In December 2015 I completed my training as a Business Analyst. Today, I am so excited to announce that I’ve starting my first day as a Product Consultant, working for Kainos! Yes, this also means I’ve made the move from contract to permanent employment!
I want to use this opportunity to reflect on my experience as a Business Analyst.
Business Analysis is a broad field, and in my last 5 years in the role I have been involved in, and in many cases consider myself an expert in:
- Process Mapping
- Data Analysis
- Gap analysis
- Backlog Refinement
- Backlog Prioritisation
- Writing User Stories
- Writing Acceptance Criteria
- User Research
- Prototype Testing
- User Acceptance Testing
As well as the day-to-day tasks that a Business Analyst undertakes, the way in which they are completed and the soft skills that are utilised are just as important. In my view a Business Analyst has three core skills:
- Analytical thinking
- Problem solving
- Communication
These soft skills have been crucial in enabling me to undertake my responsibilities as a Business Analyst, over the various projects that I’ve been involved in over the years.
For example, communication is important during Backlog Prioritisation, when reviewing Themes, Epics or User Stories with the Product Owner and the rest of the team. It is equally as important in a more technical discussion with Developers, Testers and Architects. You have to be able to adapt your communication style to suit the audience that you’re talking to, in relation to the outcome that you want to achieve.
Analytical thinking and problem solving are both important when understanding user research findings, completing as-is and to-be process mapping, or discussing potential solutions with members of the team.
What am I looking forward to in my role as a Product Consultant?
I’m looking forward to taking a step back, considering the bigger picture and having the opportunity to identify problems before they arise. It will be great to consider the entire service, including both online and offline processes. Prioritisation is an area I’m keen to be involved in; working through time constraints and understanding how value can be delivered iteratively to continuously improve user journeys.
I will do this by focusing my efforts, and really understanding the problems that I’m trying to solve. I’ll be keen to utilise data, whether service data and statistics, or user research findings, enabling me to understand pain points and user needs.
When I was offered the role at Kainos, I wondered how my experience as a Business Analyst could help me in my new role. Upon reflection, I realised that I’ve always had a passion for Product. I’ve always strived to ensure that a user’s experience is as positive as possible. Today I am over the moon to have started on my new journey with Kainos. I’m looking forward to learning and mastering new techniques and continuing to shape products and services to make a positive difference to people’s lives.
Charan's Blogs 