BECOMING INVALUABLE The Tshaped Business Analyst ABILITY TO

BECOMING INVALUABLE The T-shaped Business Analyst ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE ACROSS SITUATIONS FUNCTIONAL / DISCIPLINARY SKILL BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST

GROWTH OF THE BUSINESS ANALYST The Business Analyst position has grown significantly in the last 12 years. According to CNN Money, the position has grown by 22. 1% in the past 10 years and there are now over 554, 000 positions classified specifically as a Business Analyst. Surprisingly, this growth came during a time when outsourcing and a deep recession forced cuts in other positions. This demonstrates the crucial role the Business Analyst plays in bridging the gap between business and IT. Their ability to build systems that meet specific business needs is where many organizations are finding value from improved business analysis. At a higher level, much of the growth in the position is due to our evolution towards a knowledge worker economy with workers that have a greater skillset than the deep, one-dimensional experts we used to depend on. BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

The T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST Like many positions today, Business Analysts depend on a collection of other workers, teams and departments to accomplish their work. The very nature of their position is to cross the chasm between the typically disjointed business and IT departments. To do this successfully, great Business Analysts have to be much more than requirements or analysis experts. They must possess strong interpersonal skills, have the ability to overcome conflicts between various parties, and be skilled at finding compromises. This mix of skills necessary for business analysis is indicative of the growing trend to develop “T-shaped Knowledge Workers” across all industries. These well-rounded professionals possess deep technical knowledge, as well as a collection of cross-disciplinary skills that help them succeed. The following hopes to explain this evolution of workers and how you can develop T-shaped Business Analysts that are invaluable to your organization. BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

KNOWLEDGE WORKERS The type of work we do and the way we work has evolved. We no longer crowd around assembly lines perpetually repeating one individual task. Instead, the evolution of technology has created a global economy of knowledge workers. Knowledge workers engage in creativity and problem solving, which require a new set of skills. We now covet people who think and constantly look to improve, where as in the past, we wanted doers to complete simple tasks over -and-over and we managed them on efficiency and errors. Today, knowledge workers facilitate greater productivity and stronger decision making skills. By nature, their work is less tangible and the measurement of their performance is more subjective. Managing on simple efficiency and errors no longer suffices. BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST 4

THE EVOLUTION OF BUSINESS BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST 5

THE EVOLUTION OF WORKERS While the way we do business has evolved, the way we manage and develop workers has been slower to change. We expect knowledge workers to embrace this evolution of business, but often fail to properly equip them with the skills to succeed. We promote task doers into manager and knowledge worker roles, then wonder why they fail. The issue is that success in each role requires different skills. Doers need deep technical knowledge. They must be experts in their one piece of the puzzle. We call these “I-shaped” people because their expertise can be aligned in one tall vertical line of related skills. Knowledge workers, however, usually possess deep technical knowledge but help solve problems that span multiple disciplines, departments and people. Because of this breadth of skills outside of their expertise, we call these people “T-shaped. ” BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

I-SHAPED PROFESSIONALS § Deep knowledge in a narrow area § Intensive study over many years § An authority in his or her field § An engineer, scientist or technician § Indispensable to the company BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST 7

T-SHAPED PROFESSIONALS ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE ACROSS SITUATIONS FUNCTIONAL / DISCIPLINARY SKILL BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

I-SHAPED vs. T-SHAPED “I-shaped” people o Deep, extensive technical knowledge o Lacking broad, soft skills, often in interpersonal communication “T-shaped” people o o Deep, extensive technical knowledge Possess skills and experiences outside of their specific technical field Are just as technical Are more well-rounded in skills and knowledge outside their field BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

I-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST

I-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST Professionally, we often associate expertise with certification. The letters after someone’s name provide credibility and tell us about their level of expertise, i. e. CPA, M. D. , Ph. D. The problem is that too many certifications focus on deep technical knowledge. They encourage “I-shaped” tendencies. For instance, not all doctors are created equal. Sure they all get relatively the same education, but bedside manner is a skill that medical degrees don’t measure. That skill is something that falls outside of the standardized testing and separates the good doctors from the great ones. In business analysis, there is a core set of skills and knowledge you must have to be successful. We’ve chosen here to align those with the knowledge areas set forth by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

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I-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST KNOWLEDGE AREAS: Planning and Monitoring: o The analysis of stakeholders, their roles and responsibilities and their needs, then ensuring that the planned activities are performed well and the agreed deliverables are produced in line with the agreed schedule. Needs Assessment: o A systematic process for determining and addressing needs, or "gaps" between current conditions and desired conditions or "wants. ” The discrepancy between the current condition and wanted condition must be measured to appropriately identify the need. Requirements Elicitation: o The practice of collecting the requirements of a system from users, customers and other stakeholders. The practice is also sometimes referred to as "requirements gathering. ” BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

I-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST KNOWLEDGE AREAS: Requirements Analysis: o Also called requirements engineering, it is the process of determining user expectations for a new or modified product. These features, called requirements, must be quantifiable, relevant and detailed. In software engineering, such requirements are often called functional specifications. Requirements Management: o The documentation, analysis, tracing, prioritization and agreement of requirements and then controlling change and communicating to relevant stakeholders. It is a continuous process throughout a project. Requirements Communication: o Informing the project team, suppliers, sponsors and stakeholders of the content, meaning, and status of requirements. BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

I-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST KNOWLEDGE AREAS: Enterprise Analysis: o The ability to step back and look at the big picture to make sure that work and solutions align with higher organizational needs and goals Solution Validation: o The evaluation of a solution (or potential solution) against the needs and requirements originally identified. BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST

T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST As we alluded to before, there is often a set of skills that help distinguish the good from the great. These skills usually fall outside of the immediate function for that individual. They are what helps those unique individuals go above and beyond. For Business Analysts, those unique skills cover a broad spectrum of disciplines. They create the top of the “T” and are divided between Professional Skills and what we call “The Whole Self. ” Professional Skills are the other outward facing skills that help you better understand the big picture and do more than just your immediate job. The Whole Self are inward facing skills that help you manage the stress and toll associated with knowledge work. Both of these will be explained in more detail in the following sections. BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

T-SHAPED PROFESSIONALS ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE ACROSS SITUATIONS § Just as technical as I-shaped § Possesses other skills § Has other interests § Works better with people § A more well-rounded individual BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST 18

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THE WHOLE SELF

THE WHOLE SELF The Whole Self looks at how T-shaped professionals take care of and revitalize themselves to ensure high productivity and control the risk of burnout. The evolution of business and technology means knowledge workers are always on duty and often take their work home with them. Task doers clocked in and clocked out, but today we receive and respond to emails 24 -hours a day and process through problems even in our sleep. Combine this with spending our waking hours seated in front of a desk and it is no surprise that workers today have record high levels of stress and poor health. Knowledge workers can not be easily replaced like task doers. They are crucial to business, so keeping them mentally and physically healthy is crucial to good business. BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

THE WHOLE SELF Because knowledge workers are always on, physical activity and nutrition often get neglected. The Whole Self draws attention to the importance of maintaining mental health and reducing the physiological affects stress has on our health. It encourages better understanding of our mental and physical choices and their affects on ourselves as well as those around us. This helps to get you out of problematic thinking patterns and negative self-talk and increases the effectiveness of your problem solving. The Whole Self perspective drives thinking away from doer-based I-shaped modes and into T-shaped knowledge worker thinking, taking a more holistic renaissance perspective to personal development. BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

THE WHOLE SELF Stress Management: o Meditation o Brain Chemistry o Neuroplasticity Cognitive Understanding: o Affectively Forecasting Biases o Cognitive Bias o The Physiology of Emotional Intelligence Nutrition / Mental Health: o Service Mindset o Exercise o Health and Wellness BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS A T-shaped professional brings a full stack of professional skills to the table. That stack starts with a solid understanding of the four levels of emotional intelligence: o Self-Awareness o Self-Management o Situational Awareness o Relationship Management These skills are crucial to all the other Professional Skill areas at the top of the “T. ” With these emotional intelligence skills in place, you can begin to use these skills to find compromises amongst diverse parties, work through conflict and leverage influence to solve problems. BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS Emotional Intelligence: o Self-Awareness o Self-Management o Situational Awareness o Relationship Management Facilitation and Negotiation: o An Idea is Nothing Unless it is Properly Communicated o Negotiation Moves Everything Forward and Closer to Execution Sponsor and Executive Influence: o What Power Base Do You Use o How Does Knowing Brain Function Help o A Strategic Person, a Manipulator or an Executor…Which Do You Want to Be Known As? BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS Change Management: o The Basics of Product Lifecycle and Where Disruptions Fit In o Creative Destruction: Why, When and How o Why People Resist Change and How to Manage Through It Financial Acumen: o Elements of Product Development and What You Need to Know o Basic Financial Statement Knowledge Interpersonal Management: o Behaviors and Actions o Keeping it Overt and Upfront Problem Solving: o Root Cause Analysis o Fish Bone Diagrams BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS An I-shaped professional can get the job done when it comes to these solutions, but at what expense? For an I-shaped professional to bring teams together and work to a common goal, the result often comes with a great deal of stress and strain to relationships. We like to call this expense, broken glass. We are all willing to pick up some broken glass, but after a while someone will inevitably get cut. You may have found a short-term solution, but the long-term affects are going to have a far greater impact. The strain on relationships will compound and the I-shaped professional’s effectiveness will continue to erode over time. It is this ability to find compromises and help motivate others towards solutions that separate the good BAs from the great. BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

CONCLUSION As the Business Analyst profession continues to grow, it is important to recognize the skills needed to succeed in this still evolving position. While the deep technical skills are well defined in the standards put forth by the IIBA’s BA Body of Knowledge, we must also begin to develop the larger and more subjective skills needed for a long healthy career. For Business Analysts, that means developing a diverse set of crossdisciplinary skills that enable you to be a T-shaped knowledge worker. With outward facing professional skills that help you build better solutions and internal skills that create the Whole Self, Business Analysts can become invaluable to their organization. BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST WWW. ASPE-SDLC. COM

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BECOMING INVALUABLE: THE T-SHAPED BUSINESS ANALYST