Don’t be ashamed if your business analysis career falls short of expectations. Many others feel the same, but it’s not cool to admit it on social media. Unfortunately, a bleak ‘winter of discontent’ is headed our way.
PESTLE, SWOT, CATWOE, Porter’s Five Forces; examples of important strategy analysis techniques taught in every ‘introduction to business analysis’ training course. But honestly, when did you last use any of these? Like, properly use them because your employer wanted you to?
Modern marketplaces are incredibly competitive, something digital fulfilment has only accelerated in recent years. Business analysts are well placed to help navigate their employer’s business through these troubled waters, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be happening.
‘As a Business Analyst, do you feel that you play a key role in organisation decisions?’ was a poll I posed recently. 65% of respondents answered ‘occasionally/never’. I asked several training providers and outspoken IIBA advocates to respond with their own experience, in part to increase the sample set, all of whom declined. Draw your own conclusions from their behaviour.
A massive disconnect exists between what’s taught in business analysis training, how business analysts are seen and treated by their employers, and what these employers actually need for their business. The training providers and industry/certification bodies seem unable or unwilling to publicly acknowledge this disconnect even exists, let alone talk about it.
A bleak ‘winter of discontent’ is headed our way, which will unsettle the business analyst industry and wider community. Cost-conscious employers are doubting the value of staff across their value streams, business analysts are disgruntled and not well positioned, and training providers continue to propagate the myth that business analysis is an entry-level position. Everyone is going to need to fight for their relevance soon.
Read The UX Research Reckoning is Here by Judd Antin before you respond with a counterargument. Allow the terrible state of things to sink in. I’ve now watched this play out in product, UX/UI, and agile communities.
Discontent is spreading across all parts of product development, and whilst business analysis has been largely untouched so far (aside from the more broader technology layoffs), I believe it’s only a matter of time. I already know of development teams where business analyst duties are explicitly shared amongst product owners and developers. I’ve also seen major employers make blanket redundancies of IT architects, doubting their value.
Given the bleak ‘winter of discontent’ headed our way, has the business analysis industry done enough to justify its own existence? Have industry bodies and training providers positioned their paying members, and clients, in the best possible light? I really hope so, for everyone’s sake.
I suspect many people who read this will disagree, but the important thing is that we have an honest conversation. I strongly believe business analysis has a vital role to play, and even the most successful businesses desperately need talented analysts. But how they are seen and what they are asked to do need to be positioned differently.