ITCareerCoach Training - Coaching » Business Modeling http://www.it-career-coach.net How To Take Your Career To The Next Level Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:09:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 What Software Do I Learn to Become A Business Analyst? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/20/what-software-do-i-learn-to-become-a-business-analyst/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/20/what-software-do-i-learn-to-become-a-business-analyst/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:16:47 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3323

what software should you-learn to become a business analyst?

what software should you-learn to become a business analyst?

[Ask IT Career Coach] is a Career Advice Newsletter for Information Technology (IT) professionals including business analysts, computer programmers, data analysts, database developers, technical writers, project managers and software testers.

If you, have a challenging question about your career, submit it here and we will answer yours just as we are answering this question submitted by a technical writer titled: What Software Do I Learn to Become A Business Analyst? …

Question

How do I learn or get the software knowledge that would make me a business analyst?

What types of software programs will I have to use on the job; and how do I learn these programs in a visual manner without having to refer to textbooks?

Answer:

You do not understand what a business analyst does and because of that you are mixing software jobs (like that of a computer programmer’s) with the business analyst’s job.

This mix-up is quite common because software oriented jobs are more common and better understood than business analyst jobs.

When you think of a computer programmer’s job, the picture that comes to mind is that of a highly skilled technology savvy professional who spends a lot of time building software programs, creating data entry forms and screens, designing websites or even installing desktop applications.

Unfortunately, when you think of business analysts, you also imagine that their duties or tasks are similar to those of computer programmers!

Because of this, you are wrongly associating the business analyst’s career with more software / technology careers like software testing, technical writing or computer programming.

So, in TODAY'S POST, I will contrast the role of a software tester, computer programmer, technical writer and business analyst to bring the point home.

What Does A Business Analyst Really Do?

The primary skills that business analysts use on the job are communication skills
(both written and verbal) unlike computer programmers, whose primary skills are tied to expertise in specific technologies like C#, Visual Basic, Java, PHP.

Business Analysts are highly-skilled or expert at communicating technology requirements with stakeholders, customer, power users or even technical teams (think software developers, software testers, web designers).

The primary communication tools used by business analysts while facilitating the requirements engineering process are Office productivity tools including Microsoft Word (for documenting requirements), Microsoft PowerPoint (for making presentations) and Microsoft Excel.

However, unlike computer programmer jobs, business analyst jobs are not required to be software or technology centered.

Don’t get me wrong!

Some job postings for business analysts require knowledge of software development languages like C# or Java or a software development background.

The business analysts that apply for these job postings are more accurately classified as Technical Business Analysts.

There are several domains or specializations available to business analysts (mortgage, financial, telecommunications / telco, automotive, healthcare, insurance) and technical business analysis is just one of these domains.

Read more about domain business analysts here:

However, the requirements for domain business analysts are not the same as the requirement for becoming a business analyst.

You are a business analyst first before you become a technical / domain business analyst.

So, don’t apply the role, responsibilities and requirements for the technical business analysis domain to all business analyst domains.

Competence or mastery of Microsoft Office Productivity software (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is a requirement for business analyst jobs even when it is not stated on the job posting.

A business analyst who uses Office Productivity software can document requirements with Microsoft Word, make PowerPoint presentations and run what-if analysis using Microsoft Excel.

Focusing on software skills beyond Microsoft Office software makes you more of a computer programmer than a business analyst.

For your information, here are some of the differences between computer programmer jobs and business analyst jobs.

Business Analysts Compared To Computer Programmers

  • Business Analysts gather requirements while computer programmers build to specifications.

  • Business Analysts document work flows and business processes while computer programmers model and build software programs that follow those workflows or business processes.

  • Business analyst are hired for their written and verbal communication skills while computer programmers are hired for their expertise or skills in specific programming languages or technology platforms.

  • A computer programmer's work is deeply invested in learning or using technology while a business analyst’s work is deeply invested in understanding, documenting and communicating business requirements.

  • A business analyst’s primary software tool is Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint while a computer programmer’s primary software skill is knowledge of Java or C# or Visual Basic or PHP or other programming languages.

  • Business Analysts document the requirements or features of software programs while computer programmers build software programs.

  • Both the business analyst and software developer are involved with the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) for different reasons. While the business analyst owns the analysis and documentation of software requirements, the computer programmers owns the building of software programs.

  • Read more about the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) here:

I am also going to contrast the role of business analysts with that of software testers and technical writers to bring this home.

Business Analysts Compared To Software Testers

  • Software Testers are more hands-on with programming than business analysts.

    Software Testers are more skilled in programming because they sometimes have to write automated tests using scripting programming languages.

    A business analyst should not be required to write scripts or learn programming languages except in instances where they are applying for technical business analyst jobs.

    So, you cannot project the hands-on software skills requirements for software testers onto the hands-on skill requirements for business analysts.

  • Software Testers write manual or automated tests that verify that software programs developed by computer programmers were written according to the specifications or requirements documented by business analysts.
  • Software Testers have to test or inspect the procedures or functions written by computer programmers.

    For that reason, they may have to learn the basics of the programming language used in creating the software program.

    There is almost no value in business analysts inspecting a programmer’s code or even messing with it because Business Analysts do not have those competencies!

  • Read more about Software Tester Careers here:

Business Analysts Compared To Technical Writers

  • The skills exercised by technical writers are similar to that of business analysts in some respects.

    Both technical writers and business analysts exercise strong written communication skills.

    However, while a technical writer’s skill is useful for documenting the features of a software program after it is built, a business analyst’s skill is useful for documenting the features of a software program before it is built!

  • A technical writer’s primary role is the documenting of existing software features, business processes, etc.

    Because of this, a technical writer may have to learn specific software programs (apart from MS Word or PowerPoint) to help them with create technical documentation like Help Files, Software Manuals, etc.

    The technical writing industry is such that job postings require knowledge of specific software documentation tools.

    However, this must not be confused with the software requirements for business analysts.

    Business Analysts are not technical writers and the business analyst’s job does not require knowledge of specific software programs apart from the ubiquitous (Microsoft Office, MS Word, MS Excel or MS PowerPoint).

  • While the technical writing industry is componentized along the lines of software documentation tools (Adobe PageMaker, Adobe Frame Maker, Adobe Acrobat, Quark Xpress, Corel Ventura), the business analyst industry is segmented along the lines of domain specialization (financial, utilities, web / user interface (UI) business analysts, etc.).

  • Read More about Technical Writer Careers:

What Does It Really Take To Become A Business Analyst?

The requirements for business analysts’ jobs are primarily documentation, requirements analysis and communication (both written and verbal).

While it is common for a business analyst to spend his / her time, preparing PowerPoint presentations, taking meeting notes using Microsoft Word or writing Use Cases in plain-old Microsoft Word, it is common for a computer programmer / software tester / technical writer to spend the same amount of time coding new program features / documenting bugs / documenting the features of a software program.

A business analyst must be 100% comfortable in his / her role as a communicator, presenter, leader, facilitator or analyzer without feeling the need to learn more software tools!

How To Get Hired For A Business Analyst Job – Case Study

Some time ago, I was hired to help an Information Technology (IT) director put together a software development team for a financial software project in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.

In that role, we posted a senior business analyst job opening and then started interviewing qualified business analysts.

The business analyst I interviewed and recommended got the job because she did something different from the other business analysts who applied for the same job.

She walked into the interview with a bound, spiral document that showcased the comprehensiveness, thoroughness and versatility of several business documents she had created for one automotive client in the Greater Saint Louis region.

She did not get hired because of what she said at the business analyst job interview or because of the software experience listed on her resume.

She got the business analyst job, by showcasing her hands-on business analysis skills.

What differentiated her was a compilation of various types of business analysis documents she had worked on for an automotive client in the Greater Saint Louis area.

The financial client hired her as an Information Technology (IT) business analyst for a financial software project because they connected with the hands-on, visual depiction of her business analysis skills exemplified by her Microsoft Word based portfolio.

My final advice?

Don’t approach the business analyst industry based on how the software testing, technical writing or computer programmer industries work.

Remove false associations between the business analyst’s role (primarily written and verbal analysis or communication of requirements) and the hands-on skill requirements for software testers, technical writers or computer programmers.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/20/what-software-do-i-learn-to-become-a-business-analyst/feed/ 1 Bridging the Gap between Business and IT: The Case for Business Analysts http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/07/03/bridging-the-gap-between-business-experience-ba-training/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/07/03/bridging-the-gap-between-business-experience-ba-training/#comments Sat, 03 Jul 2010 22:33:25 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2940

bridging the gap for business analysts

business analysts build bridges

In some organizations, the technical lead or senior software developer is also asked to gather, analyze or document the software development requirements.

This may be the case when:

  • Cowboy Coding -The Organization has not fully embraced any formal software development methodology
  • Cost Cutting -The manager wants to cut costs by not hiring for full-time business analysts
  • Role Differentiation – The IT / Software Development manager combines the business analyst role into the software development role

But, does combining the business analyst and software development role work or is it better to hire full-time business analysts for your team?

Making A Case For Business Analysts

The traditional or core business analysis skills including software requirements documentation, systems modeling, UML and Use Cases are also required for senior software developer or architect positions.

While business analysts are not computer programmers, their skills have roots in traditional systems analysis or software development career paths.

For example, Skills like UML or Use Cases in particular are also used by software architects in modeling and solution architecture.

With this in mind, some managers are taking the position that traditional software developers are also suited for business analysis duties. And because of this position, they do not see the need for hiring business analysts.

This article examines the case for hiring full-time business analysts for your projects.

Computer Programmers Are Not Business Analysts

While software developers sometimes take on some business analyst roles, they are still not business analysts.

Because there are fundamental differences between the mindset of computer programmers and that of business analysts.

Computer programmers spend most of their time designing computer algorithms or coding software routines while business analysts spend most of their time talking to customers, stakeholders and developers.

In other words, while computer programmers are competent at talking to machines, business analysts are skilled at talking to people!

Let’s look at more justifications for hiring full-time business analysts for your organization.

Bridging The Gap Between Business And IT

There is a fundamental gap between business and IT which often leads to project failure.

Software development teams often miss, drift away or ignore business demands, needs and requirements because they spend most of their working time studying or solving technical / information technology problems.

And business units (marketing, operations, sales, customer service, etc.) often do not care enough about or take the time to understand the constraints of technology.

Because they are like polar opposites, there is a fundamental gap between business and technology which requires the intervention of a third-party … the business analyst.

Most IT Projects Fail, Will Yours?

Statistics suggest that more than 50% of software development / IT projects fail. They fail because of poor communication, cost / budget overruns and poor requirements or a weak business case.

While these statistics make a depressing study, they also point that most I.T. projects are at a risk of failing from inception if they are not planned or executed properly.

That is perhaps the best case for hiring full-time business analyst resources for your IT / software project … business analysts can help mitigate or reduce the risk of project failure.

Can Business Analysts Reduce IT Project Failure Rates?

Hiring full-time business analysts can help mitigate or reduce the risk of project failure by:

  1. Creating a clear or convincing business case for your project management or stakeholder team

  2. Creating a clear, concise, complete set of business requirements which can be used by project managers for estimation and budgeting or by quality assurance and software development teams

  3. Bridging the business to IT gap by improving the communication between the two business units through effective written and oral communication skills

There is a significant risk that your IT Project would fail due to a weak business case, poorly defined requirements, lack of stakeholder engagement etc.

So do your project a favor and hire full-time consulting or permanent business analysts for your IT projects.

How To Find Or Hire Good Business Analysts

The options for finding full-time business analysts are limited to re-training existing staff in business analysis or hiring full-time business analysts from recruiters and job portals like LinkedIn and Dice.com.

One benefit of retraining existing team members in business analysis is to avoid costs of hiring additional staff. On the other hand, one advantage of hiring new business analysts is that they are guaranteed to hit the ground running.

If you decide to keep costs low by using or retraining your current IT team (quality assurance analysts, software developers or technical writers) in business analysis, do this:

Focus on re-training team members who have demonstrated some talent or interest in meeting or working with stakeholders, customers and users or in documenting requirements

Then retrain or sharpen your team’s business analysis skills using this resource … that way, your team can hit the ground running or bring new business analysis skills to bear on your project.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/07/03/bridging-the-gap-between-business-experience-ba-training/feed/ 1 The Business Analysts Role In Facilitating Data Warehouse Projects http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/10/the-business-analyst-role-in-facilitating-data-warehouse-projects/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/10/the-business-analyst-role-in-facilitating-data-warehouse-projects/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:29:39 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2868

Business Analyst Role In Data Warehouse Projects

Business Analyst Role In Data Warehouse Projects

The Business Analysts Role In Bringing Data Warehousing To Your Office

Today’s business executives spend a ton of cash on data warehouse projects because that is a big, key, strategic business initiative; the success of which weighs heavily on their minds.

Data warehousing is important because it saves or aggregates information in a manner that allows executives, management or office users to make strategic business decisions faster, better and more easily!

No More Silos In The Workplace

Data warehousing is critical to business success because it presents a way for executives or management to view or manage their corporation as a whole unit instead of in silos.

What data warehousing offers decision makers is the ability to break out of departmental information silos and see the big picture.

One of the key objectives facilitated by business analysts in data warehousing roles is that of bridging the gap between enterprise databases (marketing, finance, inventory, customer relationship management, etc.) so that decision makers or office users can ask questions or get a comprehensive, 360 degree insight across corporate / departmental databases with one query or question!

Introducing OLAP, Business Intelligence (BI) Or Data Warehousing To Business Analysts

Business Analysts assigned to data warehouse projects may be surprised to know that traditional, day-to-day relational (online transaction processing (OLTP)) databases are not optimized for querying or reporting of data for business or decision making purposes.

Databases that are actually optimized for data analysis, reporting and business intelligence are known as Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) databases.

So, another key benefit of data warehousing is that it provides decision makers with real-time business intelligence at optimal speeds through the used of OLTP systems.

Finally, Data Warehousing is important from the standpoint of facilitating forecasting trends or getting performance metrics for the entire organization.

Data warehousing provides senior management with intelligence required to see the company’s performance from a 30,000 foot level instead of being buried under a mountain of data at sea level.

Will The Real Enterprise Business Analyst Stand Up Please?

Organizations implementing business intelligence or data-warehousing projects are looking for a significant boost in their business intelligence or decision making capabilities.

Savvy business analysts pulled into data-warehousing / BI projects would fare well to keep this at the back of their mind from the git-go!

So, here are some key roles for business analysts in data warehouse projects

  • The Data Warehouse Business Analysts role includes helping the business team identify key opportunities for boosting revenue, increasing sales, decreasing operational costs or achieving some other important organizatioinal or business objective.

  • The Business Analyst bridges the gap between the business or executive management office and the data warehousing / BI Implementation Team.

  • The Business Analyst identifies the business intelligence needs of the organization. This includes eliciting BI requirements from executives, managers or office users and then working with the data warehouse project team to identify, define or implement these business requirements.

The Enterprise Business Analyst Role In Data Warehousing Projects

Data warehousing projects are all about building, integrating, analyzing or reporting on large, complex, corporate databases.

So, Business Analysts working in such domains will be well-advised to fortify their database skills as that is the real-world domain or context of data warehousing.

Because of the strategic importance or the scope of data warehousing / business intelligence (BI) projects, the business analyst typically functions as a key member of a larger data warehouse project team.

The data warehouse project team may include the Project Manager, Data Modeler, Data Architect, Data Analyst , Tester, Report Writer, Database Developer and last but not least … the data warehousing / business intelligence (BI) business analyst.

With that in mind, here are the business analyst’s roles in the context of an enterprise data-warehousing project implementation team.

  • Management Role: working with executives, management or the business team, the business analyst identifies the gaps in corporate intelligence / reporting capabilities.

  • Data Analyst Role: working with data analysts, the business analyst identifies, understands and documents the sources of data discrepancies or gaps in business intelligence.

    The actual work of identifying data sources may be assigned to the data analysts or Extraction, Transform Load (ETL) developers while that of documenting or modeling the data transformations assigned to a business analyst comfortable with creating data models.

  • Data Modeler / Data Architect / Database Developer Role: The business analyst works with the data modeler, data architect or database developer to create the logical or conceptual data model.

    The business analyst also validates that the data model meets business requirements before it is implemented.

The Data Warehouse Business Analyst Skill Sets

The enterprise data warehouse business analyst is not your traditional business analyst. so, here are some of the skill-set requirements for business analysts in a data warehouse project.

  • The business analyst needs a thorough understanding of Extraction, Transform and Load (ETL) processes.

  • The business analyst also needs a strong understanding of the logical database design process, data modeling, data-mart design and a good understanding of OLAP compared to OLTP systems.

  • The business analyst needs to be comfortable with the business intelligence tools used in delivering corporate intelligence to decision makers which may be as simple as a Microsoft Excel-based Business Intelligence (tool).

  • The business analyst also needs a good understanding of data warehousing terminology as well as the corporate data being analyzed by the business.

    In other words, familiarity with the data is important whether one’s eliciting requirements from the business team or validating data models and ETL processes with the Data Warehouse implementation team.

Bringing Business Intelligence (BI) To The Office

An increasing number of organizations are either planning or implementing BI projects with the objective of improving the quality of corporate intelligence available to decision makers.

As a business analyst, it’s your duty to assist your organization with their BI / Data Warehouse endeavors.

You can achieve this by learning as much as you can about databases, data warehousing, business intelligence, data analysis and decision making processes.

The data warehouse business analyst job description includes a cross-functional suite of skills in Relational Database Development, SQL Query Writing, Data Analysis and Business Analysis.

You can get more information on this from both the Data Analyst Boot Camp and the Business Analyst Boot Camp.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/10/the-business-analyst-role-in-facilitating-data-warehouse-projects/feed/ 0 Do Business Analysts Need Computer Programmer Skills? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/19/do-business-analysts-need-computer-programmer-skills/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/19/do-business-analysts-need-computer-programmer-skills/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:43:55 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2268

Business Analysts Learn Computer Programming

Business Analysts Learn Computer Programming

Are database development, computer programming, data analysis or web development required skills for Business Analysts?

Perhaps you’ve seen, heard about or applied for jobs asking for a broad or seemingly impossible range of skill sets?

Like those job descriptions for business analysts requiring computer programming skills or those for PMP Certified Project Managers with 5 years of software development experience!

This post addresses “how to bridge the gap between business analyst skills and unfair job descriptions written-up by Information Technology (IT) departments”

Bridging The Gap Between Business And Information Technology (IT) Careers

I would like to know if Business analysts are expected to know more about programming.

I attended a job interview last week and the interviewer was hesitant to consider me for the post of business analyst (BA) as i have no coding experience.

Do i need to know about database design, structure etc for me to be a good BA?

All along in my previous projects the database design, architecture and technology were decided by the technical team and DBA’s and i come into the picture as BA only after everything has been finalized.

But i was a Junior (jr.) BA and now im applying for the position of senior BA and people point out my lack of coding experience.

“Here is the answer to the challenges created by business analyst job descriptions which are worded to include programming and database skills”!

  1. Looking from the business analysts (job seekers) perspective, you may be tempted to say NO.

    You may also argue that computer programming tasks should be left ONLY to software developer job descriptions.

  2. Looking from the perspective of employers, recruiters or hiring managers, you may say YES because business analyst job descriptions are just a means to an end!

    For employers or hiring managers, the end is always the same (the job that needs to be done) … and job descriptions are just a means to achieving that!

So, which of these two perspectives (the employers or the job seekers) is the right one?

  1. The employer who only cares about getting work done and will use any job description to achieve that end or …

  2. The business analyst who feels overwhelmed by requirements for computer programming skills on business analyst job descriptions?

To this question correctly, we need to understand the roots of the conflict! So, let’s take a look at the source of gaps between IT Job Descriptions and Business Analyst Careers.

Introducing The IT Business Analyst

  • The Information Technology (IT) Business Analyst Role Is Slowly Coming To Maturity

    As the roles of the computer programmer, database developer and systems analyst matured, the “IT Business Analyst” role evolved to fill analysis and requirements tasks left out of software development roles.

  • The Accidental Business Analyst?

    As software development teams improve their requirements management or software development processes, some computer programmers begin picking up the requirements gathering and analysis tasks left undone by their team members.

    These Accidental Business Analysts are usually computer programmers or systems analysts with strong people, communication, business and requirements management skills who transition into or assume the role of the IT Business Analyst.

Some employers have not achieved a separation between “IT Business Analyst Roles” and “Computer Programmer Roles” in their minds.

For these employers, the distinctions between IT Business Analysts and Computer Programmers are a superficial play on words … hence the business analyst job description written-up to include computer programming languages!

So, back again to the question; “should a business analyst learn computer programming languages or acquire database development skills”?

  • Are You Looking For A Business Analyst Job?

    1. If you’re not looking for a business analyst job then you don’t need to learn computer programming (except if your employer mandates it).

      If you’re really that secure in your current business analyst job and know for a fact that you won’t be looking anytime soon … then you may argue that programming is not for business analysts :-)

    2. If you’re looking for a business analyst job and you want to go the extra mile for prospective employers, then go-ahead and learn some computer programming!

      It’s really the attitude that matters because job descriptions are not intended to be perfect and in the employer’s eyes, they’re just a means to an end.

      Put Yourself In The Employers Shoes for a moment and you will begin to see that it’s not personal. The employer only wants what’s best for the company and if they’re so inclined, you may help them by learning some computer programming!

    Give Employers What They’re Asking For

    I strongly believe that you should give employers what they want instead of wondering about the fairness or correctness of business analyst job descriptions!

    1. Perhaps, you feel overwhelmed by the requirements for computer programming or database skills in business analyst job descriptions.

    2. Or you feel that it’s unfair to expect business analysts to perform programming tasks

    Get a clue, if you’re not the one hiring, then your feelings are irrelevant!

    In today’s competitive job market, you will fare better by addressing the employers concerns because if you don’t, someone else … who is more hungry or desperate than you will!

    Another business analyst who wants to provide the required programing services will get the job you need!


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    ]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/19/do-business-analysts-need-computer-programmer-skills/feed/ 21 How Important Is Domain Knowledge For A Business Analyst? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/19/how-important-is-domain-knowledge-for-a-business-analyst/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/19/how-important-is-domain-knowledge-for-a-business-analyst/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 04:38:38 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2089

    The Domain Business Analyst Career Path

    The Domain Business Analyst Career Path

    Is a business analyst with domain knowledge more valuable than a business analyst without domain knowledge?

    By looking at how business analyst job descriptions are written, you may be tempted to say yes!

    Business Analyst job descriptions are written as if there is a distinction between IT oriented business analysts with skills in UML, Use Cases, Requirements Elicitation, Requirements Modeling and domain oriented business analysts with knowledge in specific domains like sales, marketing, customer relationship management, insurance, finance!

    For some reasons, hiring managers, staffing agencies and employers behave as if there is a difference between domain oriented business analyst job descriptions and IT business analyst job descriptions.

    So, the question is How important is domain knowledge for a Business Analyst? and Is a Domain Oriented Business Analyst worth more than an IT Business Analyst?

    A Question About The Value Of Business Analyst Domain Knowledge

    I am a bored corporate research professional working at a big services company and wish to move to a different domain.

    The ones I have identified are pre-sales, business analysis or marketing communications …

    I think BA could be a good step forward from where I stand. But doesn’t a BA require domain specific knowledge?

    Most of the job ads I see prefer a BA in (say) the finance domain to be from that background …

    How important is domain knowledge for a BA? Can it be built on-the-job or is it an absolute pre-requisite?

    Why Do Business Analyst Job Ads Specify Domain Knowledge?

    In the rest of this article, I will discuss why hiring managers, staffing agencies and employers specify domain specific knowledge in business analyst job descriptions.

    I will answer this question by looking at “who is better positioned to increase productivity when hired”.

    1. Who Costs More To Train? Companies that hire business analysts without domain knowledge resort to training the new BA hires by enlisting the help of senior business analysts, subject matter experts or training vendors.

      Even when employers use internal resources for training new BA hires, they incur costs of lost revenue, reduced productivity and increased administrative expenses .

    2. Who Is Positioned To Help The Business Now? Business Analysts lacking industry insight or domain knowledge needs more time on the job to learn and understand their domains before tackling any business problems.

      This may be unacceptable to stakeholders or business managers who can’t wait to get results now!

      A business analyst with domain experience who can start troubleshooting business problems is seen as being worth more than another business analyst (lacking domain expertise) who may only observe, learn or ask questions!

    3. Who Can Lead The Business? Senior Managers, IT Directors, Business Owners and other high level executives place more value on business analysts who can be trusted to lead the business.

      Business analysts unlike their counterparts in computer programming are expected to provide leadership for business-line units and organizations for which they are hired!

      Because of how business is done , managers, directors or business executives place less value on the judgment of business analysts without domain knowledge or industry experience!

      The perception which may be unfounded is that; a business analyst with domain knowledge has more potential to lead than another who lacks domain experience!

    So hiring managers or employers tend to write business analyst job descriptions as if there are two business analyst career paths:

    • The business analyst with IT business analyst training and specialized domain knowledge. This is the Specialist Business Analyst.

    • The business analyst with IT business analyst training only! This is the Generalist Business Analyst.

    Are You A Specialist Or Generalist Business Analyst?

    So, are specialist business analysts worth more than generalist business analysts?

    The answer doesn’t depend on “how you feel about the fairness of business analyst job postings” but on plain common sense which is always hiding in plain sight :-)

    If you’re applying only to IT Business Analyst Jobs, then don’t worry about your lack of domain knowledge.

    If you’re applying to domain specific business analyst job postings like those for healthcare, finance, insurance, marketing, sales, customer relationship management (CRM) domains, then you had better do something about your lack of domain knowledge!


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/19/how-important-is-domain-knowledge-for-a-business-analyst/feed/ 0     Alternate Career Paths for Business Analysts http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/03/alternate-career-paths-for-business-analysts/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/03/alternate-career-paths-for-business-analysts/#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:07:36 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1845

    Ask IT Career Coach

    Ask IT Career Coach

    The fundamentals of earning an income is rooted in the exchange of goods, services or skills and having an 8 to 5 job is just one way of doing that!

    This post answers the question of what to do when you can’t get a job! posted by a reader (Kintu Vicent) who is inquiring about “how to earn an income as a business analyst without regular employment!“

    If you need help with a Question or Challenge, be sure to ask it as a comment on this page and I will answer it fully just as I am answering this reader’s question below!

    Please, send this post to your friends using the “Tell a Friend” Button button below. You earn points or cash each time you refer an article to your friends using the Tell a Friend Button.

    Here is the Question:

    dear sir/madam,

    i am an african youth living in Uganda (east african country).

    i would like to be a good entreprenuer (small scale business owner) but also having a profession both beneficial to my own businesses like procurement and logistics and side by employment inorder to accumulate more capital to invest in my projects.

    i have the following to ask you.

    can you give some sophisticated business ideas a business analyst does?

    rather than being a consultant or contract personel ,how better can a business analyst creat his own employment to face the global challenge of un-employment.

    best regards,

    looking forward to hearing from you.

    High Un-employment Rate

    The un-employment rate in the United States is at a 26 year high! and other countries are also experiencing dramatic spikes in un-employment. So, business analysts and other IT professionals need to consider alternative or non-traditional career paths for earning a living“.

    First, Prepare a Strategic Plan Using SWOT Analysis

    You create your own employment by using SWOT ANALYSIS to elicit alternative career paths or prepare competitive services for the business analysis marketplace.

    You have to consider your strengths relative to the business analyst market place because you only get paid for what you can do well compared to others and you have to consider business analyst career paths strategically because you may be thinking in a box.

    By thinking outside of the box, you begin to see opportunities that were hidden because of self-imposed mental constraints or limiting beliefs!

    Alternative Career Paths for Business Analysts

    Let me introduce three career paths for business analysts who don’t want to work a regular 8 to 5 contract or full-time business analyst job.

    1. Business Analyst Blogger Career Path: You may become a blogger for the business analyst blogosphere!

      To become a business analyst blogger, you need a computer, a word processor and an internet connection.

      You can live anywhere in the world as a business analyst blogger because your clients are easily discoverable on the internet.

      There are several ways of monetizing your blogging income streams and you need to choose a profit model that best suits your blogging goals.

    2. Freelance IT Business Analyst Consultant Career Path: You may become a freelance IT business analyst consultant!

      As a freelance IT business analyst consultant, you may specialize in requirements analysis, requirements modeling and documentation, Use Cases, UML or Data Modeling for Software Development Projects.

      As a freelance IT business analyst consultant you may also setup shop virtually and work remotely for clients that need your services.

      You will need a more sophisticated marketing plan so you can discover or engage the types of clients that will be needing your out-sourced business analysis services.

    3. Freelance Web Business Analyst Consultant Career Path: You may capitalize on the opportunities created by the strong demand for web skills by becoming a freelance web business analyst!

      As a freelance web business analyst, your services may include helping companies align their web investments with their business goals using your superior business analysis skills.

      As a freelance web business analyst, You may also decide to help companies analyze how customers use or interact with their websites or help elicit business requirements for web analytics projects.

      If you have developed strong quantitative or analytical skills, you may also help business leaders take advantage of hidden opportunities in their clickstream, search, survey or web usability data.

    The alternative career paths listed above are just a tip of the iceberg … there are more!

    If you need help with eliciting alternative career paths or preparing a competitive service for the market place, feel fee to contact us.

    Career Paths for Business Analysts

    Kintu, it is possible to create your own employment as a business analyst without working a traditional 8 to 5 job.

    Begin by using SWOT Analysis to discover what you are good at and then create a competitive offering for the business analyst marketplace!

    This post answers a question posted by a reader on “how to become a freelance business analyst!!

    If you have any Question about your career, Post IT as a comment on this page and I will be sure to answer it for you!


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/03/alternate-career-paths-for-business-analysts/feed/ 3     The Most Valuable Business Analysis Skills Are ?? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/24/the-most-valuable-business-analysis-skills/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/24/the-most-valuable-business-analysis-skills/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:09:23 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1717

    What Are The Most Valuable Business Analyst Skills?

    What Are The Most Valuable Business Analyst Skills?

    One of the toughest challenges facing business analysts today is building the domain experience required for business analyst jobs.

    Acquiring business analyst domain experience from scratch is hard because you need to get a job before you can build domain expertise … yet no-one will give you a job without that required domain experience!

    This post however discusses how to get around the business analyst domain experience required for business analysis jobs.

    What is Business Analyst Domain Experience?

    Business analyst domain experience is the hands-on business skills or domain knowledge acquired by working in specialized industries like automotive, banking, insurance, telecom, utilities or working for business units such as customer relationship management, finance, sales and marketing.

    Business analyst domain experience is gained by solving business problems for a specific industry or business unit and it can’t be gained by taking certifications exams or by learning business analysis concepts like Use Cases or Requirements Modeling.

    In other words, business analyst domain experience is gained by getting your hands dirty with work in an industry or by solving real-world business problems for a business unit.

    Don’t Confuse Your Business Analysis Skills With Domain Knowledge!

    There is a difference between your business analyst skills and your business analyst domain experience.

    Your business analyst skills (like Requirements Elicitation, Use Cases, UML etc) are the techniques or tools used in solving business problems.

    They are skills that serve as the means to an end. The end being the business problems or challenges facing your industry.

    What Is The Value of Domain Business Analysis Skills?

    A business analyst transitioning to a new domain starts out with little or no domain knowledge and then builds up the industry knowledge over time.

    That is the reason why some of the most senior business analysts in an organization are those who started out first by learning the ins and outs of their employer’s business before they took formal training.

    Businesses value domain business analysts because their knowledge is not easily transferable and because they know how to run or operate the business units efficiently.

    This is perhaps another reason why it pays to work in an industry for a while instead of hopping from one industry to another.

    When you transition to a completely new business analysis domain, you will have to prove yourself as if you are just starting … even though you may be an experienced business analyst!

    When is Business Analyst Domain Experience Needed?

    Transitioning From One Business Analyst Domain to Another: Business analysts transitioning from a domain like the automotive or auto-finance industry to another domain like healthcare or telecomms have to build their business analyst domain experience completely from scratch.

    Transitioning From One Country to Another: Business analysts transitioning from one country to another may have to re-establish their domain experience.

    New domain knowledge is needed because businesses operate under different laws, regulations, customs and economic climates across national or regional boundaries.

    So, potential employer want to be sure that re-locating business analysts are intimate with the customs or ways of doing business in the countries that they are hired :-)

    How Do You Build Business Analyst Domain Experience?

    If you have already developed domain experience by working in an industry for several years, what you need is not more domain experience but this comprehensive training on the techniques and practices of business analysis.

    On the other hand, if you don’t already have business domain experience and you are open to gaining experience in frontline industries or domains, click here.

    Here is how it works:

    • You Become a Domain Specialist: In the The Business Analyst coaching program, you are encouraged to specialize in a few business analyst domains so you can achieve a reasonable level of mastery or competency within those domains.

      The industries that we are focusing on right now are those that show the strongest promise for hiring or those that are cutting-edge or the frontline of the economy.

      Contact us to see if this will be a good fit for you, OK?

    • Become a Leader: The goal of the Business Analyst Coaching program is to get you networked with businesses and peers in your industry through extensive study, practical handson work and industry networking.

      Instead of just sensing your resume around waiting for someone else to hire you, learn how to the gain the recognition or attention of your peers and hiring managers using social media networking or branding.

    Just remember that you can solve the challenge of acquiring business analyst domain knowledge by specializing in frontline domains, solving real-world business problems and then marketing your profile or brand continually using social media.

    If this sounds like something you will be interested in doing, contact us for more information or learn more about business analysis coaching here.


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/24/the-most-valuable-business-analysis-skills/feed/ 3     How To Become A Healthcare Business Analyst http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/14/how-to-become-a-healthcare-business-analyst/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/14/how-to-become-a-healthcare-business-analyst/#comments Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:05:54 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1611

    healthcare business analyst career path

    healthcare business analyst career path

    This question was posted by a Healthcare Business Analyst looking for work!

    If you have a Burning Question or a Challenge that you need help with, be sure to ask your question as a comment on this page and I will answer it fully just as I am answering the question below!

    If you find this article helpful then share it with your friends using the “Share This Post” Link.

    You provide valuable information or advice to others each time you use the Share This Post Link.

    Here is the Question:

    Hi Kingsley,I like your articles and posts and look forward to a good advise from you on the following :

    The toughest challenge for me is to get back into Business Analysis after working for just less than 2 yrs where my domain was government sector projects and a dash of incomplete healthcare knowledge.

    I ‘m neither a fresher nor an experienced guy with very less domain exp. I mostly get healthcare projects ( since my last project was on health care domain) where my knowledge is inadequate and companies do not want to employ me for the same.

    How can I bag such jobs when the domain knowlege is lacking? or how can I convince that my BA skills are good enough for the new domain?

    I am not sure what additional skills I need to gain to be employable.Should I gain any technical knowledge or do IIBA certifications?

    Please advise.

    Thanks 

    Here is my Answer:

    Sri:

    I’m glad that you enjoy reading my articles and posts. I would be glad to answer your questions for you.

    Here are my thoughts on what you need to do to get back in the game.

    1. Learn How To Get A Business Analyst Job Without Applying For Any

    2. Learn How To Ace Business Analyst Job Interviews

    3. Get More Business Analysis Domain Experience

    How To Get More Healthcare Business Analysis Domain Experience

    The main issue facing your business analysis job search based on feedback from employers is inadequate healthcare domain experience.

    You need to address the lack of business analysis domain experience directly by looking for more informal or formal work in the healthcare industry.

    Don’t side-step the main issue by working on getting more educational qualifications because you won’t get more healthcare business analysis experience that way!

    You need to either get more healthcare business analysis domain experience or perhaps start all over with a new business analysis domain!

    If you decide to continue with the Healthcare Industry, then you will be building on your previous healthcare business analysis domain experience.

    If you decide to start over with a new business analysis domain, you may be able to get additional business analyst hands-on experience more easily or quickly.

    You also have the option on working on getting business analysis domain experience in more than one industry!

    For example, you may increase your chances of getting a business analyst job by getting business analyst domain experience in sales or marketing or customer relationship management (CRM) domains in addition to the healthcare domain.

    So, evaluate the availability or accessibility of domain experience in the healthcare industry compared to other industries or expose yourself to additional domains besides healthcare.

    Regardless of which business analysis domains you choose, do not try to bypass the lack of experience issue … be sure to address it directly in your actions

    Learn How To Ace Business Analyst Job Interviews

    It is possible that you are not getting hired because you are not putting up a compelling presentation at your business analyst job interviews!

    You may possess the minimal business analysis domain experience required for a healthcare business analyst job and still not get hired because of weak presentation or interviewing skills!

    A business analyst may get a job where another business analyst else with more experience, skills, training, certifications or educations fails because job interviews are subjective!

    So, you must work on improving your business analyst interviewing skills so you cover all your bases!

    “Click here for more Information on How To Get Through Business Analyst Interviews“

    Learn How To Get a Business Analyst Job Offers Without Applying For Any!

    It is actually possible to get health care business analyst job offers without actively soliciting for them.

    Assuming that the job search process is a marketing process, you are better off getting employers to call you with job offers!

    The problem with the traditional methods of job searching is that everyone who is out-of-a-job is probably doing the same thing! To get a job you have to do more than everyone else!

    So my advice is that; you have to raise the bar higher by getting employers to notice you or call you with business analyst job offers!

    Now, that is quite possible and I am going to show you how!

    The way to get employers to notice you is by becoming a leader in the healthcare business analyst domain or any other domain that you prefer!

    How To Become A Leader In The Healthcare Business Analyst Industry!

    The best way to get a healthcare job is by becoming a leader in the healthcare business analysis domain!

    Becoming a leader in the healthcare business analyst domain means that you do the things that gets you noticed in the healthcare business analysis domain.

    When you become a leader in the healthcare business analyst industry then employers are more likely to call you with job offers and your resume is guaranteed to stand out in any pile of business analyst resumes!

    We have a program that coaches you on how to stand-up and be noticed! . IT helps you “Become a Leader”.

    In that program you are shown or coached on “how to become a leader or gain recognition in the IT marketplace!“

    Sri, feel free to ask for more information by contacting us or by posting a comment, question or reply below!


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/14/how-to-become-a-healthcare-business-analyst/feed/ 5     Is the Job Market Good Or Bad For Business Analysts? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/04/is-the-job-market-good-or-bad-for-business-analysts/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/04/is-the-job-market-good-or-bad-for-business-analysts/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:27:08 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1590

    Ask IT Career Coach

    Ask IT Career Coach

    This question was posted by a Business Analyst in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom.

    If you have a Burning Question or a Challenge that you need help with, be sure to ask your question as a comment on this page and I will answer it fully just as I am answering the question below!

    Please, send this post to your friends using the “Tell a Friend” Button button below. You earn points or cash each time you refer an article to your friends using the Tell a Friend Button.

    Here is the Question:

    Hi,

    I am looking to go into My first Business Analyst role, I have had a mixture of responses from people here in the United Kingdom (UK).

    Some are saying that the market is bad for entry level Business Analysts and some say its good.

    Is there any one that could give me advise on what I should do and how I should market myself?

    Here is my answer to the question on “getting an entry level business analyst job in a good or bad job market“:

    1. Do not begin or opt-out of the business analyst job search because of the state of the job market.

    2. Do decide to search for a business analyst job because you want to be a business analyst.

    Your decision to become a business analyst or search for business analyst jobs should be based on an interest or dis-interest in becoming a business analyst and not on factors beyond your control like the condition of the business analyst job market.

    Stephen Covey in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People mentioned that proactive people do not worry or focus on factors over which they have little or no control … instead they focus on their “Sphere Of Influence” … those factors or circumstances over which they can exercise control.

    So, do not focus or worry about the condition of the Business Analyst Job Market.

    Keep your focus on becoming a business analyst and making an effective search for a business analyst job by:

    1. Deciding if you want to become a business analyst by comparing your strengths to the demands of the business analyst profession

    2. Finding out how to get a business analyst job regardless of the condition of the business analyst job market

    Do You Want To Become A Business Analyst?

    Take the first action within your control by first learning the roles, responsibilities or duties of a business analyst.

    Next compare what you have learned about the day to day challenges or the life of a business analyst to what you know about your own abilities, likes or strengths.

    Finally decide if you want to become a business analyst based on all the information you’ve gathered.

    There are several articles on this website that will help you make an informed decision on becoming a business analyst

    Here are some articles on the topic of becoming a business analyst:

    How Do You Effectively Plan The Business Analyst Job Search?

    You need to make an effective plan for finding business analyst jobs because making that kind of plan is within your control or sphere of influence.

    Make an effective plan for becoming a business analyst by improving each of the following areas that impact your business analyst job search:

    1. Business Analyst Cover Letter

    2. Business Analyst Resume

    3. Business Analyst Job Search

    4. Business Analyst Job Interviewing Skills

    5. Business Analyst Hands-On Working Experience

    6. Business Analysis Domain Experience

    7. Business Analysis Skills & Knowledge

    The point here is that job searches fail because they are weak or improperly planned and not because of the condition of the business analyst job market!

    Here are some articles on the topic of creating an effective business analyst job search plan:

    Finally, I want to say that basing decisions about a beginning a career you like … on the job market condition is fundamentally flawed because of two reasons:

    • You cannot not wait till the business analyst job market is good because the market will be saturated with “Me-Toos” or everyone who wants to get a business analyst job because they hear that the market is also good!.

    • You cannot also delay applying for business analyst jobs when the business analyst job market is bad because others will also assume that the business analyst job market is bad. Applying when the business analyst job market looks weak is actually good for you because you will have fewer competitors then!

    So, think positively, focus on factors within your control and remember that if you think that you can become a business analyst … you can!

    This post answers a question posted by a reader. If you have a Question, Post IT as a comment on this page and I will be sure to answer it for you!


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/04/is-the-job-market-good-or-bad-for-business-analysts/feed/ 1     Bonus Use Cases Training In The Business Analyst Book http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/05/06/bonus-use-cases-training-in-the-business-analyst-book/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/05/06/bonus-use-cases-training-in-the-business-analyst-book/#comments Wed, 06 May 2009 15:41:35 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1447

    Top Paying Skills in High Demand

    Top Paying Skills in High Demand

    Use Cases skills are in-demand for documenting or communicating the functional requirements of a system

    Use Cases skills are employed in product design roles, software development or architecture roles and are among the most sought-after skills for business analyst jobs

    Why Use Cases Training for Business Analysts?

    Here are some of benefits of Use Case training for business analysts:

    1. Use Cases are effective for documenting the business processes, requirements (business or system), features and functionality of a system. So Use Cases skills are needed at the problem analysis or requirements gathering phase, software design or development phase or testing phase

    2. Because Use Cases lie at the heart of many software development processes, Use Cases skills are in-demand for business analysts or software developers. Use Cases skills also play a principal role during requirements analysis, business process improvement, software testing, quality assurance and architecture

    3. Use Cases are effective for improving the requirements practices of software development teams or Information Technology (IT) teams and using Use Cases effectively can lead to improved product quality.

      When Use Cases are used in documenting or presenting the requirements of a system, the software development or IT team ends up with a better understanding of the system under consideration or development.

      Because Use Cases are written from the user’s view point in non-technical, implementation or jargon free language, the entire team including stakeholders, users, developers, testers and business analysts communicate or collaborate better resulting in improved product quality and a more efficient process

    How To Learn Or Master Use Cases Quickly

    The The Business Analyst Book is the e-book that provides you with a blueprint for learning business analysis or studying business analysis on your own. It is the teach yourself business analysis book.

    If you prefer step by step, in-depth, video training from Business Analyst instructors, then the The Business Analyst Boot Camp is the right place for you.

    The Business Analyst Boot Camp includes a complete set of business analysis videos, business analysis quizzes, business analysis handson projects and personalized business analysis coaching. The Business Analyst Book now includes select business analysis training lessons and business analysis quizzes adapted from the business analyst boot camp. So, now you are given access to select business analyst boot camp training material when you get The Business Analyst Book

    Bonus Use Cases Training Now Included In the Business Analyst Book

    The Business Analyst Boot Camp includes Use Cases quizzes, Use Cases video training and hands-on Use Cases projects. The Use Cases quizzes helps you master Use Cases in a shorter time and also prepares you for Business Analyst Job Interviews. The Use Cases quizzes are also designed to improve your comprehension, recall and retention of the Use Cases video training sessions.

    However, we are now adding one of the Use Cases quizzes from The Business Analyst Boot Camp to The Business Analyst Book for past or current buyers of the book.

    Included in the bonus Use Cases lessons for all owners of The Business Analyst Book are:

    • A Bonus Use Cases Lesson Summary: The bonus Use Cases Lesson is a downloadable electronic lesson that summarizes a Use Cases video presentation from The Business Analyst Boot Camp.

    • A Bonus Use Cases Quiz or Use Cases Practice Test:  The bonus Use Cases Practice Test or Quiz is adapted from the Use Cases video presented at The Business Analyst Boot Camp. The bonus Use Cases training comes with a private, secure, personal log-in to our web-based training portal or learning management system (LMS) and a Use Cases quiz that you may use to perfect your understanding or mastery of some Use Cases concepts.

    How To Learn or Master Use Cases

    The way to learn Use Cases quickly is by repeatedly practicing your Use Case skills until they are second nature. That is exactly what the bonus Use Cases training and Use Cases practice tests will do for you.

    To learn more about how quizzes or practice tests help you develop mastery or competency, click here.

    Learn Use Cases By Doing – Get Hands On Use Cases Experience

    Note that in the Business Analyst Boot Camp, you are also presented with projects where you apply the information gained from watching the Use Cases video towards solving situations or problems similar to those facing you on the job!

    Who Gets The Bonus Use Cases Training?

    The bonus Use Cases training will be delivered to all buyers (past, current or future owners) of the The Business Analyst Book.

    Note: that if you are subscribed to The Business Analyst Boot Camp, then you already have access to the complete set of Use Cases video training, Use Cases practice tests or quizzes, business analyst mentoring or coaching and hands-on Use Cases projects and this announcement does not affect you

    How Do You Get The Bonus Use Cases Training?

    Go to this link and place an order now for The Business Analyst Book and you will be given access to both the bonus Use Cases Training and the bonus Use Cases practice tests or quizzes


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/05/06/bonus-use-cases-training-in-the-business-analyst-book/feed/ 1     Advice On How To Become A Contract Business Analyst http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/02/22/advice-on-how-to-become-a-contract-business-analyst/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/02/22/advice-on-how-to-become-a-contract-business-analyst/#comments Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:19:37 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1078

    Do You Want To Become A Contract Business Analyst?

    Do You Want To Become A Contract Business Analyst?

    I am writing this post to answer a question posted by a business analyst on “How To Become A Contract Business Analyst”.

    If you have a question or challenge about your business analyst career, post it as comment at the end of this article and I will answer it for you as well :-)

    Here is the question on how to become a contract business analyst.

    Having recently started in my first permanent position as a Business Analyst, I find the toughest challenge for me currently, is getting up to speed with the systems I have to analyse and develop (Risk Management and Finance Systems).

    Now, 5 months later, I am thoroughly enjoying my BA role and tasks.

    However, I am considering moving into a contracting position. The primary reason would be for the money.

    My fear however is that I would be moving into a contracting position prematurely and having read some of the posts in this string above, it seems that BA contractors have to be highly skilled.

    Perhaps I should firstly ensure that my general BA skills are a lot more refined before putting myself into a position where I am required to be a specialist …

    Any ideas?

    The big question is, how does a hiring manager determine the skill level of a contract business analyst?

    Is that determination based on the experience, number of years in the industry, certifications, educational qualifications, recommendations on LinkedIn or perhaps the quality of work the business analyst can perform?

    How To Become A Contract Business Analyst

    It may shock you to find out that contract business analysts can earn up to 50% more than full-time business analysts with the same skills, experience and training.

    The specifics of how much more you can earn as a contract business analyst depends on the company that hires you and how good you are at negotiation.

    Some companies pay at the bottom of the pay range for full-time business analyst careers while others are at the higher end of the pay range based on a business analyst salary survey.

    However, even though contract business analysts are paid much more, they are required to be highly skilled, competent or expert business analysts at what they do!

    That is fair, isn’t it, when you look at it from the Manager’s perspective.

    The Hiring Manager who pays a contract business analyst’s salary has to pay an additional premium or bonus to a staffing or recruiting firm for hiring that additional skill level.

    With this in mind, the total cost of hiring one contract business analyst may end up being up to two (2) times the salary paid for one full-time business analyst.

    The manager who hires a contract business analysts has to have a good justification for paying those additional costs.

    • Business Analysis Skills

      The contract business analyst has to be highly skilled at what they do.

      If they are not that skilled, then they wouldn’t last long on a contracting gig, because hiring managers would not want to keep them on the project without getting a quick and immediate return on their investment.

      And really the surest way to justify the skill level and salary of a contract business analyst is by producing a high quality and amount of work every time.

      In other words, contract business analysts have to wow clients by solving business problems quickly and by demonstrating strong competency at routine business analysis tasks like Use Case or Requirements Documentation.

    • Business Analysis Experience

      The contract business analyst has to be highly experienced at what they do.

      This does not necessarily mean that a contract business analyst must have 10 years of experience or anything like that, but that when it comes to specific skills like Use Case Documentation or Requirements Elicitation, the contract business analyst is expected to have a breadth of experience that can only be gained by exercising those skills in several business situations in the past.

      In other words, clients don’t want their contract business analysts to use them for learning since they are expected to be experts or highly skilled professionals!

      Hiring managers think that they have already paid for a high expertise level so they want to start reaping dividends, the moment you work in through their door as a contract business analyst.

    • Business Analysis Education

      The contract business analyst has to be highly informed, trained or educated in business analysis because managers don’t expect to find gaps in the knowledge areas of their contract business analysts.

      Gaps may be tolerated in their full-time business analyst employees but not in contract business analyst jobs.

      So, you need to be at the top of your game and that includes having the requisite knowledge to get your job done quickly, excellently and without any issues.

    In the end, only you can tell you whether you can make the jump to becoming a contract business analyst.

    The rewards to being a contract business analyst can be really good.

    You get paid a lot more ($45 to $55/hr. or even more) and you get to work on a lot of fast-paced projects where your leadership skills can be fully utilized.

    However, you will also have to be highly skilled, knowledgeable and experienced to succeed as a contract business analyst.

    And you must be able to perform, produce results quickly or prove to everyone that you are worth your hire!

    Finally, note that becoming a contract business analyst does not depend on how many years of business analysis experience you have but on how sharp your skills are!

    If you have any question or challenge facing your business analysis career, go ahead and post it as a comment at the end of this article and I will address it for you.


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/02/22/advice-on-how-to-become-a-contract-business-analyst/feed/ 20     How to Write Use Cases – A Tutorial http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/01/23/how-to-write-use-cases-a-tutorial/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/01/23/how-to-write-use-cases-a-tutorial/#comments Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:45:32 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=572

    What is a Use Case?

    A use case is a description of how a system’s behavior in response to a request from a stakeholder known as an actor. The actor could be a person or an external system that interacts with the system being described.

    The actor initiates an action with the system with the purpose of accomplishing a goal. The system responds to the actor’s action in a way that fulfills the interests of all of its stakeholders. A use case summarizes a complete series of related scenarios that may unfold.

    Use cases by definition are developed in text format using natural or non-technical language. However, they can also be developed in use case diagram form using UML notation or a combination of both text and diagrams.

    Parts of a Use Case

    There is no set template for use cases. There are some core sections that are considered the most useful in use cases. You should use as many or as few of these sections as needed to successfully document your system’s requirements. The core sections for use cases are:

    Use case ID

    Use case name

    Version

    Goal

    Summary / Description

    Primary Actor

    Secondary Actor

    Pre-conditions

    Trigger

    Basic course of events

    Exceptions

    Alternative paths

    Post-conditions

    Business rules

    Notes

    Author and date

    Why Use Cases?

    Use cases can be used to document any type of system. They can be used to document a software system or to document a company’s business processes.

    Use cases are useful because they quickly and early clarify how the system will behave when the users interact with it. Use cases are easy for users to understand.

    In addition, use cases are helpful for brainstorming conditions under which the system may fail and working out solutions to the problems that fulfill the stakeholders’ interests.

    How to Write Use Cases

    1. Develop a list of usage goals from your stake holders. This is your initial list of use cases.

    2. Develop a short paragraph describing each use case this will be your summary or description.

    3. Develop the header section of the use case. The header for each use case should include:

      • The Use Case ID Number

      • The Use Case Name

      • Pre-conditions

      • Post-conditions

      • Primary Actor

      • Secondary Actor

      • Trigger

    4. Verify that your use case headers are correct then iterate through them again to add more sections and more details. Further detail sections are:

      • Basic Course of Events – steps that the actor and system go through to accomplish a goal

      • Exceptions – steps for handling errors and exceptions.

      • Alternative Paths – steps for handling variations.

    5. Check your use case for failure points and missing requirements.

    6. As your write your use cases, do it in a way that makes them easy to read. Use natural language. Keep your statements simple and concise.


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