HIGHLIGHTS

Introduction to the Issue

Defining Your Business

Analysis Role

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and

Business Analysis

Introducing Your New

Stakeholder
2 Article Title Start a new article with a section marker
Dear Members,

First off, I want to wish you all a healthy and prosperous 2024. A new
year is a great time to reflect on our priorities and goals, on everything
we need to keep improving and learning. For that reason, this issue
of BAM! focuses on career development in business analysis and
how each of us can progress to deliver better business outcomes.
It may sound simple, but the planning we do now will determine
our success later.

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to advancing in business

analysis, but that’s a good thing. The sheer variety of perspectives
on both what it means to be a business analysis professional and
how to bring more value to an organization means you can forge a
unique path that is all your own. The only limit is the one you place
on yourself.

This issue is about the freedom you possess to push the boundaries
of your business analysis career and define your work on your own
terms. Whether that’s by adapting to different roles, cultivating a
growth mindset, or leveraging the principles of equity, diversity,
and inclusion to drive greater value, the decision to keep growing is
yours alone. You are the architect of your career.

Each of the articles that follow takes a different path toward personal
and professional growth, but the direction is the same. Will you
follow them?

Jared Gorai
Director, Chapters & Member Engagement, IIBA

Introduction to the Issue 3

Career Progression Unleashed: Navigating the
Competitive Landscape
By Maria Montgomery
Do you have a clear roadmap for career growth or
are you sleepwalking through your professional
life? To enhance your career trajectory, it’s crucial
to establish objectives and a clear vision for personal
and professional advancement.
Before delving into career progression strategies, let’s
first answer the question, “What is career growth?”
In essence, career growth is the continuous journey
toward realizing your overarching career vision.
It’s the process of evolving from your initial post-
university job to eventually leading your own team,
say. Whether you aspire to become an executive
or an entrepreneur, career growth represents the
long-term pursuit of your ultimate professional goals.
By setting goals and a clear vision, you’ll foster a
positive mindset and unlock various professional
paths. Embarking on a fulfilling career journey in
4 Career Progression Unleashed: Navigating the Competitive Landscape
business analysis requires meticulous planning,
goal setting, and a commitment to continuous self-
improvement. This is true for business analysts,
managers, and other project professionals alike.
In this article, I’ll explore the transformative impact
of crafting a career plan and setting goals, along with
how these strategies can help you achieve your
dream career.
Navigating a Dynamic Career
Landscape
A career in business analysis or project management
is a dynamic journey filled with challenges, triumphs,
and continuous growth. In this article, I’ll draw on
my own three-decade journey from junior business
analyst to senior management professional—one
that hasn’t always been smooth.
I began my career by wearing various hats,
Building Your Roadmap to Success
overseeing both finance and technology business
analysis. Over time, I progressed through senior
and business analysis management roles within
“By failing to prepare, you are
consultancy firms. Consulting allowed me to preparing to fail.”
explore different roles, such as project manager,
— Benjamin Franklin
scrum master, and iteration manager. Today, I’m
a technology engagement manager involved in Creating a career plan is like mapping out your
building the business analysis practice. professional journey. It gives you a clear direction,
sets objectives, and helps in decision-making. For
Throughout my career, creating opportunities for
business analysts, project managers, and those
myself was crucial. I volunteered for every opening
in similar fields, a carefully designed career plan
that came my way, including being the first to tackle
acts as a roadmap to success.
an agile project when agile practices were introduced.
In a world that’s always changing, taking proactive Consider using the following structure for your
steps in your career is integral to your growth. own career plan:

Categories Details
A Concise Summary Statement Provide a clear overview of your career objectives.

Ensure your career plan aligns seamlessly with both your personal
Goal Alignment and professional goals. Where do you see yourself in the short
term (one year), medium term (five years), and long term (beyond)?
Identify the skills necessary for your desired role and strategically
plan how to acquire or enhance them over time. It’s important
to have an inventory of current skills—an honest assessment
Skill Development
of your existing skill set. Continuous skill development is key to
staying relevant in your field. Outline your plans to acquire fresh
competencies.

Identification of
Pinpoint the tools and materials that will help you grow.
Relevant Resources

List tangible steps like pursuing further education, engaging in

Action Items training programs, exploring professional development avenues,
and taking on potential work projects.
Integrate effective strategies for expanding your professional
network. Attend industry events, engage in online forums, and
Networking establish connections with both peers and mentors. Building a
robust network is instrumental in creating opportunities and gaining
valuable insights for your career growth.

Career Progression Unleashed: Navigating the Competitive Landscape 5

Tailoring Your Career Development Plan
Customizing your development plan is integral
to career growth. If you aim for leadership roles,
consider leveraging your skills and experience to
mentor and develop others. Likewise, for those
pursuing more specialized positions, focus on
strategically applying newly acquired skills and
knowledge to benefit the company. Another crucial
aspect to include is coaching and mentoring. Having
recently developed a passion for coaching and
mentoring, I now offer career coaching services
based on my experiences.
Let me share a story about a client named Emma
(not her real name). Emma was deeply passionate
about project management but was uncertain
about her career as a technical analyst. With a clear
vision and goal in mind, she aspired to become a
project manager. Working as a senior technical
analyst one day, Emma saw an opportunity to
showcase her potential as a project leader within
the project she was working on. Seizing the chance,
she volunteered to take on project management
tasks, impressing her project director with both her
passion and proficiency. Through dedication and
capability, Emma successfully transitioned from
a senior technical analyst to a project manager,
turning her initial uncertainty into a success story.
This anecdote highlights the importance of setting
goals and having a clear vision for personal and
professional growth. It shows the power of pursuing
your interests, exploring new opportunities, and
defining your path, all of which lead to a fulfilling
and successful career.
Have you set your own career goal yet?
Defining Your Goals
Establishing goals is a foundational element of
career progression. Goals provide a sense of
purpose and motivation as well as a framework
for gauging success. Here’s a look at how to make
your goals measurable and achievable:
6 Career Progression Unleashed: Navigating the Competitive Landscape
• Embrace the SMART criteria (specific, measurable,
achievable, relevant, time-bound) to ensure your
goals are precise and actionable
• Str ike a b a l a n c e b et we e n sh o r t-te r m
accomplishments and long-term aspirations
• Stay open to adjusting your goals as your career
evolves; adaptability is vital in the dynamic landscape
of business analysis and project management
Creating a 90-Day Plan
In my book The Art of Getting Business Analysis
Right, I emphasize the significance of creating and
implementing 90-day activity plans. I discuss the
importance of focusing on specific goals, setting
priorities, and establishing metrics for success.
This approach has proven effective for me, and I
continue to adhere to the principles of 90-day plans.
One key aspect I explore is allocating time to
assess your own skills. Personally, I evaluate my
skill set by aligning it with my 90-day plans, which
I set at the beginning of each year. These plans not
only encompass my career objectives but also my
personal goals. They serve as a roadmap, outlining
individual tasks that I aim to accomplish within
the given timeframe.
The 90-day plan is a powerful tool for business
analysis and project professionals, offering a
focused timeframe to achieve specific objectives
and showcase tangible results. Here’s how adopting
this approach can expedite your career progression:
• Break down your long-term goals into smaller,
attainable tasks achievable within a 90-day
timeframe
• Regularly reassess your plan, integrating
feedback and adjusting objectives based on
evolving circumstances
• Share your 90-day plan with your managers,
trusted teammates, or mentors to highlight your
commitment to professional development and goal
achievement
 CAREER PROGRESSION PATH
Business Analysis Agile Companies Technical Analysis
Other
Chapter or
Manage Business Analysis Practice
Squads Leads
Manager Technical Analysis Relationship Partners
Chapter or Squads Leads Scrum Product Owners/Managers
Lead Business Analyst Lead Technical Analyst
Master or Iteration Manager
or Domniant Leads
Iteration Manager
Senior Business Analyst Scrum Master or Iteration Senior Technical Analyst
Manager and Senior
Business Analyst
Business Analyst Technical Analyst

IIBA Certification Scrum Master (Axisagile Elabor8) Credits to the Lattice Team
SAFe4 Agile Certification

Business Architecture Solution Architecture

Business Solution Architect
Manager Business Architect Capabilty Model TOGIF
(EA Learning)
Acumen
Business Architect Six Sigma Manager Solution Architect

Maria Montgomery — BA Mentorship Program

Harnessing Morning Rituals for get a certification too, such as Six Sigma. In the
Peak Performance technical analysis stream, you focus on progressing
from technical analyst to leadership in technical
Successful professionals often attribute their
analysis. You can also take a sidestep into solution
achievements to morning routines that set a
architecture. Keep learning continuously and aim
positive tone for the day. As a business analyst,
for certifications, such as TOGIF accreditation.
manager, or project professional, incorporating
Many other options are also emerging, such as
intentional practices into your mornings can
roles in technology relationship building, product
enhance productivity and lay the groundwork for
ownership, and interaction management.
goal achievement. Here are some examples:
Here’s another anecdote that impacted me.
• Start your day with a brief reflection on your goals
One of my mentors switched from a technical
and priorities
background to project management. Being flexible
• Go for a jog or exercise to stimulate creativity and adaptable is crucial for exploring different
and enhance focus career paths in our field. Moving from a technical
role to project management is highly valuable,
• Consume industry-related content, such as
especially in guiding businesses to success. Having
podcasts, to stay informed and inspired
technical knowledge is an advantage, as it helps
you steer an organization in the right direction.
Choosing Your Business Analysis There’s no definitive right or wrong answer in the
Career Path pursuit of new paths, and you always have the
So, what does the business analysis career path option to return to your initial roles if you so choose.
look like?
During various technology projects, the ability
As shown in the image above, you can choose to simplify complex technical details becomes
various paths in your business analysis career. essential. Being adept at translating technical
jargon into simpler terms facilitates effective
In the business analysis stream, you move
communication with the business side.
from business analyst through leadership and
management levels. Alternatively, you can take a Moving into project management empowers you to
sidestep into business architecture. Make sure to bridge the gap between technology and business

Career Progression Unleashed: Navigating the Competitive Landscape 7

using their technical expertise. This strategic move
brings substantial value to your organization,
fostering seamless collaboration and alignment
between technical initiatives and broader business
goals. Moreover, possessing technological skills
during the transition to the business domain
enables individuals to effectively apply their
technical expertise in guiding organizations.
Embarking on career growth means purposefully
developing yourself and seizing opportunities as
they come. Here are some examples:
• Getting a bigger job, like moving from a senior
business analyst in marketing to a business analysis
practice lead or manager
• Becoming a manager by hiring your first direct report
• Taking a job where you lead a team and help develop
its strategy
• Trying something new by exploring areas such as
business architecture or product management, for
instance
Cultivate a growth mindset, persist in learning,
and consider exploring various directions. As a
business analyst, you might contemplate delving
8 Career Progression Unleashed: Navigating the Competitive Landscape
into business architecture, which offers a unique
avenue for professional development. Remember
that you can use your core business analysis skill
set in other roles, too. As a leader, your role isn’t
just about delegating and managing. You can also
use your problem-solving skills to help your team
overcome challenges.
In an article on problem-solving, I wrote: “As a
leader, it is up to you to make problem-solving a
seamless process that allows your team to look
at the problem, the information provided, and find
a solution to it. Your team should be able to use
whatever information they have at their disposal.”
That said, not everyone is naturally drawn to roles
that involve managing people. Find a position that
truly aligns with your interests and strengths, like
problem-solving and investigation. By exploring
different professional paths, you may have
interesting and valuable experiences along the way.
It’s also important to try new things and venture
into diverse paths to discover fresh challenges,
learning opportunities, and connections. This
exploration helps shape an individualized role that
aligns perfectly with your aspirations. Throughout
your journey, maintain a growth mindset and
fearlessly explore new directions.
Closing Thoughts
In the dynamic fields of business analysis and
project management, navigating the competitive
landscape demands a proactive and strategic
mindset. Your journey toward career progression
is uniquely yours, shaped by a thorough career
plan, precise goals, the 90-day plan approach,
and positive morning rituals.
Continuously assessing and validating yourself
through a well-defined career plan is a valuable
tool. It helps you understand your distinct path,
articulate your goals, and align your choices with
your ambitions. Embrace the process, celebrate
your dedication, and pave the way for lasting
achievement in your evolving career.
And most importantly, never give up! Always
strive to invest in your development and explore
Career Progression Unleashed: Navigating the Competitive Landscape
mentorship programs. Having walked that path
myself, I know the success that comes from
perseverance and continuous growth. STOP
About the Author:
Maria Montgomery
Maria Montgomery is a distinguished
leader, career coach, trainer, and
facilitator who has successfully guided
numerous individuals to enhance their
skills for superior performance. Since
2014, she has spearheaded results-
driven mentorship programs tailored
to both individual and team needs.
A passionate speaker and author,
Maria actively contributes articles to
the Medium publication. An expert
in individual and team capability-
building, Maria holds certifications
as a Certified Professional Life
Coach, Linguistic Programming (NLP)
practitioner, and Cognitive Behaviour
Therapy (CBT) Practitioner.
9
Defining Your Business Analysis Role
By Dr. Michael F. White

Many professionals and organizations understand Understand the BABOK Guide

the value of a business analysis professional.
One of the best things to do is familiarize yourself
Yet the role itself is still ambiguous to many. The
with A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of
goal of this article is to help business analysis
Knowledge (BABOK Guide). Regardless of how
practitioners (especially new ones) determine what
experienced you are, the BABOK Guide is valuable
their organization expects from them. This will put
for business analysis professionals who want
them on the path to success throughout their career.
to excel in their careers and contribute to their
Numerous articles and resources outline what organization’s success.
business analysis professionals do, so I won’t
BABOK Guide offers a common business analysis
focus on that here. Since every organization and
framework and terminology, while also detailing the
industry is unique, the needs and expectations
tasks, techniques, and underlying competencies
for the role can vary greatly. That said, some core
necessary for achieving successful outcomes. By
competencies remain consistent. If you’re new to
studying the guide, business analysis professionals
business analysis, consider taking these steps to
can acquire an understanding of the practice and
define your role in your organization.
language of business analysis while aligning their
work with industry standards effectively.

10 Defining Your Business Analysis Role

Acquire Organizational Knowledge Talk with your manager to clarify expectations. Begin
by understanding if they have general expectations of
Organizational knowledge is essential for business
your role. Then, inquire about specific expectations
analysis professionals because it provides an
they have of you. Document what you learn from this
understanding of the organization’s structure,
conversation and share it with your manager. This
culture, and goals. This understanding enables
will provide a record of your discussion and ensure
them to perform their work within the context and
mutual agreement on expectations.
ensure their outcomes align with organizational
priorities. So then how might a business analysis Project teams are another valuable source of
professional get this knowledge? information on your role. Typically, the project team
may include business and/or technical roles that
As a business analysis professional, you can use a
will be peers to the business analyst. You’ll likely be
variety of techniques from the BABOK Guide to elicit
sharing lots of information with these individuals,
this knowledge. One technique is observation in the
so strive to understand what matters most to them
form of job shadowing involves “examining a work
and how they want to collaborate. As teams may
activity firsthand as it is performed.” Shadowing
vary from project to project, it may not be possible
key roles in the departments you’ll collaborate
to get this information from every team member;
with can provide a better understanding of their
insights from a few key players may suffice. To
responsibilities and motivations. Additionally,
maximize effectiveness, understand the roles and
shadowing other business analysts in your
responsibilities of these individuals as well.
organization can offer insight not only into their tasks
but also into how they incorporate organizational There are various ways to gather information on
knowledge into their work. expectations—simple conversation, focus groups, or
even email surveys. If there are multiple employees
Take notes, ask questions, and compile this
in the organization that perform business analysis
information to exercise systems thinking, an
(even without the title), get them involved as well
important underlying competency. This allows you
to make it a community effort. Your leadership will
to gain a comprehensive understanding of how the
appreciate this proactive approach to understanding
roles and departments in the organization interact
and standardizing the business analysis work. Your
with one another. In addition to the processes you
hard work could even lead to creating a community
observe, make note of things that might impact future
of practice in your organization!
elicitation efforts, such as whether procedures are
documented (and where), how familiar participants Remember that understanding expectations is
are with other job functions, and general attitudes not a business analysis wish. It’s simply an effort
toward previous technology efforts. to understand the current state of the business
analysis practice and to set expectations on how
Elicit Expectations it’s performed. If you disagree with your peers
about what those performing business analysis
To meet expectations, you need a clear understanding
should be doing, discuss these concerns and agree
of what they are. Eliciting expectations will help you
upon a solution.
clarify your role, align your efforts with organizational
goals, and what success looks like. The job
description for your position may be a good starting
Leverage Lessons Learned
point. However, the activities in the description aren’t Another source of information about business
always aligned with what you’ll be doing day-to-day. analysis expectations can be found in the results

Defining Your Business Analysis Role 11

of the lessons learned (or retrospective. If your
organization has lessons learned, they may have
records to review. Connect with your project
managers or scrum master to locate it..
Effectively leveraging lessons learned from previous
projects, and avoiding the same mistakes, can save
organizations time and money in the long run. As
business analysis professionals, we’re responsible
for addressing issues related to requirements and
business analysis activities. When defining your
role in an organization, gathering feedback from
prior projects can be invaluable to your career.
Note any issues with that may have arisen so that
you’re not repeating the cycle of poor business
analysis performance. After all, it’s easier to learn
from past mistakes. More importantly, what did
business analysts do on the project that led to good
outcomes, enhanced collaboration, or contributed
to the team’s success? Learning what went well
on the project can ensure that you keep or start
doing those things as well.
Perform Business Analysis on the
Business Analysis Expectations
Finally, once you’ve done all of the above, you’re
ready to analyze your role within the context of
your organization.
The task now is to synthesize the information to
identify what the organization needs from you.
This information should provide insight into the
desired roles and responsibilities that you may be
asked to perform. The key here is to uncover gaps
in the current process and resolve existing conflict
areas where you can add more value.
The result of this analysis should be a well-defined
job description for your role. This may include
key business analysis activities, responsibilities,
deliverables, or performance measures. The items
included will vary based on your specific objectives
for defining your role.
12
To optimize the impact of this new role, share your
discoveries with your manager. Then ask them to
share with their peers, so that you can get buy-in
from influential people. This will also give them
a chance to provide feedback on what you’ve
outlined. Setting these expectations won’t solve all
your problems as a business analysis professional,
but it’ll likely reduce conflict, create alignment,
and make things easier down the line.
Final Thoughts
Business analysis continues to evolve due to
organizations’ varying levels of understanding
of the practice. As demand for business analysis
professionals continue to grow, so does the
likelihood they’ll serve numerous companies
throughout their career.
To keep up with this demand and ever-changing
expectations, practitioners will need to adapt
quickly to various organizational views of business
analysis. I hope this article serves as a roadmap to
help you meet these needs and excel as a business
analysis professional.STOP
This article includes contributions from Susan
Moore and IIBA Editorial Committee Member
Rashmi Hassija.
About the Author:
Dr. Michael F. White
Dr. Michael F. White is the founder
of The Business Analysis Doctor, a
global and award-winning business
analysis training provider specializing
in certifications administered by the
International Institute of Business
Analysis (IIBA). Michael has over a
decade of experience in business
analysis, project management, and
training. He has driven innovation at
some of the top financial institutions in
the US. He currently holds a Doctorate
in Business Administration (DBA),
CBAP, IIBA-AAC, IIBA-CBDA, IIBA-
CPOA, and CSSGB.
Defining Your Business Analysis Role
Defining Your Business Analysis Role 13
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Business Analysis
By Priyanka Agrawal
Incorporating equity, diversity, and inclusion
(EDI) into our work can enable better business
analysis. At the same time, incorporating business
analysis into EDI can enable successful processes,
outcomes, projects, and people. In this article,
I’ll explore the mutually beneficial relationship
between the two fields and how it fosters positive
outcomes for both organizations and society.
What is EDI?
At its core, EDI is about creating a safe space
where people feel valued, respected, and included.
Focused on building self-worth and a culture of
non-judgment, EDI breaks down the stereotypes
and biases that have historically held certain
groups back.
14
While EDI is too broad to be thoroughly defined
here, some of the following components can be
applied to business analysis:
• Inclusive language: Usage of words and phrases
that avoid biases, slang, and expressions that
discriminate against people based on race, gender,
socioeconomic status, or ability1
• Multiculturalism: Respect for and inclusion of people
from various backgrounds, including their faiths,
beliefs, and cultures
• Accessibility: Removal of barriers that exclude
people with special needs and abilities so they
can lead a normal life
• Gender equity: Elimination of inequity based on
gender or other markers of sexual identity
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Business Analysis
Incorporating diversity into our work and practices
isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s also the most
profitable. And it’s been gaining momentum. In
many organizations, work that promotes and
sustains EDI has transformed into a distinct team
or function.
The concepts of EDI are integral to our existence,
so they can’t be ignored. According to the World
Health Organization, an estimated 1.3 billion
people experience a significant disability, which
often prevents them from leading a normal life.2
This represents 16% of the world’s population (or
every sixth person). But this is only one dimension
of the issue. There are many other equity-deserving
groups who are adversely impacted by social
inequality or lack of inclusion, such as people of
colour, which significantly raises that number of
individuals affected.
Business Analysis and the
Relevance of EDI
Business analysis professionals liaise with people
of various needs, backgrounds, and abilities and
must build strong relationships with them. Whether
it’s creating products, helping organizations
improve their business outcomes, re-inventing or
enhancing processes, or just getting people on the
same page, business analysis professionals play
a key role in driving value. They try to solve the
diverse needs of people, suggest alternatives, and
manage stakeholders and their expectations. The
latter can be the difference between a successful
project and an unsuccessful one.
Technological advancement and remote work
have reinforced the reality that we live in a
global neighbourhood, expanding the variety of
stakeholders and their needs.
The growing popularity of artificial intelligence
(AI) and ChatGPT highlight the importance of EDI
and the relationship-building aspects of business
analysis. As AI and automation gradually assume
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Business Analysis
tactical business analysis tasks, our focus as
business analysis professionals will shift to
people-oriented tasks and navigating political
landscapes. Keeping EDI front and centre can
help foster improved relationships, support us in
gaining consensus more quickly, and bolster our
ability to manage complex relationships.
While technology has made different parts of the
world more accessible, remote work has expanded
the breadth of stakeholders we work with. As
university classes have gone virtual, for instance,
almost anyone in the world can now attend them.
In the same vein, corporate organizations are also
more open to hiring international staff. This shift
to remote work places even more emphasis on
the human and humane outlook that is central to
EDI, not less.
Given these developments, business analysis
professionals have an opportunity to leverage
EDI and add greater value to their organizations.
In fact, there’s a lot of overlap between business
analysis and EDI in terms of knowledge areas,
competencies, and techniques. Let’s take a closer
look at each.
Knowledge Areas
A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of
Knowledge (BABOK Guide) contains several
knowledge areas that underpin fairness and
equitability. These knowledge areas suggest
that business analysis professionals holistically
consider problems and solutions.
Requirements Analysis
Requirements analysis involves structuring
and organizing requirements discovered during
elicitation activities. This includes modelling and
specifying requirements and design, verifying and
validating information, identifying solution options
that meet needs, and estimating potential value
that can be realized for each solution option.
15
As a business analysis professional, you might
design software for multiple learning needs and
people of varying abilities. A verification method like
CAPTCHA, for example, may not work for someone
who is visually or auditory challenged, whereas face
or fingerprint recognition would.
Another aspect to consider when documenting
requirements is inclusive language. If you’re writing
technical requirements for information security, say,
use the words “banned” or “disallowed” instead of
“blacklisted” when referring to a website. Seemingly
small word changes can make a big difference to
the person reading them.
Strategy Analysis
Strategy analysis involves collaborating with
stakeholders to analyze enterprise and strategic
needs. Business analysis professionals help
organizations assess the current and future states
and identify the challenges and risks between
them. For successful strategy analysis, business
analysis professionals must ensure that current and
future states consider demographics, constraints,
and dependencies.
Applying an EDI lens to strategy analysis can
uncover otherwise hidden factors. If you’re in a real
estate project, for example, ask yourself whether
you’ve considered the current state of the land. If
it is indigenous land, have they been consulted?
Perform future analysis on whether expansion
is planned for the dwelling or building and if any
treaties will be violated. Then, identify any gaps.
Elicitation and Collaboration
This knowledge area involves preparing for and
conducting elicitation activities and confirming
the results obtained.
When leading interviews, focus groups, or
brainstorming sessions, ensure an even distribution
of genders, cultures, faiths, and ethnicities. Ask
your stakeholder group about whether the process,
16
product, or people can promote EDI. Also ensure
that your elicitation techniques are conducive to
stakeholder needs; the best medium for maximum
participation must be considered.
Solution Validation
Solution validation involves explaining the solution’s
appropriateness to the stakeholders and sponsor
and assessing the performance of and value
delivered by a solution in use by the enterprise.
Ensure that metrics and success criteria are set
up to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion—
the benchmarks that determine successful EDI
implementation.
Business Analysis Planning
Planning helps business analysis professionals
organize and coordinate their efforts and those
of stakeholders.
When doing stakeholder identification and
business analysis planning, consider what’s unique
to that stakeholder and/or if they have a specific,
special need. Adding a column with information
on stakeholder preferences, abilities, or needs
in the Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and
Informed (RACI) chart is one way to apply an EDI
lens during stakeholder analysis.
When communicating with stakeholders to create
a plan, consider their time zones and languages.
Also consider the personas of diverse stakeholders
as well as their impact and influence. Ask yourself
whether they identify with a specific ethnicity or
gender and whether there’s diversity in this regard.
Stakeholder analysis is about considering
diverse viewpoints and accommodating them,
ensuring the successful adoption of efforts to
organize and coordinate. In workshops, look
for microaggressions and allow everyone to
speak. Also consider the unconscious bias in a
stakeholder’s preferred solution and ask the right
questions to remove it.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Business Analysis
Underlying Competencies
Being mindful of EDI concerns when working with
others will help improve your effectiveness as a
business analysis professional, as they mirror the
following competencies:
Interaction skills: The BABOK Guide lists interaction
skills and ethics as the underlying competencies
of a successful business analysis professional,
including complementary EDI skills such as respect
for diversity and interpersonal skills (influence,
negotiation, team building, and conflict resolution
when working with diverse backgrounds)
Behavioural characteristics: Inclusivity is a key
behavioural characteristic of a good business
analysis professional
Techniques
Business analysis techniques are crucial to a
well-rounded approach to business analysis.
Elements of EDI, such as inclusive language, can
be translated into the following techniques:
• Use case: Explore an alternate path for the solution
(What if they’re colour-blind? What if they don’t
speak English?)
• User story: Using the formula “As an X I need to do
Y to achieve Z,” apply the EDI lens to it and uncover
hidden requirements
• Personas: Ensure inclusion of all demographics and/
or diversity of marketplace to extend market and
scale profitability
• Focus group or workshop: Plan who’s attending
and whether they can use the tools and equipment
provided
Always consider who you’re building for, who you’re
building with, and what you’re building to create a
more EDI-friendly process and/or product.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Business Analysis
Conclusion
To build sustainable relationships, projects,
initiatives, and outcomes, inclusion must be
exercised within business analysis practices.
Techniques used by business analysis professionals
can help identify EDI needs and convert them into
requirements to ensure EDI-friendly solutions.
Sitting at the heart of the Business Analysis Core
Concept Model (BACCM), EDI touches every
dimension of the core concepts of business
analysis, including stakeholder, value, needs,
change, context, and solutions. To bring additional
value, EDI must be embedded and considered
within business analysis knowledge areas,
competencies, techniques, tasks, and practices.
The mutually beneficial relationship between EDI
and business analysis fosters positive outcomes
for both organizations and society. STOP
This article includes contributions from IIBA Editorial
Committee Member Kristyna Samcova.
References:
1. CAN in Automation, “Inclusive Language,” December 6,
2020, https://www.can-cia.org/news/cia-in-action/view/
inclusive-language/
2. World Health Organization, “Disability and Health,” March
7, 2023, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/
detail/disability-and-health.
About the Author:
Priyanka Agrawal
Priyanka is a seasoned professional
and inclusive people leader with over 20
years of experience in both the public
and private sectors. She has worked
at multiple internationally recognized
organizations, such as SAP, McKesson,
CGI, and Provincial Health Authority,
with progressive levels of responsibility,
including as a change manager, project
manager, and product manager.
17
Introducing Your New Stakeholder
By Jenny Wingard
Your latest project has kicked off, and it’s time
to meet your stakeholders. You convene the
usual suspects: Mary from Finance, Harper from
Consulting, and Mark from Auditing.
During your elicitation session, one name that
you don’t recognize keeps popping up. Mary said
“Gai” confirmed that all expenses must be routed
through the ERP process. Mark shares the fields
“Gai” said are required for expense repayment.
And Harper raves about “Gai’s” helpfulness in
providing tips on expense tracking best practices.
It soon dawns on you that “Gai” isn’t another
team member, but a shorthand for the latest
tech development sweeping the business world:
generative artificial intelligence (or Gen AI).
Described as “the most powerful tool for creativity
18
that has ever been created” 1 by Elon Musk,
generative artificial intelligence can produce
new content in the form of text, image, video,
audio, or even code. For that reason, it’s an
extremely powerful extension of our imagination.
According to McKinsey, Gen AI can “create value
by changing how work gets done across functions
and workflows.”2
While the rest of the world is using this new
technology to solve life’s mysteries and improve
efficiencies (among many other tasks), yours
is a rather different challenge. As a business
analysis professional, you have a more focused
responsibility to manage your new “stakeholder.”
Although Gai may sound just like another team
member, there are some obvious and not-so-
obvious distinctions. Let’s explore them.
Introducing Your New Stakeholder
Can Gen AI Be a Stakeholder?
Now it might be contentious to refer to a complex
piece of technology as a stakeholder, but it’s worth
treating it as one.
According to A Guide to the Business Analysis Body
of Knowledge (BABOK Guide), a stakeholder is
defined as “a group or individual with a relationship
to the change, the need, or the solution.”3 While
it’s true that Gen AI isn’t a human, it offers
something very similar to what a human would.
It provides information, analyzes data, and even
recommends solutions. As such, we must not
only acknowledge Gen AI as a stakeholder but
also manage it like one.
As business analysis professionals, we may
need to explore how best to communicate with
this new stakeholder. What inputs are most
valuable to produce the most effective outputs?
How is communication with Gen AI different
than with humans?
We also must protect Gen AI from inadvertently
sharing company secrets. No one wants a blabby
stakeholder, but the control of information shared
is up to the humans using it. You can choose to
only share company-specific information with an
internal Gen AI tool. If only a public version is
available, however, be careful to solicit information
from Gen AI without compromising privacy.
Listen Closely and Validate
Free from the very human need to establish work/
life balance, Gen AI is the only stakeholder who
is available 24/7. No crazy calendars or lack of
participation due to overcommitments. No need
to coordinate elicitation sessions around sick days
and vacations.
On the flipside, Gen AI can’t be left unattended
because, unlike your human co-workers, it’s
prone to hallucinations.4 Ironically, practising
our business analysis listening skills is even more
critical with this specific stakeholder. While much
Introducing Your New Stakeholder
of the information Gen AI provides is accurate,
not all of it is. And the part that isn’t may sound
correct to the untrained ear.
For this reason, we must pay close attention
to the outputs of Gen AI. Is the information it’s
providing tainted by biases or outdated sources?
Does the information match the context of the
project or need? Does it line up with your research
or interviews with other human stakeholders? The
technology may be relatively easy to use, but
we should be no less rigorous than usual when
incorporating it into our work.
Partner in Solution Analysis
It’s no secret that managing stakeholders can
sometimes get messy. Emotions, power plays,
and team members anxious about change are
just some of the challenges you might encounter.
With Gen AI, none of these matter. You don’t have
to contend with any insecurities or frustrations,
mainly because you’re removing the emotions from
the equation. Gen AI isn’t influenced by a desire to
strategically take over a department as the result
of a project or one up a team member with whom
they’re especially competitive.
Again, though, we can’t rely solely on Gen AI’s
logical thinking to identify solutions. While the tool
may indicate that it’s best practice to have the
audit team review every expense, for example,
we know that the team is short two people, so
capacity is low and that solution isn’t feasible. And
what if the software recommended by Gen AI via
the decision matrix may be the best technical fit,
but the head of technology management had a
poor experience with the software? The second
choice would be selected for the project rather
than Gen AI’s recommendation.
As ever, your experience, wisdom, and tribal
knowledge are vital to get the most out of Gen
AI. When paired with Gen AI’s skills, these traits
become even more influential in maximizing value
within the company.
19
Gen AI Needs Business Analysis
Professionals (and Vice Versa)
The enthusiastic pursuit of Gen AI usage, and the
fervent drive to grow and improve its skills, almost
guarantees that it will be part of every project going
forward. The bottom line is that we can’t afford to
ignore its increasing role and influence.
Last year, Gen AI communicated via text prompts.
Recently, it started speaking and interpreting
images. What will it be capable of in the next year?
What about in the next five years? In what way will
these new capabilities affect project requirements?
As business analysis professionals, we must
embrace our spirit of learning to become experts
in Gen AI as an influential stakeholder. There are
many, many resources that outline how Gen AI can
improve our work processes. But this isn’t the time
for business analysis professionals to rest on their
laurels and turn over tasks to their robot peers.
Nor can Gen AI be as effective as possible without
the guidance of business analysis professionals.
As with most things, finding the right balance will be
key to optimizing this emerging relationship. Only when
business analysis professionals and Gen AI partner
together, each utilizing their superpowers to the fullest,
can our projects and companies be more successful.
20
When you think about it, Gen AI isn’t all that
different from a traditional stakeholder. But the
potential benefits of welcoming it to your team
are anything but. STOP
References:
1. The Globe and Mail, “Nasdaq QQQ Invesco ETF (QQQ-Q)
Quote — Press Release,” January 3, 2024, https://www.
theglobeandmail.com/investing/markets/stocks/QQQ-Q/
pressreleases/23087195/23087195/.
2. McKinsey & Company, “Companies with Innovative Cultures
Have a Big Edge with Generative AI,” 2023, https://www.
mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-
finance/our-insights/companies-with-innovative-cultures-
have-a-big-edge-with-generative-ai.
3. International Institute of Business Analysis, A Guide to the
Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK Guide), Version
2.0 (Toronto: International Institute of Business Analysis, 2009)
4. IBM, “What Are AI Hallucinations,” 2023, https://www.
ibm.com/topics/ai-hallucinations.
About the Author:
Jenny Wingard
Jenny Wingard is a product owner
with Forrester Research. She is an
avid advocate for the customer and
has years of experience managing
IT projects via the product owner
role utilizing business analysis skills
and techniques.
Introducing Your New Stakeholder
Introducing Your New Stakeholder 21
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