Analyst’s corner digest #21
Top stories published in March 2024
Hi there!
Time flies fast when you are having fun doing what you love doing :) The first quarter of 2024 is behind us, and it has brought us a lot of insightful and thought provoking articles in our corner.
In this issue of Analyst’s corner digest we’ve got the articles about:
- Systems Analysis: The topics of systems analysis have become quite popular recently; we have a few very nice stories to up your Use Cases and object-oriented analysis game, to design good APIs, and an overview of changes to the SWEBOK guide
- Business Agility: It seems the concept of Numble organisations is evolving and becoming a trend today, so we‘ve got an article discussing what it is. Also a collection of write-ups talking about customer centricity and building the products your customer will love. And finally, a guide to agile testing for business anlaysts.
- Project Management: An article that will help you define if T-shirt sizing will suit your project; a comprehensive guide to dependencies management, and a thought starter: how does your team make decisions?
- Soft Skills and Career Development: we have a few guides to start a career as a business analyst or a data specialist; as well as a set of persuasion tips that will be helpful on any career path.
- Data Analytics: a collection of articles on frequency distribution, regression analysis, and using AI to moderate AI-generated content.
Enjoy the reading!
— yours, Igor
https://www.analystscorner.org/
Systems Analysis
When Use Cases Aren’t Enough
by Karl Wiegers
I’ve been an enthusiastic supporter of use cases ever since I discovered what a valuable requirements elicitation tool they are. Use cases shift the elicitation participants’ focus from the product and its features to exploring what users need to do with the product. That usage-centric emphasis then leads to an understanding of the solution’s necessary capabilities and characteristics.
Requirements & API: Definitions
by Ilya Zakharau
In recent years, I wrote several materials about API design and last year (2023) did a local workshops and online webinars titled “Requirements & API”. Those materials targeted for Business Analysts and Product Owners who want to learn about APIs. Why? Because I am a non-technical guy who joined an API Platform and ended up being in charge of its development as a product. So, I had to gain some tech proficiency, considering my background in business analysis.
Generalization vs. Inclusion : Understanding Relationships in Use Case Diagrams
by AnalystHub
Use case diagrams serve as vital blueprints in software development, providing a visual representation of how users interact with a system. Within these diagrams, relationships between use cases play a pivotal role in streamlining design and ensuring efficiency.
Two key relationships to grasp are generalization and inclusion, each serving distinct purposes in enhancing the clarity and maintainability of use case diagrams.
Object-Oriented Analysis — 3 Diagrams You Must Master
by AnalystHub
While developing modern applications, understanding the principles of object-oriented analysis (OOA) is vital for building efficient and effective systems.
These concepts form the foundation upon which complex software solutions are designed and implemented.
In this article, we will see these areas to gain a comprehensive understanding of their significance and how they contribute to the software development process.
SWEBOK v3 and v4 — Software Requirements
by Ilya Zakharau
SWEBOK Guide, by its nature, is similar to other Bodies of Knowledge (PMBOK, BABOK, etc.) and stands for the Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge. It is not a standard but a guide that defines the scope of software engineering as a discipline (that is important to address). It outlines Knowledge Areas described in terms of its component processes, practices, inputs, outputs, tools, and techniques. Those areas are representations of the discipline at a particular moment.
Business Agility and Customer Centricity
A Nimble organization makes experiments but pivots quickly
by Nuno Santos
The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) introduced us to the concept of a nimble organization: an organization’s capability to sense and respond to change. Inspired by the webinar series about nimbleness from The Brazilian BA (Fabricio Laguna), I believe there is room for knowledge about how an experimentation mindset is always present in a nimble organization and how to make decisions about those experiments.
Nimble organizations navigate through uncertainty (in this “VUCA world” — Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) and in a flow paced. This means that they have a steady pace in their day-to-day routines, but are prepared to pivot once change happens.
Agile Development: Streamlining Requirements and Execution for Efficient Project Delivery
by AnalystHub
In today’s fast-paced business environment, where market demands evolve rapidly, traditional software development approaches often struggle to keep up.
Agile development is a methodology that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and iterative delivery to meet changing requirements and deliver value to customers more efficiently.
Building the technology platform to re-imagine customer experience (CX)
by Arindam Sen
In the previous post we discussed what is customer experience (CX) transformation, the business value and some use cases with the highest return of investment.
Here we will discuss the technology perspective to execute the CX transformation strategy.
Creating Products Users Will Love!
by Panagopoulou Danae
Let’s dive into the fascinating world of qualitative research! Understanding human behavior is the key to making strategic decisions in product development. But how do we separate what people say from what they actually do? And how do we determine the truth in their actions?
Don’t overserve your customers, please don’t
by The Business Lion
In this article, we’ll dive into the Four Actions Framework and uncover the three vital traits of a winning strategy. No time to waste — let’s get started!
Re-imagine live agent experience using Generative AI
by Arindam Sen
In a customer service organization, live agents (humans) face a variety of challenges that can impact their ability to deliver effective and efficient support <…> Enterprises today deploy virtual support agents or “bots” which are leveraged by human agents to service customers. These bots are ripe for disruption with the rise of generative AI technology. However enterprises often have deep investments in existing bots technology and it’s not always easy to throw away the existing investments and start afresh.
Understanding the Role of Testing in Agile Projects: A Guide for Business Analysts
by AnalystHub
In the dynamic landscape of software development, the role of testing holds paramount importance in ensuring the quality and functionality of digital solutions. Particularly in Agile projects, where iterative development and continuous improvement are the norms, the testing process becomes a crucial component in delivering value to stakeholders.
Project Management
Is T-Shirt Sizing the Right Fit for Your Projects?
by Panagopoulou Danae
In the bustling bazaar of project management tools, where methodologies jostle for space like vendors at a market, there’s a peculiar stall that always catches the eye: T-shirt sizing. Yes, you heard that right. It’s not a new fashion line for the overworked project manager, but a whimsical way to gauge how much sweat and tears (hopefully, more sweat than tears!) your next project will wring out of your team.
Firefighting in the Dependency Hell and Notes about Managing Dependencies
by Ilya Zakharau
Recently, LinkedIn asked me to share my insights to be eligible for the “Top Voice” badge. I realized that I have something to share with my followers in a more extended way than typical (not ChatGPT-generated) answers to those top-voice questions.
How Does Your Team Make Decisions?
by Karl Wiegers
I recently was a member of a team of nine people addressing a particular technical topic. The participants were all well-known and highly respected members of their professional community. Over multiple online meetings and dozens of emails spanning several weeks, the group had considerable difficulty reaching closure on several issues. We had overlooked an important step during our forming stage: deciding how the group would reach decisions. That oversight led to excessive iterations on important points, unnecessary communications, wasted time, circular discussions that never reached conclusions, and considerable frustration.
Soft skills and Career as a Business Analyst
Aristotle’s Triangle — Persuasion Tips for Business Analysts.
by Gabriel Botsie
Business Analysts rely on soft skills, it’s our super power.
Clients look to us to deliver their product, service, mostly with no direct power, relying on domain, technical and soft skills to ‘get the job done’.
A Guide to Land a Business Analyst Role : 4 Simple Steps
by AnalystHub
Business analysts (BAs) being the bridge between stakeholders, project managers, and technical teams, ensures that business objectives are translated into actionable requirements and solutions.
As an aspiring BA, it is important to not only grasp the core concepts of the role but also to effectively communicate your knowledge and expertise during interviews.
Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to prepare for BA interviews and ace them with confidence.
Starting your Data Analytics career
by Nilimesh Halder, PhD
- Unlocking the Future: A Comprehensive Guide to Becoming an Analytics Engineer in the AI Era
- The Future Career: Your Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Data Analyst in the AI Era
- Essential Tools for Aspiring Data Analysts in 2024: A Comprehensive Guide
- Become a Cloud Data Analyst in 2024: A Comprehensive Guide to Mastering the Cloud and Data Analytics
Data and Analytics
- Unlocking Insights: Mastering Frequency Distribution in Statistics with Python, by Nilimesh Halder, PhD:
In the vast and intricate domain of statistics, the concept of frequency distribution stands as a fundamental tool for data analysis, offering a window into the underlying patterns and trends hidden within raw data. “Unlocking Insights: Mastering Frequency Distribution in Statistics with Python” aims to demystify this crucial statistical concept, guiding readers through the nuances of constructing, analyzing, and visualizing frequency distributions with the aid of Python, a powerful programming language beloved by data scientists and statisticians alike. - Leveraging AI to Moderate AI-Generated Content, by Arindam Sen:
I wrote about the holistic customer experience journey and how to leverage a cloud based technology platform to drive it. If you are interested in the bigger picture, I hope you will find value in these. Below I explore one relevant use case which can be address by it. - Simple Understanding of Regression Analysis, by Nilimesh Halder, PhD:
Regression analysis, a fundamental statistical method, plays a critical role in data analysis and predictive modeling. It allows us to examine the relationship between two or more variables, predict outcomes, and make decisions grounded in data. This section lays the foundation for understanding regression analysis, covering its definition, the various types available, and the key concepts that underpin its use. - Mastering Regression Analysis: From Basics to Advanced Applications in Python and R, by Nilimesh Halder, PhD:
In the vast and intricate world of statistics, regression analysis stands as a cornerstone, bridging the gap between data and decision-making across various disciplines. This powerful statistical tool enables researchers, data scientists, and analysts to understand the relationships between variables, predict future trends, and make informed decisions based on data. - Decoding the Dynamics: Regression vs. Correlation in Statistical Analysis, by Nilimesh Halder, PhD:
In the realm of statistics and data analysis, the concepts of regression and correlation are fundamental, offering powerful insights into the relationships between variables. These tools not only illuminate patterns hidden within datasets but also guide decision-making across a wide array of disciplines, from finance and healthcare to environmental science and social sciences. “Decoding the Dynamics: Regression vs. Correlation in Statistical Analysis” aims to explore these pivotal concepts, delving into their definitions, applications, and the nuances that distinguish them.
