informal education. I have also added a number of new individuals in different industries to my network! But, there are many skills I use every day that I became proficient in because I am a business analyst. In marketing, like business analysis, it is critical for me to understand the needs of my stakeholders. I use my interviewing, active listening, and other communication skills to elicit their challenges and opportunities. I then rely on my analysis skills to help identify gaps between where they are today and what they need to reach their end goal. I still document and communicate requirements to solution teams like designers and web developers based on my needs in marketing.

I say this only to show that the skills learned as a business analyst are invaluable and can be used in almost any path you choose or happen to fall in to. Keep your mind open and the opportunities will surface.

So where has your path taken you? Share your experiences of the path you took and where you are headed? Has the downturn in the economy actually opened a door you didn’t even know existed before? Please share your story in the comments.

Kupe

Don’t forget to leave your comments below

Your Customers Don’t Want to Work with You!

Written by Kupe Kupersmith on . Posted in Articles.

There is a good chance I have not spoken with your customers. So I don’t really know this to be true or not. But, do you know if you’re customers want to work with you, your team, or your department?   Many of you work as part of an internal IT organization supporting one or many business areas.  The business areas, for the most part, have to work with the internal IT department for technology related projects and activities.  Often the business area needs to make a good case to use outside help for these items.  It could be difficult to make the case to spend on outside resources when the company is already paying salaries to an internal staff.  So the fact that you have projects underway is not really a true indicator.

It is critical for you and your department to be aware of what your customers think of you.  What are the customer’s perceptions of you, your team and your department?  Do you know what those perceptions are and are they positive?  These perceptions make up your department’s brand.  A brand, as defined by the Kellogg School of Management, is “the psycho-cultural associations linked to a name, mark or symbol associated with a product or service.” Your brand ultimately drives whether your customer wants to work with you or not.

Why Brands are Important

One of the greatest brands is Apple and it’s the brand of each product they sell.  Does it really matter what Apple product comes next for consumers to decide if they want it? No. People will buy any product by Apple because it is from Apple.  I know people that don’t know how they are going to use their new iPad, but spent $600 without blinking.  Same goes for you and your department.  You want to be top of mind to your business areas when they want to overcome a challenge or take on a new opportunity.

Some of you may be thinking, “I am a BA. What do I need to know about branding?  Shouldn’t that be left for the marketing people?  I work with internal customers I don’t work with the general public where our brand matters.”  If you do think that way you are wrong. Everyone is in marketing.   

Think about the need for companies to reduce costs in today’s environment.  If you, your team or your department have a negative brand (meaning your stakeholders may not want to work with you) it won’t take long for your department or pieces of your department to be outsourced.  If you have a positive brand (stakeholders are happy) then they will fight for you when the outsourcing option comes up. 

What Can You Do?

For awhile now there has been talk that IT needs to partner better with the business.    I just read a blog on CIO.com, 4 Practical Steps to Marketing IT, that addresses this very topic.  The key message the author starts out with is that IT departments are still being looked at as a service because they view the other departments (the business) as customers. Because of this you are not viewed as partners.  If you are viewed as a service provider, you can be replaced.  I have a service that delivers coffee to my office.  As soon as I see another service delivering the same coffee for less, guess what?  I am going with that other service.  The same can happen with IT departments. 

Regardless of whether management is doing a great job marketing the entire IT department, you can have an impact on the areas you work with.  Here is one idea on how you can create the partner relationship you want. 

Stop the venting!  How do you speak about your business stakeholders to your team?  Do you complain about them often?  They don’t know what they want, they keep changing their minds, they’re never satisfied, etc.  What this does is help foster an “us vs. them” relationship.  Whether you realize it or not your team takes the lead from your attitude.  You are the one on the front line. The same applies to how you talk about your team to your business stakeholder.  When the business area is not satisfied do you “blame” the development team.  Again, this creates the “us vs. them” relationship.  Instead you need to be positive on both sides and foster a relationship where the parties feel everyone is working together to achieve a common goal.  If you need to vent call me or your buddy and let us have it!  Keep positive with your team members and business area.

Are you, your team, and department viewed as a partner or service provider?  What are some things you do (or can do) that help establish and maintain the partner relationship?  

Kupe

Don’t forget to leave your comments below