by Yaaqub Mohamed a.k.a Yamo
Helping stakeholders to get to the “aha!” moment is a joy.
If you are a business analyst and after a long and hard stint of work when you see your stakeholders overcome a problem, an organization achieve a business goal or objective, that is the moment of rejoicing! I am sure you can relate to this feeling.
In this episode, you will get to hear from a top-notch BA in UK, creating ‘Aha’ moments for his clients in every engagement. His passion for doing work that can goes beyond just being a ‘project’ can serve as a great example for us to learn from.He shares many insights and tips that can help practitioners understand that our profession is a social profession and that collaboration is at the heart of a project well done.
So, here is David, sharing tips, suggestions, and insights to help you help your stakeholders get better “Aha!” moments:
Click to continue
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
by Yaaqub Mohamed a.k.a Yamo2
When I was hearing Terry speak during editing of this podcast, one of my favorite quotes from Rabindranath Tagore sprung into my mind:
“Let us not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless when facing them.”
- Rabindranath Tagore
Embedded in this interview are examples of what BAs can do and achieve by fearlessly facing their stakeholders and treading forward with boldness.
I got introduced to Terry when she first commented on a blog post that I had posted on LinkedIn, and ever since we have kept in touch. She is a great BA, friend and fellow coach. She is also rendering a great service to the community by helping working professional transition into the BA role and also helping practitioners advance boldly.
There are lot of valuable lessons to learn from this episode. There were no leashes on what she wanted to share with her fellow BAs. Keeping the tradition of sharing some pressing challenges and how she overcomes them, advancement tips, etc. , her biggest advice to the BAs is to ‘be bold and fearless’ to succeed.
So, here is the inspirational Terry:
Click to continue
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
by Yaaqub Mohamed a.k.a Yamo1
“Few people even scratch the surface, much less exhaust the contemplation of their own experience. ”
– Randolph Bourne
That quote was true, until I interviewed Alex Papworth. Interviewing independent BA consultants always brings out the in-depth knowledge and practical insights. This episode with him is a classic example.
His insights are unique and are presented from a vantage point that is bound to leave you sitting still and doing nothing but listening and note taking. After a well deserved break, and recovery from the collarbone injury I am back with a brand new season of the podcast. Alex is a great guest to kick-start this season. He shares a lot of good advice and practical tips to help you with your business analysis work.
He has also been a long time friend and very active in the BA community with his blog (BA Mentor). He had absolutely no reservations in sharing all that he could for the benefit of the BA community.
So, let this season begin…. Here is the first episode of season 2 with Alex:
Click to continue
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
by Yaaqub Mohamed a.k.a Yamo6
How can a BA consultant add value on the first day, first week, or first month? What are some key considerations for building rapport when you start a new BA assignment? Why do you need to be proactive about your career choices? Why is planning so essential to remain productive? How can you quickly adapt to the way organizations do things from a business analysis standpoint?
In this episode, it was my pleasure to interview David Morris, from Auckland, NZ. He brought forward some amazing insights into these questions and much more. In continuing with the tradition of learning from experienced and expert BA practitioners from around the globe, David and I discuss some key aspects of advancing your career.
There are a lot of valuable lessons to be learnt from his experience and insights. Here is David Morris:
Click to continue
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
by Yaaqub Mohamed a.k.a Yamo11
Continuous learning is a cornerstone for any business analyst’s career, and Paula is a great living example for this philosophy. She has created a very successful business analysis career for herself through reaching out to opportunities, and keeping learning at the forefront of her professional development plan.
She has a very diverse background as a practitioner, and has acquired keen insights working in different roles in the industry. Her passion for business analysis stems from her being a ‘relator’ as assessed by ‘Strengths Finder‘ book. (One of my all-time favorite books). Her biggest message to the BA community:
“Never Stop Learning”
There are a lot of valuable lessons to be learnt from her experience and insights. Here is Paula’s vivacious interview for your learning:
Click to continue
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Yamo is a passionate and practicing business analyst, author, and blogger from Toronto, Canada. He hosts this blog, and podcast to help business analysts throughout the world, do analysis better, by providing educational, relevant, and inspiring content.