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Tag: Career

Baking Success: Unveiling the Sweet Similarities Between a Small Baking Business and a Business Analyst’s Role

Embarking on my journey as a baker just under two years ago, I have joyfully crafted birthday cakes, engagement cakes, baby shower confections, and more. Recently, I faced a culinary challenge that pushed my skills to new heights. This cake wasn’t just another creation; it was a test of my abilities, filled with many “firsts” that transformed my approach to baking. From applying a white chocolate ganache coat to mastering a full fondant covering, I encountered unexpected hurdles that required constant adaptation.

As I navigated the complexities of this ambitious project, I realized that I was implementing a form of agility in motion. Much like a Business Analyst (BA) adapts to evolving project requirements, I found myself breaking down the cake-making process into smaller, manageable increments. Baking the layers two days in advance and freezing them, preparing the frosting a day ahead, and meticulously crafting fondant toppers became a harmonious dance of preparation and adaptation.

This experience illuminated the surprising parallels between my role as a baker and the responsibilities of a Business Analyst. In both worlds, adaptability is the key ingredient for success, allowing for the seamless integration of unexpected challenges into the creative process. Let’s delve into the sweet symphony of similarities between managing a small baking business and excelling as a Business Analyst.

 

  • Adaptability is the Key Ingredient:

In the world of baking and business analysis, adaptability is the secret sauce that leads to success. Just as a baker adjusts a recipe based on available ingredients or customer preferences, a BA must be flexible in adapting to changing project requirements, client expectations, and market dynamics. Both roles demand a skillful balance between structure and spontaneity, ensuring the final product meets or exceeds expectations.

 

  • Customer-Centric Approach:

In both professions, understanding and satisfying the customer’s needs are paramount. Bakers pay close attention to customer preferences, dietary restrictions, and flavor profiles. Similarly, a BA delves deep into understanding the client’s business requirements, ensuring that the solutions provided align with the client’s goals. Both roles involve effective communication and active listening to create a product or solution that leaves the customer delighted.

 

  • Requirements Gathering as a Recipe:

Much like developing a baking recipe, a Business Analyst must meticulously gather and document requirements. In baking, this involves understanding the desired flavour, texture, and appearance of the final product. In the business world, requirements gathering entails collaborating with stakeholders to determine the functionalities, features, and constraints of a project. Both processes require attention to detail, precision, and a knack for turning abstract ideas into concrete plans.

 

  • Project Management:

Running a small baking business involves managing resources, timelines, and deliverables – much like a BA managing a project. Both roles require effective project management skills to ensure that everything runs smoothly, from planning and preparation to execution and delivery. Time management, coordination, and the ability to troubleshoot issues are crucial aspects that bridge the gap between these seemingly diverse professions.

 

  • Continuous Improvement:

In the dynamic worlds of baking and business analysis, there is always room for improvement. Bakers experiment with new recipes, techniques, and ingredients to stay ahead of trends and meet evolving customer tastes. Similarly, BAs must stay informed about industry best practices, emerging technologies, and changing market trends to provide innovative and effective solutions.

 

  • Understanding Global Trends and Market Dynamics:

In the ever-evolving landscapes of both baking and business analysis, awareness of global trends is paramount. For a baker, staying attuned to culinary trends such as the rise of veganism or the demand for gluten-free options is crucial. Just as a baker adapts recipes to cater to changing dietary preferences, a Business Analyst must be cognizant of market trends and technological advancements. Incorporating global trends into business strategies ensures relevance and competitiveness. The ability to anticipate shifts in consumer preferences aligns closely with a BA’s role in recognizing emerging market demands, enabling both to proactively adjust their approaches for sustained success.

 

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  • Risk Management:

The concept of risk is inherent in both the realms of baking and business analysis. In the baking business, the risk might involve experimenting with a new flavor combination or trying out an innovative baking technique. Similarly, in business analysis, the risks could range from technological uncertainties to unforeseen changes in project scope. Both roles require a keen sense of risk management – identifying potential challenges, developing contingency plans, and mitigating risks to ensure a successful outcome. Whether it’s predicting how a cake batter will rise or foreseeing potential project obstacles, effective risk management is the insurance policy for success in both fields.

 

  • Visual Thinking:

In the world of baking, the visual appeal is as important as the taste. Creating aesthetically pleasing cakes involves a form of visual thinking, where bakers conceptualize designs, color schemes, and decorations. Similarly, Business Analysts employ visual thinking when crafting process flowcharts, diagrams, and user interface designs. Both professions rely on the ability to translate abstract ideas into tangible visual representations that effectively communicate complex concepts. Whether it’s envisioning an elaborate cake decoration or designing a user-friendly interface, visual thinking is a powerful tool that enhances creativity and clarity in both baking and business analysis.

 

Conclusion:

Despite appearing dissimilar at first glance, both industries align on fundamental concepts such as versatility, prioritizing customers’ needs, meticulousness, and a steadfast dedication towards enhancing one’s performance constantly.

 

Just as a baker meticulously crafts a cake, considering evolving culinary trends and customer preferences, a Business Analyst navigates the complex landscape of project requirements, global market dynamics, and technological shifts. The parallels are striking – both professions demand a delicate balance between structure and spontaneity, transforming challenges into opportunities and setbacks into stepping stones.

The recipe for success transcends the boundaries of specific industries. The amalgamation of these skills – adaptability, customer-centricity, attention to detail, continuous improvement, global awareness, risk management, and visual thinking – creates a masterful blend that resonates across baking and business analysis. Whether you’re sculpting a delectable cake or orchestrating a cutting-edge business solution, the essence of success lies in skilfully blending the right ingredients to create a masterpiece that not only delights but endures in the ever-changing landscapes of taste and technology.

Don’t Just Break the Mold, Shatter It: Rebel Recipes for the Business Analyst Maverick

Photo by Nik on Unsplash

 

Picture this: You’re sailing on the vast ocean of the business world, navigating the wild waves of change. As a business analyst, you’re the captain of your ship, and your map? It’s pre-skilling – the compass that keeps you not just afloat but steering ahead of the storm. Gone are the days of up-skilling after the fact or re-skilling in the wake of a career hurricane. We’re talking about getting your sea legs “before” the tides turn. Ready to dive in? Let’s set sail!

 

Why Fit In When You Can Stand Out?

In the high-speed freeway of today’s business, being market fit isn’t just about keeping pace – it’s about setting the pace. As a business analyst, you’re not just in the driver’s seat; you’re also the navigator, the pit crew, and the spark plug all in one. Your adaptability isn’t just a cool party trick; it’s your bread and butter.

Pre-skilling is like having a crystal ball. It’s about harnessing your inner oracle to forecast the skills of tomorrow and training in them today. You don’t just react to change; you dance with it, two steps ahead, making waves rather than riding them.

 

 Talent and Skill Development: The Game’s Changing, Are You?

If you think of your career as a video game, pre-skilling is the cheat code that helps you level up “before” the boss fight. The digital domain is like a game that updates overnight – new rules, new players, new goals. Traditional skill development is playing catch-up, but pre-skilling? It’s got you downloading the updates before they even hit the main server.

 

 Pre-skilling: Not Just Another Buzzword

You see, pre-skilling isn’t a band-aid; it’s a blueprint. It’s not learning to fix a leak; it’s engineering a ship that rides the waves like a pro. It’s the difference between retrofitting your armor mid-battle and showing up with an indestructible suit.

 

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 Sailing the Pre-skilling Seas: How to Do It Right

So, you’re convinced pre-skilling is the way to go. But how do you sail these uncharted waters? Here’s your treasure map:

 1. Potential Over Past Glory

Forget what you were; what you “can be” is the real gold. Cultivate a mindset that treasures soft skills – the ability to learn, adapt, and bounce back like a superhero.

 2. Feedback is Your North Star

Steer by the stars of feedback and career guidance. Have real talks with the crew – managers, mentors, peers – to chart a course that aligns with the future, not just the now.

 3. Broaden the Horizon

Your skill set is an ocean – vast and deep. Don’t swim in the kiddie pool. Dive into new knowledge areas, and you’ll find yourself swimming with the dolphins instead of the goldfish.

 4. Captain Skills

In the AI-cohabited world, leadership is your sword. Sharpen it. Guide your crew with vision, inspire them with your cause, and lead them through the foggy seas of change.

 5. All Hands on Deck for Diversity

Steer clear of the Sirens of sameness. Champion cognitive diversity and inclusive leadership. Different minds on deck make for a robust and innovative ship.

 6. Spyglass on Trends

Keep your spyglass fixed on industry winds and currents. Trend analysis isn’t just fancy talk; it’s how you predict the next big wave and ride it like a pro.

 7. Market Maps for Skills

Use market analysis to spot uncharted islands of opportunity. Customize your skill set to be the first to plant your flag and claim the land.

 8. Bridging Skill Gaps

Perform a gap analysis like you’re checking for leaks. Find where you’re lacking and patch it up before it’s time to face the kraken.

 9. Strategic Pre-skilling

Combine all these tools, and you’ve got yourself a pre-skilling compass that points true north. Use it to not just stay on course but to discover new worlds.

 

 Conclusion: Charting Your Course to Market Fitness

So, what’s the final word for our intrepid business analysts navigating the shifting sands of the corporate landscape?

The key takeaway is that the art of pre-skilling is not just a strategy; it’s a dynamic, forward-thinking mindset. It’s about embracing the power of foresight and the excitement of what’s yet to come. In a world that’s racing towards an unknown future, pre-skilling is your secret superpower. It’s the equivalent of giving your career a jetpack, where others might settle for a safety net.

Remember, the sea of business is as merciless as it is magnificent. The winds of change are relentless, and the tides of technology wait for no one. By embracing pre-skilling, you become the captain of your destiny, navigating through the gales with grace and gusto.

To thrive as a market-fit business analyst, you must treat change like it’s your best friend. Why? Because it is! Change is the one constant you can rely on to bring you new opportunities, insights, and paths to personal and professional growth. When you pre-skill, you’re not just keeping pace; you’re setting the pace, transforming from a player to a game-changer in your industry.

By investing in pre-skilling, you’re not just enhancing your resume; you’re forging a professional identity that’s as resilient as it is versatile. This identity becomes your brand, signaling to employers and colleagues alike that you’re not only equipped to handle the challenges of today but also the revolutions of tomorrow.

Best of BATimes: 3 Reasons Why the BA/PM Hybrid Role is So Difficult

There are many variations of the BA Hybrid role, but the Business Analyst/Project Manager hybrid is the most widely discussed.

 

While there may be disagreement on whether there should be a blended BA/PM role and where the two roles differ and overlap, I think we can all agree on one thing: this hybrid role can be very challenging. It is also a hybrid that is gaining popularity as organizations look for ways to become leaner and more flexible. In this article, I will highlight the top three reasons why this hybrid role can be difficult for many and some suggestions to overcome the challenges.

 

1. The BA/PM role requires expertise in both disciplines.

The BA/PM role requires highly developed competencies across both disciplines which require education and experience across both to execute well. The problem is, many organizations, whether intentionally or circumstantially, assume that a good BA can quite naturally take on project management responsibilities and the same goes for PMs being able to take on business analysis tasks. The reality is that while one person could do both, there will most likely be a marked difference in the level at which they execute if they are experienced in one and not the other.

For example, an excellent PM with limited BA experience will likely get the project done but the value delivered may be less than initially expected by the stakeholders. Why? Because project management focuses on delivering the project according to the project requirements, but business analysis looks deeper at the meaning of the requirements and how the solution will be best implemented. A PM who is inexperienced in business analysis may take the requirements as stated by the stakeholders at face value, something that a more experienced BA would look deeper at and inquire more about. A BA with little or no PM experience may produce well-defined requirements but would likely struggle when it comes to managing multiple project constraints because they do not have the experience needed to make professional judgments that will keep the project on track.

 

2. This role only works well with small changes.

The IIBA Competency Model states this concerning hybrid roles, “The dual hybrid role is typically associated with small or less complex work efforts, where it is possible for a single person to perform both roles effectively.” This is true when it comes to the BA/PM hybrid and those performing these roles are certainly aware of this reality. This becomes an issue when an organization is immature in either discipline or is undergoing organizational restructuring. While it may be well understood that smaller is better with this kind of role, when an organization is not mature in performing project management and business analysis, the cost of failure and the loss of value is not easily identified.

When an organization is undergoing organizational realignment, they often take an “all hands on” approach to getting things done, which may leave one person managing large or risky efforts while holding multiple responsibilities. From the outside, it can appear as a great way to maximize resources because no one truly understands the real costs of having one person doing both.

 

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3. The role may not be well-defined or adequately supported.

Any role that is undefined or poorly defined is likely to cause problems. With the BA/PM role it can be even more evident. Many BA roles already have a lot of presumed tasks that impact the nature of their work. Many PMs have roles loaded with other responsibilities outside of project management. When the two roles are combined into a BA/PM role that is ambiguous and undefined, it can produce a lot of issues, not only for the individual in the role, but also for the organization.

Many times, the BA/PM hybrid role is not even officially acknowledged as a hybrid role and appears out of necessity where the person keeps the same job title but assumes more responsibility in the other domain. These situations can also make it hard to find the right person for the role. It is not enough to simply take two full-time job descriptions and merge them together into a double job description. There must be much thought given to what they will be asked to do and what they will not be asked to do. If this boundary is not created, it will set up the BA/PM to manage their work by urgency only, because there won’t be enough time to do everything they are assigned.

 

Increasing the Odds of Success

To ensure that the BA/PM role is successful, organizations must pay attention to the role and what is needed to increase the odds of success. It is not enough to merely assign additional responsibilities to an existing role. Organizations must take the time to define the role considering the value they expect to receive and the inherent limitations of the role. Once the job is defined, there must be a concerted effort to keep assignments within the size and complexity that will best enable success and have mechanisms in place to measure that.

Additionally, there must be some consideration given to what will be needed to support the BA/PM. Are there other team members who can assist with tasks that would normally be associated with one or the other function? I have been successful in BA/PM hybrid roles where I had an oversight role on the business analysis side and was expected to review and guide the work of other BAs, rather than do everything myself. A successful support structure will also include access to the education, training and mentoring needed to allow those performing the role to sharpen their skills. All of these will increase the odds for success in the BA/PM hybrid role.

Published on: 2017/02/16

Best of BATimes: 5 Characteristics of Effective Business Analysts

“Business Analyst” is not just a title. Is not a job. It is a mindset, a concept and a structured process executed by people in different positions inside an organization. It’s more like, an approach of making the things happen from the realization of business need towards the final implementation.

It’s easy to call yourself business analyst but difficult to be a good and effective business analyst. The field can be great fun, and very rewarding, but you need to be prepared. People who take on business analysis roles typically believe they need three things: skills and experience, a bit of marketing, and an interest in working in a variety of environments. However successful business analysts know they need much more than a technical expertise and specific skills. They need a mindset and a specific attitude in order to serve with the best possible and feasibly way their clients business needs.

What is expected from business analysts can vary widely. And what they actually need you to do can be completely different from what they expect. Business analysis is an exciting, dynamic form of work. You can have a positive impact on your clients and be well paid for your effort. But you have to be appropriately equipped.

To be an effective and successful business analysis you need to continuously develop some specific characteristics.

 

The first is technical depth. It’s critical that you have the technical background to satisfy your clients’ needs. This means you have experience in a variety of environments. The more breadth of experience you have in your technical area, the easier it will be to apply your skill as a business analyst.

Second, effective business analysts need to understand quickly and accurately what’s happening in their client’s environment. Your power of observation needs to be well tuned. Being able to listen carefully and patiently, observe the behavior of your clients, and make sense of what is happening is very important.

Third, effective business analyst care about the welfare of their client’s business and the clients themselves. You need to be able to put yourself in your client’s shoes and appreciate the difficulties they may be facing or have faced. While what you do may seem routine to you, it probably isn’t routine for your client. You need to appreciate that fact and behave accordingly.

 

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Another important characteristic is emotional intelligence. Often clients will engage you because they’ve had substantial difficulties. They may have a skill shortage, or they may not be sure how to manage what you’ve been asked to deliver. All these conditions create stress. On top of that, you’ll be striving to learn as much as you can as quickly as you can, so you’ll be under stress as well. Dealing with all that requires personal emotional maturity and the ability to assess and deal with the emotional state of your client.

Also, you have to develop the observation and effective listening as a personal characteristic, make recommendations based on sound business judgment, and be patient. As trust builds, the direction your client provides will likely become more reasonable. Work out your contract. Understand your client’s needs and desires, and establish a good relationship with your contract manager, and you could put on your superhero costume to celebrate your success. Observation helps towards a really robust problem definition statement. So as you look at your problem-solving, and you’re getting ready to start pursuing that initial set of ideas, you need to go through that prioritization and pick the highest value one that’s going to have the biggest impact on your overall solution.

 

Business analysis is performed on a variety of initiatives within an enterprise. Initiatives may be strategic, tactical, or operational. Business analysis may be performed within the boundaries of a project or throughout enterprise evolution and continuous improvement. No matter their job title or organizational role business analysts are responsible for discovering, synthesizing, and analyzing information in order the best solutions to be derived and the clients’ needs to be accommodated in the best possible way.

 

 

Published on: Dec 2, 2021

The Tyranny of the Algorithm

A while ago, I noticed that some people changed the way that they were writing LinkedIn posts. Rather than writing in sentences and paragraphs, everything would be written in this weird separated way with everything spaced out in a really unnatural way.  Then certain other common patterns appeared (e.g. using PDFs documents with multiple pages, or ‘carousels’ as some people call them).  Video was huge, then not huge, and so the trends fluctuated.  Some of the formats seemed really good and useful… others… not so much (we’ve probably all clicked on the occasional ‘click bait’ LinkedIn post…).

I gather one of the reasons that people post in particular ways is to get maximum exposure, and to do this you have to pander to the algorithm.  It is, after all, the algorithm that will decide how many people see your post…  and not all posts are created equal.  Those that get more ‘engagement’ will be seen by more people (and, very likely, get even more engagement).  Yet the algorithm decides what counts as ‘engagement’.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with this. LinkedIn is a private enterprise, it can (I suppose) run its operations however it chooses. But take a step back for a moment, and let’s make a hypothesis here:

 

The algorithm has changed the way people write content and interact with others on LinkedIn

I’m making no moral judgment here, and the way that people write and engage with each other has adapted over the years. But let’s follow this to its logical conclusion: social media algorithms have the ability to influence the style and formats in which people communicate. It decides what content gets seen (and doesn’t get seen). Again, as users we might be OK with that. But I hope that there is someone within those companies asking a whole set of ethical questions…

 

Avoiding Biases and Unintended Consequences

In particular, it’s important to consider whether algorithms might lead to bias, and might inadvertently disadvantage or affect particular groups or stakeholders, or whether they might have other types of unintended consequences. For example, I’d imagine that the LinkedIn algorithm probably aims to keep people on the site for as long as possible, and serve them up relevant adverts. But when people learn its nuances, they start to ‘game’ the algorithm, meaning that some folks are more likely to get their content seen than others. Presumably, LinkedIn eventually learns about this too, and adapts the algorithm, and the process repeats.

 

Yet unintended consequences like this aren’t limited to IT or algorithms. Nor are biases  (there are plenty of well-documented cognitive biases that affect people too). Crucially this is an area where BAs can help ask some of the difficult questions, and get beyond (or at least highlight) potential issues.

 

I have often thought it interesting that within most organizations, if you ask the question “who is responsible for regulatory compliance” you will get a clear cut answer. There is usually a legal or compliance team, and often a named individual who is responsible and accountable. Ask “who is responsible for the ethics of this product or project?” and (outside of some very specific domains) you’ll likely get a blank stare. Or, you’ll get a word-soup answer that boils down to “we’re all responsible”.  And when everyone is responsible, too often nobody steps up to ask the hard questions.

 

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The Ethical Imperative

This is a space where BAs can add significant value. As BAs we’ll be used to conducting stakeholder analysis, thinking in terms of the different stakeholders or personas who will be impacted by a particular proposal. We can extend this thinking by asking “who isn’t here around the table, who is missing from these conversations, and how can we ensure they are represented?”.

We can ask the difficult, but important ethical questions, and ensure that the projects and products that are progressed by the organization are in line not only with its strategy but also its values. If there’s a strategy-execution divide in many organizations, that’s nothing compared to the values-execution divide! (We’ve probably all had experiences with organizations that say they ‘put the customer at the heart of what they do’ that… definitely don’t actually do that!).

 

Often, as BAs, we are able to take a step and ask “what is the impact of this”, and “what does success look like for X stakeholder group?” and “how does that vary from what the Y stakeholder group thinks?”.  By taking a holistic view, balancing different viewpoints and putting an ethical lens on things, we can hopefully reduce the risk of inadvertently introducing bias or unintended consequences.

This involves us having the courage to ask bold questions and keep ethics firmly in mind. If we don’t, there’s a real danger that the ethical dimension will get missed. A situation that I’m sure we’re all keen to avoid!