Over 200 people have taken the ReStart Profiler Quiz so far, and the results are interesting:

73 Observers
49 Evaluators
50 Predictors
22 Dreamers
13 Performers

I also saw that 30 people from the same company took the profile quiz! Their results were similar to the larger set:

7 Observers
9 Evaluators
10 Predictors
3 Dreamers
1 Performer

Imagine if you had this information about your co-workers. Wouldn’t you be able to understand each other better and therefore work together better? If I were going to that company to teach a class or mentor that team, this information would really help me to help them do a better job.

Find out your Restart Profile type by going to http://www.writingusecases.com and clicking the green Restart button in the box on the left of the page. (In the rows of buttons, it is the one on the end of the 3rd row.)

Then send your co-workers over to take it and see what they come out to be!

Have fun with it -

Geri

PS – The ReStart Profiling System was developed by Jonathan Chase for Restart Academy. I am one of the founders of Restart Academy. I use the system myself, recommend it to others, coach people in its use, and share in the profits of Restart Academy.

Some like to watch first before trying something, others are great at making plans, someone else is best at mitigating risk, another person is great at visualizing, while someone else just jumps right in to what ever task needs doing.

If you play to your subconscious strengths, then any of those approaches can be successful. If you try to be something you are not, then the approach that works for someone else will fail for you.

What is your subsconscious strength?

Now you can quickly and easily find out.

Jonathan Chase at Restart Academy has developed a quick quiz that will tell you your personal best approach to starting anything. Go to http://www.writingusecases.com and click on the green Restart button in the left side box.

This will take you to the Restart Academy Profiler (don’t worry, it’s free). After you get your result, you can learn how to apply your subconscious strength to Business Analysis. Just click on the link on the result page that says:

Get your BA Specific Results Here!

Go now and take the quiz at http://www.writingusecases.com and let me know how it works out for you!

Best -

Geri

PS – I am one of the founders of Restart Academy. I use the system myself, recommend it to others, coach people in its use, and share in the profits of Restart Academy.

I have set up a video channel for Business Analyst tips on YouTube.
There are 15 videos there at present including:

• 5 steps to better use cases – parts 1 and 2
• Business rules versus Technical Constraints
• Use Stories versus User Cases
• Business Analyst Career Paths
• and 10 videos on how a BA would start to work on a project

There are 10 different project types, so 10 different videos

I’ll be adding more over time, so let me know if there is something you want me to make a video about!

Here is the link again:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Wyyzzk

Pass on the link to other BA’s you know.

• Is Business Analyst a good career?
• Which job is better, XXX or Business Analyst?
• I have been a Business Analyst for XXX years, what can I do now?

I cannot really answer these questions because the answer depends on what you want for yourself. My answers are always suggestions of things to think about, so that you can find the best answer for you.  The suggestions are generally about career planning.

You need to spend some time thinking about what you want from your career. You can change your mind later, but you need to have some kind of career goal, or you have no basis for answering these kinds of questions.

I made a video that goes through quite a bit of information on common career paths. It gives you a lot to think about, so that you can choose what appeals to you in terms of a career goal.  You can find that video here: http://www.wyyzzk.com/BAFundamentals/Careers.mp4

Once you know what you want, the answers about whether or not to pursue a BA role or what you can do next become obvious.

The video does not cover every possibility and individual people have had some very different career paths. I have focused on careers within the corporate environment, because that is generally where you find BA positions. Of course there are exceptions – I know many people (including myself) who work as BA consultants and contractors. But that number is far smaller than the number of people working within corporations.

One of the most important skills any professional can have is that of “managing up,” or Managing Your Manager. While the idea of managing the person who is supposed to manage you may sound contrary, you can also think of it as a beneficial outcome to communication, demonstrated professional integrity, and good consulting skills.

Managing up also is a form of visibility, or presence. As workplaces and teams span locations and more of us work remotely, it is important to remain visible in a positive way. Being top of mind (and showing how responsible, consistent, and good your communication skills are) is a great way to get considered for successively more interesting or challenging projects. Plus, you’re helping to ensure that your manager isn’t caught off-guard when it comes to you or your projects, and that often translates to more latitude (or less micro-managing).

What is it, really?

Managing up will sound like your boss is going to get more out of it than you will. In the short term, that’s probably true. A big part of managing up is to help your manager look good by keeping him apprised of what’s going on with you, your projects, and the team. The benefit to you is that people appreciate it when their staff–or teammates–help them look good. You get the benefit of people wanting you on their teams and the good professional reputation you’ll build in the process.

• It is a tangible demonstration of your professional integrity. In his book “Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing”, author Harry Beckwith states, “Invest in and religiously preach integrity. It is the heart of your brand. The heart of a service brand – the element without which the brand cannot live – is the integrity of the company and its employees. The value of any brand rises or falls with each demonstration of the company’s integrity.” (p. 155). In this case, rather than thinking of the “company” brand, think of it as your personal brand–the value of your brand rises or falls with each demonstration of your integrity. Giving your boss a heads-up when something didn’t go well, reporting what you have been and will be working on (without it being required), and telling the truth are all demonstrations of personal integrity.
• Your manager should always be able to answer the question, “What is Judy/the team/the department working on?”. By proactively providing this information, you are helping your manager to look good to his/her peers or boss – and that’s always a good thing.
• Your manager should never be caught off guard by hearing project news from someone else. Especially if it’s bad news! If something transpires that may result in a call to your boss, make sure he or she hears about it first from you, and not when they are cornered in the company cafeteria or restroom. It may be very uncomfortable to deliver bad news to your boss, but it’s guaranteed to be even less comfortable if they hear about it from someone else–and look uninformed or not in control of their staff/team in the process. By hearing about it before having to have a conversation, they can be better informed and prepared for any conversations that may arise–or have the opportunity to be proactive and nip a potential issue in the bud.
• Managing up isn’t just for the little guys. This is one skill you’ll always need – everybody has a boss, even if it’s the Board of Directors.

How do I do it?

You might be wondering how this managing-up thing works and how it’s accomplished. Here are a few suggestions based on my own time-tested practices:

• Provide a weekly status report, even if one isn’t required. Especially, in fact, if one isn’t required. It can be a simple email or one-page document that lists:

- What you accomplished that week

- Any issues or roadblocks

- What you’re working on in the coming week

• Provide an as-needed update, especially if something significant happens relative to a project. If good or bad news comes up for a project, let them know right away–no need to wait for your weekly status report.
• Keep it short. The point isn’t to over-burden your managers with minutia. If they want more information, they’ll ask for it.
• Keep your tone professional. Managing up isn’t about competing with others, it’s about being professional and helping your boss to look good.

Here are a few examples from my own experience and that of friends:

• “Hey, Jane–I just had a meeting with the stakeholders from Underwriting. They were not happy with the process we’re suggesting for (whatever).” (As business analysts, this will happen, probably more than we’d like it to.)
• “Hey, Jane–I just met with Customer Service – they were really pleased with ….” (Stop in and deliver some good news, too – especially if something goes better than expected.)
• “Hi, Stan, here’s some info you’re going to need. You don’t need to go over it now, but you’ll want to have it on hand.” (This was from a friend who works in a contentious engineering environment. After a meeting, he dropped off crucial numbers at his supervisor’s desk. His supervisor was then prepared to deal with the irate visitor he had thirty minutes later.)
• “Do you have a minute? I was just in a meeting with Art from Accounting and I really lost my patience with him. I want to let you know before you get a phone call.” (Awkward? You bet. But not as awkward as getting called into your boss’s office after s/he gets a phone call from Art or Art’s manager. For best results, be sure you take responsibility for your actions, and let your manager know what you plan to do to remedy the situation. Or, ask for suggestions on the best way to deal with the individual. No matter what sort of jerk the other person may be, you will always look good by taking responsibility for yourself and behaving professionally, which is to say, not whining or blaming.)

Managing up takes some discipline and some courage. You will find that it improves your personal brand and over time is well worth the effort. This is a long-term career investment; get started today!

Fundamentals of Business Analysis earns you 30 PD credits for initial certification or 30 CDU credits for re-certification.

The next public class starts 31 January 2011.  Information about that class is here http://www.wyyzzk.com/bafundysales.html

Employers – if you are interested in a private class for your company, contact me using information at the Wyyzzk home page http://www.wyyzzk.com

I will be adding more classes over time, so keep an eye on this blog or the Wyyzzk home site.

Geri

Many people contact me because they want to be a Business Analyst. They are often in another job currently and want to change roles. They want to know “What do I need to do to be considered for a Business Analyst position?”.

A good starting point is to look over the IIBA BABOK to see how the BA role is defined. What is a BA? What does a BA do? What skills is a BA expected to have?

Then review your own experience, compare it to the skills in the BABOK and make an inventory of the work you have done that is also Business Analyst work. Have you elicited requirements, managed information, facilitated meetings, or used tools such as requirements management, version control, or UML modeling tools? Do you analyze information in your current position?

You will use this information to tune your resume, highlighting your experience that is applicable to a Business Analyst role.

You will also use this information to find gaps in your knowledge. What are some basic skills you need that you may not have gained from experience?

You can study books and online material for the information you lack. A better idea is to take a course for Business Analysts with a teacher experienced in the BA role.  Not only will you gain the knowledge, but the teacher will give you work to do and evaluate that work, so you gain some experience as well.

Finally, look at the IIBA certifications for CCBA and CBAP. You may find that you qualify for one of those certifications. Completing the certification process shows you have a certain level of knowledge and experience as a BA, and shows that you are serious about your career.

Wyyzzk, Inc. (an IIBA Endorsed Education Provider) has a Business Analyst Fundamentals class that covers all the basic skills of the BA role. You earn 30 credits for the class, which can be used when applying for IIBA certification.  We have had a number of BA’s with 2-3 years experience – but no formal training – in the class, and they were delighted to refresh the information they already knew, and to fill in the gaps in their knowledge.  They are now in a good position to apply for IIBA certification and more senior BA roles in their companies.

The next public class starts 31 January 2011. It is offered through teleseminar, so you can take the class from anywhere in the world.  The class is in English and is taught by Geri Schneider Winters, the well-known author of the popular book “Applying Use Cases: A Practical Guide”.

For more information go here: http://www.wyyzzk.com/bafundysales.html

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You are invited to re-publish articles from this blog, in your publication or website, as long as the article is intact and you include the following Byline paragraph (with live links) after each article you use…

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* Article used with permission from Wyyzzk, Inc.’s Writing Use Cases blog at http://www.WritingUseCases.com This website of reports and tips contains information to help you succeed as a Business Analyst in IT.

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1. If you sign up for my free tip of the week (see the upper right of this page), you get some reports with example use cases in them, along with a year of tips on writing use cases, writing other requirements, and the Business Analyst (or Business System Analyst) career. Current Price: Free.
2. If you buy my new book Use Case Business Requirements Model – Home Mortgage Loans, you get a complete business requirements model for the home mortgage loan domain (banking), with 30 use cases, over 80 business rules and supplementary requirements, and many UML diagrams including use case, activity, class, and state.  More than example use cases, this shows you how to put a complete business requirements model together.  Current Price: $27 USD.
3. If you buy my book Applying Use Cases: A Practical Guide (2nd Edition)
   there is a large use case example in that book, especially in appendix E. This example is order processing for an online store.  (This is my Amazon associate link, so if you buy through here, I am paid a commission.) Current Price: about $45 USD.
4. If you buy my Basic Use Case Writing System (self study course, approximately 4 weeks), you get a lot of  example use cases.  The Basic Use Case Writing System includes 3 example projects with a total of 50 use cases. The 3 example projects are a research library user interface, cargo container shipping, and a conference management system. Current Price: $97 USD.
5. If you register for my Business Analyst Fundamentals class (instructor led, IIBA certified, 10 weeks), you get a lot of examples of all kinds of requirements. The Business Analyst Fundamentals class is my premium class where I give you pretty much everything I have written on the subject of the Business Analyst role, sample artifacts, templates, etc.  If you are serious about being a Business Analyst or Business System Analyst, this is the class for you. The next class starts in February 2011. Current Price: $970 USD.

That list of places gives you a number of places where you can find example use cases that I have written. I am sure other people also provide example use cases. I have not gone to look for them, so do not know their quality.  I trust my own work   so I know these are good examples.

Geri

In the context of the BA role, I see so much published on the internet that is just nonsense. How can you know who to believe and what to trust?

You have to trust in your own experience and common sense.

• If something seems reasonable, some technique or process, then try it for yourself, and judge the results.
• If it does not seem reasonable, then it might be the wrong thing for you in that situation.
• If you do not have the experience to judge, then find someone else with more experience and ask his or her opinion.

Having said that, I also want to encourage you to keep an open mind. Something that seems reasonable, but that does not work today, might be just the right thing in a new situation. Re-evaluate what you know in the context of the current job, the current project.

I love this quote from over 2000 years ago:

“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.”
Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.

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Now it is your turn.

When have you trusted your judgment, tried something new, and it worked? What about the times where it did not work? In a new situation, have you applied something that did not work before and had it work for you in that new situation?
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You are invited to re-publish articles from this blog, in your publication or website, as long as the article is intact and you include the following Byline paragraph (with live links) after each article you use…

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* Article used with permission from Wyyzzk, Inc.’s Resources for Business Analysts site at http://www.ResourcesForBusinessAnalysts.com This website of reports and tips contains information to help you succeed as a Business Analyst in IT.

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Meeting facilitation involves a number of skills, because your job is to guide the participants in addressing the topic of the meeting. If they need to make decisions, you guide them to make the decisions. If they need to brainstorm, you guide them in brainstorming exercises.

1. You have to be a really good listener and pay close attention to everyone.
2. You have to keep the goal of the meeting firmly in mind so you can make decisions such as: This topic needs to be addressed in a separate meeting, so stop the discussion and move on. OR This topic has been decided, so record the decision and move on. OR Some people have not given their input and I need to draw them out on this topic.
3. You need to be firm in managing the people – make sure one person is not doing all the talking. Make sure all people get a chance to express themselves (as appropriate).
4. You need to be disciplined to not get involved in the discussion and to make sure you have someone else working as scribe and taking notes.
5. You need to take care of details such as making sure a room or conference line is scheduled, creating and sending an agenda, sending invitations, making sure the important people can attend, and making sure everyone understands why he or she is at this meeting.
6. It helps a lot to be a calm, even tempered person, and to have confidence in yourself.

I don’t know the company, but I found online a place that offers training in meeting facilitation: http://www.facilitator4hire.com/ Their training prepares you for IAF (International association of facilitators) certification: http://www.iaf-world.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3672. This looks like very useful training to me, since being a good facilitator is a useful in so many situations.

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Now it is your turn.

Have you trained to be a meeting facilitator? Where were you trained?
Have you worked with a trained meeting facilitator? Do you think the meeting worked better with a trained facilitator leading it?
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You are invited to re-publish articles from this blog, in your publication or website, as long as the article is intact and you include the following Byline paragraph (with live links) after each article you use…

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* Article used with permission from Wyyzzk, Inc.’s Resources for Business Analysts site at http://www.ResourcesForBusinessAnalysts.com This website of reports and tips contains information to help you succeed as a Business Analyst in IT.

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