Don’t Be the Tree No One Hears

Business Analysis can be divided into two major areas: Analysis & Communication.  Which area is more important to master?  Communication is 80% of the job while Analysis is only 20%.  Here’s the proof:

An analyst can have a fabulous idea but if it is not communicated effectively it will never be adopted.  However, if an analyst has a mediocre idea and communicates it effectively it has a chance of being adopted.

Think about the age old question, “If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to listen, does it make a sound.”  This is debatable because the tree is an ineffective communicator.  Don’t be the tree!

Communication comes in many forms and as an analyst it is important to aim to master all of them.  The goal of an analyst is to ensure the final software product meets the requirements of the business.  All the stakeholders involved in the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) must understand the spirit of the requirements as well as the letter of the requirements.  Meaning, they must clearly understand what is being proposed and how it provides a solution.  Effective communication encompasses the use of meetings, meeting notes, emails, presentations, page flows, functional flows, wireframe page flows, and clear requirements.  It is also imperative to listen effectively to the business’s needs to ensure the requirements written meet their goals.  This is 80% of the business analysts’ job.

Have you ever wondered why a certain business decision was made over another one that you believed to be the better solution?  It’s possible the decision was based on money, but it is just as possible that the less impressive solution was better communicated.  Having a great solution is of little value if the stakeholders are unaware of the proposal.

Be the tree your stakeholders hear!