1. The Past, Present, and
Future of Business Analysis
Kevin Brennan, CBAP
EVP, Product Management & Development

2. 2
Once upon a time...
How I Became A BA
Image ©2009 Doug Kerr, Licensed Under CC-BY-SA

3. 3
Nobody Understood What We Did
Testing?
PM?
Coding?
UX? Requirements?
Process?
Rules?
Training?
Coffee?
Data?
© 2012 CollegeDegrees360. Licensed under CC-BY-SA.

4. 4
Projects Paid A High Price
71%
“of software projects [that]
fail do so because of poor
requirements management,
making it the single
biggest reason for project
failure…”
Source: CIO Magazine, 11/15/2005

5. 5
Were we:
ORDER-TAKERS?
GOFERS?
ASSISTANT PROJECT
MANAGERS?
DOCUMENTERS?
Or would we rise to the challenge?

6. 6
Business Analysis Had To Change
• Methodologies began to
address requirements
development in earnest
• Specialized techniques
emerged taking us past
“the system shall”
• IIBA formed in 2003 to
help move profession
forward

7. 7
It Became A Profession

8. Bridging the gap between…
8
Business and IT
© 2011 Jonas Ginter. Licensed under CC-BY-NC-ND.

9. 9
But That Didn’t Fix The Problem
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Standish Group CHAOS Report
1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2009
Succeeded
Challenged
Failed
Source: The
Standish Group
Project Resolution
History

10. 10
Business Value Isn’t Inside Projects
Traditional BA Space
Pre-Project Project Post-Project
Rationale Delivery Benefits
Enterprise Analysis
Requirements Analysis
Solution Assessment & Validation

11. 11
Are we:
LIAISONS?
FACILITATORS?
TRANSLATORS?
REQUIREMENTS
MANAGERS?
Or will we rise to the challenge?

12. 12
Business Analysis Has To Change
• Requirements
management focuses us
on predictable delivery
of scope
• We have to focus on
delivery of business
value
• We consistently neglect
understanding of the
reasons for change and
evaluating the benefits

13. 13
From Software To Business Outcomes
Business
Outcomes
Software
People
Process
Rules &
Data

14. Bridging the gap between…
Projects and Operations
14
© 2010 Doug88888. Licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA.

15. 15
We Need More Than Analysis
Architecture
and Design
Analytical
Thinking
Goal: To Produce
Reliable, Predictable,
Repeatable Outcomes
Reliability
Intuitive
Thinking
Goal: To produce
outcomes that meet the
desired objectives
Validity
Source: Roger L. Martin, The Design of Business

16. 16
Embrace Architecture And Design
Strategic
Business
Design
Concept
Visual-ization
Empathy
Source: Heather
M.A. Fraser, Design
Works

17. 17
Can we become:
VISIONARIES?
INNOVATORS?
STRATEGISTS?
LEADERS?
Are we up to the challenge?

18. 18
Business Analysts Must Change Again
IT
EntArch
Decision
Systems
Systems
Analyst
BI
EntArch
Agile
Product
Owner
IT BA
Business
Relationship
Manager
Business
Architect
Process
Analyst
Enterprise
Project
Technology Business
Enterprise
Project
Technology Business

19. 19
Align Change Across The Business
Strategy Innovation Improvement Operations

20. Bridging the gap between…
20
Strategy and Execution
© 2011 Neil Howard. Licensed under CC-BY-NC.

21. 21
New Solutions Are Needed

22. Business analysis gives us the
tools to reinvent our profession.
22

23. “To unite a community of
professionals to create
better business outcomes.”
IIBA Core Purpose
23

24. THANK YOU!
Kevin Brennan, CBAP
Email: kevin.brennan@iiba.org
Twitter: @bakevin