It's the end of the year and time to think about those professional development goals! Certifications are usually high on that list. International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) has 7 business analysis certifications - 3 core and 4 specialized. All the business analysis certification exams offered by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) are proctored online. We get lots of questions about how online proctoring works. In this episode of Business Analysis Live! Scott and Susan talk with our Certifications Program Manager, Isabel Feher-Watters about online proctoring and how to get ready for your online proctoring experience. (note: this podcast was originally recorded in November 2021)

Do you have questions about this topic? Ask us a question at [email protected] or leave us a voice message on our podcast homepage.

Business Analysis Live is hosted by:

We discuss business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.  We have a backlog of upcoming topics and we’re happy to take suggestions. 

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis.  As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.  Learn more at https://www.iiba.org/

#professionaldevelopment #certification #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #IIBA

Even when business analysis professionals don't have a title of leader, they are informal leaders on projects. In this episode, Scott and Susan are joined by Lead Business Analyst, Supervisor and newest #CBAP (Certified Business Analysis Professional) holder, John Reeves who writes and talks about business analysis leadership. We learn from John the leadership skills most in demand for business analysts and how they can lead without authority. 

John is a frequent contributor of leadership articles to IIBA's member-exclusive quarterly publication, Business Analysis Magazine (BAM!). You can find his latest articles in these editions:

IIBA Members can contribute content and earn CDUs towards recertification! Submit your article here. 

Do you have questions about this topic? Ask us a question at [email protected] or leave us a voice message on our podcast homepage.

Business Analysis Live is hosted by:

We discuss business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.  We have a backlog of upcoming topics and we’re happy to take suggestions. 

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis.  As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.  Learn more at https://www.iiba.org/

#leadership #leadershipskills #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #IIBA

SWOT analysis is a powerful tool to explore ideas and look at the big picture.  The four perspectives captured in this model are: - Strengths (internal) - Weaknesses (internal) - Opportunities (external) - Threats (external).

In this podcast Scott and Susan create a SWOT analysis together using live audience feedback to show not only how it works but how a business analysis professional would facilitate the activity.  The key skill in performing a SWOT analysis is facilitation to ensure your stakeholders are engaged and contributing.  As we demonstrate using a live example, SWOT analysis is as much about discussion as it is completing an exercise.  This is a tool that can help with perspectives for growth, for risk mitigation, for many aspects of a particular subject.  

Do you have questions about this topic? Ask us a question at [email protected] or leave us a voice message on our podcast homepage.

Business Analysis Live is hosted by:

We discuss business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.  We have a backlog of upcoming topics and we’re happy to take suggestions. 

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis.  As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.  Learn more at https://www.iiba.org/

#businessanalysis #businessanalyst #swotanalysis #facilitation

What is a Product Owner? There's a lot of myth and rumor about this important role in agile organizations.   In this episode, Scott and Susan welcome Emily Midgely, a Product Owner (and President of the IIBA Cleveland [Ohio] Chapter), to talk about what Product Owners do. They get into the skills needed for this work, how Product Owners work with business analysts and other roles in an organization and, as always, they answer questions from the audience about product owners and product ownership. 

Do you have questions about this topic? Ask us a question at [email protected] or leave us a voice message on our podcast homepage.

Business Analysis Live is hosted by:

We discuss business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.  We have a backlog of upcoming topics and we’re happy to take suggestions. 

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis.  As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.  Learn more at https://www.iiba.org/

#businessanalysis #businessanalyst #productowner #agile

In IIBA's most recent Global State of Business Analysis survey, the business analysis community told us that there are 7 soft skills critical to the work of BA professionals. Some say "soft skills," well, we say "essential skills!" These skills not only make your work stand out as a business analyst but also differentiate you in the marketplace.  In this episode Scott and Susan identify those 7 skills and dive into what that means. As always, they take audience questions live! 

RESOURCES:

Do you have questions about this topic? Ask us a question at [email protected] or leave us a voice message on our podcast homepage.

Business Analysis Live is hosted by:

We discuss business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.  We have a backlog of upcoming topics and we’re happy to take suggestions. 

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis.  As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.  Learn more at https://www.iiba.org/

#businessanalysis #businessanalyst #softskills

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring is one of the knowledge areas identified in the BABOK© Guide. If you've never performed business analysis planning on a project, you might think it's another one of those upfront planning processes from waterfall. In this episode, Scott and Susan, along with guest Hans Eckman, demystify what this essential area is all about. We talk about how and when this is done in both #waterfall and #agile projects as well as how planning can ensure you set yourself up for success in your work!

Do you have questions about this topic? Ask us a question at [email protected] or leave us a voice message on our podcast homepage.

Business Analysis Live is hosted by:

We discuss business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.  We have a backlog of upcoming topics and we’re happy to take suggestions. 

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis.  As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.  Learn more at https://www.iiba.org/

#businessanalysis #businessanalyst #babok 

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and that got us thinking - what's the role of a Business Analysis professional working in cybersecurity? It isn't what you might think. In fact, business analysis is even more critical to organizations' strategy and reputation than just blocking intrusions. In this episode Scott and Susan talk with Bindu Channaveerappa, a cybersecurity business analysis expert, about how business analysts are involved in every level of security within an organization. 

Bindu will be a guest panelist at our October 25th free webinar "Unlocking Cybersecurity: What Business Analysis Professionals Need to Know." You can register for that webinar here. 

Do you have questions about this topic? Ask us a question at [email protected] or leave us a voice message on our podcast homepage.

Business Analysis Live is hosted by:

We discuss business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.  We have a backlog of upcoming topics and we’re happy to take suggestions. 

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis.  As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.  Learn more at https://www.iiba.org/

#businessanalysis #businessanalyst #cybersecurity 

What's the difference between a Business Analyst, a Business Systems Analyst and an IT Business Analyst? Well, it depends. Hunting for business analysis jobs can be challenging because job titles can be generic or very specific. The differences in the titles can be found in the details of the job posting. But how do you even get that far in searching for business analysis jobs? In this episode, Scott and Susan talk about tips, hacks and research into business analysis job titles and, as always, answer your questions "live!"

RESOURCES:

Do you have questions about this topic? Ask us a question at [email protected] or leave us a voice message on our podcast homepage.

Business Analysis Live is hosted by:

We discuss business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.  We have a backlog of upcoming topics and we’re happy to take suggestions. 

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis.  As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.  Learn more at https://www.iiba.org/

#businessanalysis #businessanalyst #jobhunting #jobtitles

In this episode, Scott and Susan have a special guest, Angelo Kalevela. Angelo is user experience design practitioner and business analyst that has a YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/AngeloKalevela). He focuses on business analysis professionals who are new to the profession or thinking about becoming a business analyst with short, approachable videos meant to inform and coach. We talk about the parallels between business analysis and user experience work, coaching new business analysts and how learning to dance is a lot like business analysis! 

Do you have questions about this topic? Ask us a question at [email protected] or leave us a voice message on our podcast homepage.

Business Analysis Live is hosted by:

We discuss business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.  We have a backlog of upcoming topics and we’re happy to take suggestions. 

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis.  As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.  Learn more at https://www.iiba.org/

#businessanalysis #businessanalyst #userexperience

The Project Management body of knowledge says that projects fail due to missed requirements. The Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) says requirements are missed because #stakeholders are missed. Missing requirements happen on projects. It's a common issue faced by #businessanalysts. In this episode, Scott and Susan discuss the impacts of missed requirements, how to avoid them and what to do when you discover it's happened.  

Do you have questions about this topic? Ask us a question at [email protected] or leave us a voice message on our podcast homepage.

Business Analysis Live is hosted by:

We discuss business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.  We have a backlog of upcoming topics and we’re happy to take suggestions. 

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis.  As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.  Learn more at https://www.iiba.org/

#requirements #businessanalysis