Comments on: Business Analysts: SME’s or Generalists? http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/07/03/business-analysts-smes-or-generalists/ Business Analysis | Software Methodology | Process Improvement Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:55:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: JB http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/07/03/business-analysts-smes-or-generalists/#comment-788 JB Thu, 22 May 2008 01:07:36 +0000 http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/07/03/business-analysts-smes-or-generalists/#comment-788 Thanks for the comment and the link, Lisa. I find myself struggling at times even in my current projects to find the appropriate balance - to make sure that I'm eliciting and not authoring the requirements. By the way, the Seilevel blog and message board are a few of my favorite reads. Thanks for the comment and the link, Lisa. I find myself struggling at times even in my current projects to find the appropriate balance - to make sure that I’m eliciting and not authoring the requirements.

By the way, the Seilevel blog and message board are a few of my favorite reads.

]]> By: Lisa Anderson http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/07/03/business-analysts-smes-or-generalists/#comment-785 Lisa Anderson Wed, 21 May 2008 19:44:39 +0000 http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/07/03/business-analysts-smes-or-generalists/#comment-785 Well written points in your blog. It is hard to find a blend of "enough" technical knowledge with just the right amount of analytical problem solving. I agree that more technical knowledge can lead one down the dangerous path of providing design rather than requirements. It can also lead a BA to making assumptions of the subject matter that could also backfire. Take a look at a recent blog post on our site which discusses the fine line between SME and BA. http://requirements.seilevel.com/blog/2008/03/ba-as-sme.html Well written points in your blog.

It is hard to find a blend of “enough” technical knowledge with just the right amount of analytical problem solving. I agree that more technical knowledge can lead one down the dangerous path of providing design rather than requirements. It can also lead a BA to making assumptions of the subject matter that could also backfire.
Take a look at a recent blog post on our site which discusses the fine line between SME and BA.

http://requirements.seilevel.com/blog/2008/03/ba-as-sme.html

]]> By: Rajeev Singh http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/07/03/business-analysts-smes-or-generalists/#comment-394 Rajeev Singh Mon, 30 Jul 2007 12:44:19 +0000 http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/07/03/business-analysts-smes-or-generalists/#comment-394 The most important thing to remember is to be able to keep a seperation between the "what" and the "how". With a background of a developer it is very tempting to discuss the "how" or jump straight to it. Not having a development background provides that advantage, I agree. Technical skills are important but only uptil the point where an Analyst knows the schema, if there's one, understands the overall architecture of the solution, etc. The moment an analyst starts to guide the developers or even the business into details of algorithms, the downfall begins. The most important thing to remember is to be able to keep a seperation between the “what” and the “how”. With a background of a developer it is very tempting to discuss the “how” or jump straight to it. Not having a development background provides that advantage, I agree.

Technical skills are important but only uptil the point where an Analyst knows the schema, if there’s one, understands the overall architecture of the solution, etc. The moment an analyst starts to guide the developers or even the business into details of algorithms, the downfall begins.

]]> By: Yuan Y http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/07/03/business-analysts-smes-or-generalists/#comment-364 Yuan Y Thu, 12 Jul 2007 03:48:42 +0000 http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/07/03/business-analysts-smes-or-generalists/#comment-364 Thanks Jonatha, this is just the kinda of discussion I would like to be involved. I believe that technical expertises of a BA can benefit a agile project more than traditional waterfall project. It allows BAs to do quicker turnarounds from both the developer and the business, ensuring expectations are clearly described to developers in their kind of language, and fairly good estimation of development efforts, etc can be feedback to the business in reasonable shorter amount of time. Just my thoughts, I am only a graduate BA tho. Cheers, Thanks Jonatha, this is just the kinda of discussion I would like to be involved.

I believe that technical expertises of a BA can benefit a agile project more than traditional waterfall project.

It allows BAs to do quicker turnarounds from both the developer and the business, ensuring expectations are clearly described to developers in their kind of language, and fairly good estimation of development efforts, etc can be feedback to the business in reasonable shorter amount of time.

Just my thoughts, I am only a graduate BA tho.

Cheers,

]]> By: Craig Brown http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/07/03/business-analysts-smes-or-generalists/#comment-359 Craig Brown Fri, 06 Jul 2007 05:36:12 +0000 http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/07/03/business-analysts-smes-or-generalists/#comment-359 Jonathan, Thanks for that. I just re read over the BABOK and in the context of that doc I think your technical expertise assisst you in the assessment of solution proposals. It also helps you communicate what the solution design means for the lay people in the business. So yeah - it's a useful skill to have, but not critical. Cheers Jonathan,

Thanks for that.

I just re read over the BABOK and in the context of that doc I think your technical expertise assisst you in the assessment of solution proposals. It also helps you communicate what the solution design means for the lay people in the business. So yeah - it’s a useful skill to have, but not critical.

Cheers

]]> By: B Kuhn http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/07/03/business-analysts-smes-or-generalists/#comment-357 B Kuhn Tue, 03 Jul 2007 15:39:37 +0000 http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/07/03/business-analysts-smes-or-generalists/#comment-357 Great article - you articulated your points very well. I would agree that there is no single "right" answer, and that organizations use job titles differently. In addition to your point on the dangers of having too much domain knowledge, there is a similar danger in having too much technical knowledge (desire to start defining how the solution will be designed/implemented). My suggestion would be to become an expert in requirements first (facilitation, communication, ability to work with multiple requirements models, writing ability, etc...), and then learn enough to be able to communicate effectively with stakeholders, developers, testers, etc... Think about it this way - you probably have SMEs that can provide the domain knowledge you need, but your organization probably doesn't have requirements experts - therefore you need to be one. B Great article - you articulated your points very well. I would agree that there is no single “right” answer, and that organizations use job titles differently.

In addition to your point on the dangers of having too much domain knowledge, there is a similar danger in having too much technical knowledge (desire to start defining how the solution will be designed/implemented).

My suggestion would be to become an expert in requirements first (facilitation, communication, ability to work with multiple requirements models, writing ability, etc…), and then learn enough to be able to communicate effectively with stakeholders, developers, testers, etc… Think about it this way - you probably have SMEs that can provide the domain knowledge you need, but your organization probably doesn’t have requirements experts - therefore you need to be one.

B

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