Read a range of articles written by AssistKD's experts and trainers. AssistKD are experts in Business Analysis and Solution Development training.
25th November 2025 Keeping a Community of Practice Alive and Kicking How can you keep your BA Community of Practice sustainable, vibrant, and engaging? In their talk at the latest BA Manager Forum, Faizal Dawood and Craig Rollason discussed how to foster a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation, whatever the size of the team.
11th November 2025 Perseverance – Playing Snakes and Ladders with Stakeholders Stakeholder engagement can be as frustrating as a game of Snakes and Ladders. But with perseverance, and the right approach, you can get to the finish line and take your stakeholders with you. This article is based on a talk given by Karthik Ravichandran, Senior Consultant at CMC Partnership Consultancy Ltd, at BA Conference Europe 2025.
28th October 2025 Digital Solutions and the BA Service Framework A Principal Training Consultant at AssistKD, Stuart Mullinger co-designed and delivers Assist’s new BCS Foundation Certificate in Digital Solutions Development course. In this article, Stuart explains how an understanding of Digital Solutions is key to every element in the BA Service Framework.
22nd October 2025 Mental Monsters – Name and Tame your Limiting Beliefs Lurking in the minds of even the best Business Analysts are Mental Monsters—those sneaky inner critics that amplify our worries and convince us that ‘we’re not good enough’ or that our work ‘has to be perfect’. But don’t worry - there is a way to name them, shame them, and tame them! This article, which includes some useful and practical strategies, is based on Helen Holder’s talk at the BA Conference Europe 2025.
15th October 2025 Digital Solutions – a Holistic Approach Pete Thompson is the author of the BCS Digital Solutions collection, and designer of AssistKD’s BCS Foundation Certificate in Digital Solutions Development course. This article explains why he believes a holistic approach is the way forward.
24th September 2025 Mark Cross Winner's Interview Mark Cross is the new BA of the Year. He was presented with the award at the BA Conference Europe 2025. Read the winner's interview to find out how Mark feels about winning, why he founded the IIBA Cybersecurity Special Interest Group, and his message for the neurodiverse community.
23rd September 2025 Putting the Service into Service Design A woeful customer experience getting her car serviced inspired AssistKD CEO Debra Paul to develop a new Service Design Gaps Model, to help identify where the customer experience does not meet customer expectations. Debbie introduced the model at the BCT Conference 2024 and it was also the topic of her keynote talk at the BA Conference Europe 2025. This article is a summary of both talks.
24th July 2025 Change Paradigm Model This article is based on a keynote talk given by Jonathan Hunsley at the co-located IRM Business and Enterprise Architecture, Business Change and Transformation and Service Design Conferences, held in June 2025.
22nd July 2025 BOOK REVIEW: Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson Human interactions can be tricky, but help could be at hand. Read this review of Swedish behaviourist Thomas Erikson’s book ‘Surrounded by Idiots’. Using the DISA Model outlining the four main personality types, Erikson encourages you to improve work and personal relationships by deepening your understanding of yourself and others.
25th June 2025 6 Steps to a Successful BA Team Expo In 2024, the BA Practice Leaders at LV/Allianz challenged their entire team to take part in a special “BA Team Expo” event. The aim was to encourage team members to bond and work together; to increase diversity of thinking; to promote learning together and share ideas in a ‘safe’ environment; and to showcase the BA service offering to the wider organisation. In practise, the benefits exceeded all expectations. This article shares the outcomes, benefits, and lessons learned. For anyone interested in holding own BA Team Expo, this is a must read. With thanks to Sarah Ferguson, Simon Hawkins and Emma Wellard of LV/Allianz.
