Two children, a husband and over ten years as a Business Analyst, I think I am finally worthy of adding the following credentials to my name, “The Negotiator”.

If I realized earlier in life how important negotiation skills were going to be, I would have concentrated my studies on the ‘Art of Negotiating’.  I spend my life negotiating; from the morning battle with myself to work out, the daily cries of want from my children, to the television show my husband and I agree to at the end of the day.  But the real negotiations happen all day, every day in my role as a Business Analyst.

Since project decisions are never black and white, and everything included in a project is negotiable, being an effective negotiator is crucial in the success of a project.

From defining the scope, determining the requirements, to the functional design that fulfill the requirements, a business analyst has to negotiate at every turn.    Some were lucky enough to be born great negotiators, but most of us need a lot of work.
So, if you are planning to become a spouse, parent or business analyst…..be sure to add negotiation skills to your repertoire!

I remember the first time I heard about Twitter , it was March of 2008, I was on a plane to London and there was an article about it in Inc. Magazine.  Later that week I was watching a local news program on the hotel television and they were talking about Twitter, too. At that point, I didn’t understanding what Twitter exactly was, or what kind of service it could provide. I was unsure of why anyone would want to use it.  I thought “Why not just call your friends and tell them what you are doing? This seems like a dumb idea.”

Fast forward to Summer 2010, Twitter is a household name, and everyone has heard about it, whether they use it or not.  I have to admit I use Twitter frequently; in fact, I have met a lot of people and found local businesses through it.  I even meet one of my good friends on Twitter before we connected in person.

Twitter + GPS Technology = Foursquare?

Now the newest technology trend is location-based applications, described by Inc. Magazine as “a particularly hot area for new companies”. One of the most popular location-based service today is Foursquare (although, Facebook launched a similar service today).   Foursquare allows you to check-in to places, meet up with friends and discover new places, using the GPS on your mobile device.

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Many jobs involve writing, and people who can write simply and clearly on the job are a real asset to their companies. But so many people get by using the skills they were taught in high school. Learning some structured writing techniques can bring your business writing to the next level and help you increase your value to your company.

My Experience with Structured Writing

As an experienced technical writer, I am comfortable using whatever techniques and style guides are used by the organization I’m supporting. These tools ensure that everyone in the organization produces writing that is consistent in style and format.About 10 years ago, I was introduced to the Information Mapping Method™, which is a structured writing system taught by a company called Information Mapping Inc. This method encourages careful analysis of the information to be presented and the use of seven principles to write and organize information in a way that enhances its readability and usability.

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