A new survey conducted by PMI(Project Management Institute) shows that half of all failed projects are the result of poor requirements management. This is not really surprising information. If you do not keep a close eye on the requirements of everyone involved, you run a big risk of being misunderstood, having dissatisfied sponsors and uninvolved stakeholders - factors that inevitably lead to less successful projects.
Jonas Karlsson has worked as a Project Manager and Business Analyst for over ten years and has been involved in projects of various sizes in various industries. According to Jonas, the role of the Business Analyst is critical for projects to succeed at all.
“A Business Analyst's task is to lead and direct the work of documenting and clarifying requirements in a project. The role is becoming very vital as people have begun to understand the importance of being able to successfully define requirements in programs, projects and organizational changes. ”
Jonas is currently working on a large project with the aim of improving the warranty process at the company. "The most important qualities of a Business Analyst are sensitivity, clarity and having a strong analytical ability," he says.
In order for a Business Analyst to be able to perform the work in the very best way, it is appropriate to work from a unified view of which steps a Business Analyst should carry out and be responsible for.
BABOK® (A guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge®), has been developed by the non-profit organization International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA®). The goal of BABOK is to improve and standardize methods for business analysis and to inform about the work area. This is done by identifying the main areas of knowledge that are part of business analysis and identifying “best practices” for these areas.
To get a deeper insight into BABOK, Jonas Karlsson recently took a course in "BABOK for Business Analysis". “I recommend that everyone who is involved in a complex project of some kind reads about BABOK and the best practices that are there. It is not only useful for Business Analysts but can also be invaluable knowledge to have as a project manager, enterprise architect or requirements manager. ”
In addition to going through the most important areas in BABOK, the course also addresses general questions about what business analysis is, career paths for business analysts and preparations for an IIBA certification in Business Analysis.
According to Jonas Karlsson, certifications in Business Analysis will be required in the future. "Although certifications are not yet very well established for Business Analysis, I am convinced that this will change and increase in importance in the coming years."
Jonas also thought that the course gave him the opportunity to discuss experiences and thoughts with others in business analysis. "I received confirmation that many of my existing thoughts and working methods are actually good, but also new ideas and thoughts to bring to future projects."
Read more about BABOK and the course in Business Analysis in Practice here.