The Art in Change

In an earlier post I mentioned how a Business Analyst hooks up the creative talents with the business managers. Here we take a deeper look at the subtleties of this dynamic and reflect on the sociological influences that can determine its success.

Discovery (or requirements solicitation) is the stage where this dynamic plays out. Partly it's a shuffling of who knows what, as well as all of the political dynamics of control, job security, opinion, and hidden agendas. All of these make cameo appearances during the process.

Your role and title may indicate that you are simply writing a functional specification, but in actuality you are the director of a sublime process to keep the love and power flowing. To be able to effectively accomplish this you need both a mandate from a powerful source, as well as a higher set of guiding principles.

When you run into resistance from people who already have a vested interest in the status quo, sometimes you will have to appeal your principles to them, and sometimes you will need to invoke the big stick of your higher power. Nevertheless, always keep firmly in your mind the old saying that fools take to themselves the respect given to their office. Serve humbly and walk away leaving the place a better place than how it was when you started.