Stages That Lead From Agile Development Towards Agile Business!

If you thought that strategy analysis is the magic bullet to ensure the smooth working of a business, then it is time you learn about the Agile approach. Indeed, strategy analysis is essential for identifying organizational loopholes and improving them.

But, the Agile development strategy works wonders in creating more productive and efficient ways of working. As a result, there is a boost in employee morale, better team collaboration is achieved, and higher quality products are created that meet customer satisfaction.

The path to enterprise agility is a journey comprising various stages. And, each stage plays its part in the transformation that touches every facet of the organization.

The Journey Towards Business Agility

There is no single path to business agility. While some organizations is Agile right from the start, others adapt to it on the go. Regardless of the approach, pace, or gamut of Agile transformation, the journey comprises two broad, iterative stages.

Stage 1: Testing out new methodologies and tools with a small team

Most Agile developments start with understanding a commonly-owned aspiration, designing a blueprint to chalk out how agility will add business value, and launching pilots to test the Agile operating area.

Aspiration: The success of the Agile transformation requires a strong understanding of shared aspirations. In addition, efficient leadership from the top acts as a powerful drive throughout the transformation journey.

Creating a blueprint: The blueprint of the Agile operating model provides the design and clear vision of how a new strategy should work. It is developed in a fast and iterative manner and should identify how the technology, people, and processes of the new operating model must change.

Overall, the blueprint development has five stages:

  • Understanding how the industry and individual organization creates value
  • Defining the organizational structure
  • Identifying Agile teams and defining missions
  • Outlining core processes, people, and technology requirements
  • Deciding on an implementation approach

Agile Pilots: The purpose of Agile pilots is to test the operating model in a defined area. Pilot projects often involve multiple teams to test the broader aspects of business agility. They begin with defining the scope of the Agile pilot and finally go on to outlining the way in which the pilot will run.

Stage 2: Translation into broader business agility

The final broad stage of enterprise Agile adoption involves scaling the success of the pilots through an iterative approach based on continuous feedback and capability building.

Rolling out Agile cells: The structure of Agile organizations can be thought of as comprising “cells” or “teams” built around common missions. Agile cell deployment and support involve designing and rolling out new Agile cells in waves, including assignment of new roles to people.

Transforming the backbone: Transformation of the organization’s backbone entails an overhaul of the core processes and systems to make them Agile-ready.

Building new capabilities: Successful scaling of an Agile operating model requires an organization-wide adoption of new skills, behaviors, and mindsets. This critical and vital phase of the Agile transformation calls on the staff to take on new roles and responsibilities while building advanced capabilities and skills.

How to look for business analytics courses in India?

If you are looking for industry-oriented business analytics courses in India, then how about an Agile business analyst certification?

Imarticus offers a comprehensive Post Graduate Program for Agile Business Analyst in association with accredited training partner IIBA. The 6-month business analyst certification course combines hands-on training, practical assignments, business role-plays, and real industry case studies to train for a promising career as an Agile business analyst. In addition, learners will get one-on-one mentorship and career assistance throughout the course of the program.

Business Process Analyst-Career Road Map

The business analytics industry is booming. The business intelligence sector has grown by $2.5 billion since 2012, and it’s not stopping anytime soon. Thus, business process analysts are becoming increasingly important to businesses. They help companies improve their business processes by evaluating workflow, identifying business rules that can be optimized, improving data quality, and much more.

If you are interested in business analytics, business process analysis, or business intelligence and want to work with cutting-edge technologies, then this blog post is for you. This blog post will give insights on how to build a successful career as a business process analyst by sharing some tips from professionals who have done it before.

What Does a Business Analyst Do?

A business analyst is responsible for designing business processes that will maximize performance, minimizing risk and costs. This role can be challenging as it often requires a substantial background in functional areas such as finance, marketing, IT, or operations management. Business analysts are typically required to have an understanding of the business domain they are working with (e.g., healthcare), which includes knowledge about how changes could affect the organization’s objectives and goals.

Skills required for a Business Analyst’s Job Position

The skills required for this type of work include business process analysis, business problem-solving skills, and data management. Business analysts must develop a high-level understanding of business functions and how they interact with each other to understand the underlying causes of problems. They may also need some additional training depending on their area of work, such as accounting or computer programming.

Successful business analysts are self-motivated and possess analytical thinking abilities that can analyze situations from many perspectives rather than being limited by one perspective. These individuals have an ability to solve complex issues, which is essential when dealing with various departments across organizations interacting at different levels within themselves.

The role requires strong interpersonal skills, business knowledge, and the ability to communicate clearly. Business analysts must also have a high level of commitment to their work as they create change in an organization by creating new processes based on data that was collected.

Factors to keep in mind while looking for a Business Analyst Course

– The business analyst course curriculum should focus on the latest business intelligence and analytics technologies.

– Understanding business continuity planning, risk management, and organizational governance are some other important aspects of business analysis.

Understanding data mining techniques is also indispensable for any business analyst to stay relevant in today’s fast-changing IT landscape.

– Specializations in business process design, business intelligence, and data warehousing are some of the areas where a business analyst can specialize.

Become a Business Process Analyst with Imarticus Learning Institute

Imarticus Learning offers an MBA with a specialization in Business Analytics and Data Science. With this degree, you can explore the world of data science through courses on artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, and big data processing.

Alongside your studies at Imarticus Learning, you will also gain exposure to other industries that will help you gain practical experience as well as more insight into what they want their future career path to be.

For more insight, contact us through the Live Chat Support system or visit any of our training centers in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Gurgaon, and Ahmedabad.

Engaging a Business Process Analyst- A Step in the Right Direction?

These days, every organization and business is so keen on achieving their goals that they are recruiting professionals in every possible department. A Business Analyst is one such essential part of these organizations or businesses that helps them reach their goals.

All types of businesses, whether they are profit-based or not, may have to face some kind of problem at some point in time. A Business Analyst helps them analyze the data and identify or speculate the possible problem and also find the ideal solution for the same. Although in a state of infancy, Business Analysis is one of the demanding professions these days that helps various businesses to achieve their targets and goals.

The role of a Business Process Analyst

Depending on the business or the organization, the actual role of the Business Process Analyst or BPA varies but they all have some basic tasks to finish. Basically, an analyst must understand the business well enough to determine how they can help improve the situation.

Once they identify the ongoing processes they can find pick the points or fields that may be automated, create the specific functionalities and design the various features of the needed IT system. The final step is to implement the designed features and bring out the best in that business.

Operation Management CoursesGetting a certification in Business Analytics is in demand as more and more people are joining this profession. Such Business Analyst Certification, makes a person qualify for the job description put forward by the companies, but there is still a lot more for these analysts to do.

Benefits of engaging a BPA

The role of a BPA is highly beneficial at certain stages of a business. Depending upon the business requirement, it may also change. Though the title suggests the analysis of the business front, the professional will be or should be able to align the process and the business ends.

  • Having a BPA could be essential for a new business that is starting at a higher level.
  • These analysts are beneficial when the company is about to launch a new product or is planning to diversify in its current market.
  • Even for the domestic re-engineering processes, restructuring the business, or planning to outsource, etc, all requires the role of a business analyst.
  • A BPA is also essential for people integration, system integration, or for business merger processes to have a smooth transition.
  • Most importantly, a BPA can develop apt solutions through strategy analysis for the new or changing requirements and meet the regulations as needed.

How to be a BPA

Finding the best course for the Business Analyst Certification is the primary step. There are various courses available that enable the aspirants to be thorough with the job requirements and make them qualify for the roles.

At the same time, completing a certification in Business Analyst is not sufficient as the role requires other personal skills such as analytical skills, the ability to identify minute details, leadership qualities, and most importantly, communication skills to help them convey their thoughts and analysis to the stakeholders. Such strategy analysis skills would help both the individual and the business in their growth process.

Conclusion

A Business Process Analyst course is an asset to the organization that brings out the best in their plannings and execution. Whether it is small changes in the incremental princesses or high-level business change strategies, a business analyst can bring a lot to the table and help execute the plans in the most beneficial manner. So, there is no question about having a BPA is the right decision or not.

Why Should You Enroll in a Business Analyst Certification Program

Businesses and the data they produce and require to thrive are growing, expanding fast and need efficient analysts to use the data for growing. Data has turned out to be the most valuable asset in any organization to help measure efficiency, success and production in all organizational tasks. Technology too has kept pace with these rapid developments and the BA is a career that tops any career aspirants list. Especially software related projects need to clean and use data from multiple sources to gain foresight and insights into the databases to help the BA analyze and use the data for predictive analysis.

Why Do Business Analyst Certifications

Organizational business analytics is of paramount importance and helps determine trends, future plans, goal setting, budgeting and many other indices for sustained growth. An approximate half of IT spends are on such initiatives which have resulted in unprecedented growth and demand for BAs.
Business Analyst Certification can help in many ways in a market where making a career in business and data analytics for business purposes is well-paid and demand booming. One of the major benefits of such certifications is that they are an essential spend whether you wish to make a career, are switching jobs or aspiring for a promotion. All organizations want to know before recruiting that the aspirant has sufficient experience and certification in business analytics practice. This is where they need a measurable endorsement and validation of your practical skills and application of learning from a reputed institution like Imarticus Learning. And, certification provides them with exactly this information. Certifications besides being a goal achieved can also provide you with a number of other benefits like
• Builds your confidence while adding to your resume.
• Visibility in a pool of aspirants in the demand-driven job-market.
• Salaries that are probably better and account for the better experience in BA practices under skilled and industry-relevant mentors.
• The credibility that you know, implement and practice business and data analysis techniques on the latest technological suites and frameworks.
• Suit and match market and technological trends in business analytics that are current and in demand.
Thus from the above diagram, you will see that this certification in business analytics is a right career step that can enhance your resume, build your confidence and help with landing those BA jobs with the best payouts. The McKinsey study reports that 490,000 data science jobs are vacant and have only less than 200,000 certified and qualified professionals to fill them. TechCrunch reports claim worldwide demand for data analysts will grow by 50% and fuel better payouts while increasing the demand-supply gap.
The payouts:
According to Glassdoor.com the median salary of a US business analyst is 77,712 USD per annum. The US Bureau for Census reports that median salaries for BA’s are on an average of 34,940 USD per annum and clearly indicates that most BAs draw more than this figure. Of course, this is a huge plus when making a career or changing jobs or roles. Business2Wirereports show that a certified professional earns 20 to 40% more than the rest.
Qualifications Needed
Can you believe that with such great pay packages all you could possibly need to launch your career is finding the right training course and partner? A basic sound degree in finance, economics, business administration etc definitely helps though not mandatory. Along with the boom in data technologies, the demand for training institutes to cater to the huge number of trained personnel has also seen tremendous growth. That is exactly why finding a reputed training partner like Imarticus makes a huge difference. Their curriculum is sound, practically-oriented and has industry acceptance globally. The certification is widely accepted and even has modules on soft-skill development, resume writing and such important topics. Getting into the right job is also easy with assured placements and effective mentorship from certified industry-drawn instructors and mentors.
Parting Thoughts:
Data analytics is a practice- intensive course best learnt from a reputed training institute like Imarticus Learning. Certification enables smart career choices and normally achieves a better pay-package and learning retention. Choose your vertical and ensure you get lots of practice then. All the best then and do not forget to call Imarticus today.

What is Agile Methodology?

Agile thinking is Lean and continuous. It relies on Scrum values and a number of different methods that form a combination way of tackling solutions to improving productivity and efficiency in enterprises with a large emphasis on customer-first policies and principles. Agile has caught everyone’s imagination because of the fantastic outcomes from transitioning to these values.

The Methodology Involved

Agile is no methodology. In reality, it is a way of thinking, a task-training philosophy and a flexible simple mindset. It comprises of Scrum frameworks and others too along with different sets of methodologies that aid specific task aspects in the Agile Manifesto.
The frameworks and methodology sets that are used in Agile are
• Scrum methodology
• Lean development of software.
• DSDM/ Dynamic-Systems-Development method
• XP/ Extreme Programming.
• ATDD/ Acceptance-Test-Driven-Development method.
• TDD/ Test-Driven-Development method.

Let us explore how these methodologies fit into the Agile framework and its practice.

Scrum:
Scrum is widely used in software development using Agile as an incremental and iterative way of handling team-oriented developmental software projects, applications, and products. The Scrum team members are all equal and work together towards the common goal while being flexible, self-organizing, communicative and collaborative as a team. Scrum also works very well with tools and techniques in TDD, DSDM, Lean and XP and offers an excellent framework to function in.

Lean development:
Lean agile methodology principles emphasize minimizing waste and maximizing customer-values to create the ideal customer-environment with minimum resources, focused key processes and zero waste. Optimization of assets, technology, product flow, inter-departmental communications, and various inter-related processes all along the value-stream leads to eliminating wastage. Such practices do lead to lower costs, higher production, more efficient processes, faster time-cycles, lesser defects and of course increase in productivity, efficiency and more accuracy.

XP/ Extreme Programming:
The XP software development method in Agile is again related to iterative customer requirements, frequent release cycles, and shorter time-cycles in development. The improvements are very visible in the areas of
• Flexible communication.
• Process simplicity.
• Constructive feedback.
• Peer and customer respect.
• Courage for appropriate feedback.

DSDM:
DSDM is a part of the agile method used for the development of software. The extended DSDM 4.2 embodies the DSDM principles to be used for consistent deliveries.
These are:

• Business needs focus.
• Timely deliveries.
• Consistent collaboration.
• Zero compromises on quality parameters.
• Using firm foundations and incremental development method.
• Incorporate iterations.
• Clear and continuous communications.
• Demonstrating measures of control.

DSDM the non-IT solution from the Agile Alliance gives great results in time, quality and cost control using prioritization by the MoSCoW method of must, should, could, and won’t-have constraints.

TDD:
This process uses repetition of short cycles of development in a project lifecycle. Testing here begins with coding the automated test-case, defining its new functions, improvements and such before re-testing and factoring in the changes required until the code reaches the acceptable pre-determined values. It has immense scope in debugging, and legacy code testing improvements.

ATDD:
The agile methodology process stresses collaboration between stakeholders to ensure that testing and iteration is a result of communication and thus fool-proof. Agile is thus really a collection of rediscovered best practices being put together under the umbrella called agile methodology.

The Agile learning course:
To become an Agile coach one will need to get trained and demonstrate the applications of Agile. The Agile coach is the key team-mentor for effective team management. The coach embodies and instills the values of Agile while implementing Agile practices, the Agile mindset, and team-collaboration to get desired outcomes of shorter time cycles and rapid release cycles of market-viable products.

Imarticus Academy’s agile certification courses provide continued learning certification courses. The certification is globally recognized and approved as a standard of Agile skill certification which permit the Agile coaches to do-and-learn by taking on the responsibility of an Agile coach. The course uses practical simulation of team-management scenarios and helps inculcate the Agile practices and skills through role plays, effective immersive mentoring, quizzes and such forward-thinking training methods.

The agile methodology training outcomes aimed for are:

• Nurturing Agile-Lean mindset and culture to usher in iterations, positive change management, and Scrum Agile tenets and attitude.
• Inculcating successful Agile values and core competencies.
• Proficiency in Agile Scrum practices, tools, techniques, skills, and best practices useful to both existing and new coaches in team transitioning.
• Resolution of conflicts and handling issues related to them more effectively.
• Empowering oneself and the team to achieve set goals using mock and practice sessions.

Course topics:
No formal educational qualifications are required for the agile certification though an understanding and experience in Agile practices do count.

Some of the important topics covered practically and

• Developing Agile methodology thinking and mindset.
• Equipping through skilling for the coach’s role and responsibilities.
• Raise self-awareness and organization to promote and improve team motivation and dynamics.
• Transition and mentor Agile transformations and roles.
• Resolve effectively hurdles and team-conflicts.
• Collaborative communication and building contributive teams.
• Recognize and remove impediments, obstacles, issues, and change-resistance.
• Define and maintain coaching limits with neutrality.
• Improving team-performance through effective mentoring and coaching.
• Imbibe agility by recognizing and handling organizational and systemic challenges.
• Create product and personal backlogs as records of performance.

The IT major Yahoo! discovered that teams with an Agile coach who has trained and certified from such courses actually brought about increased the productivity of 300% when compared with teams where no Agile coaching is provided. Their improved performance was a mere 35% in comparison.

More and more industries especially large enterprises with cross-functional teams have used Agile to improve their production and efficiency. However, unless every team member is on the same wavelength and has the identical mindset Agile may just remain lip-service and not produce the desired outcome even with an Agile coach.

In parting, one finds that there is a lot of debate about the trending Agile methodology being adopted by corporate giants and industries alike. Learning Agile changes your mindset and simplifies the execution of complex tasks. The agile certification course leads you through the various methods and agile methodology which comprise the best-practices in Agile.

At Imarticus Learning Academy, these courses lay emphasis on practical work in industry-relevant situations. Besides certification they empower you to think Agile, transform teams and lead from the front for team-success. Improve your prospects and career with such futuristic courses. Hurry!

Why Is Agile Marketing A Separate Thing from Agile Development?

Agile marketing is a term that is often confused with Agile Development, and both are used synonymous for each other, but the concepts are very different in the way that they are executed in a practical business scenario.

Most people think that just using the concepts of development in agile marketing will make it successful and productive, but they need to understand that agile marketing will only be effective when the appropriate updates and changes are being done to the concepts of development.

These two concepts are fundamentally related, but there are some significant differences in the way they are executed. To have a firm grip on the Agile marketing, the knowledge about Agile Development can prove beneficial, but it can also be disadvantageous in a particular manner.

The points of differentiation between these two concepts are as follows:

  • Agile marketing is all about changing the mindset of consumers about a product or service and enhancing the customer’s behaviour whereas agile development is only concerned with delivering of features.For a developer, the point of being satisfied in his job comes when he is successfully able to deliver the features or a product in the market. The common terms used in the development teams are backlogs and sprints; where at the end of the sprint, the success is measured by the increment in the number of products shipped.

But, in the marketing team, the success is measured by the change in the behaviour of a consumer. For agile marketers, only the delivery of features or products is not sufficient but all they are concerned with is the increase in results regarding the business.

  • While Agile marketing is a goal-oriented process, agile development focuses only on the tasks. Where the former one focuses on the results that they get through their activities, the latter one solely focuses on performing the activity or completing a job and are not concerned with the results.For e.g. Developing a social media campaign is a task whereas measuring the success of the campaign and increasing the reach of Social media through that campaign is the goal that the marketer focuses upon. You learn all about these differences when you pursue agile business analysis courses, to understand business thoroughly.
  • Agile marketers put their focus on Why a business task is supposed to be performed, where agile developers directionless perform tasks without having any aim or motive. They just focus on completing the list of jobs assigned to them without knowing what they would lead to. Agile marketing is not just about completing the tasks faster but is more about fast completion of tasks with having, significant goals in mind.
  • Agile marketing also focuses upon measuring the response of consumer and quickly adapting to the changes happening in the market and mend the operations accordingly. Since it is a result-oriented process, it doesn’t only focus on doing things speedily but also keeps a check on whether the speed is not compromising with the consumer behaviour.
  • Working as an Agile marketer is all about working in the team of Agile developers but with potential consumers and targeted audience. It’s all about collaborating with them, and that’s what you learn when you pursue agile business analysis courses. These courses will teach you the effective ways of measuring the goals and also teach you the collaborative work-culture.

These were the major differences which make agile marketing altogether a different activity then agile development and separates the way of execution of both the concepts. Through this, we can easily comprehend how both the concepts are different despite being similar to each other.