In this episode, hosts Chandra and Paul continue their discussion with Nathan Diamon from Ajinomoto Foods North America. This week’s discussion is focused on the value of IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis) certifications and the BABOK (Business Analysis Body of Knowledge). The conversation highlights the benefits of developing business analyst skills, the importance of practical experience before pursuing certifications, and how structured frameworks like BABOK add value in both tactical and strategic roles. They also discuss the balancing act of IT planning and governance, the changing roles within organizations as technology evolves, and the challenges of integrating new tools with core systems like JD Edwards.

06:05 Certification Timing Matters

07:15 BABOK as a Toolkit, Not a Script

13:37 Certifications as Career Multipliers

17:14 The Reality of Capacity (and Why It Gets Ignored)

20:41 Guardrails in a World of Shiny Tools

25:48 Two Sides of the Same Coin

28:58 Midwesternism of the Day

Resources:

International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA): https://www.iiba.org/

IIBA Certifications: https://www.iiba.org/business-analysis-certifications/iiba-certifications/?_gl=1*ageg2m*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&gclid=CjwKCAiAs4HMBhBJEiwACrfNZTqgFHRJcMr2XrGVnP_UOW9WGhIZikALWEFXKYhVa0NhMJ_uBO30nBoCKtMQAvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAAC7a0OTr8RyCJ9ZBlwcZYTrhcerJo