The Business Analyst Podcast

Episode 19: New on the job? part 2

Thu, 3 Dec 2009 15:52:00 GMT

Joe Newbert -- New on the job? Part TWO

This is part 2 of my interview with Joe Newbert.

The conversation continues in a general way touching on various subjects.

The highlights:
* What is requirements engineering to you?
* Differentiating your type of stakeholder and involvement.
* Who can translate business talk to tech talk. The BA!
* How to prototype using a Proof of Concept
* The typical working day of a business analyst
* Explaining a user Acceptance test.
* Joe tried to use a Buzz-word in a job interview..
* My way of learning.. just start doing it!
* Tell me abot your current work at a tellcomms company.

Follow Joe on http://twitter.com/newbert

ENJOY the interview!! :)

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CONTACT: thebapodcast@gmail.com
http://twitter.com/bapodcast
http://linkedin.com/in/MichielErasmus

Duration: 26mins 22 seconds
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Episode 18: What makes a BA a really exceptionally good BA with Joe Newbert in Kaapstad, Suid-Afrika

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 14:38:00 GMT

Joe Newbert -- Interviewing a BA candidate. MULTIPART interview. Part ONE.

Joe newbert is a Business Analist residing in Kaapstad (Cape Town), South Africa. Joe contacted me regarding the podcast after which i used the oppertunity to interview him on his experience. Joe has a M.Sc in computers science also he has extentsive BA experience in both the United Kingdom and since a few years in South Africa too.

Did you love the with Guy Beauchamps interview? (Episode 009: how to become a BA, and getting interviewed for a role) First sit down because you are about to be rocked of your feet even more! :)

The highlights:
* Can a truckdriver make a careerchange to being a BA?
* Recruiting a BA. What behaviorial things do you consider?
* How do you know if a candidate is bullshitting?
* The use of NLP (Neurolistic programming) during job interviews.

NEXT episode in this itnerview series;
* Acting as a project manager
* Interacting with stakeholders
* Your first day on the job
* etc etc.

Follow Joe on http://twitter.com/newbert

ENJOY the interview!! :)

---------------------------------

CONTACT: thebapodcast@gmail.com
http://twitter.com/bapodcast
http://linkedin.com/in/MichielErasmus

Duration: 26mins 22 seconds
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OFFER: â¬400 cash LEGALLY and HONESTLY for placing a Information Analyst in NL

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 14:23:00 GMT

What?
â You help me onto a paid job, either freelance or fulltime.

For whom?
â me, Michiel Erasmus, a Dutch speaking South African with Dutch Government NT2 Staatsexamen qualification

When?
â Immediately

The small print.
â Itâs a personal deal between myself and you the referrer.
â The finders fee is deposited straight into your personal bank account.

Credentials?
â Check my podcast for posetive reviews & feedback
â Contact my references mentioned on my CV

Contact me for further details. Restrictions and conditions apply.

---------------------------------

CONTACT: thebapodcast@gmail.com
http://twitter.com/bapodcast
http://linkedin.com/in/MichielErasmus

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Episode 17: BA combined Project Management - part 2 - closing statements

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 00:22:00 GMT

** I'd like to use this opportunity to promote myself **

Available: immediately.
References: Contact me
hourly rate: first two months for FREE, contact me for info.

---

In todayâs episode i will close off which started previously, clsoing of discussion with my toolset and why/how to use them.

In PRINCE2 my toolset are:
* The stakeholders, involving both the project sponsor and supplier.
* Project Initiation Document.
* Endstage reports
* simplified work breakdown structure, with asks and times assigned to team members.
* Lessons learnt
* Risk log
* Directory structure for filing documentation on your organisation' fileserver.

And some more general tips;
* Get out of bed with enough sleep fully rested out. No partying or crap like that the night before.
* Love what you do, your job shouldnât be a drag, donât force yourself to go to work. When you feel like that either change career or stay at home.
* Donât go gossiping about work or other ppl. Listen to episode 13.
* Work towards quality, even if it means producing less, rather allow that what you do make be of excellent highest superior quality. You want donât want them to throw you out of a project because you could produce much and fast, but nothing useable. What you want is that the client gets a useable product, and you feel proud so they will invite you back even 5 years down the line. I mean, instead of rushing through it.

DOWNLOAD the podcast for the full story.

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CONTACT: thebapodcast@gmail.com
http://twitter.com/bapodcast
http://linkedin.com/in/MichielErasmus

Duration: 27mins 28 seconds
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Episode 16: Mindmapping voor beginners ZA

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:32:00 GMT

This exclusive episode is in Afrikaans for South African and Dutch listeners!!

======================================

Welkom,

Een eerste profeditie van mijn podcast in het Nederlands!!

Een mindmap is een grafisch schema (of informatieboom), dat vertrekt van een centraal onderwerp en daaraan bijzaken en verwante concepten linkt. Een mindmap zou bij het studeren helpen details van hoofdzaken te onderscheiden en informatie logisch te ordenen in het gedachten. -- Wikipedia.

Vandaag bespreek ik Mindmappen en dan wel:
* Voordelen
* Nadelen
* Reden waarom je het zou moeten gebruiken
* Tips
* Software of papier geschreven versies
* Praktijk voorbeeld -- het plannen van je snowboard vakantie :).

VOORBEELDEN:

Figuur 1: Mindmap (kliek voor vergroting)

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CONTACT: thebapodcast@gmail.com
http://twitter.com/bapodcast
http://linkedin.com/in/MichielErasmus

Duration: 14mins 16 seconds
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Episode 15: BA combined Project Management - getting started part 1

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 18:10:00 GMT

Guys, i've been planning and improving myself for over 4 years now. Thats how long it took me to be able to present you with 40 minutes of value.

I will disucss how i combined a BA role and got some Project Management experience, and how to communicate effectively to stakeholders.

This podcast is divded into about 5 sections.
* First i tell you about the tooling i will use which are PRINCE2 and RUP.
* Secondly i will explain things to consideration before starting out.
* Thirdly, i will present Case Study for both IT and fictional non-IT project.
* Forthly, use the Case Study and apply all of the aforementioned stuff on the Case Study.
* And last but not least, closing statements.

Figure 1: The project sponsor description (click for larger version)

Figure 2: Reporting back to project board (click for larger version)

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CONTACT: thebapodcast@gmail.com
http://twitter.com/bapodcast
http://linkedin.com/in/MichielErasmus

Duration: 26mins 22 seconds
Download:
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Guys, i've been planning and improving myself for over 4 years now. Thats how long it took me to be able to present you with 40 minutes of value.

I will disucss how i combined a BA role and got some Project Management experience to boot! YEYEYAHAOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! :)

This podcast is divded into about 5 sections.
* First i tell you about the tooling i will use which are PRINCE2 and RUP.
* Secondly i will explain things to consideration before starting out.
* Thirdly, i will present Case Study for both IT and fictinal non-IT project.
* Forthly, use the Case Study and apply all of the aforementioned stuff on the Case Study.
* And last but not least, closing statements.

---------------------------------

CONTACT: thebapodcast@gmail.com
http://twitter.com/bapodcast
http://linkedin.com/in/MichielErasmus

Duration: 26mins 22 seconds
Download:
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Episode 14: Requirements elicitation workshop, getting started technique

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:31:00 GMT

Ever wanted to do a requirements elecitation workshop interview but didnt know how?

Here is my own practical step-by-step approach presented to YOU my listeners. This podcast covers the planning BEFORE and AFTER the actual interviews. In a next podcast you will get the real deal when sitting with the users around a table.

FIGURE: Requirements elicitation mindmap

Topics covered:
* What is requirements elecitiation?
* How to involve stakeholders?
* Common sense to take into consideration before starting the interview.
* What to do when the interview is starting, the first 2 minutes.
* Closing the interview. The next steps?
* The do's and dont's of requirements elecitation.
* How to ask questions.
* The type of requirements workshops.
* Getting in contact with stakeholders. How?

====

SUID-AFRIKAANS (South African dutch) (Podcast is Engelstalig!)
* Wat beodl jy met is systeem yse vasstel?
* Hoe kan ek belanghebbendes betrokke maak?
* Gesonde verstand, voor jy begin met die onderhoud.
* Wat om te doen binne 2 minute na start van die onderhoud.
* Wat as jy klaar is?
* Dinge wat jy maar nie kan doen, of beter wel kan doen!
* Die tipe vrae om te stel.
* Soorte systeemeis onderhoude
* Hoe kan ek die mense kontak? Wat moet ek doen? Hoe?

---------------------------------

CONTACT: thebapodcast@gmail.com
http://twitter.com/bapodcast
http://linkedin.com/in/MichielErasmus

Duration: 25mins 32 seconds
Download:
Rss:

Ever wanted to do a requirements elecitation workshop interview but didnt know how? Here is my own practical step-by-step approach presented to YOU my listeners. This podcast covers the planning BEFORE and AFTER the actual interviews. In a next podcast you will get the real deal when sitting with the users around a table.

FIGURE: Requirements elicitation mindmap

Topics covered:
* What is requirements elecitiation?
* How to involve stakeholders?
* Common sense to take into consideration before starting the interview.
* What to do when the interview is starting, the first 2 minutes.
* Closing the interview. The next steps?
* The do's and dont's of requirements elecitation.
* How to ask questions.
* The type of requirements workshops.
* Getting in contact with stakeholders. How?

====

---------------------------------

CONTACT: thebapodcast@gmail.com
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/bapodcast
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/MichielErasmus

Duration: 25mins 32 seconds
Download:
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Episode 13: Scrumming with Ãzgen GÃ¼ngÃ¶r

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:44:00 GMT

After a few weeks of silence a new episode!

Scrumming with Ãzgen GÃngÃr

SCRUM

Today's interview is with BA-podcast listener Ãzgen GÃngÃr, a BA from Berlin in Germany. I was curious to know how ozgen managed to transition from Software Developer to the Business Analyst role? We also get into the practical application of the SCRUM agile methodology. Why use it? How to use it? Ãzgen shares how they use Project Poker in a game of SCRUM :).

Later on we discuss what soft skills are needed fot BA and how one would aquire those skills.

THANKS Ãzgen for a great interview!!

Duration: 40mins 38 seconds
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Episode 012: mentoring and getting started with Alex Papworth

Mon, 3 Aug 2009 22:06:00 GMT

Feature interview: Alex Papworth

Alex is a BA with many years of experience in the financial services industry. He also provides coaching and mentoring to wannabe BA's. Lets get some of his experiences!

In this podcast we discuss how in some projects the BA can also function as Project Manager, Alex explains the difference in roles. Michiel enquires how a BA functios in a very small team versus large team with PM assigned. Alex is involved in the London chapter if the IIBA, he explains how one would benefit from IIBA certification.
Would a hardcore programmer with little social contact transition to become a BA?
Mentoring someone takes a great investment of time. It must be worth it for both Alex and a student so not everyone qualifies.

Today's top tip is the Venture Voice (http://venturevoice.com) podcast featuring interviews with well known internet companies launched by courageous entrepeneurs. I learnt a LOT from listening to these sucessful people!

Contacting Alex Papworth: http://bamentor.com

Duration: 45mins 55 seconds
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Episode 011: Talking to Jinesh Parekh, part 2

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 19:23:00 GMT

Continuing to part 2 of the interview with Jinesh Parekh

Shownotes;
* Jinesh introduces Business Process Modelling;
* We go on to a technique discovering Business Processes;
* Explaining what Business Rules are for;
* Getting into Data Modelling and using class diagrams

Contact Jinesh on LinkedIn

Figure 1: Example Activity Diagram of a Business Process

Figure 2: Example of the Object Relations Model diagram

Duration: 29mins 39secs

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Episode 010: costing estimating with Jinesh Parekh, part 1

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 05:27:00 GMT

In this first of 2-part interview aimed at junior analyst Janesh Parekh explains costing estimation, and how to do it.

Shownotes;
* We discuss how a Junior Analyst can do cost estimation;

Duration: 11mins 56secs

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Episode 009: how to become a BA, and getting interviewed for a role

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 16:25:00 GMT

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UPDATE: 08-Jul-2009 sound FIXED!!

Today i want to know more about recruiting a junior business analyst. My interview is with BA recuirter Guy Beauchamp who himself is a BA and former BA recruiter.

Shownotes;
* Moving into BA position when you are doing technical programmer non-BA work;
* Business Process Modelling, an overview;
* Getting mentorships, the (dis)advantages;
* What a dedicated BA recruiter would be looking for in a candidate;

Contacting Guy Beauchamp;
Website: http://smart-ba.com

The result work of a (junior) BA -- project managemnt related

Figure 1: A GANTT chart of a project

Figure 2: A work breakdown structure

Figure 3: Requirements workshop mindmap

Duration: 47mins 29secs

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Episode 008: Talking to Jen Fox about requirements management part 2 of 2

Michiel.Erasmus@gmail.com — Fri, 3 Jul 2009 13:16:00 GMT

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Continuing the interview with Jen Fox.

Shownotes;
* Discussing a technique to verify & classify requirements;
* Explaining Agile development methodology;
* Scaling requirements according to project size;
* How to categorize and trace requirements;
* Getting feedback to users using UML models;
* Communication between business and techies;

Figure: Requirements gathering process in an Agile project

Duration: 29mins 39secs

Download:

Episode 006: Doug Goldberg interview part 2 of 2

michiel.erasmus@gmail.com — Sun, 7 Jun 2009 18:35:00 GMT

Part 2 of the interview with Doug Goldberg.

Shownotes;
* Doug explains an average working day
* How would you plan out 2 weeks ahead?
* Please exaplain facilitating a Joint Application Development (JAD) session.
* Explain the concept of Role playing to our listeners?
* What technique do you employ for discovering use cases?
* What qualities are you looking for when you hire BAs?
* What reading materials would you recommend, from the top of your head?

Duration: 28mins 19secs

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Episode 005: Interview with with Marc Thibault pt 2, verifying use cases

Wed, 13 May 2009 20:42:00 GMT

Continuing the interview with Marc Thibault he explains in part 2.

SHOW NOTES;
* Gathering requirements in a unstructured environment (0:40);
* Is a BA and advisor to the business (4:50);
* Verifying use cases with user stakeholders (6:00)
* Walking through storyboards (7:45)
* Verifying subsystem co-operative requirements (8:45)
* Automated vs auditory use cases (9:50)
* Ending (12:00)

Duration: 13mins 39secs

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Episode 004: Doug Goldberg reveals unit testing part 1 of 2

info@gdb1.nl — Fri, 8 May 2009 14:13:00 GMT

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This is an conversation with Doug Goldberg about Functional Tests.

Highlights of this episode;
* Doug enlightens us about various test methodologys;
* Bridging the divide between test analyst, business analyst and end users;
* How to involve the test team in your BA project;
* The how of User Acceptance Tests (UAT);
* We go on to discuss the usage of Test Cases, and how they are created;
* Doug explains when to involve testers;

Duration: 25 minutes
Download:

Episode 003: Requirements management introduction with Jen Fox of Shining Wave Consulting LLC

info@gdb1.nl — Tue, 5 May 2009 16:10:00 GMT

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Episode 003: Requirements management introduction with Jen Fox of Shining Wave Consulting LLC

In this interview the focus is on requirements management.

SHOW NOTES;
* Defining the qord requirements as applicable to BA's;
* Enlightening us on which stakeholder requires what requirements;
* Explaining what (non)functional requirements are;
* The need of techie talk for BA's and PMs.

Duration: 20 minute
Download:

Episode 002: use Cases, storyboarding, role of BA with Marc Thibault part 1

info@gdb1.nl — Tue, 5 May 2009 12:53:00 GMT

Episode 002:interview with Marc Thibault.

Topics discussed;
* Whats the use of a Business Analyst?
* How to make a Use Case.
* What is storyboarding?
* Who does the BA work for: user or developers?

Duration: 15 minute

Episode 001: Interview with Alexander Baikin

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:02:00 GMT

Today we introduce the podcast to listeners.

Our feauture interview is with the Business Analyst from Moscow Alexander Baikin.

Topics discussed;
* Introduction to this podcast
* The role of BA in projects
* Alexander gives career tips for developers wanting to become BA.
* Information about the Business Analyst community at http://uml2.ru.

Duration: 35minutes.
Download: TheBAPodcast0001_intro.mp3

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The Business Analyst Podcast

Episode 19: New on the job? part 2

Episode 18: What makes a BA a really exceptionally good BA with Joe Newbert in Kaapstad, Suid-Afrika

OFFER: â¬400 *cash* LEGALLY and HONESTLY for placing a Information Analyst in NL

Episode 17: BA combined Project Management - part 2 - closing statements

Episode 16: Mindmapping voor beginners ZA

Episode 15: BA combined Project Management - getting started part 1

Episode 14: Requirements elicitation workshop, getting started technique

Episode 13: Scrumming with Ãzgen GÃ¼ngÃ¶r

Episode 012: mentoring and getting started with Alex Papworth

Episode 011: Talking to Jinesh Parekh, part 2

Episode 010: costing estimating with Jinesh Parekh, part 1

Episode 009: how to become a BA, and getting interviewed for a role

Episode 008: Talking to Jen Fox about requirements management part 2 of 2

Episode 006: Doug Goldberg interview part 2 of 2

Episode 005: Interview with with Marc Thibault pt 2, verifying use cases

Episode 004: Doug Goldberg reveals unit testing part 1 of 2

Episode 003: Requirements management introduction with Jen Fox of Shining Wave Consulting LLC

Episode 002: use Cases, storyboarding, role of BA with Marc Thibault part 1

Episode 001: Interview with Alexander Baikin

OFFER: â¬400 cash LEGALLY and HONESTLY for placing a Information Analyst in NL