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Webinar: Do Business Analysts add value?
Once again, very proud to be asked to join BCS for another business analysis panel webinar on Wednesday 25th November 2020. This time the subject is about how BAs add value and the esteemed panel is: Click HERE and register now for the follow-up to our last very well received expert panel discussion. See you there!
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What turns a good Business Analyst into a great BA?
On Monday night, having been asked by Adrian Reed from Blackmetrics, I was delighted to do a live interview on his monthly #BAFinge event. For those of you who haven’t seen this, it’s a monthly live stream show looking at items on the fringes of Business Analysis. Truly a wonderful source for the latest thinking and ideas in the BA community. It was great to be asked to do the show, and if I’m honest I was a bit nervous… That said, I did hear once that this is a good thing – if you feel a little nervous, do not be alarmed, it means your body is letting you know…
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The T-Shaped BA
Almost a year ago, in November 2019, I took part in a panel discussion looking at the multi-skilled BA. My mini presentation focused on a topic we are all beginning to know well, the T-Shaped BA. Mercilessly re-using (well, I am a BA!) some artifacts from my presentation on “No BA is an Island” I pulled together a few colourful slides to get the message across. You can grab a copy from the download section.
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BA Nerd and Proud!!
Is it really the start of October?! …that can only mean that after all the months of planning it’s over for another year! Of course, I’m musing about the hugely successful BA Conference Europe that took place last week, going virtual for the first time in its long history. From the first moments of the inspiring first keynote talk from Nigel Owens to the closing words, it was brilliant. So much content, so many presentations, most of which I didn’t get a chance to see because there was that much on offer it was simply impossible. But I didn’t miss out… because all of the content is available for the next…
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Empathy Mapping Workshop: BA conference Europe 2020
Last week I was delighted to be given the go ahead once again to run a workshop at the BA Conference Europe. Along with my fellow BA Gary Cockburn we once again tackled another difficult subject, this time Empathy Mapping. The experience was amazing and enriching for us and we hope also for our attendees. Who were brilliant and totally engaged with building up the empathy map and in doing so, the whole learning process we were aiming for during the workshop. Gary and I came away tired and buzzing. Feel free to download the slides and the case study details.
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Skillspotting: It’s about choice…
In March 2017, I was asked to take part in a presentation along with a couple of other BAs on the different skills necessary for BAs working in different business areas and/or business types. Working in the public sector and having previously worked for a very small none-for-profit organisation I was covering two particular angles in my talk. Now I felt at the time skills can be a it of a dry topic so I thought I try something a bit different, see for yourself with the video below and downloadable slides…
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BA of the Year 2019 – One year on
Around this time last year, I was delighted to win Business Analyst of the Year and be presented with the award at the European BA conference in London. I remember the moment well and being utterly surprised. I know everyone says that, but I was sitting there with 8 other extremely talented BAs and having chatted to many of them I knew the competition was tough. When my name was announced and I had to go on stage to collect the award. It wasn’t quite Oscar-style but nevertheless, I was still nervous and my one overriding thought was “don’t trip up”! (You see, in my family, I am well-known for my occasional bout…
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Linda Parker and Gary Cockburn at the BA Conference Europe 2020
I’m very proud to announce Gary Cockburn and I will be once again running a workshop at the BA Conference Europe …this time, we’re going virtual! Here are the details of the workshop, entitled… See, Hear, Feel: The Empathetic BA See what you saw… hear what you heard… feel what you felt… Through a series of workshop activities and examples we will journey into empathy mapping. We will provide you with the skills to use this powerful and yet often overlooked technique yourselves, and show you when to use it with your stakeholders and team. You’ll begin to understand the answer to the question: am I an Empathetic BA? What makes…
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Linda Parker wins Business Analyst of the Year 2019
I am very happy to say on 24th September 2019 I won Business Analyst of the Year and was presented with the award by Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson. As I said at the time… “In the past, this award has been won by business analysts from Wales and England so it feels pretty good to see it come to Scotland this year. As a winner, I now have the opportunity to be involved in the London conference next year which means I can continue to give something back to the business analyst community. This is in addition to chairing a committee organising a business analysis festival in Edinburgh in June 2020.…
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Why is it so difficult to bind technology to the business?
In September 2019, Gary Cockburn and I ran a workshop at the BA Conference Europe entitled “Why is it so difficult to bind technology to the business?” – I’m very happy to say it was a great success, so much so we created an accompanying eBook that you can download HERE. Below is the synopsis… Bind? “In 2016, the National Audit Office rated a third of public sector projects (37 out of 106) due for delivery in the next five years as red or amber-red. The NAO progress report highlighted the difficulties in project delivery, reliance and the ability to achieve business benefits. With huge budgets committed and a variety of stakeholders awaiting…
















