Analyst’s corner digest #16
Top stories published in July — August 2023
Hi there!
Welcome to the a slightly belated July edition of Analyst’s corner digest.
This is an exciting edition, as it brings a few new authors with amazing stories from the trenches of business analysis as well as new insightful articles from the veterans of the analyst’s corner :)
We’ve got a few case studies, including a story about how a legacy system was replaced (and what one can learn from this experience), a story about building a buying guide tool, and a story about using UML use cases to automate warehouse operations. And some people told me UML is dead — still kicking, and useful as ever!
We’ve got some insights on using SWOT and identifying business rules, a guide to assess your enterprise architecture practice maturity, an interview with Karl Wiegers as recorded by Fabricio Laguna; and a few career stories: how do you start a new project as a BA? Can a BA transition to Product Management?
Enjoy reading.
— yours, Igor
https://www.analystscorner.org/
BA Skills & Processes
1) How to conduct a SWOT analysis for your business success
by Nelson N. Mondoa
A SWOT analysis serves as a strategic planning tool that allows business owners to comprehensively evaluate their company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
By examining both internal and external factors, this analysis helps businesses identify areas that need improvement, leverage their strengths, and develop strategies to overcome challenges and capitalize on opportunities.
2) The Power Of Clear Requirements: Building Successful Software
by Fabrício Laguna — The Brazilian BA
In the realm of software development, the significance of requirements cannot be overstated. The Brazilian BA, Fabrício Laguna, had the privilege of conducting an exclusive interview with Karl Wiegers, an esteemed author, and influential thought leader in the field of software requirements engineering. With his extensive expertise and witty charm, Mr. Wiegers shed light on the vital role that requirements play in the success of software projects.
3) Identifying and documenting business rules
by Karl Wiegers
My friend Jeremy visited his local blood bank’s website and made an appointment to donate blood later that day. However, when Jeremy arrived at the blood bank, the staff told him that they didn’t take same-day appointments, even though the website let him make such an appointment. He was annoyed.
Jeremy’s experience illustrates the problems that can arise when software fails to properly enforce or comply with established rules.
Future and AI
1) Pioneering AI frontier: unleashing the natural language interface
by Fabrício Laguna — The Brazilian BA
A series of applications are already being launched utilizing AI from ChatGPT as a platform to respond to user questions or generate texts about specific domains. It is an interesting usage of the technology but with still limited impact. The game will change when AI starts to act as an agent with access to record transactions from the user interface in natural language. Join me in a little bit of dreaming about the future.
This is the first of a series of three articles where I intend to explore possible AI advancements in different tracks:
2) How does the Artificial Intelligence revolution impact IT Business Analysts?
by Attila Evanics | IT Business analyst/IT consultant
Artificial Intelligence development comes to the stage where non-technical people can use it in their everyday and professional life. There are numerous blog posts about prompt generation, image generation, and more clickbait about how people lose their job.
In this article, I would like to be on the professional side, so we do not talk about self-destructive machines and other fiction, but after you read it, you can prepare for the real future to increase your career.
If you are a professional, you are always preparing for the next big thing in tech. So these days, you probably want to know how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can affect the work of an IT Business Analyst.
BA Career
1) Starting a new project as a business analyst
by Sergiu Pocan
Starting a new project as a business analyst can be daunting. What to do first? Who to talk to? What to look for? In this article, I will provide a simple framework to help you start a new project.
Keep in mind that every project is different. That means not everything listed below may apply to your project. Also, you may need extra activities or techniques, but the list below should point you in the right direction.
2) Unlearning and Learning: My Transition from Business Analysis to Product Management
by Kavindi Bogahawatte
It has been quite some time since my last post as I’ve been transitioning into a new role within Product Management. Throughout this transition phase, I’ve come across some fascinating moments that have made me realize the significant shift in mindset required on my part, considering my previous experience of over 5 years as an IT Business Analyst.
Allow me to share some of my insights and growth experiences I’ve gained since December 2021, with you.
Case studies
1) Replacing Legacy
by Ilya Zakharau
A very insightful story in two parts of how a legacy replacement project can go and what may (and will!) go wrong.
Part 1: Definition, Reasons, Characteristics
Part 2: Archaeology, Politics, Red Flags
2) Building a buying guide tool
by Basak Erdogan
Providing valuable guidance and assistance to customers can significantly enhance their shopping experience and increase conversion rates. One effective way to assist customers in making informed purchasing decisions is by implementing a buying guide tool on your e-commerce website. This tool can serve as a valuable asset in guiding customers through their buying journey. In this article, we will explore the essential steps and considerations for building a successful buying guide tool.
3) Applying UML “Use Case Diagram” techniques: Warehouse Management System Analysis
by Nelson N. Mondoa
Warehouse management plays a pivotal role in the smooth functioning of supply chains, influencing everything from inventory control to order fulfillment. In this dynamic and demanding domain, precise modeling and visualization of interactions between system actors and functionalities are crucial for a well-organized and efficient operation.
Advanced use case diagrams emerge as indispensable tools to achieve this feat, offering an innovative approach to enhance the clarity, effectiveness, and maintainability of warehouse management systems.
Enterprise Architecture
1) How to Assess Enterprise Architecture Practice Maturity
by Shashi Sastry
Your enterprise has an architecture, but without a good Enterprise Architecture Practice, it’s unlikely you are doing as well as you can. We can also call it the organisation’s Enterprise Architecture (EA) capability, competency, framework, or engine.
Let’s assume you know the value of Enterprise Architecture designing and have the makings of it in your organisation. To keep improving it, you need to assess its maturity regularly. This article shows you how.
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It provides an overview of the most important concepts and technologies, making it a core resource for anyone interested in starting a career in IT; especially in non-engineering & non-technician roles.
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Get in touch via editor.analysts.corner@gmail.com if you want your content featured. This keeps our publication going ;)
Thanks folks!
