In her presentation at the IRM UK BA Conference Europe, Louise Howe, BA Manager at Huboo, shared what she wishes she had known when she started her BA career.

Why choose Business Analysis as a career?

Louise began with what being a BA meant to her and why she is so passionate about it as a professional career path. She loves being a BA because she gets to:

• look at the business from multiple angles and through different lenses;
• challenge assumptions;
• create clarity in a chaotic world;
• and guide the business through the right change at the right time.

Top Tips for Business Analysts

Louise then shared the following top tips taken from what she has learnt along her career path…

1. It is ok to make mistakes… but it is not OK to not learn from them. You cannot learn and never make mistakes, some of the best lessons are from failing. However, how we handle those mistakes and what we learn from it is invaluable. Owning the mistakes, reflecting on what happened, putting steps in place so they don't happen again or are less likely to and then moving on from it is crucial. Learn resilience and practise, practise, practise. Foster a growth mindset and remain curious.
2. Don't be afraid to ask the obvious. We are not here to have all the answers, but we might have the questions that will lead to the answers. If you do not know it, the chances are someone else won't either, and if you are asking it, it means it is not understood by all and might need to be properly documented or communicated in an effective way. Keep asking questions and don't just look for solutions, sometimes the most powerful questions are the 'why' and the 'what'… the 'how' can come later. Sometimes if you actually draw out the question/problem and show it to people, it ensures there is collaborative understanding.
3. Always remember your audience. What is it that want, what they really, really want (or need)? What are you doing in the first place? What is its purpose and how will it be used? Keep this at the forefront of your mind to avoid going down too many rabbit holes. Are you sure you are truly engaging your audience, fulfilling their needs? Is what you are showing them understandable to all? Think of what your audience want, they might just want something hand drawn and higher level to see how everything hangs together. Focus on the purpose. Is it for information, to influence, to make recommendations or to negotiate?
4. Understand your strengths and your weaknesses. It's OK to not love it all. The breadth of the expertise of a BA is far and wide, you cannot be the master of it all and love it all. Spend time regularly reflecting and gaining feedback on your strengths and weaknesses and understand where your passion lies. This can help shape your training needs and career aspirations. It's ok to use your strengths to overcome your weaknesses.
5. Champion your trade. Does the business know what you do, and if not, why not? Do the people you work with really understand the BA role/remit? Are you seen as someone 'helpful' as opposed to a skilled professional? It is important to work on your elevator pitch, value proposition and what BA skills you offer. This helps define your role, the value you bring and how it works within your organisation. Don't forget to shout about your successes loudly and proudly and find other disciplines and departments to champion your role.
6. Find your BA community.. and if one doesn't exist, make it! It can be lonely as a BA if you have moved on from a team and people don't understand your role. Having a strong BA community is a must, it's a safe and supportive environment to go back to and re-energise. It brings so much value to newbies and seasoned seniors alike. Look to have regular meet ups or find a mentor. Share what you are working on, new techniques. Get your BA geek on and have fun!  

Louise wrapped up her presentation by talking through other Business Analyst's tips they had shared with her and invited the audience to think about what they would say to themselves when they started out. She closed by requesting that everyone be or become the Senior BA they wished they had had as a mentor when they were a Junior BA.

Are you thinking about updating your BA toolkit? AssistKD offers a wide choice of business analysis training courses.