Author Archive: JB
Jonathan Babcock is a business analyst who thoroughly enjoys what he does. Practical Analyst is his outlet for sharing what he's learned, and for interacting with like-minded folks.
To keep up with the latest on Practical Analyst, you can subscribe to the RSS feed, follow Jonathan on Twitter, or view his profile on Linked In.
How “agile” is Important to Business Analysts
Stability and success for a business analyst over the long term lies not in sparring over which methodology is superior and tailoring your craft to suit, but in truly becoming an agile business analyst; one that is valuable and marketable in any environment – even when the “next big thing” in delivery methodology comes along.
There are No Reliable Words
To write or even speak English is not a science but an art. There are no reliable words. Whoever writes English is involved in a struggle that never lets up even for a sentence. He is struggling against vagueness, against obscurity, against the lure of the decorative adjective, against the encroachment of Latin and Greek, and, above all, against the worn-out phrases and dead metaphors with which the language is cluttered up.”
— George Orwell
The Business Analyst’s “Other Customer”
We know that the business stakeholders whose needs we elicit and capture as requirements are our customers. We know that the sponsor who foots the bill for our work is our customer. Often, product end-users are considered customers. We don’t typically think of designers, developers and QA analysts – our delivery team counterparts – as customers, but maybe we should.
Tools: Risk Matrix
I really like a simple risk matrix as a visual aid, because it makes it much easier for me to explain of how severity and probability combine to make a risk more or less serious than if I tried to explain it with words alone.
Quoteworthy: Brooks on the Proper Criterion for Success
If we perceive our role aright, we then see more clearly the proper criterion for success: a toolmaker succeeds as, and only as, the users of his tools succeed with his aid. However shining the blade, however jeweled the hilt, however perfect the heft, a sword is tested only by cutting. – Fred Brooks
Quote: Are you passionate about what you do?
One of the things that may get in the way of people being lifelong learners is that they’re not in touch with their passion. If you’re passionate about what it is you do, then you’re going to be looking for everything you can to get better at it. – Jack Canfield
Recent Comments