Can cultural diversity supercharge your BA practice? Discover how language, empathy, and global perspectives unlock deeper stakeholder engagement.In this episode, I’m joined by Lungile Mnguni, a lead business analyst and business analysis community leader. September 24th, the date we recorded this episode, is Heritage Day in South Africa—a perfect moment to explore the rich intersection of culture and business analysis. Lungile and I explore how cultural diversity is a strategic advantage. From language and empathy to respect and inclusion, we discuss how these elements shape stakeholder engagement and team dynamics. This conversation is a celebration of what makes our global business analysis community so vibrant—and why cultural awareness is a must-have skill in your business analysis toolkit.Whether you're a seasoned BA or just starting out, this episode will inspire you to rethink how culture and connection drive performance, collaboration, and growth.🎙️Episode Highlights• Heritage Day and cultural celebration in South Africa• The role of language and respect in stakeholder engagement• Emotional intelligence and the spirit of Ubuntu• Continuous learning as a global BA skill• Volunteering and community building• Navigating titles vs. actual BA work• Tips for working with culturally diverse teams• Why joining professional communities matters🔗 Resources• Connect with Susan on LinkedIn• Connect with Lungile on LinkedInBusiness Analysis Live is hosted by Susan Moore, Community Engagement Manager with the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). We talk with business analysis professionals about business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience. If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to hit that Like button, subscribe to the channel, and share it with your friends. Your support helps us keep bringing you great content!The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis. As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.iiba.org/#BusinessAnalysis #CulturalDiversity #GlobalBACommunity

What do “Rethink, Reconnect, Revolutionize” mean for business analysis? Find out in this special episode of Business Analysis Live! 🎉Join host Susan Moore for this special episode of Business Analysis Live as we celebrate this year’s Festival of Business Analysis conference in Australia and New Zealand with inspiring conversations, fresh perspectives, and a look at what’s new for 2025.This episode dives into the “Three R’s” of business analysis—rethink, reconnect, and revolutionize. We meet the conference organizers, Luigi Bini, president of IIBA Australia and Abi Sachithanantham, Director of Branch Events & Marketing for IIBA Australia. Then we talk to four speakers to get a sample of the talks that are shaping the future of our profession. From antifragility to the “data dance,” to essential human skills in the age of AI, you’ll get a taste of what this year’s festival has to offer!2025 Festival of Business AnalysisThe online portion of the festival starts on Mon, Oct 13 and ends Fri, Oct 17.

The in-person portion begins on Mon, Oct 20 and ends Fri, Oct 24 and will take place across New Zealand and Australia, with events in multiple cities and a flagship closing day in Sydney featuring keynote speakers, panels, and global IIBA leaders.

Get your tickets, find the agenda and learn about the speakers at the Festival of Business Analysis.

🎙️Episode Highlights• Hear about this year’s Festival of Business Analysis organized by IIBA Australia• Rethink, reconnect, revolutionize our thinking about business analysis • Anti-fragility and thriving in disruption with Jan De Vries• Data governance and “mastering the data dance” with Dr. Joe Perez• Business analysts as leaders with Filip Hendrickx• Practical tools for BA planning with Kathy Berkidge

🔗 Resources· Connect with Susan on LinkedIn

· Find IIBA Australia on LinkedIn

· Connect with Jan on LinkedIn

· Connect with Dr. Perez on LinkedIn

· Connect with Filip on LinkedIn

· Connect with Kathy on LinkedIn

Business Analysis Live is hosted by Susan Moore, Community Engagement Manager with the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). We talk with business analysis professionals about business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience. If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to hit that Like button, subscribe to the channel, and share it with your friends. Your support helps us keep bringing you great content!The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis. As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.iiba.org/#BusinessAnalysis #FestivalOfBusinessAnalysis #Leadership

What is a Solutions Architect, and how do you become one? In this episode, Susan Moore sits down with Solutions Architect, Sachin Bhoria, who shares his journey from business analysis to solutions architecture. We dig into the technical and human skills needed for the work and the surprising role that curiosity and trust play in solving business problems.

If you’ve ever wondered how this role bridges strategy and technology—or if you’re considering it as your next career step—this conversation is full of insights you won’t want to miss.

🎙️Episode Highlights• What does a Solutions Architect do?• Your transferable skills from business analysis• The role of curiosity in solutions architecture work• Working with a tech stack (hello Microsoft!)• Building relationships and stakeholder trust• Spotting opportunities for process improvement• Certifications and career tips• Balancing business needs with technical solutions🔗 Resources• Connect with Susan on LinkedIn• Connect with Sachin on LinkedIn• Listen to episode #56 Launching Your Business Analysis Career with guest Sachin Bhoria• Listen to episode #81 What is a Functional Consultant? with guest AJ HawleyBusiness Analysis Live is hosted by Susan Moore, Community Engagement Manager with the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). We talk with business analysis professionals about business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to hit that Like button, subscribe to the channel, and share it with your friends. Your support helps us keep bringing you great content!

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis. As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.iiba.org/

#BusinessAnalysis #SolutionsArchitect #CareerGrowth

What if the secret to delivering real value isn’t doing more, but thinking differently?In this episode of Business Analysis Live, I sit down with friend, storyteller, and author, Fabrício Laguna — the Brazilian BA — to explore the power of outcome-driven thinking. We talk about why focusing on outcomes (not just outputs) changes how we work, connect, and deliver change, and how this mindset can transform not only our projects, but our organizations and careers.Fabrício shares insights from his new book Please Hold: The Power of Outcome-Driven Thinking, blending the business analysis mindset with the art of storytelling. We talk about empathy, purpose, collaboration, and what it takes to move from “just doing tasks” to truly enabling change.🎙️Episode Highlights• How Fabricio defines outcome-driven vs. output-driven mindsets• Why storytelling is a powerful business analysis tool• The role of empathy in achieving better outcomes• How business analysis techniques build “muscle memory” for critical thinking• Connecting personal purpose to organizational goals• Encouraging collaboration and shared perspectives• Practical examples of shifting to an outcome focus🔗 Resources

Connect with Susan on LinkedIn

Connect with Fabricio on LinkedIn

Learn more about Fabricio at https://thebrazilianba.com/

Download a free preview edition of Please Hold: The Powerof Outcome-Driven Thinking

Business Analysis Live is hosted by Susan Moore, Community Engagement Manager with the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). We talk with business analysis professionals about business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to hit that Likebutton, subscribe to the channel, and share it with your friends. Your support helps us keep bringing you great content!

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is anon-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis. As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintainglobal standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.iiba.org/

#BusinessAnalysis #OutcomeDriven #Leadership

Welcome to the 100th episode of Business Analysis Live! 🎉 In this milestone conversation, Susan Moore is joined by Laura Paton, LinkedIn Learning instructor, author and speaker, to explore the sometimes-confusing relationship between business analysts and project managers. We talk about common misunderstandings, areas of overlap, and how BAs and PMs can support each other for better outcomes. Laura gives lots of practical advice for navigating agile vs. waterfall approaches, transitioning roles, and expanding your career using business analysis competencies. Whether you work regularly with project managers or wear both hats yourself, this episode offers insights into how you can have better communication, collaboration, and outcomes with your project management partners. 🎙️Episode Highlights• Common misconceptions between BAs and PMs• How organizational context affects business analysis and project manager roles • Transferable skills between business analysis and project management• Collaboration tips for working with project managers early in an initiative• Areas of overlap including risk management and business analysis planning and monitoring• Advice on how business analysis professionals can assist project managers with managing up and seeing around corners• Project Managers, Scrum Masters, and Business Analysts. Oh my! • Expanding your business analysis career path into project management (or another path)• Business analysts and project managers working in non-IT environments• Portfolio and program management explained

🔗 Resources

• Connect with Susan on LinkedIn
• Connect with Laura on Linkedin
• Find Laura’s latest course on projectmanagement communication with business analysts on LinkedIn
• Check out IIBA’s career specialization wheel for the kinds of roles that require business analysis skills

Business Analysis Live is hosted by Susan Moore, Community Engagement Manager with the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). We talk with business analysis professionals about business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to hit that Like button, subscribe to the channel, and share it with your friends. Your support helps us keep bringing you great content!

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis. As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.iiba.org/#BusinessAnalysis #ProjectManagement #AgileLeadership

In this episode of Business Analysis Live, Susan Moore is joined by Salesforce consultant and business analysis advocate Vanessa Grant to talk about what business analysis looks like when working with enterprise platforms, like Salesforce. They explore the evolving role of BAs in low-code/no-code environments and how business analysis work is critical even when it seems invisible.

Vanessa shares her journey into the Salesforce ecosystem,the importance of business analysis planning, how technical debt creeps into platform implementations, and the adjacent skills business analysis professional need to grow from junior to senior roles. Whether you're a business analyst, product owner, admin, or just curious about business analysis for low code/no code enterprise platforms (not just Salesforce!),this conversation delivers practical insights with humor, honesty, and plenty of real-world examples.

Don't forget to check out the Salesforce Business Analysis Trailblazer community that Vanessa discussed for more resources and networking opportunities. Link in the Resources section.

🎙️Episode Highlights

· Defining the role of business analysts inlow-code/no-code platforms

· Why business analysis is essential but ofteninvisible

· Technical debt and the cost of skipping analysis

· Skills that separate senior BAs from junior ones

· Building respect for the BA role throughplanning and collaboration

· Writing effective user stories and thinking likea developer

· Navigating stakeholder dynamics and platformconstraints

· The rise of AI and the future of junior businessanalysis roles

· The value of soft skills and empathy in techprojects

🔗 ResourcesConnect with Susan on LinkedInConnect with Vanessa on LinkedInSalesforce Business Analysis Trailblazer CommunityBusiness Analysis Live is hosted by Susan Moore, Community Engagement Manager with the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). We talk with business analysis professionals about business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience. If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to hit that Like button, subscribe to the channel, and share it with your friends. Your support helps us keep bringing you great content!The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis. As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.iiba.org/#BusinessAnalysis #LowCodeNoCode #SalesforceBA

In this episode of Business Analysis Live, Susan Moore is joined by Iryna Sizikova, a business analysis leader in the medical device space, for a discussion into what it really takes to work in one of the most regulated, complex, and impactful industries out there - healthcare.

Iryna shares her 18-year journey from junior analyst toshaping cross-organizational processes for a global medical device company. Along the way, she breaks down what makes healthcare different: the number of stakeholders, the constant need for documentation, and the critical role ofcompliance. From regulatory submissions and ISO standards to agile in a regulated environment, Iryna offers valuable insights into compliance, documentation, stakeholder collaboration, and why curiosity is your strongestskill in this field.

🎙️Episode Highlights

• The impact of domain and regulatory context on business analysis• Types of stakeholders in healthcare projects• Handling compliance with multiple regulatory agencies and standards• The importance of documentation, traceability, and audit readiness• Strategies for translating complex terminology• Cross-functional collaboration with developers, regulatory, and quality teams• How business analysis professionals support risk mitigation and product safety• Advice for entering and growing in the healthcare domain🔗 ResourcesConnect with Iryna on LinkedInLearn more about the *Business Analysis Core Concept Model *I accidentally referred to this as the Business Analysis Core Competency Model, which is a different thing. Business Analysis Live is hosted by Susan Moore, Community Engagement Manager with the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). We talk with business analysis professionals about business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience. If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to hit that Like button, subscribe to the channel, and share it with your friends. Your support helps us keep bringing you great content!The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis. As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.#BusinessAnalysis #HealthcareProjects #RegulatoryCompliance

In this episode of Business Analysis Live, Susan Moore sits down with Tyler Kenny, the product manager behind the evolution of the ECBA (Entry Certificate in Business Analysis). Go behind the scenes to learn why the ECBA has changed, how AI and shifting workplace expectations influenced its redesign, and what it means to be "real-world ready" as a foundational business analyst today. Whether you’re a candidate, hiring manager, or leader in the business analysis community, this conversation breaks down what you need to know.

🎙️Episode Highlights

• Why the ECBA was updated and the factors that shaped the thinking behind how to change it

• Understanding the difference between a certificate and certification

• The focus on applied knowledge vs. memorization in the new exam

• The growing importance of strategy at all career levels

• How the ECBA supports new professionals entering the workforce

• A behind-the-scenes look of the development and validation processes

• Resources to help candidates prepare for the ECBA

• Balancing employer expectations and candidate readiness

• What the evolution of the ECBA means for the profession

🔗 Resources

• Connect with Tyler on LinkedIn

• Access additional ECBA resources on the IIBA website

• Watch to the Business Analysis Live! episode where Tyler talks about the latest version of the Business Analysis Standard

Business Analysis Live is hosted by Susan Moore, Community Engagement Manager with the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). We talk with business analysis professionals about business analysis topics and answer questions from our live audience.

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to hit that Like button, subscribe to the channel, and share it with your friends. Your support helps us keep bringing you great content!

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is anon-profit professional association serving the field of business analysis. As the global thought leader and voice of the business analysis community, IIBA actively supports the recognition of the profession, and works to maintain global standards for the ongoing development of the practice and certifications.

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.iiba.org/

#BusinessAnalysis #ECBA #AIandWorkplace