Business analysis has established itself as a valuable discipline within organisations. As with any profession practitioners need to keep up to date with developments, and always be on the lookout for ways to hone their craft. 

Yet professionalism is a much broader topic. Ongoing development is crucial, however in order to be taken seriously a business analyst must also demonstrate additional dimensions of professionalism. The following four are of particular relevance: Ethics, Education, Experience and Contribution:

Ethics for Business Analysts

Business analysis involves specifying change, and this may impact some stakeholders positively and others negatively. The BA role requires tact, diplomacy and the courage to call out unethical behaviour. Many professional associations have a 'code of conduct' which members agree to adhere to, but even if a practitioner isn't a member of an association, they should develop their own clear ethical code.  

With emerging technologies, it is quite possible that a BA will be involved in implementing a change which, without the right analysis, might have unintended consequences or might even marginalise vulnerable groups. Professional BAs will tactfully challenge, raise risks, and escalate concerns. They will ensure that a diversity of voices is heard, and that no stakeholder groups are unfairly marginalised.

Business Analyst Training and Certification 

A hallmark of a professional industry is having a recognised education and certification route. Education and certification show that a practitioner has made a conscious career choice and has sought to learn common and accepted practices. Just as a driving test plays an essential role in keeping people safe on the roads by ensuring everyone has a baseline level of knowledge, the same is true with BA education and certification. It helps BAs speak a common language within (and beyond) their team and ensures that the practitioner is aware of the breadth of the BA toolkit.

Another aspect is ongoing professional development. A practitioner should expect to spend time every month learning and staying abreast of relevant developments. Sometimes this might involve formal training and development. At other times it might be less formal. There are many webinars and articles available for free. The fact that you are reading this article suggests that you are already engaged with ongoing development!

Business Analysis Experience

Alongside education and certification, experience is also crucial. A common mistake is to count experience purely in 'years in role'. This can be very misleading as one practitioner might have ten years' experience in a very narrow field. They might have worked on virtually identical projects year after year, using only a subset of the tools and techniques available, actively avoiding anything outside of their comfort zone. Another practitioner might have three years of experience across multiple domains, stakeholder landscapes and industries. These two practitioners clearly have very different levels of experience, which can't be measured just looking at their length of tenure.

When thinking about experience, a practitioner should consider the contexts they have worked in, the tools and techniques that they have used and even the stages in the business change lifecycle that they have been involved in. The most experienced BAs will look to broaden their experience across all of these.

Contributing to the BA Community

Finally, professional BAs give back to the analysis community. There are many ways that this can be done. A practitioner might choose to speak at a conference or professional association's event. They might write an article, blog or host a webinar. They might mentor a junior BA from another organisation, or even connect with other practitioners in a particular industry and hold a 'meet up' to share knowledge.  A key underpinning principle is that information and experience is being exchanged for free, with no immediate expectation of reciprocity. It isn't being done for commercial or career reasons, it is being done to help others who may find it beneficial.

Overall, professionalism is about acting as a professional. Just as an accountant, doctor or surveyor is expected to stay up to speed with their industries and act ethically, so should BAs. Business change is a tricky endeavour, and mistakes can cost money and disadvantage stakeholders. Professional BAs are a crucial part of ensuring that these types of situations are avoided, and that change is implemented, delivering the benefits that were predicted.

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