In this #BACommunity Webinar we were joined by Dr Debra Paul (Managing Director of Assist KD), David Beckham (Senior Business Analyst, Aviva), Christina Lovelock (BA Practice Lead at the University of Leeds), Lawrence Darvill (Chair of BA Manager Forum and director of Assist KD) for a panel discussion covering the tricky topic of BA Careers.
Webinar Description
Business analysis is increasingly seen as a crucial enabler for organisational success. There is a vibrant global community of Business Analysis practitioners, each of whom have different backgrounds and experience levels. The role is broad, and this breadth can make it confusing for people entering the profession, as well as those looking to progress.
Have you ever wondered “how can I get into the profession”, “how do I progress” or “what role could I get next”? If so, this is the webinar for you! We were joined by four business analysis thought leaders who addressed topics including:
- How to break the “no BA experience = no job” cycle
- Types of BA role, and possibilities for progression within the role
- The relevance/usefulness of certification
- The many different career paths, the importance of ‘T-shaping’ and possible roles after being a BA
About the Speakers
Dr Debra Paul is the Managing Director of Assist Knowledge Development Ltd, a training and consultancy company specialising in business analysis and business architecture. Debra jointly edited and authored the publication, Business Analysis, and is also the co-author of Agile and Business Analysis, Business Analysis Techniques and The Human Touch. Debra conducted doctoral research into the role of the business analyst and developed the Business Analysis Service Framework.
Debra is a regular speaker at business seminars and IS industry events. She has been a keynote presenter at business analysis conferences, delivering presentations such as ‘Business Analysis: The Third Wave’ and ‘Business Analysis: relevance and recognition’. Debra is a founder member of the BA Manager Forum, a networking organisation for senior BAs and BA managers and was the chief architect of the BCS Advanced Diploma in Business Analysis.
Christina Lovelock leads the business analysis practice at the University of Leeds. She is active in the BA professional community, attending and regularly speaking at local and national events. Christina is a BCS oral examiner for the International Diploma in Business Analysis and is also a director of the national BA Managers Forum. She has co-authored the 2019 BCS book Delivering Business Analysis: The BA Service Handbook.
Christina is committed to the development of future generations of business analysts, and through the BA Managers Forum played a driving role in the creation of the National standard for the apprenticeship in business analysis.
David Beckham has spent his career working at Aviva and has been a Business Analyst in different guises since the mid-90’s. He was a founder member of the Business Analysis Practice when it was formed within Aviva IT and has had two terms as the Practice Lead. He has worked on numerous large change programmes and has been heavily involved in building the capability of Business Analysis within his organisation over the last few years. He has presented at the European BA Conference on a regular basis and has had several articles on Business Analysis topics published through various media. Despite being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2010 at the age of 43 David continues to relish his role as a Business Analyst and is a passionate advocate of the profession and the benefits it gives to organisations everywhere and regularly speaks on the positive power of change both on a professional and personal basis.
Lawrence Darvill is a Director of Assist Knowledge Development and main organiser of the UK BA Manager Forum. He has a background in HR and staffing and has supported research into the higher level capabilities of BAs working at the expert level. His research has helped establish the Expert BA Award and develop an on-line career management tool for business analysts. More recently Lawrence played a lead role in establishing the Apprenticeship scheme for business analysis. Lawrence works with organisations to provide guidance on developing BA capability and with individuals in their career planning.