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Blackmetric BA Digest: Useful links & articles for business analysts
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BA Digest: A round-up of useful BA articles from the web

 

Dear <<First Name>>,

A very warm welcome to the latest edition of the Blackmetric BA Digest, a useful round-up of BA articles and news from around the web.  And such a busy part of the year it is, there is so much news to share, this is a bumper edition so grab a tea/coffee/beverage of choice and get ready for a diverse range of BA content....

Next Free #BACommunity webinars
Firstly, I'm pleased to say that we have two fantastic webinars lined up, on two really interesting topics. They are completely free to attend, but we're limited to just 100 attendees on each, so please do register early to avoid disappointment! 
Video Interviews
I was able to convince some of the speakers from the Business Analysis Conference Europe to give short video interviews on a diverse range of topics. So far, there are interviews with Dr. Liz Calder (on "Modern Ethics"), Kay Hardy (on "Getting the Rich Picture"),  and Dr. Debra Paul (on "The Future of Business Analysis"), and there are more to come. I'll be aiming to release one of these every few weeks, and they'll go on the Blackmetric YouTube channel, so be sure to check it out and subscribe.

Please also let me know what you think of the interviews--do you like them? If so, I'll try to capture some more.

IIBA's Global BA Salary Survey
IIBA have released their global BA 'salary survey'.  Although it is badged as a 'salary' survey, it actually covers much more than this.  An infographic is available for anyone to view, and an in-depth report is available to members.  I was given a 'sneak peak' of some of the statistics before they were published, and some of the statistics that particularly jumped out at me were:
  • Nearly 38% report they are involved in Business Data Analytics -- this was higher than I anticipated (which is a good thing), and I wonder if this indicates a trend. 
  • 71% of respondents are involved in agile techniques (no surprise there, but interesting to see the percentage)
  • The most required competencies and skill sets? Problem solving (hard skills) Communication Skills ("soft" skills). Underpins the importance of Pre-Project problem analysis and systems thinking IMHO :) 
  • Almost 21% of BAs report they work in cybersecurity -- I was pleased to see this as this is so often overlooked. It's something I know I need to learn more about.  
You can find out more about the survey, and IIBA members can download a copy here.

Upcoming BA Events and Conferences
There are a whole range of BA events and conferences coming up. The fact that there are so many conferences shows how recognition of the discipline is continuing to grow. If you are aware of any other conferences, please drop me a line and I'll include them in the next edition of the newsletter:
Additionally, be sure to connect with your local IIBA chapter, as there are regular chapter events around the world too. For those of you in the UK, be sure to check out the IIBA UK chapter.

Upcoming Blackmetric Courses
We have upcoming public courses in London, Brussels and Hilversum (Netherlands).  Our next course is our two day Pre-project Problem Analysis course in London on 26-27 November--this runs only twice per year in the UK, so don't miss out!

We are also booking on-site courses for 2020.  We specialise in customised training for BA teams, so please do get in touch if we can be of assistance. You'll find more information on our website.

Mind Maps: BA Conference Summaries
I created some mindmaps whilst at the following conferences.  I was only able to capture a fraction of what was said, but if you weren't able to attend these will give you a flavour of what it was like to be there. This is a great way to get a quick heads-up of some of the key topics that were discussed.
Links, Articles and Resources
As usual, we have carefully curated a selection of links from around the web--these are included below--we hope that you enjoy reading/watching them! Please drop me a line if there is a topic that you'd like to see included in a future newsletter, or if you find an article that you'd like to share.  And if you do find this newsletter valuable, please feel free to forward it to your colleagues and connections. They can sign up here to receive the newsletter directly.

Kind regards & I hope to catch up with you soon,
 

Adrian Reed
Principal Consultant
Blackmetric Business Solutions Ltd
Business analysis consulting & training

T: +44 (0) 23 9298 4546
E: adrian.reed@blackmetric.co.uk

 

Your BA Digest Reading List: A round-up of useful business analysis resources 

Quick reads & resources (if you have 5-10 minutes):

1. The Robot Apocalypse by Paulo Conde - are the robots coming to take our jobs? Or are they friendly, and if so how should we view/engage with automation? Paulo discusses this topic further in this thought provoking article.

2. Introducing Capability Profile Mapping by Emily Webber - in this practical article, Emily shares an approach that can be used by organisations, individuals or teams to understand their current capabilities, and crucially how this maps against the organisation's direction.

3. Exploring the Bond Between Business Analysis & UX at the IIBA Conference 2019 by Chris Rourke - There are many complementary areas of collaboration between User Experience (UX) and Business Analysis. UX Expert Chris Rourke of User Vision explains his perspective in this brief article.

4. If You Don’t ‘Own’ Your Professional Development, Then Who Does? - With busy projects it's hard to find time for professional development. This BATimes article argues it is essential that we do find the time...

5.The 9th Stakeholder by Joe Newbert - Could AI be our next type of stakeholder? Joe Newbert suggests that it might be...

6. The Brake, The Car Horn And What It Tells Us About Organisational Conflict - Some people would rather use the horn than avoid the accident. The same is true in organisational conflict situations too. This article explores.

7. How to Handle Bikeshedding: Parkinson’s Law of Triviality by Leigh Espy - fascinating article (on the Project Bliss blog) about 'bikeshedding', a phenomena that you might not have heard of, but you've probably experienced! 

8. Five Top Tips If You Hate Networking by Christina Lovelock - We have probably all shuddered at the idea of 'networking'. In this article, Christina shares some practical tips.

9. Requisite Visual Variety by Steve Whitla - a thought provoking piece on the use of visuals, and how the use of icons or colour can imply meaning--and if used randomly might cause confusion.  Perhaps we should use colour (and iconography) more deliberately... and always carry more than one colour of pen!

10. Confessions of a BA: Deleting My 'CYA' File - Have you ever hoarded information on the 'off chance' that it'll be useful? Perhaps it can be counter-productive, this article explores why.
 
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