Business Analysts as Leaders
&
Champions of Change
Presented by Tom Ryder
November 22, 2013
Today’s Discussion
•
About me
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Today’s Discussion
•
About me
•
Background on UPS
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Today’s Discussion
•
About me
•
Background on UPS
•
Transformation and change at UPS
–
How Business Analysis became a profession and Business Analysts became an
integral and valuable contributor to the business
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Today’s Discussion
•
About me
•
Background on UPS
•
Transformation and change at UPS
–
•
How Business Analysis became a profession and Business Analysts an integral and
valuable contributor to the business
Great for you and UPS, what about me?
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All Rights Reserved
5
Today’s Discussion
•
About me
•
Background on UPS
•
Transformation and change at UPS
–
•
How Business Analysis became a profession and Business Analysts an integral and
valuable contributor to the business
Great for you and UPS, what about me?
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All Rights Reserved
6
About Me
•
At UPS 20 years – 15 of which have been in a business analysis role
•
B.S. Finance St. John’s University
•
M.S. Management Information Systems, New Jersey Institute of Technology
•
Assignment in 2009 on the UPS Application Life Cycle (ALM) transformation
–
UPS Business Analysis Competency & Training Program
–
Establish UPS Enterprise Business Analysis Practice
•
UPS Business Analysis Practice Lead December 2009 – July 2012
•
Business Analysis Manager July 2012 – present
•
Contributed to the first IIBA Business Analyst Competency Model
•
Participated in IIBA webinar panel discussions
•
Participant at Business Analyst Conferences
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UPS at a Glance
• UPS is the world’s largest package
delivery company
• Founded ?
• $55 billion corporation
• 397,100 Employees
• Serves more than 220 countries
-- 8.8 million daily customers
• Unmatched customer service
• Moves more than 16.3 million
packages a day
• 39.5 million daily tracking requests
• Reaches every address in North
America and Europe
• Leading global logistics provider
• Ranked 8th overall of the
Information Week 500 ranking of
the most innovative U.S. users of
business technology in 2012
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UPS at a Glance
• UPS is the world’s largest package
delivery company
• Founded 1907
• $55 billion corporation
• 397,100 Employees
• Serves more than 220 countries
-- 8.8 million daily customers
• Unmatched customer service
• Moves more than 16.3 million
packages a day
• 39.5 million daily tracking requests
• Reaches every address in North
America and Europe
• Leading global logistics provider
• Ranked 8th overall of the
Information Week 500 ranking of
the most innovative U.S. users of
business technology in 2012
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Over a Century of Innovation
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Over a Century of Innovation
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Transformation and Change at UPS
• UPS CIO, Dave Barnes, was awarded the Enterprise CIO Forum 2012 Transformational
CIO Award which recognizes CIOs who recognize the strategic use of information
technology.
• In 2009 an effort to improve our application lifecycle management was launched under the
leadership of Dave Barnes, the CIO
– Goal: become a more efficient I.T. organization
– Add more value to the business
– Focus on process and people
– Business Analysts were recognized as crucial to the transforming the organization
– Improve the Business Analysts, improve the business
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What We Wanted from our Business Analysts
•
Understand the business, business needs and business problems
•
Problem solvers
•
Make recommendations to improve business processes / software / organizational
structure – help develop the solutions, innovate
•
BAs to be change agents for the organization
– Lead change by challenging the business and showing them new possibilities
•
Good BAs add value to both a project and an organization
•
Common established expectations
•
Accountability
•
Standard skills
•
To be valued by the organization:
– Skilled Business Analysts will be sought out by the organization to be part of a project
team
•
BAs who invest in themselves
– Culture of continuous self improvement
•
Add value to the business
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What We Wanted from our Business Analysts
•
Understand the business, business needs and business problems
•
Problem solvers
•
Make recommendations to improve business processes / software / organizational
structure – help develop the solutions, innovate
•
BAs to be change agents for the organization
– Lead change by challenging the business and showing them new possibilities
•
Good BAs add value to both a project and an organization
•
Common established expectations
•
Accountability
•
Standard skills
•
To be valued by the organization:
– Skilled Business Analysts will be sought out by the organization to be part of a
project team
•
BAs who invest in themselves
– Culture of continuous self improvement
•
Add value to the business
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All Rights Reserved
14
Transformation and Change at UPS
• Challenges:
– Change is hard
– Over 330 people identified as Business Analysts when we started
– No single understanding, approach or expectations for business analysts
– Parochial views to what BAs did and what was best approach
– Expectations of Business Analysts was not always high enough
– Who are the good BAs?
– “I'll know them when I see them.”
– Accountability was not always there
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Transformation and Change at UPS
• Challenges:
– Change is hard = No pain, no gain: we recognized change would be hard
– We told everyone it would be, we were open and honest
– Over 330 people identified as Business Analysts when we started
– Now about 270
– What happened?
– Raised the bar
– Clearly defined role communicated
– Professional development
– Accountability
– Expectations that BAs are problem solvers and there to help the
business
– BAs empowered to ask why and challenge
– It’s the BA’s job to challenge the business to ensure the solution being
developed meets their needs
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Results
• Business Analysis is viewed and respected as a profession
• Business Analysts s are an integral part of the business and I.T., bringing the two together
• Business Analysts are not only assigned to projects, they are sough out
– “We need a BA!”
– “Who is the BA on the project?”
• Stakeholders know what they are getting and what to expect
– Not note takers
– Problem solvers leading change
– Continuous professional development
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What Can You Do?
What can you do as a Business Analyst to be a leader and a change agent?
What can you do to add value to the business?
What can you do to increase your value to the organization?
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What Is a Leader and Who Are They?
•
What is a leader?
•
Who do you think of an admire as a leader?
•
What makes you think of them as a leader?
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What Is a Leader and Who Are They?
•
What is a leader?
•
Who do you think of an admire as a leader?
•
What makes you think of them as a leader?
•
“Who are the good BAs?”
•
What makes a good Business Analyst?
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Definitions
•
•
Leadership:
•
“A process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of
others I the accomplishment of a common task.”
•
“The process by which a person influences others
to accomplish an objective.”
Business Analysis:
•
“Business Analysis is the practice of enabling change in an organizational context, by
defining needs and recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders.”
•
“The Business Analyst is an agent of change. Business Analysis is a disciplined
approach for introducing and managing change to organizations.”
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What You Can Do
• Set an example
• Know your stuff
– Build your skill foundation
– Analytic, communication and time management
– Continuous professional development
– Hone your skills, enhance your techniques
– Develop new skills
– Seek knowledge (webinars, IIBA, training)
– Stay current
– Learn from your mistakes
– Retrospective
– A person who doesn’t make mistakes is unlikely to make anything.
– Learn from others
– Who are the good business analysts?
– Talk to them
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What You Can Do
•
Know your environment
– Know your business
– What does your business do?
– What are the corporate goals and strategy to meet them?
– “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” – Warren G. Bennis
– Understand the company’s financials
– Know your stakeholders
– Understand your audience
– Know your competition
– Who are they?
– How do they compete and match up?
– Understand the needs to the business and I.T.’s capabilities
– “As a rule, he (or she) who has the most information will have the greatest success.” –
Benjamin Disraeli
– Challenge the business
– Explain you are challenging them to make sure the problem is fully understood, a
solution developed that meets their needs and allows them to succeed.
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What You Can Do
•
Relationship Building
– Build good relationships
– Network
– Participate
– Communicate
– Ask questions
– Be an active listener
– People like to talk to someone who is a good listener
– Communicate your interest
– Do what you say you will do
– Be accessible
– Help others
– Be honest and open
– Full disclosure
– No one likes delivering bad news, but it must be done
– Maintain integrity
– Build your reputation
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What You Can Do
•
Understand change is inevitable
– Prepare for change
– Anticipate and look for change
– Understand and get ahead of the change to help control and influence
– “Don’t follow the puck, go to where the puck is going.” – Wayne Gretzky
– Be open
– Ask questions to understand
– Understand root cause to help with the change
– Participate
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What You Can Do
•
Understand change is inevitable
– Prepare for change
– Anticipate and look for change
– Understand and get ahead of the change to help control and influence
– “Don’t follow the puck, go to where the puck is going.” – Wayne Gretzky
– Be open
– Ask questions to understand
– Understand root cause to help with the change
– Participate
•
Emphasize quality
– Ensure your work is the best it can be
– Ask for help (peer reviews, etc.).
– Ensure your work is useful to the stakeholders.
– Raise the bar on quality.
– “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where
excellence is expected.” – Steve Jobs
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What You Can Do
•
It has to start with you.
•
Ask yourself what you can do to be an influencer, to be a change agent, to be a leader so
you can add value to your organization and by doing so increase your own value.
•
Ask others what you can do.
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What You Can Do
•
It has to start with you.
•
Ask yourself what you can do to be an influencer, to be a change agent, to be a leader so
you can add value to your organization and by doing so increase your own value.
•
Ask others what you can do.
•
Develop a plan and hold yourself accountable.
– Write it down
– Ask what will it cost you if you don’t do this?
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What You Can Do
•
It has to start with you.
•
Ask yourself what you can do to be an influencer, to be a change agent, to be a leader so
you can add value to your organization and by doing so increase your own value.
•
Ask others what you can do.
•
Develop a plan and hold yourself accountable.
– Write it down
– Ask what will happen you if you don’t do this?
•
Help others do the same.
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29
What You Can Do
•
It has to start with you.
•
Ask yourself what you can do to be an influencer, to be a change agent, to be a leader so
you can add value to your organization and by doing so increase your own value.
•
Ask others what you can do.
•
Develop a plan and hold yourself accountable.
– Write it down
– Ask what will happen if you don’t do this?
•
Help others do the same.
• “A rising tide lifts all boats.” – John F. Kennedy
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30
What You Can Do
•
It has to start with you.
•
Ask yourself what you can do to be an influencer, to be a change agent, to be a leader so
you can add value to your organization and by doing so increase your own value.
•
Ask others what you can do.
•
Develop a plan and hold yourself accountable.
– Write it down
– Ask what will happen if you don’t do this?
•
Help others do the same.
• “A rising tide lifts all boats.” – John F. Kennedy
• “Our horizon is as distant as our mind’s eye wishes it to
be.” – James E. Casey
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THANK YOU
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