Tag: Planning

Practicing Practical Optimism

Written by Christina Lovelock on January 12, 2022. Posted in Articles.

What we believe is pragmatism can be perceived as pessimism. Is it time for BAs to start practicing practical optimism instead?

The Problem With Pragmatism

There are many words that BAs hold dear – objective, holistic, pragmatic. They guide our approach. We want to consider all factors and all perspectives, avoid bias and ensure appropriate action is taken in light of all relevant information. Pragmatism should mean planning for the worst, but hoping for the best. We are skilled at identifying the worst-case scenario, highlighting gaps and risks, and getting to root causes; have we become so focused on being ready for the worst outcome, that we have forgotten to hope for the best outcome? Has our pragmatism turned to pessimism?

We really do want to move forward, learn lessons, and avoid re-making past mistakes. It can feel like a way to achieve that is to focus on everything that has gone wrong previously. This past-focussed pragmatism nudges us closer to negativity.

The Problem With Optimism

Many BAs see optimism as naivety. We believe that if people really understood the issues (as we do) then they wouldn’t be quite so positive! We think that the role of analysis is to surface and clarify needs, issues, and problems, and it’s very hard to talk about these topics in a positive way. We also know that over-optimism in planning and delivery causes many projects and products to fail.

Optimism has become synonymous with unrealistic and uniformed.

The Benefits Of Optimism

There are wide-ranging benefits, observed in comprehensive research from all around the globe.

Optimists are healthy and live longer. They are more likely to achieve their goals. They are more resilient and less stressed. They are more productive and have better relationships. Optimism increases the likelihood of success.

The good news is optimism is a skill and mindset we can all practice and improve at, whatever we consider our ‘natural’ disposition.

Practical Optimism

Optimism does not mean naively hoping for the best, denying reality or failing to prepare. The phrase “practical optimism” acknowledges the unspoken accusation of “blind optimism” and provides a path to taking sensible steps towards the best possible outcome. Genuinely understanding the best-case scenario and always keeping it in mind makes that outcome much more likely to occur!

Risk identification and problem-solving seem to get much more airtime than benefits and drivers. Reminding ourselves of why we are doing something, who benefits and how is a great motivator. Reflecting on how far we have come, highlighting successes, and celebrating milestones all contribute to future-focused thinking. This creates the right climate for practical optimism to thrive.

Conclusion

Pragmatism seems like the perfect balance between uninformed optimism and immobilizing pessimism. In reality what feels like pragmatism can easily look like pessimism. Striving for an approach of practical optimism rather than pragmatism can lighten our mental load, improve our relationships and lead to better personal and business outcomes.

Being realistic can be about striving for the best possible reality. It’s time for business analysis to look on the bright side.

Further Reading:

[1] When BAs Go Bad, C Lovelock, BA Times, 2019 https://www.batimes.com/articles/when-bas-go-bad/

[2] How To Incorporate Realistic Optimism Into Your Life, Forbes, 2021 https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2021/01/07/how-to-incorporate-realistic-optimism-into-your-life/?sh=465ae45476f0

Business Analysis as A Service

Written by Business Analysis (BAPL) on October 6, 2021. Posted in Articles.

One billion dollars wasted, 100 million over budget, a 40-million-dollar initiative costing $250 million dollars! Recent announcements in the press regarding significant initiatives, projects & product overspend and minimal value, are testament to this. Successful initiatives are key to organisational success, and an effective requirements process is the key to successful initiatives. This is costing organisations millions of dollars in wasted expenditure, and many more millions in lost opportunity. If your Customer Journeys, Epics & User Stories are not correct and aligned, then your initiative is certain to fail.

A service is a means of delivering value to customers, by facilitating the outcomes customers need. Effective services start with the understanding of that need, and work towards providing the best possible outcome(s) within the customer environment. Business Analysis is a service like all others and considering it as such is important for that services success.

However, business analysis is a broad service offering that can cover anything to do with innovation, people, process, and technology. In addition, the customers of Business Analysis also vary including Product Managers & Owners, Developers, Testers, Solution Architects, all the way through to CIOs, CEO, and Company Directors.

What is Business Analysis as a Service?

Why not have your business analysis serviced like you do your car?

When your car needs a service, you book it in, arrive, hand over the keys, return later that day, pay and drive home. You trusted the dealership to do what you paid them to do, service the car.

You never asked for a specific mechanic, you never asked for a subject matter expert, all you wanted was for the service to be completed, the logbook to be signed and to have a checklist of the agreed work that was performed. No hassle, all done.

The way you and your internal customers (Product Owners, Project Managers, Development Leads etc) receive business analysis should be no different. You should have the confidence and expectation that you will receive the right outcomes to drive the initiative in the right direction.

When your business needs analysis, you book it in with us, you return later, pay, and receive the agreed outcomes. You can trust BAPL to do what you paid us to do.

You never need to ask for a specific consultant, we engage with your SME’s, you never need to ask for special requests as we scope and identify the requirements to the appropriate levels, highlight any risks or assumptions and deliver the agreed outcomes, bringing value for money, in shorter timeframes resulting in improved initiatives. No hassle, all done. It’s called Business Analysis as a Service, and our service is second to none.

In a Business Analysis as a Service model, we work in collaboration with you and your internal customers to establish the required services needed to deliver the analysis for the organisation’s improvements to their products and services. We would understand the need, define an appropriate approach, set timelines etc.

This provides an opportunity to identify the competencies and capabilities required to fulfill this need. The assigned BAs would work develop an approach and delivery plan, provide consistent reporting to ensure the agreed upon outcomes are being delivered, and to manage any issues that may be putting these outcomes at risk.

This model puts the accountability of business analysis outcomes back to the BA Team and BA Manager, rather than on the shoulders of the individual or the team they are working in. In doing so, it provides the BA Team Manager the ability to forward plan resourcing, forward plan capability uplifts, and assign the right person to the deliver the right service. This results in the right service, delivered in the right time, with the right analysis, resulting in better outcomes for your organisation.

This model works in both small and large team environments, agile and waterfall.

Do We Need A Skills Matrix?

Written by Christina Lovelock on September 23, 2021. Posted in Articles.

The answer to this question is almost always no. Here’s why…

Drivers

The stated objectives for creating a person-level skills matrix are usually something like:

“We want to match staff to appropriate work by understanding their skills.”
“We need to identify skills gaps and shortages across the team/organisation and prioritise areas for individual and general improvement.”

These seem sensible enough. They sound efficient, future focussed and suggest it will help individual team members to engage in appropriate work and increase their skills as needed.

Reality

The skills matrix appears on the surface to help with these aims. Unfortunately, they rarely meet the intended outcomes.

Here is a typical process:

Drivers 1 and/or 2 exist, and eventually someone says “skills matrix”.
Key skills to include are discussed and agreed. (This takes much longer than planned; technical skills are over-represented, core skills [1] are under-represented and undervalued by this process).
Realisation that we want knowledge areas not just skills. A very long list is produced…
After much questioning and resistance (most) staff rate themselves against the skills and knowledge areas.
This is on the whole unsuccessful due to the Dunning-Kruger effect [2] on the one hand and Impostor Syndrome [3] on the other. (Plus, the fact that most of us think we are self-aware and only 10-15% of people actually are [4]).
Many difficult conversations are then required explain why Person A is not actually an expert in everything and Person B is better than they think.
The people who would be “best” for a piece of work based on the output of the matrix are not available.
Managers and team members are all quite bruised by the process.
Matrix is not updated. It goes slowly out of date.
Abandoned.

Alternative Reality

The skills an individual has is one of many factors which need to be considered when assigning appropriate work. The factors include:

What motivates them?
Who do they work well with?
Who can build relationships quickly?
What kind of support/environment allows them to do their best work?
Where do their interests lie?
Who has these skills/who needs to develop these skills?
Is there an appropriate senior person/role model?
Who has earned an exciting opportunity?
Who needs to stick to the basics?
Who can juggle multiple assignments?
Who prefers to concentrate on one area?

It is not possible to model all these factors in a spreadsheet. This level of understanding comes from managers having good relationships with team members, being able to honestly discuss personal style, preferences and professional development needs. Managers also need good visibility of upcoming work and assignments to be able to plan appropriately and engage with team members about future work.

Training Needs And Skills Gaps

Good managers know this information without a skills matrix. Given a list of skills needed by an organisation, managers should be able to identify and quantify capacity and competency gaps. A skills matrix is a lazy substitute for good quality management and a distraction that creates the illusion of control.

Individual personal development plans which align to organisational objectives are a more motivating and effective way of establishing and then aggregating team-member level data.

How Can BAs Help?

Business Analysts may be asked to create or contribute to the development of a skills matrix or record our own skills. We can use our analytical skills to establish the drivers and intended business outcomes and suggest alternative methods of achieving those.

Is A Skills Matrix Ever Relevant?

If the answer to the question “Do we need a skills matrix?” is almost always no, then there must be exceptions. Very large, typically global organisations which operate across a number of sectors (such as retail, aviation, construction etc.) that need to quickly mobilise specialist teams need a way of “searching and filtering” on staff. This is more effective as searchable information, with some structured data (e.g., job title, location, knowledge domains) and bio information maintained by the individual (experience, preferences, etc.) to allow the right people to be identified. Implementing this type of system requires appropriate investment in technology and business change. The business case for the ‘spreadsheet matrix’ never stacks up.

Conclusion

The skills matrix is typically a misguided attempt to automate something which needs to be a human discussion. How they are implemented often demotivates staff, serves as a distraction from real work and genuine issues and fails to meet the intended outcomes. Organisations that want the capability to understand the skills and experience of their staff need to encourage the right behaviours from managers, make appropriate investment in robust decision support tools and engage with staff to capture information which is accurate, proportional and timely.

References:

[1] Core Skills: C Lovelock, BA Times, 2019 https://www.batimes.com/articles/stop-saying-soft-skills/

[2] Dunning-Kruger Effect : J Kruger, D Dunning, 1999 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10626367/

[3] Impostor Syndrome: C Lovelock, BA Times, 2020 https://www.batimes.com/articles/impostor-syndrome-business-analysis-is-not-just-common-sense/

[4] Self-Awareness: T Eurich, Harvard Business Review, 2018 https://hbr.org/2018/01/what-self-awareness-really-is-and-how-to-cultivate-it

Business Analysis Report: Writing Guide From Preparation to Submission

Written by Amanda Dudley on September 1, 2021. Posted in Articles.

Did a major stakeholder in your company contact you to send an analytical report or are you a rookie trying to impress your boss with an excellent business analysis report? If so, you are in the right place. This article will teach you how to write a formal business report, including the preparation and proper structuring hacks. So, sit back and get your pen and notepad ready because you will be learning a lot.

How to Write a Business Analysis Report

1. Preparation

If you want to have a good business report analysis, don’t just start with writing. It would be best to draw a plan of how to present the data from your analysis. So, here is what an ideal business report plan should look like:

From the beginning, have the end in mind

An excellent business analyst typically thinks about their recommendations from the initial stages of a project. For example, if you are writing a report on why the company should start using digital signage, you should already have the best solutions handy. This process may seem complex, especially if you don’t know how to make recommendations when you haven’t started the main report. But if you conduct adequate research, deducing to a coherent chain of events leading up to a specific conclusion won’t be difficult.

Who are you writing the business analysis report for?

First off, you need to know your stakeholders before you start writing business reports. A stakeholder analysis will help you get that knowledge. Namely, you’ll discover who are the influential people you need to convince. Secondly, you’ll find people who are project-oriented so that you can convince them of the value of your report.

How do you plan on presenting the business analysis report?

You should determine the method you want to utilize to deliver your analysis report before writing. Take Screenvision as a case study of using unique storytelling to win people over when analyzing a new product. Unfortunately, there have been other scenarios of people losing their audience because they didn’t present their analyses properly. For your business report, you can choose between print, PowerPoint presentation in front of an audience, or a combination of both methods to capture your audience’s attention.

2. Structure

The structure of your report is vital because it may be the reason why your recommendations will convince the right people. A properly structured analysis will give your audience a desirable impression about you and your business. So, when writing your report structure, focus on:

The introduction

There are different types of business reports, but they all have an introduction which follows the same pattern. In the introduction, there should be a hook — something that will catch your audience’s interest. Then, explain the background of the project. However, contrary to popular expectations from business analyzes reports, keep your introduction short and understandable if you expect to carry your audience along.

The process of investigation

Another important aspect of your business report is discussing how you came to your recommendations. Your audience needs to know that you put your due diligence to get the data you are presenting to them as facts. You don’t have to give all the in-depth details of your research because it can get boring quickly. All you need to do is provide a simple summary of how you arrived at the factors that influenced your decision.

The outcome of each investigation stage

Explaining the outcome of each technique you utilized will help your audience understand why you are advancing these recommendations. Don’t go through your process map in superficial details. Pick out the essential aspects and discuss them extensively. Also, don’t make the mistake of saying “who” told you to make your recommendations. Instead, talk about “why” your recommendations are the best fit.

Summary

The summary is the final aspect of your business analysis report template. This part of your report entails rounding up your findings and recommendations. All you have to do is discuss everything you told your audience in simple and short sentences, ensuring you are as precise and clear about your points as possible.

Conclusion

An analysis report is an essential aspect of any business. The most important things to remember when writing reports are the following:

Preparation is essential.
The introduction can make or mar the analysis and determine if stakeholders will go through the report.
Stakeholders want to know the context, not just the problem itself.

So, as a part of the business world, you should always be equipped with the proper knowledge of your field because you never know when you will need to prepare a business report.

But sometimes even with proper knowledge, you will need help from an essay writing service to help you to finish or edit a high-quality report. Nevertheless, this article should help you with writing. Good luck!

Golden Rules of Stakeholder Engagement in Business Analysis

Written by Thomson Mathew & Anjana Manocha on July 21, 2021. Posted in Articles.

What makes business analysis on a project effective?¹ Is it just about allocating a business analyst (BA) to the project to produce business analysis deliverables on time, or is it about effectively communicating and engaging with stakeholders? While both are tactical prerequisites, we believe that engaging with stakeholders is key to any effective project implementation.

Research proves that, in the long term, effective stakeholder engagement is good for any business.² Organizations with a greater awareness of stakeholder interests and higher stakeholder engagement patterns are more likely to avoid crisis, simply because they’re in a better position to leverage opportunities and anticipate risks.³ Several compelling studies across industries on the impact of good stakeholder relations demonstrate that, over time, organizations focusing on building stakeholder trust are more resilient across indicators of value such as financial resilience, sales, cost reduction, time to market and control of operating costs.^{3, 4}

So, who are the stakeholders? Stakeholders are individuals, or groups of individuals, who either care about, are actively involved in or have a vested interest or a stake in the project’s success. They can also affect the project BA’s ability to achieve his or her own goals.⁵ Stakeholders can be internal or external.

Internal stakeholders may include top management, project team members, a BA manager, peers, a resource manager, end-users, and internal customers/delivery partners. External stakeholders may include external customers, governments, contractors and subcontractors, regulators, and suppliers/vendors.

Stakeholder engagement is the practice of interacting with and influencing project stakeholders to drive the overall success of an initiative. Stakeholder expectations and perceptions, as well as their personal requirements, concerns, and agendas, influence projects, determine what success looks like, and impact the achievement of an initiative’s overall outcome. Successful stakeholder engagement is vital to effectively delivering value on a project.

Whether internal or external, the first thing to identify is whether BAs effectively engage with project stakeholders. This paper explores different levels of stakeholder engagement and the approaches that will enable a productive association and result in project success. Typically, stakeholder engagement falls into three broad models: high, moderate, and low engagement.

High engagement model

Stakeholder engagement is at its peak, in this model, meaning that BA and stakeholder thought processes align on project objectives, definitions, and benchmarks of success. They work in tandem to drive the project to its intended conclusion in an efficient and timely manner. This model is highly interactive. Ideas and suggestions from both sides are exchanged to evaluate the pros and cons and resolve any differences of opinions objectively through a process of mutual consensus. There is mutual respect, trust, and a sense of ownership over the decisions being made and risks being taken.

In short, this is the ideal scenario. In this engagement model, the stakeholder clearly communicates expectations, actively participates in project requirements, promptly responds to questions and communications, and engages with the BA and shows genuine interest in the analyst’s work.

Best practices to help a BA sustain high stakeholder engagement

Work to become a BA on whom stakeholders can depend. Build relationships based on trust.
Demonstrate awareness of project timelines, efficiency and cost-related issues while prioritizing the needs of the project.
Maintain regular communication. Keep stakeholders informed of project progress and BA deliverables.
Address constraints and challenges on time. If there are time constraints or other challenges, meet stakeholders formally or informally (in-person or virtually) to discuss the issues and get their buy-in for feasible solutions.
Listen to and address stakeholder concerns in a timely manner.
Keep stakeholders engaged by involving them throughout the project. Always ask for stakeholder input and work toward implementing what’s possible.
Recognize stakeholders’ achievements and appreciate their support.

Moderate engagement model

Stakeholder engagement is average in this model, meaning that the BA and the stakeholder agree on the vision and objectives of the project but don’t understand the impact their respective actions might have on its timelines and success. They work on the same team but don’t always collaborate, attend meetings but don’t actively participate, provide input and feedback but not in a timely manner. In this model the stakeholders aren’t clear on the BA’s expectations and deliverables. In other words, to achieve a higher level of engagement it requires active collaboration and participation between the BA and the stakeholder.

So, there is hope with this model. But if the BA doesn’t work to improve the relationship, things are likely to quickly reach a point from which it will become harder to recover.

Best practices to help a BA improve the stakeholder engagement level

Drive conversations and meetings that are interactive, constructive, and engaging for both parties.
Communicate effectively to engage stakeholders. Leverage collaboration tools and continuous brainstorming workshops that enable stakeholder participation.
Set realistic expectations with stakeholders from the onset of the project.
Be mindful of and flexible to accommodate stakeholders’ schedules and preferences. This includes engaging with stakeholders formally or informally, as well as during work or off hours.
Listen to, heed, and execute stakeholders’ feedback and demonstrate its impact on the project.

BAs can leverage several tools and strategies to enhance stakeholder engagement (see Table 1). Once they understand the project, they will become more receptive to what a BA has to offer. And then they will want to know how the initiative will be implemented, whether and how their concerns will be addressed, and how they can contribute to the solution.¹³ At this stage, it’s important for BAs to manage the relationship to set the right expectations and agree on roles without losing the already established level of engagement.

IIBA BABOK® Guide Technique	Purpose
Functional decomposition	Explains key components of business analysis to create transparency within an initiative, specifically in how a BA works and the role stakeholders can play.
Mind mapping	Enables BAs to gather and summarize participants’ thoughts and ideas, as well as any ancillary information, and then determine interrelationships.
Process modelling	Defines the solution and describes how the business analysis will be executed. This technique can include actors and information flows to illustrate what’s expected of each stakeholder during various stages of the process.
Roles and performance matrix	Maps each stakeholder’s role and permissions across business analysis activities. For example, which stakeholder will shape what part of the solution, approve the solution design and implement the solution.
Stakeholder list, map, or personas	Documents stakeholder responsibilities, defining how each will shape the solution and all will collaborate.
Brainstorming	Fosters creative thinking around project challenges and possible solutions. The goal of brainstorming is to produce new ideas and derive themes for further analysis.

Table 1 – IIBA Reference ^5,6

Low engagement model

Stakeholder engagement is below average in this model, meaning that BA and stakeholders thought processes don’t align regarding project objectives, definitions, and benchmarks of success. The BA and stakeholders don’t work in tandem to drive the project to its intended conclusion in an efficient and timely manner. In this model, there’s no constructive exchange of ideas and suggestions with the objective of evaluating the pros and cons. Differences of opinions aren’t resolved objectively and lack mutual consensus. Respect is a lacking and there’s no sense of ownership of decisions being made and risks taken.

This results in conflicting requirements and deliverables, delayed project timelines, dissatisfaction on the project progress and eventual failure to meet expectations. In this engagement model, the stakeholder:

Asserts authority
Doesn’t actively participate in meetings
Provides minimal to no feedback
Quickly critiques deliverables
Resists change

At the beginning of the project, especially a change initiative, there may be resistance for various reasons.⁶ Chief among these is fear. Because the business case behind a change initiative is often restructuring, reducing headcount, or introducing automation — all of which may lead to the loss of some jobs — people will naturally be concerned. That may lead some people doubt their ability to develop new skills, learn new things or maintain an acceptable level of performance in the new system. Projects that lack clarity at the start are also concerning. While it’s always difficult to anticipate the direction of a change initiative, in the early phase, most stakeholders aren’t sure of their role or how or where they’ll fit in the overall process. And without established norms or processes in place, an initiative is almost always likely to change the environment. At times it’s this discomfort, or a lack of justification for this change, which causes resistance.

Remember: Be prepared. Be flexible. Be ready to escalate.

To overcome these and other challenges, we recommend the following steps:

Step 1: Be Prepared

Send the agenda and any relevant documents prior to the meeting so that everyone has an opportunity to prepare for the discussion. Arrive in the meeting room (physical or virtual) a few minutes early, especially when the BA is the host. Follow the best practices for virtual audio/video calls, especially in a remote work setting.⁷ Invite a person of authority to the meeting for support. This could include the BA’s manager, the project manager, or a business process consultant. Be active rather than reactive in any situation. For a BA, it’s always important to take a few minutes before responding to an email or conversation. BAs should never take feedback personally and always be willing to reach out to their peers, core team or leader for help.

Step 2: Be Flexible

Accommodate the stakeholders who aren’t available to meet in person and in this case, the BA should try to address stakeholder requests by scheduling a conference call. If meeting during prime business hours is not possible then connect with stakeholders during off-hours or different times of the workday, within stipulated/acceptable business hours. This sort of availability supports a more informal setting, which in turn encourages stakeholders to share their concerns. It also demonstrates that a BA is eager to engage with stakeholders and understands their viewpoint. It will help the BA gain stakeholders’ trust and make them feel their voices are heard and their perspectives factored in.

Step 3: Be ready to escalate

Invite a person of influence — for example, a hardline manager or project manager — to meetings with stakeholders to get better guidance on how to maneuver the project as well as keep the manager informed of progress. Stay calm and objective throughout the process. Under no circumstance should a BA feel the need to pressure stakeholders on any matter since such behavior will only aggravate the situation and result in further damage to the relationship with stakeholders.

Our recommendations for a successful engagement model

We recommend the following engagement model that has been tried and tested and has resulted in successful and long-standing engagements with our stakeholders over the years.

Stakeholder analysis/mapping. Analyze stakeholder needs and expectations and think about how the project or the proposed change might impact stakeholders, as well as how they can impact the proposed change. Based on this analysis, select an engagement approach that best suits stakeholders’ needs for effective communication and collaboration.

Plan of engagement. Plan an effective approach to stakeholder engagement. The goal is to select an approach that will ensure the highest level of engagement throughout the initiative. Things to consider when selecting an engagement approach may include:

Style of communication during meetings. Keep the meetings interactive. Initiate and foster maximum participation.
Frequency and duration of meetings. Schedule short meetings with an agenda. When meetings are too long, participants lose their focus.
Format of meetings. Schedule virtual or in-person meetings as appropriate.

Set expectations. Set and communicate expectations with stakeholders. Make sure the desired outcomes are clear and well understood by the stakeholders. For example, if BAs request input on requirements, then they need to make sure that:

Documentation is sent to stakeholders on time, preferably well in advance of the request for feedback.
Documentation includes anything stakeholders may need, such as reference documents, process flows, data elements or use cases.
A timeline is set for when the BA expects feedback.

Engage stakeholders. Keep the focus on maintaining and improving the level of engagement. Keep stakeholders engaged through:

Maintain the frequency and level of communication. Keep stakeholders apprised of the progress and possible challenges.
Active listening. Listen to stakeholders’ concerns and feedback and address them accordingly.

Review and adjust. Review and adjust the plan based on stakeholders’ engagement and feedback. Revisit the approach and adjust for future interactions to maintain the level of stakeholder participation and involvement.

Conclusion

The general rule for any stakeholder engagement is the understanding that stakeholders care about their responsibilities and want to do their best. Despite that, there may be certain obstacles that prevent successful and beneficial stakeholder engagement. In that case, BAs will find it helpful to analyze the initiative to understand the cause of the roadblock and find a way to resolve it as early as possible. Handling the situation objectively and the demonstrating the initiative’s roadmap — including a clear picture of the initiative, its impact, and everyone’s roles — fosters a collaborative environment that will lead to a successful project.

Sources:

^{1 “}The Habits of Effective Business Analysts.” https://medium.com/analysts-corner/the-habits-of-effective-business-analysts-c9b7d9786f8b

² “Long term business health stakeholder theory.” https://backlog.com/blog/long-term-business-health-stakeholder-theory/

³ Enright, Sara; McElrath, Roger; and Taylor, Alison. 2016. “The Future of Stakeholder Engagement.” Research Report, BSR. https://www.bsr.org/reports/BSR_Future_of_Stakeholder_Engagement_Report.pdf

⁴ Witold J.Henisz, Sinziana Dorobantu and Lite J. Nartey. “Spinning Gold: The Financial Returns to Stakeholder Engagement.” Strategic Management Journal. 2013. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/smj.2180

⁵ International Institute of Business Analysis. “A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide).” https://www.iiba.org/standards-and-resources/babok/

⁶Rahul Ajani. “Engaging Stakeholders in Elicitation and Collaboration.” International Institute of Business Analysis. https://www.iiba.org/professional-development/knowledge-centre/articles/engaging-stakeholders-in-elicitation-and-collaboration/

⁷Ken Fulmer. 2020. “Working Virtually – 10 Tips for Management.” https://www.iiba.org/business-analysis-blogs/working-virtually-10-tips-for-management/

Further reading

Ori Schibi. “The role of the BA in managing stakeholder expectations.” Project Management Institute. October 26, 2014. https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/role-ba-managing-stakeholder-expectations-9367

Kenneth W. Thomas. “Making Conflict Management a Strategic Advantage.” Psychometrics. http://www.psychometrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/conflictwhitepaper_psychometrics.pdf

Robyn Short. “The Cost of Conflict in the Workplace.” Robyn Short. February 16, 2016. http://robynshort.com/2016/02/16/the-cost-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/

Association for Project Management. “Communicate: the first principle of stakeholder engagement.” https://www.apm.org.uk/body-of-knowledge/delivery/integrative-management/stakeholder-management/

Ian Haynes. ” 4 Strategies for Dealing With Difficult Stakeholders.” wrike. September 25, 2020. https://www.wrike.com/blog/4-strategies-dealing-difficult-stakeholders