BA on startup, Part 3: How to deal with hipster guys?

As I promised before - next part of BA on startup delivered! So part 3 - effective collaboration between BA and UI/UX experts. 

You've got highlevel requirements or detailed specification from the customer, you understand the value which should be delivered to the end user. You also understand why end user needs this functionality. The main question there is- how user should interact with a system in order to get it? That's why - your next step is a brainstorm session with UX expert. 

Main tips in order to achieve most effective collaboration and !results ever:

1. Most of them are bad organized*. You should be a glue between them and other stakeholders.  

*most of UX guys I worked with were not organized at all ;)

Probably for someone that is not critical, but for BAs (I bet) it's really important. We need to have full picture and clear-cutted requirements. Don't try to push on them, just use your best communication/professional skills in order to achieve great results.   

2. Try to have LIVE brainstorm sessions for new functionality - keep arguing.

It's not enough to send a specification and  ask about UI flow. You will never get good solution in such case. Try to use live meetings on early discussion sessions. Try to deliver all needed info for them, once they come up with some solutions try to analyze it and destroy immediately! Why - there definitely will be 'wholes' where logic might not be achieved. Keep arguing, keep generating stupid ideas, keep collaboration - until they wouldn't have questions without answers. Once you get a final approach and there are no white spaces - you did good. You both did good.     

3. Listen carefully to their ideas - probably it's time to change business logic

During brainstorm sessions arguing you might catch yourself thinking that- Hmmm, these guys are right. We add complexity in place where it shouldn't exist. You should re-think logic. If the main value is still achievable, than good compromise is to change business logic in order to make UI/UX more intuitive and simplier. 

BA's - Try to avoid the formality in collaboration with UI/UX team. Forget about processes while interacting with them. Be result oriented as much as you can. Doing this you will get best UX & UI possible for functionality you need.  

P.S. UX experts - sorry for the hipsters analogy. That is how most of people imagine you :) 

BA on startup, Part 2: Meet the Parents

We keep going, and the next episode is about BA and Customer relationships. Your first meeting, your strategy, your communication skills and negotiation. Here we going!

Meet the Parents

You should always remember your first meeting with your boyfriend's/girlfriend's parents. How was it ? Definitely you spent a lot of time considering what to say, how to behave, what to wear, etc. Amazing time, isn't it? However once you've met them - most of you realized that these people are really cute and good-natured. And the only thing they care about are your fillings to their son/daughter. They hope you to be a person who really cares about their child (however that happens only during the first meeting :)

I'm pretty sure You had already done an analysis of stakeholders before you made the first call with a customer. That means you are aware who you are talking to and what is this person responsible for (on the high-level). For most of customers their product is their child and they want to be sure that you as a BA really care about the product. And that is a part of your BA skills - you should care! Not just to make them think that you care but to be really care. You should build really strong/good relationships with a customer - namely relationship of trust. However you must always remember about -

"Even when the project and enterprise goals are aligned, different stakeholder needs may arise. Enterprise and project goals can be accomplished in various ways, and different stakeholders will have different ideas to accomplish them. The BA’s role is to listen very carefully and work to understand each of the different stakeholder issues. The first step in resolving a conflict is to clearly understand both sides. This will often be difficult because you may personally agree with one side and have a difficult time being open minded about the other. Work hard to maintain your neutrality—a BA is Switzerland! If the differing groups have difficulty discussing the issue together because they are emotional or impatient, talk with them individually. Work to really understand their perspectives and their motives. Don’t try to change their minds or convince them of another way until you can completely see their side; use the win-win approach (Covey, 1989)."

 Quote from:'7 steps for mastering Business Analysis'

BA's- you should be a Switzerland, however the Switzerland that really cares. Do everything possible to build strong relationships with customers/stakeholders.
    

BA on startup, Part 1: Don't be an alien

Nice to see you again! I'm going to write a story line about BA's most common problems and ways to solve them on startups. The main idea of this series is providing for you cases from real life with which I faced in my practice. To make an analysis of each problem and suggest the best option to solve.

And the first one story is:

Don't be an Alien. Shave the mustaches! 

The project is going to be started soon. Stuffing is almost done. Most of the team is already defined. Time to introduce the roles. And PM says - 'So team, please welcome our business analyst!' Once everyone hears that we're going to have a Business Analyst on the project, they examine you as an Alien, an Alien with mustaches. 

Known situation isn't it?

Most of dev team can't even realize what is your responsibilities are, on which side you are (customer or team), will you control them or think how this guy can help us? And that is truth. You are an Alien for them and this Alien has mustaches. It's clear why an Alien, however why mustaches? The reason is a role name "Business Analyst". For most people it sounds 'official' and probably 'frightful'- and I think that mustaches is an attribute of 'formality'. 

First of all remove this layout of formality between you and the team - Shave the Mustaches! The best way for this is a presentation of requirements management plan. I think that it is first thing with which each Business Analyst should start. Try to avoid formality on this presentation. Do not show a lot of diagrams, complicated flows of interaction. Focus on people who are listening to you. Analyze target audience. For most cases everything they need to hear is who you are and how you can help them. Let them know that you are a normal guy, and your goal is to help them in understanding of customers needs. That is the best chance to Shave your Mustaches. 

So the mustaches are shaved however you still an Alien for most of them. Team perceives you as a person who is responsible for all project activities (I was surprised to realize that on some of my projects). And that is a main problem - they may ask you about anything and more important thing, that they expect to get answers from you. Never say - that is not a part of my job. Try to figure out who (if you are not able to solve this problem) might help them and forward the question to appropriate team member. You know process, project life circle, main stakeholders, etc best! You are Business Analyst and you know how effectively collaborate, communicate and interact - help other team members on early project stages. Doing this you will bridge the gap. And an alien will become an insider!

After all this team see you as - 

However without mustaches. Awesome movie, isn't it? Exactly dialog with this guy (Office Space).

BA's - try to bridge the gap between you and team on early project stages. Do not avoid any assistance which teammates might require from you. You are the Business Analyst and you know how effectively collaborate, communicate and interact. You know processes, project life circle, main stakeholders best. That is your chance to shave a mustaches and become an insider!   

Links:

1.http://www.thousandtyone.com/blog/BusinessAnalystsAndTheMillionDollarQuestionWhatWouldYouSayYouDoHere.aspx;

2. http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/.a/6a00d83451c3cb69e20120a605f1c7970b-popup

Good BA / Bad BA

Let's imagine you came to MCDonald's, and you think that you really want a 

Big Mac! 

You went to cashier and got from him:

MC - Hello, what would you like to order?

You - Hmmm, I think I would like to have a Big Mac

....

That is your own decision. What pushed you to make it? You saw an Ad of Big Mac, description of Big Mac (from what it is made of, nutrition facts), picture of Big Mac, etc. So in order to make a decision you as a customer had all needed info.

....

MC - Anything else? Coke? French fries?

You - No, I think that is enough for me.Yeah, I'm good.

MC - 10$, please;

MC- Here is your Big Mac, Enjoy your meals!

....

10 min later. You've tried a Big Mac, however - You are not satisfied with it. Now you realize that you wanted nuggets. And yes - with Coke and fries would be really cool! So what is the root of problem? You've got all needed info to make a right choise. If cashier would be a BA, you would got a nuggets with Coke and Fries. Let's see -

....

MC- Hello, what would you like to order?

You - Hmmm, I think I would like to have a Big Mac.

MC *!He is not sure*- So Big Mac is - The Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions - all on a sesame seed bun. 

You -Hmmm. So it's just a sandwich. And with beef.

MC - Maybe you want to try nuggets? They are awesome!  It's a small piece of fine ground white meat chicken that is fried in batter and flash frozen. you can also choose wide range of souses.

You - So it's fried peaces of chicken? 

MC- yes.

You - Yeah, I wish to try it.

MC- Anything else? 

You - Nope, that is it.

MC- Soft drinks? French fries? Trust me, I don't want to sell you more. I just 100% sure without soda and fries you wouldn't be so satisfied :)

You - Ok.... That makes sense. 

MC- 17$

MC- Here is you chicken nuggets, Coke, french fries. Enjoy your meals! 

You - Thank you!   

 ....

15 min later. You've tried all these. And you are really satisfied. You get exactly what you wanted. However you had some assumptions about what to buy. But you wasn't sure about your choice. And most important here - cashier realized that you are not sure. Cashier tried to give you some options with kind of feedback from person that tried such kind of food set.

....

So BA's -  in order to be a good BA - you shouldn't always give customers what they are asking you for. The main difference between good and bad BA - good one tries to realize customer real needs, provide with different options and pros/cons of each option. That is not enough to be just a liaison between dev team and customer! Think widely, there is no value if devs would deliver exactly what customer needs in time/budget, if it useless and no one needs this.

You can actually do the same in order to be a good cashier :)