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.