| A good business analyst is not just one of the | | | | 3) He or she champions change |
| apples in a barrel, na uh! He or she has to have | | | | Not everyone sees change as a good thing but a |
| certain attributes that will make him or her stand | | | | good business analyst finds change to be |
| out. | | | | exhilarating for him or her and unlike some people, |
| Here are the four (4) attributes of an excellent | | | | they do not see change as threatening. He or she |
| business analyst: | | | | does not believe in hiding behind stacks of paper |
| 1) He or she is an intellectual elitist | | | | in fear of being downsized - No Sir! A good BA |
| To be a business analyst you have to be some | | | | sees any kind of change as a positive thing. |
| kind of an intellectual, it simply means that you | | | | 4) He or she is an innovator |
| think, question and learn. An Excellent BA should | | | | A good business analyst always carries a pen and |
| be able to carry on an intelligent conversation | | | | paper with him or her all the time because their |
| about theoretical matters. He or she can envision | | | | minds are constantly thinking up solutions to |
| things, and can debate the pros and cons of a | | | | problems. He or she is also thinking up ways to |
| proposal. As an elitist, a business analyst does not | | | | implement their "super idea" without spending so |
| accept ignorance as an excuse, because he or | | | | much money or time. A good business analyst is |
| she knows that by not updating your knowledge, | | | | always thinking up ways to solve a client's |
| you are likely to fall by the wayside to someone | | | | problem without appearing to try too hard. It |
| who spends his or her time keeping abreast with | | | | does not take Einstein to know that such a |
| the world's present, future and past information. | | | | person is a genius in his or her own right. |
| 2) He or she is highly opinionated and knows how | | | | No one wants to hire a dud. A smart business |
| to be professional in every sense of the word | | | | man or woman decides to hire a business analyst |
| No business analyst worth his or her salt is a wall | | | | who in every other person's opinion has the right |
| flower. The longer you work the more experience | | | | answers. A good BA tells a client what is wrong |
| you garner and the more you sharpen your gut | | | | or what needs to be changed in the client's |
| instincts - that is why some BA's know the best | | | | business. No one wants to pay his or her hard |
| solution to a business problem without actually | | | | earned dollars on a BA who knows absolutely |
| carrying out tests. A competent BA will speak up | | | | nothing about what he or she is talking about, |
| without caring whose ox is gored if he or she has | | | | because that's just like taking money to the |
| found a business problem caused by an important | | | | bathroom and flushing it down the toilet. |
| stakeholder. | | | | |