How I became a Business Analyst – My professional growth story

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How I became a Business Analyst – My professional growth story

Blog & Life at Tremend

Being a Business Analyst (BA)  has always been my dream, ever since I was in college. I was always passionate about solving difficult tasks and implementing new features to the products I was creating. My journey as an IT Business Analyst started back in 2015, when I was implementing a new mobile and Internet banking platform using Agile methodology, creating user stories for both Android and iOS platforms, and testing new functionalities, all for a reputable banking institution.

I continued my journey at two other financial institutions until I landed at Tremend, becoming a Senior Business Analyst for several projects in industries like banking, automotive, retail, and healthcare. I love the work I’m doing at Tremend and would encourage everyone to embark on their own unique journey by applying for one of the open positions at our company.

So how did I become a Business Analyst in the first place? First of all, I would like to point out that, for being a Business Analyst, you need to have a couple of mandatory skills: an analytical mindset and patience. If you have these two skills, you can become a successful Business Analyst. 

Nevertheless, for becoming an excellent BA, you should also stay in touch with the latest ways of working, tools, and methodologies. As an example, you should be acquainted with working with methodologies like Agile versus Waterfall.

My Journey as a Business Analyst

Returning to the subject at hand, I want to tell you a little more about me. Before becoming a Business Analyst at Tremend, I worked in the past in the banking industry, focusing on implementing a new mobile banking platform for a Romanian top bank using Agile Scrum methodology. Thus, in my case, the start of my career as a Business Analyst was easier because I already had a deep understanding of banking products. I was also lucky enough to be part of an Agile team of experienced developers from Tremend.

After this first project, I was involved in projects from different industries like the airline, telecom, and eCommerce, all using the Agile methodology as the working method, be it Agile Safe, Agile Scrum, or Kanban. During these projects, I can say that I was “forced” to stay up to date with different technologies for development or with different ways of working and a plethora of unique corporate cultures. 

What I would say helped me succeed during my journey to becoming a Business Analyst is my analytical, curious, and patient nature, along with a strong desire to see projects completed and actions brought to completion.

Tools and Methodologies I would Recommend for BA Professionals

As a common element of a successful project, I would say that following the working methodology and the specific ceremonies is the most important thing. I would also recommend you to use tools like Postmann, SuapUI, along with diagram editing software such as PlantumI. Note that PlantumI is great for technical diagrams, so you should use it as such. For business diagrams, you should use a different tool, like Miro.

Some other tools I would recommend to anyone that wants to grow to become an expert BA is Zeplin for properly visualizing the design received from the UX designers or Axure. Also, don’t forget about Postmann and SuapUI, which are great tools for interrogating microservices and APIs. During my journey as a Business Analyst, I’ve noticed that using these tools can really make a difference between good projects and amazing projects.

How I Stay On Top of Trends, Developing My Business Analysis Expertise

Below I want to share with you my best resources for keeping up to date with best practices, trends, and news in the Business Analysis field:

Profile Organisations

Industry key players like IIBA, SCRUM.org, BSC, and their agreed learning partners, such as Watermark, or Adaptive US, offer a broad repository of information in regards to business analysis, product management, data analysis, and even blockchain and cybersecurity analysis.

Industry blogs, knowledge bases, academic articles

On the Internet, you can find industry-specific blogs concerning a particular analysis methodology. For a Business Analyst, this is a treasury of knowledge about business processes and product management typical for a given industry and the used language or terminology. I also recommend knowledge bases with scientific articles – you can check, for example, research in a given field or area.

Some of the industry blogs I recommend you to check on a regular basis are Modern Analyst and IIBA. In terms of magazines that include specific BA knowledge, I prefer reading The CEO Magazine and Modern Analyst e-Journal

Discussion groups and forums

It’s worth browsing the posts, but most importantly, you want to join in the conversations, answer questions, and ask them as well. Broad discussions can be a valuable source of information. Thanks to this, you can not only gain knowledge but also share it. Some of the best forums and discussion groups you can join to grow in your professional BA career include TechCanvass and BA Manager Forum

Trade journals

These insightful resources include articles published by specialists in a given scientific discipline, by employees of large corporations, and by small start-ups. Every point of view can be inspiring. I recommend you to look into the following trade journals: The Business Analyst’s Toolkit and Modern Analyst Business Analysis Articles

Social media

The contacts and profiles you follow may surprise you with new information that you haven’t found on your own. Thus, I encourage you to make contacts and build a network of professionals in the BA field. You might find out some very interesting trends and BA-related secrets, while also growing your expertise.

Documentary programs and industry podcasts

These are a source of knowledge tailored to each audience. Experts often host them to present systems and explain processes and concepts. Some of the top BA-related podcasts I like to follow include The Academy Voice of the BA Community podcast (find it on Apple, and Spotify) from Laura Paton and The BA Coach podcast.

Conversation

I saved it for last, but that doesn’t mean it’s the least important. On the contrary, for a Business Analyst, it’s an invaluable source of knowledge. The most significant thing is not to be afraid to ask questions if you don’t know something. Questions should be directed to the customer, but also to colleagues who have had contact with a given area and can help you.

Top Influencers in the BA Industry

Below is a list of companies and experts in the field I follow to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in Business Analysis:

Training and learning resources:

Experts in the field: