Remember how this book opened? This was my exclamation:
“This job sucks”!
Does it suck anymore? Certainly not, and it has turned out to be an intellectually and professionally rewarding career. Truth is at that time and in that moment, I lacked the tools and skillsets that could have taken the “sucking” out of my Business Analyst roles.
My Business Analyst career in those formative years was more valleys than crests, and to say it was difficult would be putting it mildly. There were so many times when giving up and trying my talents elsewhere seemed not only the obvious choice but the logical one as well.
To demonstrate how difficult it was, I held three Business Analyst positions in under 2 years—an average of 8 months per position! While the reasons for those exits were varied, at its core it came down to the fact that I wasn’t ready for Business Analyst prime time. While I was technically competent, I lacked many of the non-technical skills illustrated in this book which would have enhanced my effectiveness from the get-go.
This steep learning curve was flattened through a combination of self-study, observation, tutoring, and practice.
On this journey I have seen Business Analysts struggling in exactly the same ways I struggled. I have also encountered potential Business analysts seeking the secret handshakes1 that will make them great Business Analysts. It does not have to be this way.
The purpose of this book is to demonstrate that anyone who equips themselves with these non-technical skills will excel as a Business Analyst. In the process it dispels the notion that secret handshakes are required in the making of outstanding Business Analysts.
Since you have come this far, I hope that you have found these principles for Business Analyst excellence applicable and of use to whatever career you are pursuing at the moment. Yes, that’s right; these principles are not restricted to information technology (IT) Business Analysts; anyone can apply them to their career situation.
Can the book be improved? Definitely, and I look forward to hearing from you. Feel free to send me those nuggets of wisdom via LinkedIn direct messaging: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roni-lubwama-b2a65518/.
Here is wishing you a very successful Business Analyst career!