My goal was to continue to go for depth, just in shorter increments. I started with a series of tips from my new book – The Value-Driven Business Analyst – and then started answering your questions and addressing challenges I was seeing in our community.

What did you think of the change? Please reach out and let me know.

#10 – Stop Reinventing Your Business Analysis Approach on Every Project

While every project is different, reinventing your approach every time only leads to confusion, reactivity, and burnout. Explore how following a flexible framework brings clarity, consistency, and long-term success…even in fast-moving, diverse environments.

FAQs

Question: If every project is unique, why use a structured business analysis process?

Answer: A flexible framework helps you adapt without starting from scratch. It gives you a foundation to build from, so you’re proactive instead of reactive…and focused on what the business truly needs, not just what’s urgent.

Question: Won’t using a process make me rigid or too formal?

Answer: Not at all. The most successful BAs flex their process intuitively. A strong structure gives you freedom because you always know what step to take next, and how to adjust it for your project context.

Question: What process does The Value-Driven Business Analyst teach?

Answer: Laura teaches an eight-step business analysis process refined across industries and methodologies. It includes deep dives into business process analysis, software / functional requirements, and data modeling and it’s designed to scale with your career.

#9 – Overwhelmed at the Start of a Project? Watch This

Explore why overwhelm can be a positive sign and discover one practical, value-focused tip to break through the fog and start leading with confidence.

FAQs

Question: Why is feeling overwhelmed at the start of a project actually a good thing?

Answer: Overwhelm often means you’re absorbing critical context and raw information needed to drive meaningful change. It’s a natural part of early-stage analysis where ambiguity is high.

Question: How do I avoid getting stuck in analysis paralysis?

Answer: Instead of trying to solve everything at once, focus on identifying just the next decision your team needs to make. This creates momentum and keeps your analysis grounded in immediate value.

Question: What if stakeholders resist taking a step back to define business objectives?

Answer: Reframe the conversation by connecting the objective-setting work to a tangible outcome, like choosing the right system. This positions your analysis as enabling faster, smarter decisions, not slowing things down.

#7 – Scoping an AI Project: Don’t Miss This Step

Explore how to strategically evaluate generative AI as a solution option during the scoping phase and the key questions every business analyst should be asking to unlock its real business value.

FAQs

Question: Why should business analysts consider AI during project scoping?

Answer: Generative AI isn’t just a trend, it’s a new category of solution that can enhance communication, summarization, simulation, and decision support. Business analysts are uniquely equipped to evaluate whether it’s the right fit for a business need.

Question: What types of questions should I ask when scoping an AI-driven solution?

Answer: Start with core questions like: What problem are we solving? What data do we have? Where can AI be trusted, and where is human review still needed? These help you align the solution to business goals while managing risk and feasibility.

Question: When is traditional software still the better choice?

Answer: Rule-driven, structured processes are often best served by traditional programming. AI shines in creative, iterative, or variable tasks, like drafting content or generating concepts, not rigid workflows.

#6 – Scope Creep Starts Small – Here’s How to Stop It

Discover how minor changes can quietly derail a project and how value-driven business analysts reframe the conversation to stay focused, deliver results, and avoid unnecessary complexity.

FAQs

Question: Why is scope creep such a big issue if the changes seem small?

Answer: Small additions often create ripple effects—more testing, more complexity, more documentation—adding friction without delivering real value. Over time, these seemingly minor changes can overwhelm the project.

Question: How can business analysts prevent scope creep?

Answer: Shift the conversation from “Can we add this?” to “What will it cost?” and “Is it worth it?” Use strategic questioning to evaluate impact, trade-offs, and alignment with business objectives before saying yes.

Question: What should I ask when assessing a scope change?

Answer: Ask questions like: Does this support our core objectives? How often will it be used? Are there workarounds? What will we de-prioritize to make space? These help surface hidden costs and keep the project focused.

#5 – Agile is NOT a Business Analysis Process

Agile may guide how software is delivered, but it doesn’t replace the structured analysis business analysts bring. Explore why the business analyst role is more critical than ever…and how to move beyond “just writing user stories.”

FAQs

Question: Isn’t agile already a process that includes business analysis?

Answer: Agile is a delivery framework—it tells teams how to deliver software, but it doesn’t provide a process for discovering business needs, analyzing processes, or aligning stakeholders. That’s where agile business analysis comes in.

Question: Why do business analysts often feel reduced to “just writing user stories” on agile teams?

Answer: When analysis activities aren’t clearly defined, BAs default to story writing. But without upfront work like clarifying objectives and evaluating options, agile teams risk delivering software that doesn’t meet real business needs.

Question: How can business analysts create more value in agile environments?

Answer: Use a value-driven process to guide your work before, during, and between sprints. This ensures you’re not just keeping pace with Agile: you’re enhancing its impact by making sure the right problems are being solved.

#4 – Great Requirements Start with Great Questions

Clear, actionable requirements don’t come from guesswork. They emerge from smart questions and structured analysis. Explore how value-driven business analysts build credibility by asking what others overlook.

FAQs

Question: Why are great questions so important when defining requirements?

Answer: The right question can reveal hidden gaps and spark clarity. It builds trust and credibility, often making the difference between requirements that drive value and those that miss the mark.

Question: Where do those great questions come from?

Answer: They come from analysis. By using tools like requirements questionnaires, business process maps, and data models, you develop insights that help surface the questions no one else is asking.

Question: What techniques help uncover hidden or vague requirements?

Answer: Techniques like use cases, process models, data maps, and structured working meetings give you multiple perspectives on the same requirement…helping you dig deeper and build stakeholder buy-in.

#3 – The #1 Reason Business Analysts Don’t Get Recognition

If your work as a business analyst feels overlooked, the issue may not be your effort. It may be that the value of business analysis isn’t clearly understood. Explore how to shift that narrative and build recognition through structured, value-driven work.

FAQs

Question: Why do so many business analysts feel unrecognized or undervalued?

Answer: Often, the value of business analysis isn’t clearly articulated, even by those doing the work. Without a shared understanding, BAs can be sidelined, underutilized, or buried in task work that hides their true contribution.

Question: How can I better explain the value I bring as a business analyst?

Answer: When you follow a structured, value-driven business analysis process, it becomes easier to communicate the impact you’re making, such as reducing rework, aligning stakeholders, and solving the right problem (not just the stated one).

Question: What’s the first step to earning more recognition as a BA?

Answer: Own your role by adopting a repeatable, trusted process—like the 8-step framework in The Value-Driven Business Analyst—that helps you lead with clarity, gain confidence, and demonstrate consistent value.

#2 – How to Sequence Your Business Analysis Work Strategically

When everything feels like a priority, it’s easy to stall out. Discover four practical strategies to sequence your business analysis work with clarity, reduce risk, and keep your project moving forward with purpose.

FAQs

Question: Why is sequencing business analysis work so important?

Answer: Without a clear strategy, BAs can create bottlenecks or overlook critical insights. Strategic sequencing helps manage complexity, align teams, and ensure you’re solving the right problems at the right time.

Question: What are some effective strategies for sequencing analysis work?

Answer: Key strategies include identifying dependencies, working to the critical path, reducing risk early, and generating quick wins. Each helps you balance momentum, clarity, and delivery value.

Question: How do I know which sequencing strategy to use?

Answer: Most projects benefit from a blend. Start by analyzing where ambiguity or risk is highest, what work unlocks progress for others, and where you can deliver early value. Use these insights to build a smart, flexible business analysis plan.

#1 – A Simple Business Analyst Mindset That Changes Everything

Use case thinking isn’t about documentation. It’s about perspective. Uncover how adopting a simple, scenario-focused mindset helps you uncover missed requirements, align software behavior with real-world use, and add immediate value to any project.

FAQs

Question: What is use case thinking, and how is it different from writing use cases?

Answer: Use case thinking is a mindset that focuses on how users interact with a system. It’s less about documentation and more about uncovering the hidden steps and edge cases that ensure your solution works in the real world.

Question: Can I use use case thinking without formal use case documents?

Answer: Absolutely. This mindset can be applied when writing user stories, creating flowcharts, or simply discussing requirements. It helps you ask smarter questions that reveal gaps stakeholders often overlook.

Question: What kinds of issues does use case thinking help prevent?

Answer: It helps catch edge cases like forgotten passwords, incomplete forms, or simultaneous data edits that can derail functionality or user experience if missed. It ensures the system behavior aligns with user expectations.

That’s a wrap! 10 videos!

What business analysis topics would you like to see us cover next year? Please reach out and let me know.

Ready to go deeper? Join us for The Business Analyst Blueprint training program:

Celebrating My New Book – The Value-Driven Business Analyst

Hi, I’m Laura Brandenburg with Bridging the Gap, and today I just want to share a little bit more about my new book, The Value Driven Business Analyst. It’s so new that I still don’t have my actual copy yet, I only have my review copy. But it is very much a real book with tables and diagrams of call outs.

Quite thick and hefty as well. Over, I think, almost 300 pages. And I just wanted to share a bit about why this book, why now we are at such an inflection point in the world, in the profession, in how we do business.

Why This Book for Business Analysts, Why Now

There is never been more change, more acceleration, more needs to pivot. What? No matter what kind of organization you are at and what do we need when there’s change?

We need business hours and we need good business analysts to focus on value. I think this is a time for the BAs to be really elevating the conversation about what business analysis is, and also be 100% committed at every layer of our work to deliver value and to shift how people see us as valuable. And so The Value-Driven Business Analyst is both a collection of practices and techniques.

It’s a how to guide of how to be a value-driven business analyst, what to actually do on a project or a change initiative. But it is also about how to ensure that you’re doing those things in a value creating way, and also shifting the perception of the business analysis role as you go through the business analysis work.

The Foundation of the Book: The 8-Step Business Analysis Process

So I want to share it today a bit about what’s included at the book, and also how you can go ahead and get your copy and claim some exclusive bonuses. So the foundational structure of the book is the business analysis process, this eight step framework that goes from this initial idea that comes in the form of an email or maybe a high level document dropped into our lap that we need to get oriented around what this project is, who to include, what our role is, and all the way through.

Discovering the business objectives are why we’re doing this project. Defining scope or what’s the boundary of what’s in and out. Super important to get clarity on early on our plan. So as a business analyst, what deliverables will we be creating to, elaborate that scope into a set of implementable details for the solution team and then defining those requirements, which involves discovery, analysis, and validation to make sure everyone is on the same page.

That avoids a lot of rework right there. And then we shift to more of a supportive role where we’re supporting the tactical implementation and ensuring they are implementing a value driven solution and the business to embrace that solution and adopt it as part of their day to day practice. And then finally, we look at what value was created, what was the ROI on this project, how can I improve my business and off this practice going forward?

Learn more about the 8-step business analysis process here:

The Book Also Includes Business Analysis Techniques and Tutorials

All throughout the book, I’ve included, call outs and techniques and tutorials, from The Business Analyst Blueprint®, which is a framework of techniques that we teach in detail at Bridging the Gap.

So for example, in step one, I’m getting oriented. There is a technique tutorial on the glossary in step two on discovery the primary business objectives. There is a technique sectorial on a process map.

And then there are entire chapters dedicated to the software level where we cover use cases, wireframes, user stories and product backlogs, as well as the information level where we go into the end of the relationship diagram, data map, data dictionary as well as some others. So there’s a lot of depth in content in this book. It’s really designed to be a how to manual for you and your business analysis work.

Generative AI Guidance for BAs Included in the Book

Now, one thing I wanted to add, because generative AI is such a big deal and it is influencing so much, you really can’t get away from incorporating AI in some way.

Every chapter has these call outs with ways and ideas for you to enhance your productivity with generative AI, and the early readers has said this is a really great balance of not handing over all my work to AI, but how do I lead and and use and leverage AI as a co-creative partner in my work, and have it help facilitate some of the more Indic mundane aspects of that role?

Want to learn more about Generative AI? Check out with my latest video on Prompt Engineering for Business Analysts.

For me? So that’s a big piece that people have really liked so far when they’ve seen it. All right.

How to Get Your Copy of the Book

The book is available at https://www.bridging-the-gap.com/value/

It’s also available on Amazon – in every possible country Amazon allows us to distribute to. You can find country-specific URLs at the link above. Or, if you just search for the “value driven business analyst” or my name, “Laura Brandenburg” it will show up for you.

Register Your Book Purchase for Exclusive Bonuses

And when you get the book, make sure to register your purchase at: https://www.bridging-the-gap.com/value/

There will be some exclusive bonuses for you to receive once you register your purchase. And that will allow us to deliver those bonuses for you.

I’m so super excited to have you be part of the program or a part of the book and part of our reader circle, and part of what we’re doing at Bridging the Gap.

Please continue to do the great work you’re doing as a business analyst. We really, truly built our profession, one business analyst at a time, one person, and we changed the world one project at a time. Thank you for doing what you do as a business analyst, and I hope that you’ll pick up a copy of the book. Thanks so much.

Maybe you’ve tried AI, but the output felt a little off. Or maybe you haven’t even started because it feels overwhelming and you don’t know where to begin.

Or perhaps you’re already using AI daily (which is a fantastic practice!), but you still sense there’s untapped potential waiting for you.

Here’s the truth: It’s not just about using AI—it’s about how you communicate with it. Prompt engineering is a critical skill for business analysts who want to be more purposeful and intentional in how they use AI.

In this post, I’ll walk you through five types of results you can expect from AI, along with practical prompt examples to help you draft, refine, and even improve a business process. Let’s dive in!

Why Prompt Engineering Matters for Business Analysts

AI isn’t magic. It’s powerful, but it needs clear input to give you the right output. That’s where prompt engineering comes in.

Think of it like this: You wouldn’t give vague requirements to your development team and expect a perfect solution. The same applies to AI. You have to be clear, specific, and intentional.

The 5 Types of Results Business Analysts Can Get When With Good AI Prompts

When you craft your prompts effectively, you can unlock five high-value types of results:

1. Prompt Engineering Opportunity: Draft a Deliverable

AI can generate a solid first draft of just about any type of deliverable. Your results improve significantly when you use annotated templates to “train” AI on what you expect.

Prompt example:
“Using this business process template and the instructions provided, please draft a current state business process to enroll new composting customers.”

We’ll walk through this one in a demo below.

2. Prompt Engineering Opportunity: Refine A Deliverable

Already have a deliverable? Ask AI to revise or enhance it to meet a specific standard or expectation.

You can provide specific updates to make, such as improving clarity, applying formatting, or removing passive voice.

Prompt example:
“Please revise this document to remove passive voice and ensure every step specifies who performs the action.”

3. Prompt Engineering Opportunity: Identify Questions to Ask Stakeholders

Upload a deliverable, meeting notes, or user story, and ask AI:

“What questions should I be asking to clarify or validate this with stakeholders?”

This can help you create stronger alignment, reduce ambiguity, and uncover potential risks early.

4. Prompt Engineering Opportunity: Optimize a Process or Solution

Ask AI to suggest improvements based on a particular business objective.

Prompt example:
“How can we streamline this process to reduce customer onboarding time by 20%?”

This shifts AI from a passive assistant to a strategic collaborator.

5.Prompt Engineering Opportunity: Research

Before you even get to deliverables, AI can help you research terminology, explore new domains, or understand systems—without accessing any confidential information.

Prompt example:
“Explain the typical components of a supply chain management system for the retail industry.”

And remember: Always check your organization’s AI use policies before inputting any proprietary or sensitive data.

You Don’t Need Perfectly Engineer Prompts (Just Start Somewhere)

Some business analysts feel stuck because they think they need to engineer the “perfect prompt” from the beginning. That’s not the case.

Personally, I treat AI like a collaborative partner. I’ll often write a rough prompt, see what comes back, then revise it based on what I learn

Here’s a trick I love:

“What would you say to a highly intelligent high school student to explain what you need?”
That’s usually the right level of detail to give AI clear context.

You can also go the other way—invest more time into building a deep, detailed prompt. Both strategies work, and it depends on your style.

Prompt Engineering Demo: Drafting a Business Process With AI

Let’s walk through a real example: using ChatGPT to draft a business process.

I started with a business process template.

This template includes annotated instructional text, originally written for BAs—but it doubles as guidance for AI.

Sections in the template include:

• Purpose

• Entry criteria

• Inputs

• Activity descriptions

• Exception flows

• Outputs

Interested in learning more? Check out this video tutorial on analyzing a business process. 

Step 1: Upload the Annotated Template and Write Your Prompt

I uploaded the template and gave AI a prompt like:

“Using this template and the instructions provided, please draft a current state business process to enroll new composting customers.”

I also included a few sample steps and business rules I already knew, just to steer AI in the right direction.

Step 2: Review the First Draft

The output was solid:

• Clear purpose statement

• Defined start and end points

• Good activity descriptions

• Useful exception handling

But I noticed a few areas for improvement, such as:

• A step was written in passive voice: “Once billing is confirmed…”

• Exception flows were embedded in activity steps rather than referenced separately

• Some ambiguity remained around responsibility for key actions

Step 3: Prompt AI to Refine the Output

So I asked AI to make four updates:

1. Number the exception flows

2. Remove exception details from activity descriptions and reference them instead

3. Rewrite passive language into active steps

4. Review the entire process for similar ambiguities

The updated version was cleaner, clearer, and easier to follow. Was it perfect? No. But I’d reached the point of diminishing returns—and it made sense to finish the refinements manually.

Final Thoughts: Let AI Do the Heavy Lifting (But Keep the Analyst in Charge)

You’re not asking AI to be perfect. You’re using it to accelerate your work so you can focus on analysis, decision-making, and stakeholder collaboration.

And as you learn and get better at engineering prompts for your work as a business analyst, you are going to be more prepared to help your teams and your stakeholders do the same. And that’s what you know coming next. There are already some organizations that are on the leading edge of deploying AI within their businesses, within their business processes, and there’s some great business analysts doing that work.

But if your organization is not, the skill set to focus on now is prompt engineering.

The more intentional you are with your prompts, the better your results will be. AI needs context and will do better when you are specific about what you want as a result. Annotated templates are a great way to train AI on what you expect.

Ready to Start?

Grab the free Business Process Template, try the prompt examples above, and begin using AI more confidently today.

Looking for More Guidance on How to Engineer Prompts? Use AI to Draft a Scope Statement

A strong AI skill set will support you in thriving in a continued career as a business analyst. If you do want even more help on amplifying your value and being more strategic and thinking ahead about what’s coming both with AI but also with strategic business analysis, I have a video on creating a scope document that will really help you be more forward thinking and proactive about managing scope.

And in this video, I share another example of how to engineer an AI prompt to draft documentation.

I’m hosting an exclusive, bonus interactive workshop for everyone who joins The Business Analyst® training program by Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

It’s called:

Mastering the Business Analysis Plan

Hands-On, Interactive Virtual Workshop

Wednesday, April 23, 2025, 1-4 Eastern

Approach your next project with clarity and purpose using practical strategies and tools. This 3-hour hands-on workshop will equip you with the tools and strategies to define, plan, and execute your business analysis work effectively while leveraging generative AI to streamline the process.

Key Takeaways:

• Define Deliverables: Identify the types of deliverables your project requires, tailored to your methodology and scope, while ensuring comprehensive coverage of the project’s needs.

• Engage Stakeholders: Map out which stakeholders need to be involved, define their roles, and gain alignment for your analysis effort.

• Estimate the Work: Develop accurate estimates for your analysis work, creating realistic expectations for you and your team.

• Sequence the Work into a Timeline: Plan and sequence your analysis tasks, building a timeline that supports team success and project goals.

• Engineer AI Prompts: Discover how to use genAI tools to streamline your planning process. Participants will receive prompt templates and examples.

You’ll leave this virtual, interactive workshop with a clear, actionable plan to bring structure and clarity to your business analysis efforts.

You’ll receive access to this exclusive workshop at no extra charge, when you complete your registration for The Business Analyst Blueprint® training program, by Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

If you are already an active participant or member in The Business Analyst Blueprint® training program you also get to join the workshop!

If you are a past participant in the program and want to join the workshop, message me about exclusive (and discounted) membership options that include workshop access.

In this interview, you’ll discover:

• How Salena discovered the business analyst role and was in the job within 24 hours.
• How Bridging the Gap resources helped her be successful, and why she invested in The Business Analyst Blueprint® to learn a framework and see immediate improvement in her skills.
• How she became a manager, and then invested in training for her entire team to cultivate a shared language about deliverables and to standardize their business analysis process.
• How she secured funding to invest in her team by getting clear on the ROI.
• How she’s continuing to improve her business analysis practice with quarterly reviews and goals.

Laura Brandenburg: Hello and welcome, everyone! I am so excited to be here today with Salena Giacomini, who is a BA director. She has been a manager, has been a participant in the blueprint, has also brought her team through one of our programs and has a lot to share with us today about her career and her leadership. I’m just so excited to have you here today, Salena, thank you for being here.

Salena Giacomini: Happy to be here. Thank you.

How Salena Got Her Start as a Business Analyst

LB: I know this is a while back now, maybe 4 or 5 years, but if you can go with the time machine and think back to where you were before you started The Business Analyst Blueprint® program originally. Where were you at in your career? What were you looking for? What prompted you to join the program?

SG: I honestly had never even heard of the term business analyst, so I had no idea what a business analyst was or what they did. I was at a point in my career where I felt like I was hitting a wall with growth. I had gone outside of the scope of my job like many BAs do before they formalize that title, and I had joined different work groups and participated in and facilitated different process improvement initiatives – really just trying to get more involved in how to work interdepartmentally and see improvements there.

There were some shifts in our org structure and I just felt like I was hitting a wall. So, I was venting to my boss at the time and talking through what I’d like to be doing and brainstorming some different ideas.

As we were talking, she actually picked up the phone and called our IT manager, and they were actually hiring a business analyst. And she’s like, I think I’ve got the perfect person for you. Within 24 hours I had a title change. I think probably that participation that along the way doesn’t always feel appreciated really did pay off.

I think it was my reputation that probably got that to push through so quickly. So that was super exciting. But then I found myself in this new role that I didn’t quite understand. And, I had never had a job that I didn’t have a clear orientation for so that was a whole new world for me.

I think I was doing okay. I think I was getting by with my past experience and gut instinct, but I was really lacking a lot of structure. That’s where I started searching for different tools and templates. I actually came across your toolkit, which was a fantastic starting point.

As I started using some of those, I started to question, “Am I using this right? Is this really the right tool for this topic?” I just was getting a little bit in that “analysis paralysis” that I think many of us experience, and just really wanting more of a methodology or a framework.

That’s where I started reading more about what you had to offer and your resources and The Blueprint program was super appealing. Just the idea that you’d be able to start applying some of those skills immediately and start to see some improvement. So that’s what brought me to the program.

LB: Wow! I had never heard that part of your story. It feels similar to mine, where I feel like I was like stopped in the hallway. But it’s like, no, I was really doing a lot of this before. So you had a lot of the underlying competencies; you had a lot of experience. I also had never really heard of business analysis. So you were in the business side of your organization before becoming a BA?

SG: Yes, I was working in our clinical support team doing a lot of administrative work. But, our department was kind of an intersection of a lot of the workflows. So we naturally got pulled into a lot of those discussions where someone voices that there’s a gap in process and then we all kind of huddled together. I should also add, at the time, we were a midsize company, but during this shift in my role, we had also been acquired by an equity firm.

We were now in the business of mergers and acquisitions, and growing very quickly. So, the business model had shifted quite a bit, as well.

Take-Aways from The Business Analyst Blueprint® training program

LB: What was your big takeaway from the program?

SG: It was great going through the different modules to build that confidence that I’m using some of the tools correctly, like business requirement documentation and workflow diagrams.

That was nice because as I was going through the courses, you make it really easy to digest and apply right away. I would be turning in the end of my module thinking, “oh, this is so easy.” Then I got my first feedback, and it was very eye opening.

It was nice to have someone point out areas where I think I was oversimplifying and not connecting to best practices and how little things that might seem finicky to someone, like the way that you’re phrasing something throughout a flow diagram. It’s kind of like, “Oh well, they know what I mean.”

But truthfully, what my takeaway was is that we are all trying to conserve energy so that we can focus on the things that are most important. So little things, like being consistent in the way that you’re documenting and explaining a process, make it easier for the stakeholder or end user to take in that information.

Now they’re really focusing on solving the problem with you and not trying to understand what your documentation says. That was really powerful.

Just having that eight step business analysis process, seeing how your role progresses through a project as a starting point and then being able to take that and adjust with real life scenarios.

Check out the video below for more insight on the 8-step business analysis process.

Showing the Value of Business Analysts

LB: I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone use the term “conserving energy” in that way before, and I love that. Because our stakeholder’s time is so precious and so valuable. So those nuances do help save them time and energy, and give them more thought process for the pieces that really matter, which is not hopefully picking apart our language.

SG: Absolutely. I think we’re in a world now where everything is so fast moving and there’s so much information being thrown at people. To really get someone to focus on something that’s important to you and that perhaps should be important to them, but really getting their attention, it’s not easy.

I think that the easier you make the onboarding, the better results you’re going to see.

LB: That’s a great takeaway. Thank you. You mentioned the eight step process. Maybe you can help connect some of the dots too because the next time we connected it was to train your entire team on that eight step framework. So somewhere between getting pulled into the BA role and a few years later, you became manager of the team. And you were investing in training for the team and growing them as leaders as well. Can you continue that part of the story for us?

Building a Shared Business Analysis Language Among Team Members

SG: I think it’s kind of a similar theme. There is wanting to have that confidence. I think I had gained some confidence in my abilities as a BA, but then to be leading others and helping to coach and give feedback, that to me is a whole other layer.

I felt like, okay, so I went through the program. I’m feeling good about what I produced. But, maybe I’m still thinking about some of this the wrong way. I think what was helpful for me is being able to partner with you and have you go through the course and then get feedback from the team, collectively. It helped build confidence around this framework and if it really makes sense for our organization.

It also helped me grow, with the way the team interpreted some of the stuff was a little different than I had, and there were insights that I had missed. Our discussion on scoping out a project, for example. That’s not something that we had put a ton of emphasis on, which now looking back sounds silly, but skipping ahead some of those steps and then revisiting some and having that be a takeaway for me the second round was really nice.

So as I moved in that role again, I wanted to build that confidence. And then also it’s back to that, where we spend our time and trying to find efficiencies and systems in our day-to-day work.

A lot of our time I felt was wasted on communication, making sure we’re speaking the same language. I felt like, okay, if I take them through this course, we’ll leave with a similar understanding of what the business analysis process is. We were able to define that as a team as we went through the course.

And then having shared language about the kind of deliverables that we have and standardizing our internal BA process.

LB: I loved how your team showed up for the calls. They had such great questions. They challenged me on things. They took the material and really made it their own and took advantage of all the collaboration opportunities that we had.

Check out the video below for more insight on scoping a project

How Salena Transitioned into a Business Analyst Leadership Role

So the piece that’s missing is how did you make that change? Because I know a lot of BA’s, either they think they might want to be a manager someday or are not sure if it’s really for them. What was that decision like for you? How did that opportunity come to be for you to lead the team? What drew you to that? It seems like a natural fit for you now; you seem to be thriving in that role.

SG: Well, thank you. That’s a good question. Our team at the time was really system implementation projects. That was where the bulk of our energy went into. We were forming this mini implementation team, and as we were going through those different conversions with sites, I naturally just fell into more of a leadership type role.

I just naturally like to keep things organized, making sure everyone’s on the same page; it wasn’t necessarily a conscious decision. It just kind of naturally happened. And then I got tapped on the shoulder by my boss at the time and getting that reassurance that he thought this was a good fit. That it’s something that we can continue to grow and pursue.

LB: It’s so very similar to the first one, kind of an organic growth and also an opportunity created.

SG: I don’t want to completely just say “oh, it just kind of happened.” That’s not entirely true. As I was getting that feedback and naturally falling into that role, you do have to be somewhat proactive or assertive with what you want. I made it clear to my boss where I saw my career path going, where my interests were, what I was willing or wanted to take on. I definitely played an active role in that progression.

Making the Business Case for Investing in Team Training

LB: When it came to the training piece, your company invested quite substantially in that team. What was it like for you to make the case for that, or was it something they were looking for you to go out and find somebody to deliver something? How did that part come to be? Because I talk to a lot of managers who are like, “My company just doesn’t have a budget for training.” How did that part of the process unfold?

SG: I really tried to sell the return on investment. I saw how the program was exponentially helpful in the way I did my work after coming out of that and how quickly I was able to not just turn around work – it was more the quality of work. Editing down what I was working on, why I was working on it, and making sure that I was communicating to different stakeholders and members of our project team along the way.

I saw how much efficiency I gained as an analyst doing that. So going through that program myself and seeing those benefits, and hopefully my leadership team also seeing the improvement on my end, and getting feedback from other stakeholders, I was able to explain the thought process for this masterclass.

Not every BA is necessarily going to be able to dedicate that time to the course at the same time. I think a lot of my team members had an interest in doing the full program. One of them signed up for it, actually. She still raves about it. But not all of them could commit to that time commitment.

I wanted to be able to offer something that was really going to help us in the areas that I saw the biggest gaps. That was making our communication easier within the team, level setting on how we understand this is the way we do the BA process at our company, and showing that it can really build up their confidence and ability to execute on some of the ideas they have. Rather than getting stuck in second guessing and doing more work than they really needed to.

It’s really easy when you start working on a problem to find little related problems, and then now you’re going down this path and you’re not even sure what you’re solving at the end of the day. Being able talk about my experience and show that I want to build a team. I want to leave here with clear deliverables that we produce as a team and getting consistent on the way we’re communicating different documents to the business – making it easier for the stakeholders to take that information in.

At that point I don’t feel that we had done the best job we could at explaining what this team’s role was at the organization. It was really a chance for me to click the reset button and formalize our role and show the importance to the organization.

It’s really helpful when you have leaders that do support and believe in you. That’s how I pitched it. I had a lot of ideas for even after we do those courses, where I want to take it afterwards. For me, that was the jumpstart. That was just a starting point for other initiatives I wanted to pursue with the team.

Amplifying the ROI on Training with Quarterly Planning

LB: I remember when you sent me a message and your team was all sitting down to talk about your takeaways. We had spread the course out over a few months, and this was even a few months later. That felt really fulfilling to me to know that the work we did was still having an impact further on.

SG: Every quarter we sit down, we look at what goals we had set. A lot of our quarterly planning is just “what do we deliver on?” This is more what do we want to see, improvements within our team.

Every quarter we review what we had set out to achieve, then we’re setting new goals. We just went through that process with the new year. It’s nice to see that we’re still being able to grow from that experience.

There’s so many conferences and workshops and trainings that you go to and during it, you’re like, “Yes, this is great!” And then you leave and you get sucked into the daily work and forget all about it. I really wanted to make sure that that didn’t happen.

LB: That’s a huge testament to you and your leadership of creating that follow through, too. So I just want to celebrate and point that out to everyone. Training is a piece and also how you choose to leverage it for a leadership role is also a piece.

Is there anything else that you would like to share for anyone listening who might be interested in leadership or might be thinking about training for themselves or their team or anything along those lines?

The BA Leadership Mindset

SG: As a business analyst, in my experience working with my team, it’s really easy, especially when you have projects like an implementation or a conversion project where it’s really easy to get burnt out. I think we’ve all been in situations where, we’re working on a problem and we feel like it’s just going through this cycle where you’re so close to a solution and then someone throws a wrench in it and you’re back to the starting line. I think it’s easy to get a little bit negative or fall into that victim mode. So, I guess one takeaway would be really trying, if you want to kind of move into that leadership role, to start with your own mindset and how you think about different challenges that come your way.

And it sounds corny, but it really is looking at things more as opportunities. At the end of the day, we’re all professional problem solvers, so it’s a gift. You get a new problem you can solve. I think it’s being able to reframe your mindset, find some humor in it, take it a little more lightly, and then  rather than just trying to push through and grind, sometimes try taking that step away and internally working on the way you’re viewing different situations and maybe assigning more meaning to it than it needs.

Where are you spending your energy? I don’t want to spend energy on drama. I want to spend it on what can I do? I spend a lot of time reframing – how can I help in this situation?

I think as you shift into a leadership role, if you feel like you’re in a good space, it’s being able to coach others to also reframe the way they’re looking at things and as a BA that’s so important. If I feel like I’m going to go into a meeting and I’m not in the right headspace, I tell my analyst, “I’d rather you just reschedule that meeting if you feel like you can’t really show up and be open minded about the situation or let go of whatever baggage might be associated with it.” I’d rather we just skip it and hold off, spend a little more time with it.

LB: I just want to emphasize everything I’ve heard from you is we’re in a very fast paced, high pressure environment. It’s okay to take a pause. Also to honor one of the things you have shared about the BA Essential Master Class is that shift from reactive to proactive or being more strategic. It’s not easy to honor the strategic, to honor the pause, but that in and of itself is a resilient mindset. That’s huge.

SG: I’m very blessed. I report to someone who also is supportive of that. He trusts our team at this point to make the right decisions and spend our time on the highest priorities and producing quality work.

LB: It’s also enabling you to still deliver on those timelines. Well, thank you so, so much for being with me today and for sharing your insights. I can’t wait to see where you continue to go in your career and where your team goes. So much opportunity.

SG: Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

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