In this episode, I’m diving into the realities of being a Business Analyst in the education sector—where data is fragmented, outcomes matter more than outputs, and the people you serve care deeply about the work. Drawing from years of experience across schools, systems and strategy, I’ll unpack 10 critical things every BA should know if you're heading into education or already deep in the trenches.

From policy vs people, to why pilots don’t scale and the true power of teacher feedback—this episode is full of hard-won insights and practical tips to elevate your BA practice in one of the most impactful sectors around.

🎧 Hit play and get ready to sharpen your thinking.

Ever delivered the exact requirements… and still watched the solution fall flat?

In this episode, I break down the top 10 reasons BAs miss the mark – even when everything looks “right” on paper. From unspoken stakeholder expectations to the trap of treating Agile ceremonies as substitutes for real analysis, this is a no-fluff guide to what separates average BAs from truly impactful ones.

✅ Why requirements ≠ expectations
✅ The hidden cost of skipping personas
✅ Why “in Jira” doesn’t mean “understood”
✅ How to link every requirement to real business value

Whether you're a junior BA or a senior working on strategic initiatives, this episode will challenge how you approach your next piece of work.

You don’t need a title to lead — you just need the right approach.

In this episode of The Better Business Analyst, I break down the Top 10 ways Business Analysts can influence strategy and drive real business impact — even without a formal leadership role.

Each strategy includes:
✅ A key principle
📊 A research-backed insight
💬 A talking point to use in the room
📌 A real-world example from the field

Whether you’re a junior BA or a seasoned analyst looking to elevate your voice, this episode is packed with practical tools to help you lead from the middle.

🎙 Topics include:

• Earning trust before earning titles

• Turning insights into influence

• Visuals that shift decisions

• Value-first storytelling

• Staying persistent (even when you're ignored)

Hit play — and start showing up like the strategist you already are.
🔗 Subscribe to the podcast today and Connect on LinkedIn → Benjamen Walsh | Better Business Analyst Podcast

Templates don’t just make life easier—they make you better.

In this BA Bites episode, I break down the 10 most essential templates every Business Analyst should have in their toolkit. These aren’t fluffy checklists or overengineered frameworks. They’re the practical, real-world templates that help you frame work clearly, communicate with stakeholders, and keep delivery on track.

We’re covering:

• Agile BA plans

• Stakeholder mapping

• Problem statements

• BPMN models

• Lean canvases

• Requirements… all the way through to

• The Requirements Pack

If you’ve ever wanted to build a repeatable way of working that delivers value without the chaos, this is the episode for you.

As AI moves from tool to transformation, a new executive role is emerging: the Chief AI Officer. In this episode, Benjamen Walsh breaks down why the CAIO matters, what they actually do, and how this shift is reshaping the work of business analysts.

From strategy and ethics to governance and vendor selection, this BA Bites episode explores 10 essential insights into the rise of the CAIO—plus what it means for your role as a business analyst.

Topics covered:

• The CAIO vs. CIO vs. CTO

• Ethical AI and regulatory leadership

• AI-first thinking in business strategy

• Reskilling the workforce for AI

• Aligning AI investments with real outcomes

• What BAs must do to stay relevant

Follow The Better Business Analyst Podcast for weekly insights on how BAs and strategic leaders can thrive in today’s fast-moving digital world.

Pain Points vs. Problems – Why Getting This Right is Everything

🧠 In this episode of The Better Business Analyst, I’m pulling back the curtain on one of the biggest mistakes I see across projects – confusing pain points with actual problems.

Too often we get caught reacting to symptoms instead of diagnosing the root cause. The result? Misguided priorities, wasted effort, and “solutions” that don’t actually solve anything.

In this practical, no-fluff episode, I walk through:

✅ 10 real-world examples of pain vs. problem
✅ Case studies like FitNation and reporting automation failures
✅ Techniques like the 5 Whys, empathy mapping, and process modelling
✅ A simple framework to trace pain points back to root causes
✅ The difference between being a busy BA… and a better one

If you want to sharpen your analysis, deliver more value, and stop building bandaids—this one’s for you.

Start with the Big Picture – 10 Reasons Context Comes First

Description:
Before you dive into requirements, backlogs or shiny new solutions, ask yourself: do you actually understand the world this project lives in?

In this episode of The Better Business Analyst, I unpack 10 reasons why Business Analysts must start with context—not just the project scope. We’ll explore how understanding strategic drivers, system boundaries, and stakeholder ecosystems can unlock better requirements, smarter delivery, and far greater impact.

Whether you're shaping a product, leading change, or untangling a mess—this mindset shift is non-negotiable.

How do you engage with diverse, indigenous, and culturally different groups as a Business Analyst—without falling into tokenism or consultation theatre?

In this episode of The Better Business Analyst Podcast, Benjamen Walsh shares 10 practical, real-world strategies for building trust, cultural safety, and authentic engagement across difference.

From using talking circles to co-designing solutions, from recognising consultation fatigue to adapting timelines to cultural processes—you’ll walk away with actionable tools and powerful mindset shifts.

If you’ve ever felt stuck engaging stakeholders who don’t think, speak, or work like you—this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now and learn how to become a bridge-builder in your work.

BA Bites - Top 10 Tips for Completing the Better Business Case Process

Writing a business case doesn’t have to be painful. In this episode, Ben Walsh unpacks 10 practical tips for completing the Better Business Case (BBC) process with confidence and clarity.

You’ll get:

• Proven scripts and language that work in real-world cases

• Advice on avoiding common pitfalls across the 5 Case Model

• Real examples from major public and enterprise programmes

• Straight-talking guidance on benefits, costs, and telling a cohesive story

Perfect for business analysts, strategic leaders, and anyone preparing a business case for review, approval or investment.

🔗 More at bbai.institute
🎧 Subscribe for weekly BA tips on strategy, data, and delivery

Vibe Coding: 10 Essential Insights Before You Let AI Write Your Career Suicide Note

Welcome to the brave new world of vibe coding — where software is built by AI, guided by human vibes, and occasionally blessed with working logic.

In this BABites episode, we break down:

• What vibe coding is and where it came from

• Why developers (and startups) are all over it

• Where it’s brilliant… and where it’s a disaster

• How it creates sneaky tech debt faster than you can say “refactor”

• Real examples from Replit, Amazon, and the front lines of dev teams

Whether you're a business analyst, product owner, or developer trying to make sense of the hype — this is the episode you need.

🎧 Listen now. Learn fast. Code responsibly.

#BaBites #vibecoding #softwareengineering #techdebt #businessanalysis #AIinTech #AndrejKarpathy #Replit #AmazonCodeWhisperer