Ian Richards from Secro presented this presentation on the role creativity has to play in Business Analysis at two recent IIBA UK events (Knutsford 18th July and Coventry 31st July)

1. The Creative and
Innovative Business
Analyst
31st July, 2013
Ian Richards
Principal Business Architect
Serco Global Technology Delivery

2. CONTENTS
● Where can Business Analysts “unleash the potential of the mind”,
express their creative side and have the opportunity to innovate?
● Does the current trend towards methodologies, templates, frameworks and
reference architecture catalogues stifle creativity for Business Analysts?
● Is creativity and innovation key as a method for Business Analysts
to demonstrate value to their clients?
● Does it cease to be creative to re-use?

3. ● Creativity is the generation of ideas while
Innovation consists of transforming these
ideas into action through a selection and an
implementation
“Creativity is seeing what everyone else has seen, and thinking
what no one else has thought.” Einstein
CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

4. ● Our brains are built for creative problem solving,
and it is easy to both uncover and enhance our
natural inventiveness.
Technology is the intersection of Science and
engineering with liberal arts & humanities: Steve Jobs
CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
● Our highly evolved brains are always assessing
our ever-changing environment, mixing and
matching our responses to fit each situation

5. CREATIVE PEOPLE

6. NOT SO CREATIVE PEOPLE?
Harry M. Warner,
Warner Bros Pictures, 1927
"Who the hell wants
to hear actors talk?"
Charles H. Duell, Director of
US Patent Office 1899
"Everything that can
be invented has
been invented."

7. NOT SO CREATIVE PEOPLE?
“you can’t win anything with kids” MOTD 1995

8. IS INTELLIGENCE A PREREQUISITE OF CREATIVITY?
● Ability to go wrong
● Children are creative because they are inquisitive.
● A child thinks innovatively
● Praise and encouragement
Adults seem to focus more on risk and benefit

9. CAN CREATIVITY BE LEARNED ?
● Talent
● Tools & Techniques
● Training
Many people think that creativity is a
mysterious trait like charisma — you
either have it or you don't

10. SO WHAT IS STIFLING OUR CREATIVITY ?
● Are we as adults afraid to be creative because of
senior management and colleagues?
● Do we tend to go with the tried, tested and trusted?
● The current trend is for the client to get us to take
on the risk
● The competitive environment in which we work in
isn’t somewhere that encourages us to take risks

11. IS THE TREND TOWARDS STANDARDISATION SUFFOCATING OUR CREA
In an effort to standardise our work, have we lost focus
of the importance of Creativity and Innovation?
Do I really have to use this
tool?
Do I need to produce a
document in this template?
Do I need to use this
methodology, or follow this
framework?
Do I need to work in accordance
to this governance?
Do I have to re-use from the reference
catalogue or contribute to it?

12. SO LETS LOOK AT OUR NEW WAY OF PAYING FOR GROCERIES.....
● Will it mean that anyone can
● follow a set of rules
● pick a selection of capabilities
from a reference catalogue
● assemble them into a product
● Why not?

13. BOUNDARIES OF CREATIVITY WITH OTHER PROFESSIONS - THE BEAUT

14. BOUNDARIES OF CREATIVITY WITH OTHER PROFESSIONS - THE BEAUT

15. ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE ARTS
March
Jazz
Harmony

16. MY JOURNEY HERE TODAY....

17. DOES THE CURRENT TREND TOWARDS METHODOLOGIES, TEMPLATES
REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE STIFLE CREATIVITY FOR BAS?

18. DOES THE CURRENT TREND TOWARDS METHODOLOGIES, TEMPLATES
REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE STIFLE CREATIVITY FOR BAS?
● Scenic Route, Direct Route, Avoid
Motorways
● How many stops?
● Places of Interest?
● Clean the car?
● Get the car serviced or not?
Creativity

19. DOES THE CURRENT TREND TOWARDS METHODOLOGIES, TEMPLATES
REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE STIFLE CREATIVITY FOR BAS?
● We need to get the right balance
between creativity, uniformity and
standardisation within the culture of
your workplace?
No they shouldn’t
● There’s is a lot of opportunity left
within the boundaries to be creative if
the culture is creative.
These tools ensure that
● Everyone is engaged
● There is a standard output
● Nothing is missed
● A roadmap exists

20. SO WHAT IS OUR 4-4-2 THEN?
● What is the shape of our football team or our
orchestra?
● How do we get people buying tickets to come to
our concert?
● The reviews say that our tickets are overpriced,
the concert goes on forever and that it is hard on
the ears
● How are we going to score goals instead of
conceding own goals?

21. SO WHAT DOES THE BABOK SAY ABOUT CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
Purpose
Business analysts must be effective in generating new ideas for approaches to problem solving and in
generating alternative solutions.
Definition
Creative thinking involves generating new ideas and concepts, as well as finding new associations
between or new applications of existing ideas and concepts. These concepts should be innovative
and appropriate to the situation. In addition to identifying and proposing alternatives, the business
analyst should be effective in promoting creative thinking in others by asking questions and
challenging assumptions.
Effectiveness Measures
Measures of successful creative thinking include:
The successful generation and productive consideration of new ideas. Application of new ideas to
resolve existing problems. Willingness of stakeholders to accept new approaches.

22. WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Design
Business
Analysis
------
● All teams sometimes look for the most creative and innovative way to
form the solution within their disciplines
Client ------

23. SO WHERE ARE OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO BE CREATIVE AND INNOVATIV
Business
Analysis
● Issues & Problems
● Stakeholders
● Product Design

24. CREATIVITY WITH ISSUES AND PROBLEMS
We are in the business of solving issues, and without issues
nd problems to solve, is there any need for Business
Analysis?
Don’t we have a toolbox full of ideas on how we identify
he problem and break it down into smaller problems?
Instead of seeing an issue or a problem, couldn’t we create a culture
where we see it as an opportunity to create solutions and innovate?

25. CREATIVITY WITH STAKEHOLDERS
ow we deal with the emotional interpretation by our clients
spiration, energy, enthusiasm, drive, professionalism, creativity and innovation...
e creative in ways to get the best out of everyone you work with from every
scipline in every situation
Business
Analysis
Client ------

26. CREATIVITY WITH PRODUCT DESIGN
Design
Business
Analysis
------

27. HOW INVOLVED DO WE GET IN DESIGN?

28. CREATIVE WITH PRODUCT DESIGN
Business Analysts tend to have the
relationship with the client
Product Design
We share the stakeholder’s vision
(expectation of the end product,
screens, look and feel, and
solution)
BAs tend to deliver the solution to
the client

29. WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Design
Business
Analysis
------Client ------
● All teams should look for the most creative and innovative way to
form the solution collaboratively

30. SO WHEN BUSINESS ANALYSTS BUILD ON THEIR CREATIVE POTENTIAL
INNOVATE, DOES IT CEASE TO BECOME CREATIVE TO RE-USE?
If you shake that pattern about a bit you get something new –
otherwise it is the same old pattern and same old result

31. REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE - CREATIVITY WITH RE-USE
● Creativity is using the same things & seeing the
same things as other people but creating
something new
● Of course, re-use is a good thing. (it cuts down on
re-work, which cuts down on time and effort)
It’s not only you who is looking at this reference
architecture, and people have different perspectives

32. THE BEST EXAMPLE OF RE-USE?
118 elements, building blocks
of a whole world

33. What is wrong with simply
ollowing due process to
roduce what the customer
s asking for?
● Surely discipline done well is
the difference between a
successful and a struggling
project?
So why do we as Business Analysts need to be creative?

34. Is creativity and innovation key as a method for Business Analysts to
demonstrate value to their clients?
● “Your idea of doing it like
that was genius !!”
It is more likely that if you find a creative and innovative
way to work it will save on time and effort

35. hat is what you asked for,
o that is what you've got?” Where is the added value in
that?
Is this “unleashing the
potential of the mind”?
WHAT DO WE GET ALL TOO OFTEN?
ients pay inflated costs for
BAs, but some simply ask the
client what they want and write
t down
n’t the bad perception of IT is as a result of an army of diligent and dedicated
IT professionals doing precisely what they were asked to do?

36. Is creativity and innovation key as a method for Business Analysts to
demonstrate value to their clients?
● Lets keep our profession in demand
One thing is for sure, without the drive to come up with breakthrough ideas
and the confidence that a creative and innovative solution exists, it is
unlikely that one will be found
● Lets be regarded as those clever IT
business people who will come and
sort this out for us.
● There are rules and guidelines in
every profession and in every walk of
life
● We need to promote a culture of
creativity and innovation within
ourselves and within our organisations

37. SUMMARY
● Where can Business Analysts “unleash the potential of the mind”,
express their creative side and have the opportunity to innovate?
● Does the current trend towards methodologies, templates, frameworks and
reference architecture catalogues stifle creativity for Business Analysts?
● Is creativity and innovation key as a method for Business Analysts
to demonstrate value to their clients?
● Does it cease to be creative to re-use?

38. SO WHAT NOW?
Take a moment to reflect on the legacy of creativity and innovation that you have
left in your wake personally.
Not only with the products that you have contributed to but with the culture you
have developed within your teams
Some of you will
identify a need for
a slight
amendment in
attitude, approach
The next session is an excellent opportunity to learn
some of these skills that will help you
Some of you have
the right attitude
and just don't
know how to
apply it

39. QUESTIONS?

40. Refreshments