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BA Brew

Time for a Brew! AssistKD's BA Brew podcast, out fortnightly, is where our Brew crew and special guests talk all things Business Analysis. Tune in for lively discussion covering a wide range of subjects from the use of business analysis tools and techniques to books helpful to BA professionals. Each podcast is approximately 20 minutes long, exactly the right length of time to enjoy a well deserved break with a refreshing cup of tea or coffee.

The BA Brew podcast is also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.

You can also find a dedicated playlist for the BA Brew on AssistKD's YouTube channel.

BA Brew 66: The Secret Life of Presenters: Practical Presentation Tips

Between them, our Brew Crew have decades of presentation-giving experience. In this eye-opening chat they share some useful and practical advice… and a few embarrassing stories.  

From testing the tech to the best throat pastilles, discover some handy hacks and hints to make sure your presentations go without a hitch. 

 

BA Brew 65: Brainy Glue: A BA Novel (feat. Ian Richards & Filip Hendrickx)

It took Ian Richards and Filip Hendrickx five days and an entire wall of Post-It notes to create the storyline for the business novel Brainy Glue. It then took them three years to write it, around their many commitments. In this BA Brew, Filip and Ian talk about the main themes explored in the novel – business analysis, innovation and change… and how they managed to weave 25 BA techniques into the 52 chapters.

Topics discussed include: Understanding people’s drivers to inform stakeholder engagement; co-creating change; bringing the BA role to life in novel form and more.

Ian Richards is BA Director at Peregrine and a member of the BCS BA Leadership board. Filip Hendrickx is a global speaker, President of the IIBA Brussels chapter and founder of Altershape.

You can read the first sixteen chapters of Brainy Glue for FREE, on www.brainyglue.com and buy the book direct from the website. You can also order the book in paperback or Kindle form on Amazon.

Love to learn? You might enjoy our bitesize learning playlist – short videos explaining key BA tools and techniques.

Plan for success in your BA career with AssistKD’s FREE Career Planner tool.

For all the latest business analysis, business change and service design content, including bitesize learning videos, please like, subscribe and share this podcast.

 

BA Brew 64: How to Become A Business Analysis Professional (feat. Victoria Banner and Joe Newbert)

How do you become a BA professional? In today’s BA Brew, the crew talk about their respective journeys and business analysts can gain certifications, increase their skills and raise the standard of their business analysis work. 

Topics covered include: Training and development in business analysis; the pros and cons of the multiple-choice question and the oral exam; the difference between qualifications and certifications; the many routes to becoming a BA; creating a tailored professional development plan; reflection and knowledge sharing; learning from failures and more. 

Plan your BA career path with AssistKD’s FREE and newly updated Career Planner tool.

Find out more about the professional certifications and examinations you can achieve through AssistKD.  

Watch this video about the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis.

BA Brew 63: The AI Brew (Hosted by ChatGPT)

The Future of Work: AI & Human Collaboration

This week's BA Brew is taking a futuristic turn, as we host an exclusive session led by a ChatGPT Avatar! Yes, you heard that right—a digital entity ready to explore, engage, and enlighten us on the potential and pitfalls of AI in the workplace. Join us to dive into topics like:

  • How AI is reshaping industries
  • The balance between human intuition and machine efficiency
  • Ethical considerations in the age of automation
  • Building a future where humans and AI thrive together

The above summary was written by ChatGPT.

Further reading/viewing: Coded Bias (A Netflix documentary)

Hello World: How to Be Human in the Age of the Machine

BA Brew 62: Advice That Got Us Through Life (Feat. Julie Walker)

You know you’ve had great advice when you remember it and feel inspired by it throughout your life. This week the Brew Crew and special guest Julie Walker share some valuable gems of wisdom – including how to eat an elephant (one bite at a time).

Julie Walker is the author of the historical novel ‘Bonny & Read’, about the lives of the famous women pirates Ann Bonny and Mary Read.

Further reading: By Julie Walker: Bonny & Read: The stunning new feminist historical novel for 2022 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bonny-Read-Julie-Walker/dp/1529395720/ref=sr_1_...

 

BA Brew 61: 50 Mighty Words to Grow your Business (Feat. Felicity Cowie)

Communications failure is behind most business disasters, where people are afraid to admit they don’t fully understand what they are supposed to be doing, and why. Luckily, our latest BA Brew guest is on the case.

In this fascinating discussion, Felicity Cowie –communications consultant, multi-award winning investigative news journalist and former Panorama editor – shares useful insights from her decades of experience.

Topics covered include: the power of stating what you are doing and why concisely, clearly and understandably; authentic communication and feeling safe enough to say ‘I don’t know’; making every word count; avoiding scope ‘creep’; the reassurance of repeating the message at the start of every meeting and more.

Felicity’s latest book, ‘Exposure’ includes the 50 Mighty Words technique. You can find it by clicking here.

BA Brew Trailer

AssistKD's BA Brew podcast launched on Friday 20th November 2020 and is released every two weeks, on a Friday. Tune in for relaxed, informal discussions on a wide range of topics relevant to business change professionals.