BA Brew - A Business Analysis Podcast

For the 100th Brew we decided to do something completely different. Fabricio Laguna joins the Crew for an in real time SWOT analysis of the BA profession – captured heroically by Jonathan on Mural – and available to download as a PDF here.Watch out for when everyone shares the one thing they would do to take the profession forward… (did anyone say ‘Empress of Business Analysis'?)Fabricio Laguna is a highly experienced BA, Business Consultant, and international speaker. He is the former President of IIBA Brazil Chapter and is currently Senior Adviser to the IIBA CEO.If you liked this BA Brew, you may be interested in the following: The SWOT Analysis is covered in AssistKD's Business Analysis Practice course and you can find a succinct description of the technique among our Free Bitesize Learning VideosWatch this BA Blog on The BA Mindset, featuring Fabricio Laguna and Christina Lovelock.This BA Blog is about Imposter Syndrome in the BA profession: BA Blog: Confidence and Complacency in Business AnalysisAssistKD BA Career Planner Tool

Everyone who watches this leadership focused BA Brew with Byron Morrison can think of someone they'd like to share it with. It's packed with nuggets of wisdom from the author of ‘The Effective CEO 2.0', including… At 2' 41 – how to deal with overwhelm At 7' 19 – moving from ‘doing' to ‘leading' At 14' 01 – are you setting your team up for success… or failure? At 20' 37 – what is your ‘Zone of Genius'? At 21' 49 – why ‘Push' and ‘Pull' days help you avoid burnout At 27' 23 – how to empower (and trust) your team At ️31'08 - how to become an effective leader And there's so much more. Byron and the Crew discuss what a ‘Not to Do' list is; why a team of all ‘A' players would not work; and Philippa Roll warns against dealing with work emails from Everest base camp! Byron Morrison is a speaker, author and management and leadership coach with a special interest in supporting first time CEOs. He is the author of several books including ‘Think Like a CEO' and ‘The Effective CEO 2.0', available from Amazon and other outlets. If you liked this BA Brew, you may also enjoy the following:   BA Brew  BA Brew 51: Think Like A CEO (feat. Byron Morrison) Articles BOOK REVIEW: Think Like a CEO by Byron Morrison Inclusive Leadership: The Secret of High Performing TeamsCourses Team Leadership Training Courses | Business AnalysisFree Learning  Free eLearning course – Effective Leadership: FREE Courses | Assist Knowledge Development  #businessanalyst #servicedesign #CEO #businessleadership #teamleadership #inclusiveleadership #effectiveCEO #thinklikeaCEO

BA Brew guest Danny Kalkhoven warns against sticking too strictly to business models (such as the BA Service Framework) and recommends adapting them to context. Jonathan is impressed by Danny's inspired analogy – applying a business model without context is like turning up at a building site with a shiny new drill and asking where you can use it. Danny quotes British Statistician George E.P. Box: ‘All models are wrong, but some are useful'. And Debbie gets straight to the point with: ‘Always switch your brain on'! Danny Kalkhoven is a business analyst, consultant and business analysis trainer who lives in the Netherlands. His forthcoming talk at BA Conference Europe 2025 ‘Mind the Gap' addresses the inevitable gap between business models and real-world business challenges.If you liked this BA Brew, you may also enjoy the following:  BA Brew BA Brew 35: The BA Service Framework Article Creating a Business Analysis Service Definition Introducing the BA Service Framework: FREE Course #businessanalyst #businessmodels #businessanalysis #BASF #BAServiceFramework #changemanagement #businesstools

What AI tools do you use as a BA? Business change consultant Mick Brian is an early adopter and expert on the subject. In this thought-provoking BA Brew, he discusses the challenges and rewards of introducing an LLM (Large Language Model) into a large organisation. Topics covered include: why the input of BAs is essential when introducing AI tools; the intangible benefits of LLMs; why you need to prompt AI to your level of expertise; the government's ‘AI Playbook' and more.As promised in the BA Brew, Mick Brian has shared these useful links for BAs with an interest in using AI tools. AI Playbook for the UK Government The Leader in Agentic Process Automation System | Automation AnywhereLucidchart | Diagramming Powered By Intelligence Process Intelligence and Process Mining | CelonisRory Sutherland Podcast Mick also recommended the book ‘Alchemy' by Rory Sutherland. If you liked this BA Brew, you may also enjoy the following articles and blogs:AI Alchemy: Turning Change into Gold - based on the presentation by Mick Brian and Will Izzard at the Business Change and Transformation Conference Europe 2024. BOOK REVIEW: Hello World by Hannah Fry AI and the Business Analysis Role The following BA Brews may be of interest: BA Brew 63: The AI BA Brew (Hosted by Chat GPT) BA Brew 75: Business Analysis and AI (Feat. John Wisner) BA Brew 81: The Benefits, Risks and Opportunities of AI in Business Analysis (Feat. Donald Farmer)

Have you ever wrestled with a box of tangled cables and leads… or tried to get the knot out of the chain of a necklace? Some business change problems can be as challenging. Change expert and BA leader Karen Newnham joins the crew to discuss engaging with stakeholders to tackle complex, persistent problems (otherwise known as ‘Mischief Management'.) Karen Newnham was also the special guest on BA Brew 25: The Solution Standoff. If you liked this BA Brew, you may also enjoy the following articles and blogs: The Problem Solving Duck Stakeholder Engagement: Beware of ‘Nodding Along' Syndrome You're Speaking, But Are You Being Understood? Process Woes The following BA Brews may be of interest: BA Brew 26 on Stakeholders and BA Brew 76 on The Human Element. #businessanalyst #stakeholdermanagement #businessanalysis #solutions #changemanagement #stakeholders #businessproblems

What's all the fuss about cybersecurity? And why do business analysts need to understand it? Cybersecurity and business analysis expert Bindu Channaveerappa is the special guest on this week's BA Brew, where she argues that an understanding of cybersecurity is now integral to the work of the BA. “When we create the value, why leave the security to someone else?” Bindu Channaveerappa is a highly respected author, trainer and international speaker on business analysis and cyber security. Her book, ‘Cyber Security and Business Analysis: An essential guide to secure and robust systems' is available from BCS Publishing. AssistKD runs a 1-Day Cybersecurity and Business Analysis workshop for Business Analysts and Business Change professionals. In this article Embracing a Security Mindset: The Next Frontier of Business Analysis cybersecurity expert Mark Cross urges BAs to focus on security against cyber threats. You may also enjoy this AI focused BA Brew, hosted by ChatGPT. #cybersecurity #cyberthreats #businessanalysis #businesschange #digitalsolutions

This BA Brew focuses on the newly published ‘Business Architecture: a comprehensive guide.' Authors Jonathan Hunsley and Debra Paul and contributing author Victoria Banner discuss the ‘why' of the book; the joy of collaborating and sharing ideas; and some of their favourite content including: - leveraging capability to meet goals and outcomes using the CALM model - comparing the business architecture service framework to the business analysis service framework and other service frameworks for role clarity - information concepts including data protection and security - case studies showing the positive impact of business architecture ‘Business Architecture: a comprehensive guide' is available from BCS publishing and other retailers. You may be interested in the following articles, BA Brews and bitesize learning on the topic of Business Architecture. This article compares the Business Analysis and Business Architecture roles, in particular their respective Service Frameworks. Find out more about AssistKD's Architecture courses.  This BA Brew on Business Architecture features Wouter Nieuwenburg.This BA Brew on Strategy and Business Architecture features Vicky Rothwell. Business Architecture: a comprehensive guide is available from the BCS book shop, and also on Amazon. Scroll through our bitesize learning videos and you will find ‘What is Business Architecture' and ‘What is Enterprise Architecture'. #businessarchitecture #businessanalysis #businessarchitectureguide #businessbooks #businessstrategy #businessarchitecturetraining #whatisbusinessarchitecture

Difficult stakeholders or colleagues? Help is at hand! How we (and others) react in response to challenging situations at work – especially where there is resistance to change – is explained by the Transactional Analysis model. This week's special guest, and an expert on #transactionalanalysis, is Leadership Development Consultant and MD Mandy Green. Watch the Brew to find out more about the ego states of (Critical) Parent, Adult and (Fractious) Child and how insight into those states can help us break free of the ‘Drama Triangle.' You may be interested in the following BA Brews,BA Brew 20: Resilience (feat. Corrine Thomas) BA Brew 30: Confidence (feat. Philippa Thomas) BA Brew 36: If You Don't Do Politics, Politics Will Do You (feat. Niven Postma) BA Brew 45: Developing Positive Habits and Behaviours BA Brew 49: Mental Health (feat. Petra Velzeboer) BA Brew 52: Books that Changed the Way We Work BA Brew 54: Neurodiversity (feat. Simon Platt) BA Brew 69: Self Assessment and Development Tools (feat. Corrine Thomas) BA Brew 71: Neurodiversity: The BA Survival Guide (feat. Nicola Pinkney & Paul Haywood) BA Brew 86: Psychological Safety (feat. Emma Lee) BA Brew 89: Character Crafting (feat. Helen Holder)

In AssistKD's latest Business Analysis podcast the team discuss why every touchpoint of the customer journey matters... and how a deeper understanding of the customer experience can only benefit organisations and the wider economy. Kerry, Mike and Jonathan get some serious mileage out of a restaurant analogy and Mike gets extra brownie points for mentioning POPIT™️within the first two minutes of the podcast. Topics covered include: what is the customer experience; the difference between CX and UX (User Experience) and which elements of POPIT™️relate to each; plus useful techniques such as empathy maps, customer journey mapping and Jonathan's favourite – the Zone of Tolerance. AssistKD's CX Analysis course takes and in-depth look at the customer experience, and how an organisation can transform its existing processes to create engaged, responsive and connected customer experiences. It's ideal if you want to deepen your understanding of CX, and the module counts towards the new A4Q Service Designer qualification. CX Analysis is now also available as an eLearning course. You may be interested in this article by Debra Paul. The Rise of the CX Professional.  You can find out more about AssistKD's Service Design courses here: https://www.assistkd.com/courses/service-design-coursesEnjoy bitesize learning? Watch our short learning videos  here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEvIolukjraxfTJfMou8axtos6ec_0z2s#CX #CXanalysis #voiceofthecustomer #surveys #interviews #storytelling #focusgroups #observation #ethnographicstudies #empathymaps #customerjourneymaps #customerjourney #servicedesign #servicedesigner  #customerexperience #businessanalysispodcast

Are you a Business Analyst considering your next career move? Our latest BA Brew considers an academic route for BAs and how a Master of Business Administration (MBA) postgraduate degree could revitalise your career. AssistKD's Debbie Paul and Lisa Hudson are joined by IIBA UK Director and Transformation Consultant at Burendo Christina Tan to talk about their respective MBA journeys. They discuss the rationale for studying towards an MBA, the different business subjects typically covered, learning methods, time management, challenges, valuable takeaways and networking opportunities. If you enjoy this BA Brew, the following podcast may also be of interest: BA Brew 17 - The Love of Learning (Feat. Sam Merrick) #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #mba #mbalife #masterofbusinessadministration

In AssistKD's 2024 BA Brew Christmas message the Crew discuss what they are most looking forward to about Christmas and share some very cheesy jokes. Lisa and Kerry are excited about Christmas Day; Mike (or is it Santa?) is going to parkrun, Pete does not need any more socks, and Jo is looking forward to playing Cards Against Humanity with her 90-year-old Grandad! #merrychristmas #BABrew #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #servicedesign #businesschange

Do we need a rebrand of the business analyst role? Experts in the field Debra Paul, Jamie Toyne and Michelle Shakesheff put their heads together to discuss the current BA market, and the ongoing implications for BAs. Topic discussed include: the current demand for BAs; recruitment challenges; the need for a broad BA skillset; rebranding the BA role; changing the narrative; role clarity; the need for BAs to keep learning; and more! If you enjoyed this BA Brew, you may find the following resources of interest. ARTICLES Filling the Business Analysis Skills Gap BA Recruitment and Retention: A Multi-Faceted Approach BA BREWS Bravery in Business Analysis BA Skills and How to Develop Them #businessanalysis #userstories #requirements #BA #BArecruitment #businessanalyst #theBAmarket

The Double Diamond approach is a popular (and fun) design thinking technique designed to help you generate ideas; problem solve; challenge and even reverse assumptions. Our latest BA Brew with Jonathan Hunsley, Lisa Hudson and special guest Liza Laya introduces the framework – discussing its uses, benefits and some real-world applications. Liza Laya is Head of Technology and Digital Reform at a state government agency in Melbourne, Australia. She has almost 25 years of local and international experience and currently oversees teams responsible for delivering technology and data reforms.  FURTHER RESOURCES  This podcast includes mention of the Service Design Consultancy Framework, covered in this article by Jonathan Hunsley: Winging It Doesn't Work: We Need Professional Service Design | Assist Knowledge Development (assistkd.com) [PLEASE MAKE THIS AN INTERNAL LINK] Find more useful videos on Service Design in AssistKD's Service Design playlist. Service Design Playlist Introduction (youtube.com) Visit AssistKD's Learning Zone for more Service Design learning resources. You can search by topic in our articles and BA Manager Forum sections. Learning Zone | Information and Articles | Assist Knowledge Development (assistkd.com) #businesschange #doublediamondframework #servicedesign #service designer #doublediamond #designthinking #cx #customerexperience

Have you heard of Character Crafting and how it can be used to build resilience and leadership skills? In this enlightening chat our special guest, Helen Holder, discusses the positive character traits and behaviours central to the BA role… and how we can develop and maintain them. Topics discussed include: the Personal Strength inventory; character vs. the cult of personality; identifying your character strengths and weaknesses; developing through practice; and the power of theT Lego persona. Helen Holder has over 10 years' experience working as a BA for public sector organisations. Passionate about elevating the BA profession, she volunteers with the @IIBA UK Midlands chapter. You may find the related articles, blogs and videos of interest Who Do You Think You Are? Business Analysts and Impostor Syndrome | Assist Knowledge Development Business Analysts and the Feedback Mindset | Assist Knowledge Development BOOK REVIEW: Mindset by Carol Dweck | Assist Knowledge Development BA Brew 76: The Human Element (Feat. Helen Holder) | Assist Knowledge Development AssistKD's Team Leadership course covers positive communication, time management, leading a team through change, and more. Team Leadership Training Courses | Business Analysis | Assist Knowledge Development #businessanalysis #businessanalysis #personalstrengthinventory #BAcompetency #characterstrengths #personaldevelopment #growthmindset

Do you love a success story? BA Apprentice of the Year 2024 Lorna Mylett is this week's special BA Brew guest. She shares her experience of the Business Analyst Apprenticeship supported by her employers DWP, and AssistKD. Topics discussed include: learning and applying new skills and understanding; the value of learning as part of a group and having a mentor; and what it's like to be thrown at the deep end at the IRM UK BA Conference Europe. If you enjoyed this BA Brew, you may find the following resources of interest. ARTICLES Meet Lorna Mylett, Business Analyst Apprentice of the Year 2024 The Business Case for Apprenticeships My Experience of the Business Analysis Apprenticeship VIDEOS BA Brew 27: The BA Apprenticeship AssistKD's Business Analyst (Level 4) Apprenticeship Scheme #BAapprenticeship #apprenticeships #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #talentpipeline

Tricky business problem? Get those (creative) thinking caps on! In this week's BA Brew the Crew discuss how creative thinking can help business change professionals challenge the status quo, think expansively and come up with effective solutions. Questions addressed include: What is creative thinking? How can you create an environment for creative thinking? What are the potential barriers? What are your top 3 creative thinking techniques? You may find the following articles, course, free learning and BA Brews useful: ARTICLES Zombie Penguin Business Analysts: Creativity Techniques and Divergent ThinkingCreative Thinking/Divergent ThinkingCOURSE Design Thinking CourseFREE LEARNING NEW Free Learning Course - Creative Problem SolvingBA BREWS BA Brew 21: Design Thinking (Feat. Kay Hardy)BA Brew 82: The Double Diamond (feat. Liza Laya)#servicedesign #divergentthinking #creativityinbusiness #businessanalysis #businessanalyst

If you have ever wanted to know more about psychological safety this brew is a one not to be missed. Jonathan Hunsley and Philippa Thomas are joined by Emma Lee (Chief Psychologist at Matthew Syed Consulting and registered psychologist) to discuss this important topic.Collectively they explore questions such as:▶️What is psychological safety?▶️Why is psychological safety important?▶️How does psychological safety impact individuals and teams?▶️How might an absence of psychological safety impact creativity and organisational learning?▶️How might we develop a culture of psychological safety?FURTHER RESOURCES The following BA Brews may be of interest:BA Brew 80 - Bravery in Business Analysis (feat. Kay Hardy & Charlie Payne)BA Brew 76: The Human Element (feat. Helen Holder)BA Brew Episode 60: Imposter Syndrome: Are you an imposter in BA clothing? (feat. Jo Fahy)BA Brew 49: Mental Health (feat. Petra Velzeboer)BA Brew 30: Confidence (feat. Philippa Thomas)BA Brew 20: Resilience (feat. Corrine Thomas)Books Radical Candor: How to Get What You Want by Saying What You Mean – Kim ScottRebel Ideas - Matthew SyedThe 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness – Stephen R Covey#businessanalysis #businessanalyst #baprofessional #psychologicalsafety #MatthewSyed

In this special BA Conference Europe BA Brew, AssistKD CEO Debra Paul is joined by three BA Conference legends: Shane McGlynn, Rachel Levermore, and James Archer (who started the ball rolling in the first place!) The BA Conference Europe is Europe's foremost Business Analysis conference, which has evolved over the past 16 years to over 500 attendees and 6 streams of talks. This BA Brew celebrates: the dedication and enthusiasm of the Advisory Board who tune in to the latest thinking and different perspectives everyone behind the scenes who helps to make this wonderful conference happen the bravery of new speakers, stepping up for their first ever BA Conference presentations and most of all, the amazing BA community Topics discussed include: how the conference has grown, kept current and pushed boundaries; inspirational speakers over the years; memorable moments… and more. #BA2024 #ProfessionalGrowth #BASkills #Networking #BusinessConference #BAConferenceEurope #businessanalyst #servicedesign #servicedesigner #BA

Are you an Activist, a Theorist, a Pragmatist or a Reflector? Our latest BA Brew could help you find out and get the most from your learning. The Brew Crew are joined by former Apprentice and now BA at the Environment Agency Cat Warren to talk about some of the different learning models (Kolb, Bloom and Honey and Mumford). They look at how the different learning approaches work with training courses, course manuals and eLearning and explore how understanding other people's different learning styles helps with facilitation and stakeholder engagement. The following resources are relevant to the learning models mentioned in this podcast: Kolb's Learning Styles The Honey and Mumford Learning Model Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning You can find quick overviews of how to use Mind Maps and Rich pictures in the Bitesize Videos section of the AssistKD Learning Zone. #learningstyles #elearning #businesstrainingcourses #businessanalysis #servicedesign #kolb #honeyandmumford #bloomstaxonomy #learning #training #businesstraining

This BA Brew is AssistKD's second BA Question Time. Many of the questions focus on role clarity, a hot topic for BAs. Mike Williams is host, with expert panellists Jo Frances and Jonathan Hunsley providing the answers and insights. This week's questions are: ❓What is the difference between a Business Analyst and a Business Architect? ❓What is the difference between a Business Analyst and a Service Designer? ❓How can a growth mindset support change professionals in general? ❓ What are the overlaps between a Business Analyst and a Functional Analyst? Do you have a question our the next BA Question Time? If so, please email us on BABrew@AssistKD.com or post on our wall on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn. The following BA Brews and articles are relevant to the topics discussed: This article on Business Analysis and Business Architecture is based on the workshop run by Victoria Banner and Jonathan Hunsley at the BA Manager Forum in June 2024. This is an interesting BA Brew on Business Architecture. BA Brew 22: Business Architecture (Feat. Wouter Nieuwenburg)This article compares the BA Service Framework and the Service Design Service Framework and addressed the ‘grey area' between the roles. This book review is relevant to the growth mindset. This output from the BA Manager Forum provides some useful information on the growth mindset. #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #baqt #growthmindset #businessarchitecture #businessarchitect #servicedesign #servicedesigner #functionalanalyst #dataarchitecture #roleclarity

If you're concerned about the impact of Artificial Intelligence on your business or your job, this BA Brew is a must-watch. Debra Paul and Pete Thompson discuss the benefits, risks and opportunities with Donald Farmer – one of the foremost thinkers, researchers and presenters in the field. Topics discussed include: automating processes; cost savings; intellectual property; caring about the human element; inherent bias in AI; the need for new requirements; mitigating for unexpected adverse effects and more. Donald Farmer is a visionary data and analytics strategist with over 30 years' experience designing data and analytics products. He has led teams at Microsoft and Qlik Technologies and is now the Principal of TreeHive Strategy where he advises software vendors, enterprises and investors on data and advanced analytics strategy. FURTHER RESOURCES This short article lists the top takeaways from Donald Farmer's talk at the Business Change and Transformation Conference Europe: Generative AI and Business Strategy: Innovation or Imitation? You may also be interested in the following articles and BA Brews on AI: Articles: AI Alchemy: Turning Change into Gold AI and the Business Analysis Role Book Review of Hello World by Hannah Fry BA Brews: Business Analysis and AI The AI Brew #AI #artificialintelligence #AIautomation #requirements #dataanalytics #dataanalysis #businesschange #servicedesign

This BA Brew is all about bravery, asking what bravery is and how we can develop it. Charlie Payne and Kay Hardy join the Brew Crew to try to answer these questions and more. The discussion includes: how elements of police training can also apply to business analysis; a great skiing analogy; building resilience; psychological safety; power poses; and more. During the BA Brew, Amy Cuddy's TED talk Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are is referenced, and also her book Presence. #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #bravery #challenging #businesschange #bodylanguage #managingstakeholders #designthinking #BA

If you are interested in Agile, you won't want to miss this. This BA Brew is all about the second edition of ‘Agile Business Analysis: Practical guidance for IT professionals' by Lynda Girvan and Debra Paul. Watch as the authors discuss what readers can expect from the revised and updated edition, including: ⭐ the latest Agile developments ⭐ new techniques ⭐ new thinking ⭐ real-life case-studies where experienced practitioners share challenges and lessons learned. The wide-ranging discussion covers organisational agility and the role of the BA; the relevance of the Agile Manifesto; how to apply Agile in an informed and relevant way; the increased focus on the customer and much more. #agile #IT #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #businesschange #digital #agilebusinessanalysis

In this special edition of our BA Brew, it's BA Question Time! Mike Williams presides as AssistKD's Fiona Bruce with Debra Paul and Jonathan Hunsley as the panellists. This week's questions are: ❓Should BAs understand commerce/business? ❓How can a BA team of 20 balance sharing knowledge and experience as a team with time on their own projects? ❓How do I bring together a group of professionals working in and around the business analysis space together to add value to the business? ❓Business Analysts often feel overlooked. How can we raise the profile of the profession? ❓What's going to be in fashion in the BA World this year? Do you have a question for our next BA Question Time? If so, please email us on BABrew@AssistKD.com or post on our wall on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.The following BA Brews and articles are relevant to the answers given: Adair's model of action centred leadership addresses balances the team, the task and the individual. This article on inclusive leadership. This article on establishing a centralised Community of Practice. This article on creating a BA Service Definition. BA Brew 68: Stepping Beyond the BA toolbox BA Brew 44: Building a BA Community #BAQT #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #BAtoolkit #leadership #teamwork #business

In our latest brew Jonathan Hunsley and Nicole Alderton are joined by Michelle Shakesheff and Tim Clark of Close Bros to share their thoughts on getting started in a BA career. They share insights on the different modes of learning available to build the professional toolkit, the importance of mentoring and stepping out of your comfort zone to take on new challenges. Handily, they also delve into the sources and benefits of ongoing self-development. With so many structured routes into business analysis, including the BA apprenticeship, perhaps gone are the days of simply drifting into the BA career. #businessanalysis #ba #businessanalysis #growthmindset #mentor #apprenticeships

The pandemic and new technology have changed the way we work, but how are we responding as humans? Special guest Helen Holder considers the human element of our professional lives in this fascinating BA Brew. Topics include: how we respond to our work, interact with stakeholders and deal with change; the personal attributes of BAs, business architects and service designers; investing in personal growth; the strength inventory; resilience and the growth mindset and more. Helen Holder is a Senior Business Analyst and BA of the Year Finalist 2022. If you enjoy this BA Brew, you may also enjoy the following articles: Resilience Resources You can't spell Challenge without Change Helen referenced the following books during the conversation: Leadersmithing by Eve Pool Who You Are is How You Lead by Rachel L. Rider The following BA Brews may be of interest. BA Brew 20 on Resilience; BA Brew 30 on Confidence; BA Brew 50 on Stepping out of your Comfort Zone; BA Brew 62 on Advice that Got Us Through Life and BA Brew 69 on Self Assessment and Development tools. #charactercrafting #growthmindset #businessanalyst #businessanalysis #servicedesign #BA #personalitytools

Artificial Intelligence: a powerful ally with mind-blowing potential… or a threat to our jobs? @John Wisner joins the BA Brew crew for a lively discussion on where we are right now, and the possibilities and challenges ahead. Topics include: AI and automation; brainstorming with AI; machine learning and data analytics; asking AI the right questions; why BAs need to be aware of the new AI tools, and more. John Wisner is Managing Principal Consultant at Capco, Business Analysis Capability Lead and BA of the Year Finalist 2022. If you enjoyed this BA Brew you may be interested in this BA Blog. You may also enjoy the following BA Brews on AI and on the future of business analysis: BA Brew 63: The AI Brew (Hosted by ChatGPT) BA Brew 10: Is there a Future for Business Analysis? #artificialintelligence #AI #businessanalyst #businessanalysis #servicedesign #BA #AItools #AIforbusiness

Daniel Squire and Jonathan Hunsley are passionate about business analysis… and martial arts (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Taekwondo respectively). In this fascinating BA Brew, they discuss some of the misconceptions about martial arts and the many parallels between the disciplines. Topics include: situational awareness; control, discipline and practice; inclusivity and respect... and much more. Daniel Squire is Principal Business Analyst at Just Eat. If you enjoyed this BA Brew you may be interested in ‘The Black Belt BA' article in our Learning Zone, based on a talk of the same name given by Jonathan Hunsley.And you can find Daniel Squire's article ‘Mind Meets Mat: The Digital Dojo' here.

In... or out? This BA Brew looks at the differences and common ground between the in-house and the external BA consultant roles. Our special guest is Liz Calder, highly experienced BA and IIBA UK Chapter President. Topics covered include: different agreements and expectations; skills sets; organisational culture and implicit rules; organisational knowledge; financial considerations; investing in your skills and knowledge... and much more. #BAconsultancy #internalBA #businessanalyst #businessanalysis #BA #businessconsultant #IIBA #BAskills #businessanalysisconsultancy #stakeholderengagement #organisationalculture

When business analysts work at one organisation for a long time, they can lose sight of their value and transferable skills. They may even find it difficult to move on. This BA Brew In this BA Brew Chris Pyatt talks about how BAs can regain their professional confidence. Topics covered include: the ‘comfort zone' of subject matter and organisational expertise; the skills you have which you may take for granted; taking the ‘leap of faith'; engaging with the BA community; the value of training, certification and mentoring and much more. Chris Pyatt, BA at DWP Digital, first talked about ‘The Institutionalised BA' at the BA Conference Europe 2023.

Neurodiversity is a word we hear, but how much do we really understand it and recognise neurodivergence in ourselves and others? Only by better understanding can we support and champion people with neurodiversity and appreciate what they can offer the BA community. In this awareness-raising BA Brew, guests Nicola Pinkney and Paul Haywood share some personal insights and helpful tips. You can find AssistKD's recent article based on Nicola and Paul's inspiring talk at BA Conference Europe 2023 here. Helpful organisations: Daisy Chain (Autism and Neurodiversity Support) Mind (Mental Health Charity) S4Nd (Society for Neurodiversity) The Brain Charity (Neurological Support)

In AssistKD's 2023 BA Brew Christmas message, the Crew compare their favourite Christmas songs and share their highlights of the year.

Editor Tom found this BA Brew ‘mind-blowing' and we think you will too. If you have ever felt ‘put in your box' as a BA, you need to hear what Enterprise Architect and Strategy Delivery Consultant Vicky Rothwell has to say. Vicky challenges business analysts to push for a strategic role, to be bold with our BA toolkits and to build our understanding of business architecture and service design. Topics covered in this BA Brew include: The overlap between the business architecture and business analysis toolkits. The rise of the strategic business analyst. Business architecture as an opportunity for BAs. Self-limiting beliefs and how to resist being put in the ‘BA Box'. Why business analysts, business architects and service designers are a powerful alliance. The capability lens and the value proposition. Responding to business events. Microservices and macroservices. Vicky Rothwell works as Strategy Lead at Airelogic Limited. You may enjoy the following BA Brews: BA Brew 22: Business Architecture (Feat. Wouter Nieuwenburg) BA Brew 22: Business Architecture (Feat. Wouter Nieuwenburg) - YouTube BA Brew 42 Business Analysts - Leaders or Followers? (Feat. Emily Tom) BA Brew 42 Business Analysts - Leaders or Followers? (Feat. Emily Tom) - YouTube BA Brew 46: Business Service Design BA Brew 46: Business Service Design - YouTube BA Brew Episode 50: Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone BA Brew 50: Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone (Feat. Producer Tom) - YouTube For all the latest business analysis, business change and service design content, including bitesize learning videos, please like, subscribe and share this podcast. #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #businessarchitecture #enterprisearchitecture #businessstrategy #PESTLE #VMOST #SWOT #requirements #requirementsengineering #servicedesign #designthinking #userstories #usecases #outcomesfocus #technologyarchitecture #businessoutcomes #leadership

Self-assessment and development tools provide useful insights which can benefit individuals, teams and organisations. This BA Brew features special guest Corrine Thomas (business analysis leader, coach, mentor, writer and author) and looks at some of the tools including MBTI Myers Briggs, StrengthsFinder, Engage, Strengths Profile, the Strengths Deployment Inventory and Mindset Advantage. Useful links: Myers Briggs Experts in business psychology and personality assessment (themyersbriggs.com) StrengthsFinder StrengthsFinder 2.0 | EN - Gallup Engage https://www.engagecoach.com/ Strengths Profile What are your Strengths? | Strengths Profile Strength Deployment Inventory Strength Deployment Inventory 2.0 | Core Strengths Assessment Mindset Advantage Mindset Advantage Psychometric - Matthew Syed Consulting, Mindset Cultures That Empower People You may enjoy the following BA Brews: BA Brew Episode 41: Job Crafting (Feat. Charlotte Axon) BA Brew 41: Job Crafting (Feat. Charlotte Axon) - YouTube BA Brew Episode 30: Confidence (Feat. Philippa Thomas) BA Brew 30: Confidence (Feat. Philippa Thomas) - YouTube BA Brew Episode 20: Resilience (Feat. Corrine Thomas) BA Brew 20: Resilience (Feat. Corrine Thomas) - YouTube Read AssistKD's book review of StrengthsFinder by Tim Rath BOOK REVIEW: StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath | Assist Knowledge Development (assistkd.com) For all the latest business analysis, business change and service design content, including bitesize learning videos, please like, subscribe and share this podcast. #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #personalitytools #myersbriggs #selfawareness #mindsetadvantage #engage #strengthsprofile #strengthsfinder #SDI #psychometrictest #growthmindset #personalitytests #selfassessmenttools

Newly crowned IRM UK Business Analyst of the Year winner Pip Hall joins the Brew Crew this week. Pip talks about her BA journey and those key life skills to be found beyond the standard BA toolbox. The inspiring and heartwarming chat covers what we can learn from our hobbies, interests and relationships; the importance of empathy and why Pip thinks we should take our whole selves to work. You may enjoy the following BA Brews: BA Brew Episode 26: Stakeholders (Feat. Pip Hall) BA Brew Episode 47: Creating Purpose and Meaning (feat. Joe Newbert)For all the latest business analysis, business change and service design content, including bitesize learning videos, please like, subscribe and share this podcast. #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #servicedesign #communicationskills #empathy #BAtoolbox #BAskills #stakeholderengagement

In this fascinating BA Brew, business consultant and communications specialist Miruna Ursache talks about the different ways we communicate, and the power of understanding where our personal communication styles, habits and patterns come from. Miruna is the founder of training and coaching company Refraiz, and has led fun, interactive communications workshops at the BA Manager Forum and the BA Conference Europe. You may enjoy the following BA Brews: BA Brew 48: The Benefits of One Pagers BA Brew 61: 50 Mighty Words to Grow Your Business For all the latest business analysis, business change and service design content, including bitesize learning videos, please like, subscribe and share this podcast. #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #servicedesign #communicationskills #businesscommunication #communications #verbalcommunication #writtencommunication #nonverbalcommunication

Between them, our Brew Crew have decades of presentation-giving experience. In this eye-opening chat they share some useful and practical advice… and a few embarrassing stories. From testing the tech to the best throat pastilles, discover some handy hacks and hints to make sure your presentations go without a hitch. Find out about AssistKD's Presentation Skills course here. Plan for success in your BA career with AssistKD's FREE Career Planner tool. For all the latest business analysis, business change and service design content, including bitesize learning videos, please like, subscribe and share this podcast. #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #presentations #presentationskills #businesspresentations #presentationhacks #presentationtips #presentationpreparation #givingpresentations

It took Ian Richards and Filip Hendrickx five days and an entire wall of Post-It notes to create the storyline for the business novel Brainy Glue. It then took them three years to write it, around their many commitments. In this BA Brew, Filip and Ian talk about the main themes explored in the novel – business analysis, innovation and change… and how they managed to weave 25 BA techniques into the 52 chapters. Topics discussed include: Understanding people's drivers to inform stakeholder engagement; co-creating change; bringing the BA role to life in novel form and more. Ian Richards is BA Director at Peregrine and a member of the BCS BA Leadership board. Filip Hendrickx is a global speaker, President of the IIBA Brussels chapter and founder of Altershape. You can read the first sixteen chapters of Brainy Glue for FREE, on www.brainyglue.com and buy the book direct from the website. You can also order the book in paperback or Kindle form on Amazon. Love to learn? You might enjoy our bitesize learning playlist – short videos explaining key BA tools and techniques. Plan for success in your BA career with AssistKD's FREE Career Planner tool. For all the latest business analysis, business change and service design content, including bitesize learning videos, please like, subscribe and share this podcast.

How do you become a BA professional? In today's BA Brew, the crew talk about their respective journeys and business analysts can gain certifications, increase their skills and raise the standard of their business analysis work. Topics covered include: Training and development in business analysis; the pros and cons of the multiple-choice question and the oral exam; the difference between qualifications and certifications; the many routes to becoming a BA; creating a tailored professional development plan; reflection and knowledge sharing; learning from failures and more. Plan your BA career path with AssistKD's FREE and newly updated Career Planner tool. Find out more about the professional certifications and examinations you can achieve through AssistKD. Watch this video about the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis. For all the latest business analysis, business change and service design content including AssistKD's bitesize learning videos please like, subscribe and share. #businessanalysis #businessanalyst #careeradvice #certification #businesstraining #businessintelligence #growthmindset #traininganddevelopment #professionalism #multiplechoice #knowledgesharing

You know you've had great advice when you remember it and feel inspired by it throughout your life. This week the Brew Crew and special guest Julie Walker share some valuable gems of wisdom – including how to eat an elephant (one bite at a time). Julie Walker is the author of the historical novel ‘Bonny & Read', about the lives of the famous women pirates Ann Bonny and Mary Read. Further reading: By Julie Walker: Bonny & Read: The stunning new feminist historical novel for 2022

Communications failure is behind most business disasters, where people are afraid to admit they don't fully understand what they are supposed to be doing, and why. Luckily, our latest BA Brew guest is on the case. In this fascinating discussion, Felicity Cowie –communications consultant, multi-award winning investigative news journalist and former Panorama editor – shares useful insights from her decades of experience. Topics covered include: the power of stating what you are doing and why concisely, clearly and understandably; authentic communication and feeling safe enough to say ‘I don't know'; making every word count; avoiding scope ‘creep'; the reassurance of repeating the message at the start of every meeting and more. Felicity's latest book, ‘Exposure' includes the 50 Mighty Words technique. You can find it here.

This week our intrepid crew are joined by Jo Fahy to talk about Imposter Syndrome, something 80% of us admit to having experienced. The discussion includes what Imposter Syndrome is; the many ways it can manifest itself; personal experiences; gender and age factors; why a little self-doubt is useful but a lot is prohibitive; the power of being authentic; asking for feedback; silencing the inner critic and more. Jo Fahy is a Senior Business Analyst at the University of Manchester, and a member of the Young Business Analysts Senior Leadership Team. Further reading: Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. A. (1978). “The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention.” Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 15(3), p.241–247  Young, Valerie Dr. (2011) “The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Imposter Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It”, Crown Publishing Group, Division of Random House Inc  More tools and resources available from Mandy Green at https://www.mandygreenleadership.com/ Dweck, Carol “The Power of Believing You Can Improve” TED Talk   Fahy, Jo (2022) “It's Not You, It's Me – Impostor Syndrome”, BA Digest, available at https://heyzine.com/flip-book/a5dc676452.html#page/5  Tulshyan, Rushika and Burey, Jodi-Ann (2021) “Stop Telling Women They Have Impostor Syndrome”, Harvard Business Review, available at Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome

This week we welcome two very special guests aboard the good ship BA Brew.

This week the Brew Crew discuss why the customer should be at the centre of any change initiative. Their special guest is Sushma Sundaran, a Senior Technology Delivery Manager at the Home Office, with extensive experience of customer-centric change. Topics covered include: listening to, understanding and meeting diverse customer needs; customer journey mapping; the customer experience; customer retention; the importance of shared values; the human touch; using CATWOE, the SARAH curve and more.

Karl Wiegers and Candase Hokanson join the Crew this week to chat about requirements practices. Answering the need for a shorter book on requirements, their new book ‘Software Requirements Essentials' focuses on the 20 core practices essential for software and systems projects. Topics covered in the Brew include: the requirements engineering framework; modelling; why requirements matter; requirements management; the separation of elicitation and analysis; requirements in Agile projects; non-functional requirements and more. Candase Hokanson is a Business Architect at ArgonDigital. Karl Wiegers is Principal Consultant at Process Impact. Software Requirements Essentials: Core Practices for Successful Business AnalysisSoftware Requirements Essentials (softwarereqs.com)

Are you a business analyst with a story to tell? In this BA Brew, Lee Fewkes tells the Crew why he created The BA Story, where business analysts can share their BA stories and insights. Topics covered include: The power and connection of the personal story; how no two business analysts are the same; how it feels to reflect on your career challenges and achievements; the many roads to becoming a BA and more. You can find the BA Story website here: The Business Analyst Story (thebastory.com)

How can you make your customers or end users feel real, empathise with them and better understand what they really want and need? In this Brew Kerry, Mike and Pete discuss the power of Personas, and how BAs can create and use them effectively. The chat covers: what are Personas; avoiding stereotypes; customer research; using photos and names; how Personas link to other techniques such as User Stories and Empathy Mapping; and more. If you're interested in Personas you may be interested in watching AssistKD's recent Service Design webinar on ‘Roles, personas and customer journeys: challenges and misconceptions'. You can find it on our YouTube channel here.

The topic for this latest BA Brew was suggested by Principal Business Analyst Simon Platt. A keen Neurodiversity Advocate, Simon addresses this sensitive and sometimes challenging topic, sharing his insights into and experience of Neurodiversity with the Brew Crew and wider BA Brew audience. Topics discussed include: What is Neurodiversity?; looking beyond labels; trust and psychological safety in the workplace; strategies for the individual; the 3 components of ADHD and more. AssistKD provides training, apprenticeships and consultancy services throughout the UK and internationally. Click here to view AssistKD's extensive choice of classroom (virtual and face-to-face) and e-learning courses.

Our latest BA Brew guest is the wonderful Fae Marcano, Business Analyst of the Year 2022. In this episode Fae and the crew talk about how they became business analysts and their experiences of the BA of the Year awards. Topics include: how Fae, Jonathan and Lisa became BAs; the ‘why' of becoming a BA; the Business Analyst of the Year experience and why it's worth entering; the joys of networking and knowledge sharing; why mentoring matters; promoting the BA role and much more. Fae may well inspire you to apply for the BA of the Year award yourself! AssistKD provides training, apprenticeships and consultancy services throughout the UK and internationally. Click here to view AssistKD's extensive choice of classroom (virtual and face-to-face) and e-learning courses.

Can a book really change the way you work, or even how you look at life? The Brew Crew certainly think so. Watch this podcast to hear about the books that have made them think differently, and that they return to again and again for inspiration. Topics discussed include: how our reading choices evolve; people taking away different messages from the same book; books on self-awareness and mindset; books about dealing with change; insights from works of fiction; books with practical tips, frameworks and methodologies; consolidating learning by watching talks by authors on YouTube; Here is a list of the books recommended in this episode: