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Category: Technology

Analytics, Change Management & Technology

What is a Business Analyst’s Job Description

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

What is a Business Analyst Exactly

A business analyst is a person that is responsible for paving a road to bring together two areas, IT and business, with the help of data analytics. Data analytics helps in the assessment of various processes, determining of various requirements and delivering data that is recommendation-driven along with reports to the stakeholders and company executives.
Business analysts engage with various company and business leaders, as well as users, in understanding how changes in regards to processes, products, tools, services, software and hardware (which happen to be driven by data) can improve efficiency and increase value. They must have the ability to articulate and convey their ideas while also being able to hold them stably against the good judgement of what is technologically achievable and financially as well as functionally feasible.

Any skilled business analyst would be responsible for implementing and supporting a business’s information system across various departments. Problem identification and ability to source out and identify opportunities within the company are important responsibilities that they hold. They are ultimately responsible for providing solutions that would help in achieving business goals. They also help in developing initiatives and plans that would optimise financial decisions and thus profits.
Using a business analyst course may be the best way for aspirants to get their headstart into earning a business analyst job.

What Are the Duties And Responsibilities of a Business Analyst Job?

Before diving into this field, one must understand what exactly the responsibilities of a person with a business analyst job are. As mentioned above, a business analyst needs to work closely with the various financial as well as the IT teams in order to promote the establishment of initiatives and varying strategies. These would help in the improvement and optimisation of costs. They would need a very good understanding of regulatory as well as reporting requirements. A business analyst would also need to have a large amount of experience in regards to predicting, budgeting, analysing of finances and identification of major indicators of performance.

The business analyst job description thus generally includes the following:

  • Analysing the business in detail, identifying the various issues, solutions and opportunities for improvement in the business
  • Ability to plan and budget things well
  • Formulating accurate predictions as well as monitoring
  • Ability to perform variance analysis
  • Pricing
  • Outlining the various requirements of the business and reporting these back to higher-ups like stakeholders and senior company executives

Along with playing a key role in performing modelling in various financial and operational areas, it is also expected of a business analyst to develop various novel models to underpin good and rational business decisions. There should be recognition of the streamlining as well as improvement of reporting, internally as well as externally.
The final goal of this is to provide the business with a variety of financial insights that would thus help make the process of making any decision smooth and easy. It would also help in aligning the capital and allocation of various resources within and across the organization’s budget. The position calls for driving fresh initiatives in order to better plan and intelligence systems.

A large number of people are interested in filling the position of a business analyst. But the question lies in how one must put their foot forward to gain way into the position. With the help of a business analyst course, aspirants will know exactly everything needed for them to succeed at their business analyst job. A business analyst course would equip an aspirant with all the necessary and required tools to land a secure position.

Also Read: Business Analyst Career Path

Why is Agile Training Important?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

The innovations and developments in various sectors are increasing rapidly. The sectors themselves are becoming more dynamic. This trend doesn’t seem to subside and to stay competitive and efficient, industries and organizations are moving towards agile methodology and agile project management. Not only software industries but other sectors are also following different steps to implement agile. Therefore, agile training is important if you want to understand how agile works.

What is Agile?

Previous standard project methodologies like waterfall used to be static models where the product working model is revealed late during the life cycle. Unlike previous project management methodologies, Agile is result-focused, dynamic, and looks for continuous iteration. The agile methodology looks for adaptive planning, short delivery times, planning, and flexibility. Agile eases the process of collaboration and there is a continuous feedback loop that makes the project development very dynamic and efficient. To achieve this efficiency, agile methodology follows a specific set of processes.

How does Agile work?

Agile stresses on placing at most importance on delivering work projects incrementally and iteratively with a constant presence of stakeholders end to end. To achieve this, there are processes such as scrum, sprint, Kanban, etc.
Client/Company/Employer following agile follow a certain procedure:

  1. Feature/List Creation
  2. Requirement of features
  3. Estimation of the time taken for completion of each task or feature
  4. Prioritization
  5. Execution
  6. Updating/Iteration of the tasks

Sprint: A sprint is a set period where we need to meet a set goal. The sprint follows the above procedure. These sprints gets reiterative till the product becomes satisfactory and feature-rich. The sprint system gives developers the power to decide the tasks in that sprint

Scrum: Scrum is the structured process of organizing a team to reach a common goal. Scrum consists of daily meetings and in these meetings, they discuss and sort out various steps like Backlog, how long a task will take, what is to be completed.

Benefits of Going Agile:

Going agile gives companies leverage to become more efficient. Some of the benefits being:

  1. Higher productivity: Agile is highly collaborative and due to stringent deadlines and daily check-up, the productivity increases.
  2. Better quality: Due to its iterative nature, the quality maintained is higher.
  3. Cost savings: As the stakeholders are present from the get-go, there will be no last-minute escalations which help in cost savings
  4. Stakeholders satisfaction: Due to their constant presence and feedback, there will never be any parity between expected results and executed results.
  5. Faster time to market: The minimum viable product can be delivered in a short period than previous project management methodologies

Company adaptation:

  • Agile is being rapidly adopted by many renowned companies
  • Nearly 71% of companies already use Agile methodology
  • 98% of companies are happy with the adoption of Agile
  • Availability of various software to manage agile is also a reason for the high adaption rate and agile is a norm
  • The Agile adoption success rate is 42%, while the Waterfall success rate is 26%.

Importance of Agile Training:

Agile training has become important due to the dynamic movement of the sector. Stakeholders want more hands-on experience with their project and choosing agile has become the norm and an ideal scenario for the majority of the companies. Agile training is essential as these companies prefer an employee/executive who is familiar with the process and who can jump into the project development.

Conclusion:
Training in Agile methodologies gives the employee an upper hand during the selection process/interviews. Agile improves the job scope and also increases the number of opportunities available for an employee. Agile training and certification will give a great boost to the candidate.

Also Read: Who Can Do Agile Certification

What is Change Management Tools and Techniques?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Change is the only constant, not only in life but also in business. Just the way we adapt to situations in our personal lives, we also need to adapt to changes at work. Thus, a change management course helps a business apply a strategic approach and deal with things that alter. It includes using tools, skills, and resources to drive success.
The best example of change is the coronavirus outbreak in 2020. It forced most businesses to cope up with the current market scenario. The companies that have managed to survive and are still struggling had to adapt to ‘the normal.’ However, many have had to shut down not only because of failing to adapt to changes but also for losing relevancy during trying times.

Change Management Tools and Techniques

To incorporate the change management course, you need tools for your business. Here are the primary techniques that most companies need:

  • Flowcharting: Flowcharting a basic formula to bring people on board to understand where the company stands and how it is likely to proceed. The best way to go about this is by asking all the managers to give individual options and see how they perceive. It will bring forward conflicting views that can be debatable and concluded upon.
    Once you implement a change, you can add it to the flowchart so that every member can keep up with it. The strategy not only helps create the perfect flowchart but also allows everyone to contribute and feel important.
  • Data collection: Collecting data on facts on how well the company has evolved and where it currently stands is crucial. The process records risks, competition, opportunities, and helps change management in a constructive way. It also reduces decision-making time and avoids unnecessary debates without facts.
    Correct data helps create a metric design, which is easy to understand. The process also includes cycle time, range, and total flow of units through the timespan. The results help identify errors and units that need rework.
  • Force Field Analysis: Psychologist Kurt Lewin developed Force Field Analysis. His theory explains that success is attainable when driving forces are strengthened and resisting forced are weakened.
    Inhibitors of change are usually resistance from the members of a business. However, if members can accept change and focus on its benefits, there are more chances of success. The hierarchy needs to help their subordinates to deal with changes and reduce resistance.
  • Culture mapping: Every business has its own set of concepts, values, practices, and norms. Some typical ones include respect for authority in terms of decision-making and reward system based on performance.
    People responsible for change management in a business must be well-versed with the organizational culture; only then can they apply appropriate improvement practices.
    One of the most difficult things to change is the attitude of continuing things how it has always been. Thus, the first thing to target is existing paradigms and then move to a newer change management course.
  • Plan: Having a project plan is the most obvious, but that is also what keeps us on track. A proper plan that everyone follows works like a framework. It helps people understand where there can be flexible and where there needs to be a boundary.

Most times, people working in several business departments need to adapt to changes simultaneously. Thus, it is crucial to utilize the management tactics and have a straightforward plan to propose new alterations.
A sound business plan helps people know their roles and how to manage their deadlines. You need to keep your company agile through the challenges and cope up with changes positively.

Also Read: What are the types of change management

What Do You See as the Key Strengths of a Business Analyst?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

A business analyst is in demand in all kinds of companies. Businesses rely on these professionals to provide insights that will be used in decision making and running business operations. A business analyst course will help a person in understanding the nuances of the subject and in becoming an effective business analyst.
A business analyst is chosen based on different parameters. Make sure to brush up your skills before applying for s similar role.

Key Strengths of a Business analyst

Business Analysts are known for their professional and soft skills. They need to be ready for the hard work and time the job demands. Some of the major strengths of a business analyst are as follows:

  1. Identifying objectives: Business analysts are aware of the objectives of the business. Therefore, they work towards the goals set by the business itself. A business analyst knows how to do a job. Also, they know what kind of results have to be delivered.
  2. Good communication skills: A business analyst interacts with different stakeholders of business regularly. Therefore, he must communicate effectively. A good business analyst knows how to talk to people and getting the work done. A business analyst course will also help in understanding the kind of tone required.
  3. Strong reasoning ability: Business analysts are known for their acumen. Therefore, an ideal business analyst is someone who has strong reasoning ability and critical thinking skills. Also, these skills have to be brought in the day to day activities as business analysts manage huge data sets and points daily. Also, they have to extract a lot of information from these data sets. Good reasoning ability will help your cause. A business analyst course would help you with this.
  4. Time Management: Managing time is one of the most important strengths of a good business analyst. The work schedule of an analyst is quite hectic. He has to manage multiple tasks at the same time. Therefore, an analyst needs to manage time as the job role demands commitment and high work volume. Also, it is important for a business analyst to multi-task. The job demands a full commitment to the schedule.
  5. Good technical skills: Business analysts make use of different arithmetic models to come down to a conclusion. These models are developed for a better analysis of multiple data sets. Therefore, business analysts possess great technical and computer handling skills which makes their jobs much easier.
  6. Analytical skills: The work of a business analyst requires him to acquire analytical skills as analytics form a very important part of the job. Also, with good analytical skills, you can reduce the time taken by every activity. Also, a major part of the business analyst job is to crunch numbers and data. Therefore, a business analyst needs to make use of the different analytical tools to come to a conclusion or to even analyse the data in the first place.
  7. Decision-making skills: A business analyst is a respectable position in the company. They perform a pivotal role in managing the business. Also, a business analyst enjoys a great deal of autonomy. Therefore, he needs to make judicious use of his power and take decisions wisely. Also, these analysts are required to use their judgement in a lot of cases. Therefore, a good business analyst is most likely to have an impactful decision-making skill.

Conclusion

Business analysts are being demanded in all kinds of companies. They take up a professional approach to solve complex business problems. They play a very crucial role in running the business effectively and profitably.

Also Read: What is Life Like For a Business Analyst in India

What are the five must have qualities of a Scrum Master?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

A Scrum Master facilitates the inclusion of the Scrum methodologies to ensure smoother execution of the project plan. The roles and responsibilities of a Scrum Master lies somewhere between management and team leader. Finding a Scrum Master to fulfill the needs of the company is a very complex task, as the qualities needed for the role of a Scrum Master are carried by very few employees. The qualities vary from product to product, considering the unique features and the existing technicalities. Despite the individual requirements of the companies, there are five must have qualities of a Scrum Master:

  1. Effective communication skills: The Scrum Master is a person who takes care of all the communication between the product owner and the entire team members, communication within the team, without actually being included in the strategy flow of the product. Considering the Scrum Master does not enjoy the authority and power to scare the people to achieve the objectives, the only way left is best communication skills. Here values and ethics plays an effective role. Giving respect and getting respect go hand in hand via effective communication network.
  2. Healthy inter-personal relationship with team members (Community building and Servant leadership): Considering the Scrum Master understands the strength and weaknesses of the Product team members and the requirement of the projects, it is the core responsibility of the Scrum Master to guide the team members to remain organized, to speak out the problems and arrange the training and other such sessions as and when required. A Scrum Master may act as a team leader but does not enjoy the powers and authorities of a manager in real sense. The ultimate way to influence the team members is to command the respect.
  3. In depth understanding of product and the related market: One of the key roles of Scrum Master is to understand the problems faced by the team members. Knowing the work-related technicalities in detail, a Scrum Master can help the team members with proper solutions without taking much time. Prompt and effective solutions help team members to remain progressive on the decided roadmap to achieve the goal.
  4. Seeking continuous improvement: The ultimate objective of the Scrum Master is to improve the day to day working habits of the team members to improve the efficiency. The habit of an introspective and retrospective analysis of each and every process and procedure help the Scrum master to streamline and optimize the work as and when required. Scrum Master actually encourages the employees to step back and reflect to understand where they actually stand.
  5. Understanding the difference between Servant leadership and traditional leadership: The role of Scrum Master is not to decide what a team is supposed to do, but to help the team with the support as and when required to achieve the objective by eliminating any impediments if present.

A servant leader is different from a traditional leader in a way that servant leader always thinks about the team members. The traditional leader serves the organization, whereas the servant leader serves the people in the organization. The execution of the management’s decision lies in the hands of employees, and employees tend to respond to those who think about them prior to the organizational goals. A servant leader understands that the employees not only work for the organization, they work for themselves too. Taking care of individual requirements to the best of the capacity is the role of a Scrum Master. Hence, a Scrum Master must have the core qualities of a servant leader, rather than a Traditional leader.

Also Read: Roles & Responsibilities Of Scrum Master

Role of Business Analyst in Agile

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Business analysts’ community has been talking about ‘agile business analysts’, and this topic has been so much on the focus that there are courses conducted on how to become one. There is a LinkedIn group named ‘Agile Business Analysts”. After all, what is it about? Some people even wonder that they never come across any mention of business analyst while talking about Agile. Agile focuses on the concept of providing value to the clients, and this underlines the need for a business analyst. The difference is that in Agile, the entire team collaborates to do business analysis. There is indeed a substantial difference in the way business analysis is done in Agile and other businesses.

Business Analysis in Agile

Agile business analysis is different from the usual business analysis. Business analysts usually work on large volumes of documents. The agile business analysis emphasises on a smaller number of documents. To find a solution for a business problem and to decide on the documentation, an Agile business analyst work in collaboration with other members of the team. Another major difference is the concept of iterations, which are a time-boxed delivery cycle. They are short, unlike traditional projects. Each iteration goes through the complete cycle of requirement gathering to development, testing, and delivery. During each cycle, the team collaborate to determine what sort of analysis is needed to create a bigger picture without spending much time in building an inventory. You may enrol in a business analyst course to acquire the skills needed to excel in this role.

What is the Role of a Business Analyst in Agile?

  1. Business Advisor: The main role of a business analyst in Agile is to support the product owner. An Agile business analyst scrutinizes the business domain, stocks and grooms the backlog.  Business analyst courses focus on building these critical skills. The product owner is the ultimate decision-maker, who is responsible for representing the business needs and understanding the requirements. It the business owner who decides which requirement is important. However, the product owner may trust a business analyst if he/she is able to demonstrate good business analysis skills.
  2. Domain Analysis: The business analyst is responsible for analysing, understanding and explaining the business domain and identify the problem that requires a solution. To achieve this, an agile business analyst facilitates discussions on revising, creating and/or elimination of business processes, what are the requisite information and who are the stakeholders, what are the systems involved etc.  Along with this, the business analyst also facilitates the discussion about the policies and rules to guide the project. A business analyst needs to look into the requirement models and see if the models can be used even after the project is done and settled.
  3. Stocking the Product Backlog: This means that the business analyst is responsible for creating a catalogue of user stories that represent the project. Each user story narrates the specific feature or functionality of the project that is valuable to the user or software solution.
  4. Grooming the Backlog: It is upon the business analyst to maintain the backlog so that it can be used as a tool. A business analyst can provide information on the value of the different elements in the product backlog perceived by the stakeholders.

The role of a business analyst in traditional software development was clearer and well-defined than the modern context, such as Agile business analyst. The role of product owner sometimes masks that of the business analyst, however, the business analyst is responsible for providing adequate support to the product owner ad to ensure close collaboration between the team members to ensure the smooth execution of the project. Enrolling in a good business analyst course will help you understand more about the role.

Also Read: Rethinking the Role of Business Analyst

What Makes a Good Business Analyst?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Companies have transformed how they work. This has given rise to several new job roles coming up in the corporate world. The companies have now brought in a business analyst to perform several critical functions understanding the intricacies of the business.

A business analyst is not a regular product manager. They have to manage the technicalities of the entire business. Also, they require a diverse skillset because they have to handle a lot of activities within the organizations.

Becoming a good business analyst

A good business analyst has to have a lot of qualities. A business analyst course can help you in imbibing these qualities. Some of the characteristics of a good business analyst are:

  1. Uses the right approach: A business analyst knows how to deal with problems. He is the best person who knows how to use the right approach. Business analysts are known to be amazing problem solvers and analytical thinkers.
    Business Analysts know how to tackle a problem and come up with innovative solutions. A business analyst course would help in understanding the approach required to come up with solutions.
  2. Comes with the right skill set: Business analysts have a lot of different skills that can be used in making the business operations much more effective. Some of the common skills that a business analyst has includes analytical modelling, programming, arithmetic structuring, etc. These skills help in capturing and meeting business requirements. These skills are not innate. They can be easily built over some time. You could take up a business analyst course to get a better understanding of the work to be done. Also, data crunching is a very important part of a business analyst’s job.
  3. Uses effective communication skills and techniques: A lot of activities which is performed by a business analyst is very important to the organization. Also, the results are used by several stakeholders. Therefore, a business analyst needs to be able to communicate these results effectively to the management and the other stakeholders involved in the activity. Also, business analysts use a lot of technical jargons and a technical language. Therefore, it is the responsibility of a business analyst to break down the complicated language into a simple one so that it becomes easy to understand.
  4. Proficient planning: The job of a business analyst is quite dynamic. With a sudden change in the business environment, his process will change immediately. Therefore, business analysts need to have a solid plan in place before laying hands on other activities. A good business analyst analyses the prevailing market trends and predicts how the future is likely to be. This provides a medium to formulate an effective plan. Also, a plan should be both comprehensive and responsive to change. This will ensure the addressing of any elements of ambiguity.
  5. Never stops learning: Businesses evolve every day. They never stop growing. Therefore, a business analyst needs to grow with the environment. A good business analyst keeps updating his skillsets based on the demand and the market. Also, a business analyst needs to be very innovative with his approaches and solution. He cannot afford to keep using the same tried and tested models to come with solutions in this agile world.

A business analyst needs to play with different options. This brings out the best in an organisation. Also, analysts should expand their knowledge base now and then and also make themselves aware of the different kind of analytical toolsets.

There are other good qualities of a business analyst too. You can take up different courses from Imarticus learning to know more about business analysts and also to become one.

Also Read: What is Life Like For a Business Analyst in India

What are the Principles of Change Management

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Change management as a whole is a tricky process considering all the obstacles it would have to face in order to be implemented.
Principles for change management provide a strong framework which allows an understanding of what can be expected, how to move the entire company to take part in the process and how to personally manage the change.

Significant Principles in Change Management

  1. Systematically addressing the people aspect of the change: Significant changes come with a large number of smaller changes at once. Leaders will be held accountable, new skills and ideas must be developed, jobs will change and this will thus cause a large amount of uncertainty amongst the employees. A formal approach is thus required to be developed quickly and adapted as and when change spreads through the organisation. This requires the collection of data and its analysis, creating plans, implementing some kind of discipline, tweaking strategies, procedures and other arrangements. These changes must also be based on realistic grounds, assessing the history of the company to determine its fitness to change and the extent to which it can be done.
  2. Move from top to bottom: In times of change, the people turn to figures that represent support, strength and that would guide them in the right direction. These figures are the CEO’s and the Leadership teams. They must accept the changes themselves and thus inspire motivation in the employees and the rest of the organisation. They must model the behaviours that they desire to see. Executive teams that exhibit good team work, move an organisation closer to success. They must accept and align their ideas along with the changes taking place.
  3. Include all levels of organisation: Change programmes move from creating strategies and marking targets to creation and implementation, affection various levels of organisation. It also requires plans to identify leaders, thus distributing responsibilities for implementation.
  4. Creating a formal case: Communicating the need for change in a formal setting and creating a formal write up for the same are extremely important and essential to creating an alignment in the leadership team. This requires leaders to convince the need for change, express their faith in the company’s future, and map a guide for decision making and desired behaviour.
  5. Create ownership: The responsibility of making changes must be taken up by leaders in their respective levels of influence. It also creates an opportunity to involve people in identifying problems and coming up with solutions for them. This can be positively reinforced through the provision of rewards.
  6. Message clarity is key: Sometimes leaders mistake that employees have understood the issues and new directions whilst also feeling the need for change as well as them. Hence reinforcing the messages through timely advice is a good idea.
  7. Assessing the cultural landscape: Culture and various other behavioural aspects must be accounted for at all levels. Through diagnosing and assessing the culture we can determine the readiness for transformation. This is also beneficial due to the fact that it brings into light major problems and helps in identifying disputes. It also helps recognise the core values, hopes and beliefs which need to be accounted for in order to see a successful change occurring.
  8. Addressing existing cultures explicitly: Leaders must honestly indicate the desired culture and behaviours that would suit the new changes.
  9. Expect the unexpected: Preparing for unexpected outcomes is important as people do not react in a set manner and the external environment is also susceptible to changes. Continued reevaluation must be done in order to check the impact that the change has as well as the companies willingness to adapt. This must be backed by real data from the field, informational support and strong decision making.
  10. Understanding the individual: People react according to the information they receive from their surroundings. Hence setting rewards in order to bring out desired behaviours is advisable. Leaders need to be clear in explaining to the people the nature of change and how it will affect them.

Hiring personnel well versed in credit management is thus very essential to all organisations. Taking up a credit management course would be a wise decision. So do not hesitate to put your foot forward in taking up change management courses as it will help you climb up the ladder of success!

Also Read: What are the Types Of Change Manangement

What is Business Analysis Tools and Techniques?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Business analysis involves professionals who are responsible for understanding and identifying companies and various opportunities and issues. It requires the professionals to be hands-on and interact with people of higher positions like CEO, Vice President, Directing staff and thus understand their needs and what they require to embark on a successful plan.

There are 3 types of analysis in business. They are as follows:

  • Strategic Analysis: This involves pre-planning a project and thus having an overview of all the risks and problems that may come up. Analysts would be required to come up with a fully functional plan and meet certain goals. This is then reported to upper management which uses the information to make rational decisions.
  • Tactical analysis: This process involves gathering information on specific analysis techniques to use on an apt project.
  • Operational analysis: Using AI and learning about the operational systems, in this type of analysis a professional would be required to gather information about various available opportunities.

In order to work in the area of business analysis, one needs to be well versed with the various business analysis tools and techniques that would be required. An aspirant can find out more and learn all the necessary information by going through a business analysis course.

Business Analysis Tools and Techniques

  1. SWOT analysis: SWOT is an acronym. Each letter stands for Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats respectively. In this technique, strength and weakness are intrinsic factors while opportunity and threat are extrinsic. Being an analysis technique at an enterprise position makes it applicable to fields outside of business as well. It is popular for how easy it is and can be applied to a project at any developmental stage efficiently. Hence, it is the most widely used technique.
  2. MOST analysis: Standing as an acronym for Mission, Objective, Strategy and Tactics, this technique is among the best. It serves to gather information about the companies goals and plans and what it would require to make it successful. It makes sure that an organization maintains its focus on the project and on its goals.
  3. BPM technique: BPM stands for Business Process Modelling. This method used to find the loopholes and gaps between existing and future processes. This technique makes it easy to have an overview of how the business would function in various roles. This allows planning and visualisation of further steps in the process of execution, making complex analysis simpler for professionals.
  4. Use Case Modelling: This technique uses a pictorial representation of the interactions made by users. It helps convert the various project requirements into actionable specifications cradled within another already existing project for development. The various components of a UML diagram are as follows: 1. Systems 2. Use Case 3. Actors 4. Association 5. Stereotypes. This technique boasts various advantages. It allows the analyst to understand the functional requirements that were originally placed and emphasize on vital functional areas.
  5. Brainstorming: A technique which serves as a base to other popular techniques such as SWOT and PESTLE analysis, Brainstorming is one of the most popular techniques amongst various analysts. This is a group activity which allows the members to formulate and present their ideas while looking at the various risks and loopholes and finding solutions to various issues.
  6. PESTLE Analysis: This technique takes into account the various environmental influences that affect the business analysis. This includes Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental factors that serve to form the acronym. These factors play a huge role in finalizing business decisions. This straightforward framework requires a network of skills and a large amount of experience.

Hence a large amount of information needs to be known beforehand in order to work in this field. This can be done through a business analysis course. A business analysis course would prepare an aspirant while slotting in all the necessary tools in their tool belt to make them successful.

Also Read: What are Business Analysis Techniques

Guide On How to Become Scrum Master

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

In an Agile organization, Scrum master is the one who holds together the process of product delivery while maintaining an easy to approach way to solve problems and facilitating for the organization, scrum team and product itself. In this process, most agile teams have a scrum master to lead the process of daily scrum meetings, in theory, practice and values. The scrum master not only leads the team but also helps out the team members in practice and manages the sprint board, retrospective meetings and the overall functioning of the team by acting like a “servant leader”.

A scrum master might have to use several tools to keep track of progress as well as the backlogs of the team from the previous sprint and priority of each of these items in the next one. There are several tools available in the market for the same, as well as scrum master certifications to help one be more confident in the role, and appear more suited for the same role in an agile organization’s scrum team.

Steps to take if you want to facilitate your scrum team’s progress by removing roadblocks

  1. Have basic knowledge of Scrum and the agile framework: As a scrum master, it is important to know the basic terminology of a scrum as well as the agile framework and the various tools that could help track the daily progress of the team smoothly. Besides the scrum master, the technical lead, consultant or product manager are some of the other functions who need to be fluent in the workings of a scrum team, ensuring that there is no communication gap within the team. Also, the knowledge of stakeholders, mediating conflicts and adaptability to change according to requirements are very big assets in positions such as these. A scrum master certification will be of a great use to you.
  2. Choose a recognized scrum certification program: While there are a plethora of resources online to get a certification done on scrum or on how to become a scrum master, you must choose one which is valuable to the organization you are planning to join. The syllabus covered for the certification and training provided, if any, are the primary things that you should check while signing up for certification in this domain. Starter certifications mostly comprise MCQ questions and cover all the basics that a scrum master would need to know for handling the responsibility of an Agile team well. Also, this becomes a third-party verification that an individual possesses the requisite skills to be a scrum master, so it is easier for organizations to judge the same while hiring.
  3. Attending a course for knowhow of the course content: Most certifications for scrum master require you to go through a training which prepares you for the examination. This requires around two days of effort along with extra reading if anyone is interested in the same. Some of the important topics are the history of a scrum, building a successful scrum team, managing backlog for your team, scrum scalability, how to build and manage teams etc. This helps scrum master tackle the challenges of implementing scrum methodology, preparing reports and to overcome any hurdles that they face as a team. Following this, you appear for the examination and get certified for securing a minimum score overall of sixty to eighty-five per cent and receive a certificate stating you are a scrum-master.
  4. Certificate renewal every two years: Since scrum is a part of agile which is an ever-evolving process, the scrum master certification expires every two years and renewal is necessary by citing your education hours and a minimal fee.

Also Read: Role & Responsibilities of Scrum Master