Seven Steps to Mastering Business Analysis [Paperback]

Barbara A. Carkenord (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1604270071 | ISBN-13: 978-1604270075 | Publication Date: October 14, 2008

This book provides a how to approach to mastering business analysis work. It will help build the skill sets of new analysts and all those currently doing analysis work, from project managers to project team members such as system analysts, product managers and business development professionals, to the experienced business analyst. It also covers the tasks and knowledge areas for the new 2008 v.2 of The Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK®) and will help prepare business analysts for the IIBA CBAP® certification exam.

KEY FEATURES
-Explains the business analysis fundamental concepts and terms for new analysts in language they can understand
-Presents detailed explanations of business analysis strategies, tasks and recommended techniques, and includes examples of successful and less-than-successful project situations to enhance learning
-Provides valuable insights for experienced business analysts and project team members performing analysis and critical thinking work in order to reach a higher level of success
-Includes knowledge area keys throughout the text that map BABOK competencies to tasks or techniques discussed, in a manner that will help prepare the business analyst for the IIBA CBAP certification exam
-WAV offers a free downloadable business analysis planning white paper and a series of template worksheets that can be customized to fit each organization s needs available from the Web Added Value Download Resource Center at jrosspub.com

Editorial Reviews

Review

Seven Steps to Mastering Business Analysis is a definite must read for every business analyst. The topics, both practical and concrete, will provide indisputable value to your career development and to your projects.
--Russ Pena, CBAP, Vice President & Sr. Business Analyst, SunTrust Banks

Seven Steps to Mastering Business Analysis, Barb Carkenord has gone beyond what we discuss in the BABOK to address the real challenges business analysts face in the workplace. I wish this book had been available years ago, but I am glad that BAs have the opportunity to benefit from it today! --Kevin Brennan, CBAP, Vice President, Body of Knowledge, International Institute of Business Analysis

About the Author

Barbara Carkenord, CBAP, is President and co-founder of B2T Training, an organization that developed the first comprehensive business analysis training program in North America. This training and business analysis certification program has been a model for other training organizations. Ms. Carkenord has over 20 years of business analysis experience gained in various industries such as manufacturing, insurance, and banking. She possesses detailed knowledge and experience in many structured approaches and methodologies and is a core team member of the IIBA BABOK creation committee. Her areas of expertise include business analysis, high-level design, quality assurance, and project management. She earned her MBA from University of Michigan and began her career in the information technology area as a programmer, systems analyst, business analyst, and project manager. She is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, has authored many articles on business analysis and is the editor of the bridge business analysis magazine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: J. Ross Publishing (October 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1604270071
• ISBN-13: 978-1604270075
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,289 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #33 in Books > Business & Investing > Management & Leadership > Project Management
  • #61 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > MIS

More About the Author

Barbara Carkenord has over 25 years' experience in business analysis, and helped create the business analysis training industry. Barbara possesses an MBA from the University of Michigan, is a Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®) and a Project Management Professional (PMP®). Barbara is the author of Seven Steps to Mastering Business Analysis and a frequent speaker at industry events. Actively involved in the IIBA, she was a core member of the IIBA BABOK® creation committee and has contributed to its book, Managing Business Analysis. Barbara was named 2010 Small Business Woman of the Year by the Georgia Women in Technology association.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a Business Analyst Does, August 30, 2010

By 

H. Thomas (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Seven Steps to Mastering Business Analysis (Paperback)

This is easily the best organized and best written book in my Business Analysis library. A couple are more amusing and a couple are more challenging, but this is the best overall. Well worth the price.

This is not a book about softtware development. It is about the analyst role (business analyst, systems analyst, business process analyst) and the range of ways that an analyst can deliver value. This book would be ideal for a development manager to use to argue for analyst positions on a development team or to write a job description for a business analyst. Experienced analysts will find it valuable when writing a resume, practicing interview questions, or writing annual goals -- because it reminds the analyst of all the little things that business analysis contributes. New analysts will find it valuable to identify new skills to develop and hints on how to handle the enduring challenges of the role.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helpful and Well-Written, November 17, 2008

By 

E. Lowman - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Seven Steps to Mastering Business Analysis (Paperback)

Being new to the business analysis industry, I found this book extremely helpful. It was informative and well-written, breaking down some of the more complicated aspects of business analysis into concepts that were easy for me to understand. Even though I used it mostly as a primer, I will keep this book around as a reference tool for the future as well because it was full of tips and techniques that I can use down the line. It was obvious that the author is very experienced and truly knew what she was talking about. I'm confident that the knowledge I gained from this book was concrete, especially how she showed the way things connected to the the BABOK. I'm glad I picked up this book because it seemed to be the only comprehensive one out there that was on business analysis as a whole, rather than specific parts like requirements or elicitation.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quintessential Business Analysis Resource!, July 4, 2010

By 

Keith Warrick (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Seven Steps to Mastering Business Analysis (Paperback)

This is the quintessential resource/business analysis manual that everyone who is either a business analyst practitioner, manager of business analysts or software development leader must have.

Whether one is new to the BA profession or a long-term veteran, there is a lot of information here that properly frames the profession in the proper light with plenty of scenarios, examples and challenges that a business analyst encounters every day in their job.

For someone who is considering business analysis as a new career path this book serves as an excellent primer and will let one know if this is the right profession for them based on the wealth of information presented in Ms. Carkenord's straightforward and facile delivery style.

You will keep referring this to after you've read it and it is clearly aligned with all of the business analysis knowledge areas that comprise the BABOK (Business Analysis Body of Knowledge).

If you had to have a desert island business analysis book, this would be the one that you should have!