how to become a business analyst

Copyright © 2011 Laura Brandenburg

HOW TO BECOME A BUSINESS ANALYSTLaura Brandenburg

How I started my business analyst career


QA Engineer

BA Mindset

Application Expertise

Business Systems Analyst

Opportunity


Let’s Ask Our Panel

How did you become a business analyst?

“There is no one path to becoming a Business Analyst.”

-Kathleen Barret, IIBA CEO


Why it’s so difficult to start a career as a business analyst

Experience

required

Confusing

“required skills”

Differing career

directions

No one straight-forward

path

5 Steps: Finding Your Path to BA


1. Build Your BA Knowledge

2. Identify Your BA

Experiences

3. Identify Your Leverage

Points

4. Build a Development

Plan

5. Focus Your Opportunity

Search

Build and Nourish Your Professional Network


“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

-Lao Tzu

The most important step you’ll take is the first one

Step 1: Build Your BA Knowledge


Learn Business Analysis

Understand Business Analyst Roles

You’re ready to discover

YOUR inner BA

WARNING: Don’t get stuck here!!

Business Analysis Is…(50,000 foot view)


…the set of tasks and techniques used to work as a liaison among stakeholders in order to understand the structure, policies, and operations of an organization, and to recommend solutions to enable the organization to achieve its goals.

-BABOK® Guide

>>We help organizations change

Business Analysis Is…(10,000 foot view)


Source: BABOK® Guide

A Business Analyst Is… (this is messy)


A professional who performs business analysis activities.

Source: Business Analysis Competency Model v 2.0

Generalist Hybrid Specialist



What was your first BA role?

What type of BA role do youhold today?

Step 2: Identify Your BA Experiences


…you probably have more experience than you think

~$923 / year of paid BA experience

Dig Deep to Find Relevant Business Analyst Experiences


Patterns of Successful Business Analysis

Creating documentation

Solving problems

Navigating Change

~Evaluate ALL your roles~Informal “counts”


Transform Past Experiences Into Marketable Qualifications

Prior experience

New formal knowledge

of BA

Marketable BA Qualifications

IIBA Resources Can Help


BABOK® Guide

Read it!

Note your experiences

Competency Model

Flesh out KAs and Activities

Complete a self-

assessment

CCBA TM/CBAP®

Study Groups

Learn about peer

experiences

Broaden your perspective of

BA


Step 3: Identify Leverage Points to Ease Your Transition

Application / Tool Knowledge

Industry / Domain Experience

Soft Skills



What were your key successcriteria?

Did expertise play a rolein your transition to BA?

Step 4: Build Your Professional Development Plan


• Already a BA?

• Partially a BA?

• What does BA mean to you?

Where are you at?

• Leverage Books 24x7

• Study Groups

• Formal training

Plug Knowledge

Gaps • Fill pain points

• Small projects

• VolunteerPlug Experience

Gaps

http://community.theiiba.org/library.htm?igid=87750



What BA training did you receive and when?

How to Build an Experience


1. Identify a Pain Point

2. Identify one BA Activity

3. Ask for the opportunity

(or do it)

4. Make a difference

5. Update your resume

Work, Volunteer, or Home


You can balance the scales

Become a BA

Challenges

Your Action Steps

Build your plan

Leverage your strengths

Learn business analysis

Mine your experiences

Differing career

directions

No one straight-

forward path

Confusing “required

skills”

Experience required

Step 5: Focus your search for the best possible chance of success


Your BA Opportunity

Your BA Knowledg

e

Your BA Experien

cesYour

Leverage Points

>>Don’t overlook opportunities within your organization>>Don’t get distracted by hybrids and specializations



How did you find your most recent BA job?


What Will Your First Step Be?

1. Build Your BA Knowledge

2. Identify Your BA

Experiences

3. Identify Your Leverage

Points

4. Build a Development

Plan

5. Focus Your Opportunity

Search

Build and Nourish Your Network

(Write it down, sharewith your neighbor.)


Learn more

Learn what it really takes to become a BA (free email course)

Launch Your Business Analysis Career (full-fledged course for support building your roadmap)

Email me at [email protected]

http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/enewsletter-sign-up/become-a-business-analyst-free-course/

http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/enewsletter-sign-up/become-a-business-analyst-free-course/

http://www.mybusinessanalysiscareer.com/landing/launch-your-business-analysis-career/

mailto:[email protected]