What is active listening? (it’s not just nodding)

Written by Christina Lovelock on November 19, 2024. Posted in Articles.

Most people know the phrase ‘active listening’, but if you ask them to define it, we get a range of vague descriptions, often involving adopting a concerned expression and nodding occasionally. What is the ‘active’ element that makes us a participant rather than a passive recipient?

What is Active Listening?

It means listening for total meaning, providing unwavering attention and being a positive participant in the interaction.

“Active listening is more than ‘hearing’ someone’s words. It means fully attuning to the feelings and views of the speaker.”

(Nelson-Jones, 2014)

“Active listening is a technique that aids effective communication and is a skill that business analysts need to possess.”

(Paul and Lovelock, 2019)

Active Listening Behaviours

OK – so there might be some nodding, but that is not the extent of genuine active listening behaviours! We need to be conscious of our facial expressions. For example, do we need to be encouraging and get people to provide more details? Do we need to be appreciative that they have made time to speak with us? Think about the emotional response the speaker needs or expects from you, and it will be much easier to find the matching facial expression. Note this may change during the conversation, so it is important to stay attuned to the speakers’ changes in tone and expression as well as the words they use. Slanting our heads is often interpreted as a sign of empathy and willingness to learn more. Online engagement means we have more opportunities to notice and learn from our own facial expressions and the impact they have on the speaker.

The difference between speaking to someone you feel is genuinely listening to you and someone who is multi-tasking is immense. The absolutely critical element of active listening is to give the other person your full attention. There is sometimes a decision to make about note-taking and active listening. Some people feel that if they are giving their time and knowledge, the other person should be making notes. This is particularly relevant for stakeholder interviews, for example. There may be other ways to take notes without splitting your attention from the speaker, such as having someone else take notes, using transcription, noting down keywords only or making notes after the session. Multi-tasking while listening can prevent us from making the appropriate level of eye contact. Continuous eye contact can be difficult to maintain and disconcerting, but a complete lack of eye contact can leave the speaker feeling unheard.

The role of the active listener is not to be silent, and we have a number of ways we can contribute to a better interaction through the use of these active listening behaviours:

Question – ask thoughtful, open questions
Probe – ask follow-up questions designed to elicit more detail
Clarify – check your understanding, clarify particular aspects
Paraphrase – play the information back using your own words
Summarise – relate the highlights of what you have heard, and ask if you have missed anything key.

Listening Modes

There are multiple listening modes that we can adopt, and many of us have a default mode.

Task-orientated listener – key focus on getting to actions and focusing on the most ‘important’ information.
Analytical listener – trying to understand and simultaneously analyse the content of the conversation.
Relational listener – focused on building connection and understanding emotions.
Critical listener – focused on making judgments about the content of the conversation and the speaker.

Being aware of our natural style or mode can help us be more aware of our behaviours and the impact on others.

Remember – those who are curious and analytical can often spot many ways something can be improved. If we voice all of these, it can come across as overly negative!

Avoiding Judgment

If we are busy with our own thought processes trying to evaluate what the other person is saying, we are not giving our full attention to listening and understanding. Judgment can take up a great deal of brain space and mental energy. In many conversations, it is better to suspend or defer judgment to keep us in the moment so we can reflect and evaluate what the person has said later.

Avoid Deflection Back to Self

To really understand and listen to the other person, we want to keep the focus on them and what they are saying. This means avoiding bringing the focus of the interaction back to our own experiences and knowledge. It is very tempting to tell a ‘related story’ or share a ‘similar experience’ when what the other person has said brings it to mind. We have to be restrained and decide if it is in the best interest of the interaction to switch the focus to ourselves or keep the focus on them and draw out more details of their experiences.

Benefits of Active Listening

Giving someone the time and space to really listen to them in our busy world is a rarity. Investing this time and effort can help to build trust and rapport, increase our depth of understanding, and increase the amount of information we will actually retain from the interaction. This can help to save time, as it avoids assumptions being made and revisiting the same areas.

Conclusion

Active listening can be extremely valuable for business analysts in a variety of situations. Consciously deciding to keep the focus on the other person helps to build a sense of connection and deepens our understanding of the information given to us. Active listening is a key skill for high-performing teams and individuals and is an area we can all improve by investing a little more effort.

Further reading

The Myth of Multi-Tasking, C Lovelock, (BA Times, 2024)

Delivering Business Analysis: The BA Service Handbook, Paul and Lovelock (BCS, 2019)

What is Active Listening A Gallo (HBR, 2024)

The Hidden Cost of Side Quests: How BAs Can Protect Their Time

Written by Adrian Reed on October 3, 2024. Posted in Articles.

Back in the late 2000s, I started a new job, having worked for my previous employer for a long time. It was a really weird feeling—I can still remember entering the building, being assigned a desk, logging in and there being virtually no email for me.

I was already assigned to a project, and I was introduced to a key stakeholder. It was a fairly small project, albeit with some hidden complexity. Working with the project team, we got it done, and the analysis work was done pretty quickly.

Partly, this was because I was new and keen to make an impression. But, on reflection, another reason I was able to get the analysis done quickly was (as a new team member) I didn’t yet have the overhead of a whole number of ‘side quests’ that tend to accumulate over time.

What Type of “Side Quests” might a BA be drawn into?

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been drawn into a whole range of other activities. Often there are good reasons for this, but sometimes I can’t help but think that what I’m really doing is filling a gap in the organizational structure.

Examples might include:

Providing production support to production systems: (“You wrote the requirements, you know how it works…”). This might be genuinely useful and necessary in a transition period, but I suspect a few people reading this are still supporting some elements of a system they worked with years ago, and that sounds like gap filling!
Quality assurance: BAs absolutely can feed into testing. Yet, as much as I’ll give some (very limited) testing a go, I know that I am not a professional QA engineer, I have a different skill set. In fact, I love working with QA colleagues, as they will often help me sharpen my game by reminding me that quality assurance is about a lot more than testing, and they can provide useful peer reviews on requirements artifacts too.
Messy workarounds: If there’s a ‘temporary’ workaround, it might make sense for a BA to help operationalize it. Yet, issues occur when the organization decides that workaround isn’t ‘temporary’, and three years later somehow you’re still lumbered with the task of deciphering operational data via an unmanageable spreadsheet with macros…and everyone is shouting that they need it ‘today!’

In all of these cases, it can be valid for BAs to be involved for a limited amount of time. Context is everything. Yet, being drawn in for too long, or finding that it becomes a permanent part of your repertoire could be damaging.

Put differently: If a BA ends up providing perpetual informal production support for every system or process they are involved with changing or deploying, then they have less capacity to do business analysis after every project. There will come a time when their role is more support than analysis.

Saying “No” by giving options

The challenge, though, is that these ‘side quests’ often are important to someone, and might be crucial to the organization, which makes them hard to say no to. A key question here is around prioritization: are they as important as the project work. Or put differently: should the project work be delayed, to create space for the side quest. If a project is the priority, then this might mean saying no to a side quest or two… but that can be hard.

So what approaches are there for saying “no” constructively?

I live in the UK, and if you’re not familiar with our culture, it’s somewhat indirect. In fact, when I say “somewhat indirect”, what I actually mean is “completely indirect to the point I literally don’t know how non-native English speakers decode what we are trying to say most of the time”. So, as you can imagine, a curt “no” can be tricky. What follows is written through the lens of a UK citizen, things might be different where you are.

With regards to saying “no”, I once had a fantastic manager who gave the following advice which has always stuck with me:

“Try not to say ‘no’ outright, unless you really need to. Instead, find a way of saying ‘yes’ by giving implications and options”

This might sound like:

“Yes, I could absolutely take a look at that production support issue. That’ll likely take around half a day, which will delay a core project deliverable. Shall we go and speak to the project manager to ensure that’s OK? If it isn’t, perhaps I could ping you over some documents that might help, and I’ll be on hand for any quick queries?”

“Yes, I can certainly continue to help with the manual workaround. However, I’m likely to be a bit of a bottleneck, due to project work, which is always going to take priority as it’s my core role. I wouldn’t want to delay you. How about I train one of your team? I could also make a quick video of the process, so they have something to refer to. Then you’re in complete control”

Sometimes It’s a Hard “no”

While the approach described above will work in many situations, there will be times when a hard ‘no’ is necessary. In those cases, in my experience, it’s best to be direct (however uncomfortable that is). I have been amazed that often when I say no, and give the reasons, people are actually extremely understanding. Even if they aren’t, it’ll be some short-term discomfort while the issue is discussed, instead of long term pain (if you’ve ever taken on too much work, you’ll know how painful that feeling of overwhelm can be!).

Ultimately, whether to say ‘no’, and how to say it varies depending on context. You have to do what’s right for you. I hope this blog has given you some food for thought!

Do You Need a Degree to Become a Business Analyst?

Written by Shaz Shafiq on September 25, 2024. Posted in Articles.

While considering the educational qualifications to become a business analyst, an obvious question that may come to your mind is if having a degree is absolutely necessary. Traditionally, degrees in areas like finance, economics, IT and business have been the standard route to becoming a business analyst. However, today’s professional landscape is more flexible, which recognizes that a degree does lay a strong educational base, but it is not the only path to make a career in business analysis.

Employers across industries are putting greater emphasis on practical experience, strong communication skills and problem-solving abilities for conveying complex ideas in an effective manner. This, in turn, has opened the door of opportunities for individuals who can showcase their expertise through self-driven learning, mentorship, hands-on experience and industry-recognized business analysis certifications.

The Shifting BA Educational Trend

The business analyst’s academic scene has seen a revival over the last few years, emphasizing on a balance of mainstream education and hand-on experience in the field. Although a degree in IT or business is still important, the significance of interdisciplinary abilities as well as the ability to integrate insights from diverse sources is constantly on the rise. This shift highlights a greater recognition of problem-solving skills, analytical thinking abilities and expertise in communicating complex ideas lucidly.

What’s Important with Respect to BA Education:

Business Expertise and Analytical Skills: Typically acquired through studies in finance, business, economics or practical experience in the field.
Technical Acumen: Crucial for roles involving IT systems or data analysis; usually acquired through hands-on technical experience or IT-specific
Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Essential for managing stakeholders, often developed in social sciences, liberal arts or other similar fields.

Forging the Path to Professional Development in Business Analysis:

Relevant Work Experience: Gained by working in areas like project management, data analysis or business operations.
Lifelong Learning: Keeping up with industry trends through business analysis courses, business analyst certifications and industrial workshops.
Professional Networking: Connecting with the business analysis community for mentorship and knowledge sharing.

Most Common Degrees for Business Analysts

Although a formal degree is not always mandatory for a business analyst career, understanding the educational background of professionals in the field can offer helpful insight for aspiring analysts. A degree can provide essential skills and knowledge that are advantageous for succeeding in the role.

Business Administration
Finance or Economics
Information Systems or Computer Science
Statistics or Data Science
Project Management

Popular Majors for Business Analysts

These majors are especially well-suited for the diverse responsibilities of a business analyst, as they offer the essential knowledge and skills required to thrive in this job position.

Information Systems
Marketing
Business Administration
Finance
Data Analytics or Statistics
Operations Management
Computer Science

Popular Minors for Business Analysts

Choosing the right minor can give you a competitive edge by enhancing your expertise in the areas that complement the role of business analyst. Below are some of the most popular and beneficial minors for those looking to excel in the field of business analysis.

Psychology
Information Systems
Statistics or Data Analysis
Economics
Communications
Project Management

Why Should You Pursue a Degree for a Business Analyst Career?

Pursuing a business analysis degree is a smart choice for professionals aiming to thrive in a career that bridges business operations and technology. A specialized degree in this field offers a competitive advantage in an industry that values expertise tailored to this important role.

A business analysis course allows students to develop a thorough understanding of essential concepts like data analysis, requirements gathering, solution assessment and process modelling. This expertise equips them with the methodologies and tools critical to succeed as a business analyst. Additionally, BA degree courses usually include case studies, internships and real-world projects, which enables them to apply their theoretical knowledge to practical business challenges.

Facilitating Career Switch and Growth: A specialized degree in business analysis works as a stepping stone for people transitioning to business analysis from another career. This provides them with the essential skills and insights needed for a smooth and successful transition.
Networking Opportunities: In addition to acquiring skills and knowledge, a recognized business analysis degree offers valuable networking prospects. Students can interact with industry professionals, build connections with like-minded peers and engage with experienced faculty through events and guest lectures.

Degree Alternatives for a Business Analyst

Exploring alternatives to a traditional business analyst degree can be a strategic choice for many aspiring BAs. This approach often allows for a more flexible and experience-focused path, which is essential in a field where practical skills and the ability to adapt to changing business needs are highly valued. Here are several viable alternatives that offer both learning and hands-on experience.

MOOCs and Online Courses: MOOCs and online learning platforms provide a diverse selection of business analysis courses. These programs often include case studies and interactive projects that enable students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios.
Workshops and Bootcamps: Workshops and bootcamps provide intensive learning experiences typically compressed into a few weeks or months, which focus on practical business analyst skills.
Professional Certifications: Industry-recognized BA certifications, including Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA), Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA-AAC) and Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) offers specific knowledge that one can acquire faster, compared to a conventional BA degree.
Side Projects and Self-Learning: Self-directed learning by attending webinars, reading industry publications and keeping pace with the latest business trends is an effective way to enhance your BA knowledge. Engaging in projects, like volunteering to analyse data for non-profits or starting a business analysis blog can offer concrete proof of your skills to potential employers.
Networking and Mentorship: Establishing a professional network and finding mentorship can be just as important as formal education in the field of business analysis. Connecting with experienced analysts via professional forums, platforms such as LinkedIn and networking events can offer career guidance, potential job opportunities and valuable industry insights.

Building a Career in Business Analysis without a Degree

Pursuing a career in business analysis without a traditional degree calls for a strategic approach and the ability to highlight your unique strengths. Here are some practical tips to help you succeed in a business analysis role without formal academic qualifications.

Gain Practical Experience: Look for opportunities to work on business analysis tasks, even if they are outside of your official responsibilities. Volunteer to document processes, analyze data or oversee small projects within your company. This hands-on experience will aid you in showcasing your analytical prowess and understanding of business operations.
Build Essential Skills: Focus on developing key business analyst skills including requirements gathering, data analysis, stakeholder management and process mapping. Use tutorials, online resources and free courses to enhance your skill set. A strong skill set can often make up for a lack of formal education.
Develop a Professional Portfolio: Create a work portfolio that features process improvements, case studies and projects you have worked on. Highlight efficiency improvements and measurable outcomes. A well-presented portfolio can showcase your hands-on experience and problem-solving abilities to potential employers.
Network and Find a Mentor: Building connections is essential in this field. Join online communities, attend industry events and connect with domain experts on LinkedIn. Having a mentor can offer valuable guidance and insights while helping you get access to new opportunities.
Stay Updated on Industry Best Practices: The field of business analysis is constantly evolving, with the emergence of new methodologies and tools. Stay informed by joining BA communities, reading industry blogs and attending workshops and webinars to stay on top of everything.
Learn Lean and Agile: Familiarity with Lean and Agile principles is extremely important for business analysts. Try developing an understanding of how these methodologies can enhance business processes while delivering. value
Pursue Business Analysis Certifications: Business analyst certifications like the ECBA or CBAP can boost your credibility. While they might not be able to replace a degree, they can demonstrate your commitment to the role while providing an acceptable level of knowledge that employers appreciate.
Emphasize Transferable Skills: If you are considering a change in career, it is recommended to highlight your transferable skills like problem-solving, communication and critical thinking. Such skills are highly valued in business analyst roles and may compensate for the absence of a formal degree.
Master Analytical Tools: Become proficient in tools, commonly used by business analysts, such as SQL, Microsoft Excel and business intelligence solutions. Demonstrating technical expertise can make you a more attractive candidate in the eyes of employers.

To Conclude

Although a University degree can provide a solid analytical foundation, it is not a necessary requirement for becoming a business analyst. The role places a high emphasis on problem-solving abilities, practical experience and data interpretation expertise, necessary to make informed business decisions.

While a degree offers networking opportunities and formal education, many business analyst skills can be gained through specialized training, certifications and hands-on experience that may be more affordable and time-efficient for some professionals.

Ongoing learning is crucial for a business analyst role. The field requires a strong grasp of changing business landscapes, emerging technologies and data analytics. Staying current through certifications, courses and industry events may help BAs adopt new tools and methods and follow best practices. This allows them to deliver valuable insights and drive strategic decisions in today’s dynamic business environment.

Transition Requirements – The Key To Adoption

Written by Tiffany Wiley on September 18, 2024. Posted in Articles.

The key to adoption. Don’t forget the obvious.

As a Business Analyst at heart, requirements play a part in my everyday life. Much to the annoyance of those closest to me, I’m wired to think of everyday activities in terms of requirements 😊

However, transition requirements are sometimes elusive, even to those of us with a couple of decades of experience. But – they are the key to adoption!

A quick little story time…

When my daughter went to her first school, we spent weeks preparing; we got her a backpack and matching lunchbox, new school clothes, new shoes, and a sleeping mat, and we even planned a lunch and snack menu! I even read the school handbook, multiple times! At 3.5 years old; she’s spent her entire life with just the three of us. She never went to a daycare, so this was her first school-like experience, and we were ALL excited! Nevertheless, in all that preparation, we neglected a key piece of information – WE would not stay with her at school.

As we unbuckled her, with excitement beaming from her eyes, she stated “Mommy, we are all going to have so much fun today!”. At that moment, I knew I missed a key piece of information that was going to completely change how the rest of the day went. Oops! And it did…she was distraught! Then I was too!

In all my functional preparation, I neglected to operationalize her new school experience. I completely missed considering my key stakeholder’s transition!

Even with over 18 years of requirements management experience, I forgot the obvious. This is your call to action – don’t forget the obvious!

What are transition requirements?

Transition Requirements (or Transitional Requirements) are like NFRs (Non-Functional Requirements), in that they are often missed in the design and development processes.

As the name suggests, these are the requirements that will ensure a successful transition from the current to the future state.

Why are they important?

Without a plan to transition from the current state to the future state, adoption will surely slow if not stop entirely. You as the Product/Project Manager may be excited about this change, but excitement alone doesn’t cross the finish line!

A transition (or migration) will likely impact other business units and processes. For example, a customer may need to upgrade a current licensing agreement to transition to a new solution. Do you wait to transition them? What is the impact of waiting? Are there legal implications? Is additional training required?

Additionally, on the softer side of a transition, is understanding the change curve. Especially when it comes to process or culture-related changes, transitions can be very difficult. People are creatures of comfort – i.e., creatures of familiarity. And change is unfamiliar….it is uncomfortable. Having a good understanding of change management can help ensure there aren’t gaps in the transition plan and requirements.

How does that tie into overall value?

Value is realized when the solution is adopted. A single transition requirement alone does not generally provide quantitative value. However, the overall plan and requirements’ existence provides a qualitative value by ensuring a successful transition can happen – leading to better adoption and ultimate solution value realization.

Technique for gathering Transition Requirements?

Transition requirements should only be defined once the final solution is known. It doesn’t need to be fully implemented, but it must be known.

Unlike functional (or stakeholder) requirements, these are typically not willingly disclosed or stated by the business or users. Because of this, my favorite technique to start with is questions; to elicit information to then derive the transition requirements from that information. It is important to have a listing of questions to start with, but also being present in the discussion will help uncover additional questions to minimize gaps and assumptions.

Some sample questions and follow-up questions are noted below:

Are there any user skill gaps that need to be filled to operationalize the new solution?
- Is this a training we can provide, or do we need outside help?
- What is the cost of this effort?
- What type of internal messaging is required?
Is there any data that needs to be migrated from the current to the future system?
- If so, how can that be done?
- Migrate all data? Only some data?
- Does data need to be transformed?
- How long to prep? Migrate? Validate?
- Are there any regulatory requirements for transmitting the data?
- What are the ideal timelines?
What is required to retire the current solution?
- Can it just be turned off/eliminated?
  - Do user accounts need to be deactivated?
- Is there a cost associated with terminating (or ending early)?
- Will data need to be deleted? Can it (contractually) be deleted?
What processes need to change to implement the new solution?
- How/when will this process change happen?
- How/when will it be communicated?

Additionally, think about the differences between the two solutions/states. Then identify some questions, even if they seem silly, to help elicit information. Listed below are a couple of sample projects with a few starting questions:

Set your launch up for success by not forgetting the obvious – Transition Requirements.

User Stories Without Users: The Pitfalls of Assumption-Driven Design

Written by Adrian Reed on September 12, 2024. Posted in Articles.

Where I live, every year residents receive two water bills. One is for the fresh (tap) water supply, the other is for wastewater and maintenance of sewers. The wastewater bill is a standard tariff, and I guess most people have automatic monthly payment set up. It’s the kind of thing you “set and forget about”. I mean, it’s hard to get too excited about wastewater, right?

Recently, I’ve been receiving letters from the water company trying to get me to sign up for their online portal (or app) so that I can get my bills electronically. I can almost imagine the initial user story that was written:

“As a user, I want to access my annual statement online, so that I know how much I’ll be charged”

Yet, for me at least, this is an illusion. I really don’t need another app, I really don’t need another portal account and password. For something I receive once a year there is a good chance I will have forgotten my password by the time I need to use it, and if I’m completely honest I look at about 10% of the statement anyway (I glance at the monthly payment amount then file the statement).

These days I’m a digital native, but having to access this information via an online portal would be less convenient for me. I suspect I’m not the only consumer that thinks this…

Digitalization with Purpose

I’m not saying that portals and apps aren’t useful, they absolutely are in the right context. I use online banking apps and portals all the time, and these save me time. However, I wonder how many customers the wastewater company spoke to before building their app/portal. I wonder whether they determined whether customers actually wanted it or not?

Another possibility is that this wasn’t a customer-driven initiative at all. Perhaps the director of customer service was given a target of reducing cost. One way of doing this is to reduce the amount of letters and statements that are printed. Every statement costs money: the paper, printing, envelope, postage cost plus the cost of handling it too.

But when the change is purely driven from an internal cost-saving perspective, with little or zero customer interaction, isn’t it a little disingenuous to write a “user” story from the perspective of the customer? A customer who hasn’t been consulted? There’s the danger we jump straight to a solution, and with no customer interaction this might be a solution that has very low adoption.

Understand the Real Drivers

So, if the driver is cost reduction say so. Rather than jumping straight to a user story or set of requirements, a more useful starting point will be to understand the specific outcomes that are being sought. In this case, it might be:

“A reduction in cost of sending and handling outgoing correspondence of X%”

Then, it’s useful to understand any constraints. There is likely to be a regulatory requirement to issue an annual ‘statement’ (although what a ‘statement’ is may or may not be prescribed in the regulations). With these things in mind, existing practices can be challenged.

Then, having understood why a change is necessary in the first place, we can start to work with the stakeholder team (including customers or customer representatives) to figure out ways that this can be achieved that will ideally benefit them too. Or, at least ways that they can live with.

This might create a very different set of solutions. Perhaps a solution is proposed where a customer receives a small discount for the first year when they opt in to having electronic statements. They’ll receive an SMS text message with the key details (payment amounts, dates) and an email reminding them that the statement information is there if they want it. This is just one option: it’s one that would work well for me, but I am a sample of one. It would be important to get a range of views from different stakeholder groups.

Understand Variety

When thinking about changes like this, it’s also important to consider those who can’t engage with organizations digitally. There can be many reasons for this, so thinking about accessibility not just in terms of “how can we make the digital solution accessible” but also “what are our options for non-digital engagement” is important. Understanding the variety of people, their needs and preferences is important.

In conclusion, whatever final solution is agreed upon, starting by understanding the desired outcomes (and being transparent when the primary goal is cost saving) will lead to a broader conversation. It’s important to avoid rushing towards an early solution in absence of this!