Business Analysis Comes of Age
Matchett, one of the world’s most trusted learning partners and AssistKD, the market leader in business analysis and systems development training and consultancy, launched the pioneering Business Analysis Maturity Model (BAMM) to a select audience of industry professionals at the futuristic Media centre at Lord’s Cricket Ground.
The BAMM was conceived by Debbie Paul, managing director of AssistKD and Philippa Thomas, director at Matchett, as a response to the growing requirement in both the private and public sectors for business analysts who can offer more than just a working knowledge of the profession’s tools and techniques. As Debbie observes, ‘Credibility and recognition depend as much on how you behave, as what you know. We therefore set out to establish a framework which reflects both the maturity of the profession and the demands of 21st century organisations’.
Philippa Thomas expanded, ‘Debbie and I first met early last year and it quickly became apparent to us that we both shared a passion for business analysis and a firm belief that these skills are of critical and growing strategic importance in today’s organisations. Years ago, Business Analysis was defined as a role to bridge the gap between Business and IT. However, these days BA’s are not just a link between two different functions and cultures. Today’s organisations are often infinitely complex: we may have a three or four-way bridge between the internal business function, IT, an outsourced supplier and an offshored team. The BA then becomes the facilitator for these areas collaborating effectively to deliver strategy (or in many cases, also the project manager). As a result, Business Analysts must now be great communicators, tactful diplomats, problem solvers, thinkers, facilitators and analysers - with the ability to understand and respond to ever-changing business needs.’
The BAMM therefore provides a definition against which business analysts can benchmark their role and skills and the Development Programme, supports the model in that it combines both the technical and personal skills business analysts require to fulfil their roles in a profession that has ‘come of age’.
You can find out more about the model and the training programme by visiting www.matchettgroup.com/business_training/business_analysis and www.assistkd.co.uk/bamm/ Alternatively, to find out more about Matchett or Assist Knowledge Development, please visit the websites detailed below.