Journal 1

Jeshe Mae Balsomo

NorQuest College

XBUS-5107 A01: Crucial Business Analyst Skill

Gary Spencer

October 14, 2022

Business Analysis

For the first day of Journal, I choose business analysis and its two techniques specifically

the balanced scorecard and the backlog management as my topics. Business analysis is

performed using several analytical techniques that would aid in determining the need for change.

It allows to understand the context of the organization to identify and improve potentials and

recommend solutions that would maximize the value of the stakeholders.

The significance of these topics could be beneficial for future reference and use

especially in business world. More so, in knowing the concept of the business analysis could

provide me a birds eye view of how or what are the business analyst duties, who are the

stakeholders and why it is a vital position in the organization.

The importance of business analysis are by using the key concept which are fixing the

problems, improving solutions and new opportunity. For example in the organization that loses

its revenue due to inappropriate products, it needs to have a business analysis concept to

determine what are the change, needs of the stakeholders and recommend solution that has a

value regardless of the context of the organization in order to reach its goals and objectives

Balanced Scorecard

The balanced scorecard translate an organization’s vison, measure performance and

compare it to the organization’s strategic objectives and goals. It has four dimensions namely

the, customer, learning and growth, financial, and business process.

More so, I’m interested about the balanced scorecard because I’ve already experienced of

why it is useful and beneficial to the organization. By learning it again, I gain in depth details
that later on could apply in future work. Gaining knowledge about these techniques could be and

added value to our skillset and equip us with the reality in the business industry.

On the other hand, my example for the balanced scorecard is my experience before in

banking industry wherein we need to conduct a balanced scorecard why the bank is at the verge

of bankruptcy and what are the factors, why it is happening, and how we should resolve by using

the four dimensions of balanced scorecard. By using the four dimension and figuring out the

cause and effect building block – learning growth perspective in which it is all about training

employee and sharing information that would have an effect to the internal process making it

smoother if the employee are well compensated and prioritizing their welfare. By having

productive and efficient process, it could result to good service to the customer and if the

customer are happy it could result to increase in financial aspect. By applying the measure, target

and objectives of the four dimensions we are able to recommend solution that are added value to

the organization .

Backlog Management

The backlog management is used to prioritized the list of deliverables that should be

implemented as part of the project or product development. This is a useful technique especially

if there are a lot of backlogs that need to address by the organization.

By learning the Backlog Management, I could be able to know what should I prioritized

especially the urgent matters. Thus, the significance of the backlog management is that it would

be easier to assign work and divide tasks and track its progress. This technique it will equip me

in the future to how should I manage my backlogs and how to manage the urgency or the things

that need to prioritized..

also used the backlog management to determine what are the strategic actions that should

prioritize in order for us improve accuracy and transparency in terms of financial, develop a

common ground to align with stake holders, adapt with the current trends and conduct

compliance audit in order to align with the banking regulations and to avoid mismanagement,

bankruptcy, or loses and gain more revenues.

Ethics

In day two, we learn about ethics which refers to rules and guidelines that establish

conduct is right and wrong for individuals and for groups. It is also refers to implementing

appropriate policies and practices to the organization

I’ve learned that ethics is relevant to whatever the industry that we are in. It is important

that we should know the ethics of the company in order for us to adapt and comply with the

policies and regulations of the organization. It reflects of who we are as a person and how should

we properly react to our environment.

Ethics are standards of policies set by the organization in order that their employees

should follow and build good reputation and integrity. For example, in the legal industry, they

have these can have this code of professional conduct that strictly needs to comply and follow

specifically in business laws with regards to the contract of agreement, privacy of client

information and other legal matters.

Trustworthiness

Trustworthiness is the realization that someone is worthy of trust and crucial behavioral

characteristic to attain by business analyst to the stakeholders. Trust sometimes are hard to earn

but by having confidence and presenting the facts to the stakeholders could gain their trust.

Meanwhile, I’ve learned the value and significance of trustworthiness in which it is vital

to acquire by business analyst to stakeholders in order to obtain information and cooperation.

eliciting information should obtain the trust by presenting consistent confidence attitude, honest,

straightforward manner and addressing conflict.

5 C’s of Effective Team Behavior

The 5C’s of effective team behavior was discussed that stand for cooperating,

coordinating, communicating, comforting, and conflict handling. These are the attributes that the

team should build or establish to have an effective teamwork

In addition, 5 C’s is important because in a team in order to achieve the goals and

objectives, there is a need of cooperation of the members, coordinating with the different type of

works, comforting which means to build confidence in orders, conflict handling to avoid

disagreements and to have harmonious relationship, and the important one is communication

wherein sharing of ideas, information and listening actively could result to have a productive

team work and getting the work done in its timeline.

For the 5C’s example, when the team deliberation for a project, the members should

cooperate, coordinate resources, comforting members to show emotional support, conflict

handling in order to have smooth deliberations and communication between the members is the

key ingredients for the successful decision making in the organization.

Brainstorming

In day three, I learned about brainstorming, adaptability, organization and time

management. Brainstorming is one of the techniques by the business analysis wherein focusing

on a topic or problem and provide possible solutions.

The significance of the brainstorming is that it draws out experience and creativity of all

the members of the group. This technique is useful especially in group deliberations in order to

weigh in the gravity of each solution or how these listed solutions could add value to the decision

making.

The use of brainstorming could help the members easily determine the solutions. For

example, the activity that we had yesterday serve as an overview on how we could apply the

concept of brainstorming in the organization in which we determine the problem, gather

solutions and prioritize what are the relevant that has benefits, lesser cost and has impact in terms

of value.

Adaptability

Adaptability is the capacity to change techniques, methods and approach. Adaptability is

applicable in all forms, we need to adapt to change in organization, if we resist to adapt there will

be negative factors.

The significance of it is that the more adaptable you are, the better you’ll be suited for

certain positions in the organization. More so if you can blend to the organization the more you

can connect with people and have a deeper understanding in the organization

On the other side with regards of behavioral, business analyst should be adaptable in

order to relate more effectively in conditions of the organization.

environment by learning and knowing what is the organization that I am in, who are the people

that I need connect or work with and adjust with the company culture in order to have a

harmonious relationship.

Organization and Time Management

Organization and time management is the setting of priorities by considering both the

urgency and the importance of all the tasks. It also improve the efficiency of the organization

with regards to meeting deadline on time.

I’ve learned that I need to prioritize what is urgent especially in work and being mindful

with the timeline. The significance of this organization and time management is that we are able

to know when and how should we plan, organized and execute or implemented strategic goals in

order to align with the goals and objectives.

In addition, organization and time management consider because time is uncontrollable.

For example, in the organization and there is a short term and long term goals to consider in

order what, when and to achieve in shorter span or in long term with high return of investment

and less cost that could value and reap the benefits on the said terms.
Day 4

Tools and Technology

Tools and technology aid the business analyst to have better collaboration, collect and

sort data, documents business requirements, and prototype creation. Tools and technology has

three core competencies such as office productivity, business, and communication tools and

technology.

The significance of the tools and technology is that it is easy for us to do that task once

we identify that needs or the requirements. These tools could aid in the process of gathering and

making data and any representations. Also it is helpful in tracking information and business

status.

Productivity, business and communication tools and technology has its own distinct

forms that could aid the business analyst in gathering information and data analyzing. For

example in the organization, it needs to have a spreadsheet in order to represent the numerical

data because it has its functions to formulate. More so, using diagrams could helpful in

presenting reports to the designated departments and online messaging could be also serve as a

communication tool for information.

Business Capability

Business capability is the transformation of the inputs to outputs. More so, it what do you

do or provide that is better faster and cheaper for the organization.

The significance of business capability is generating ideas for effective strategy for

prioritization. More so, the input in the business capability is the time, money, energy and
resources such as materials. Transformation on the other hand is processes, methodology,

decisions, practices and programming or the way that it works. Furthermore the output are the

products, services or values. This three concept in business analysis could answer to the question

on how these affect the organization whether in positive or it has a negative impact.

Business capability example is that the gravity of the input transforming into output. For

example less input with light transformation result to higher input. In contrary higher input with

light transformation result to less or lower output. Hence, the business analyst should consider

different factors that are affecting the inputs, transformation and output.

NEWS: Lifting of Limited Number of hours of international student

With regards to the current news about the lifting of limited number of hours for

international students. This news catch my attention because I could relate to it and surprised by

this new regulation. Due to labor shortage Canada implemented this rule for temporary period or

in a year.

The significance about the news on lifting the limited number of hours is that it will have

a positive solution to the labor shortage in Canada. More so, students and employers could

benefit from it. On the other hand, it is a domino effect, that once the government amend or

revise provisions, it will eventually affect the stakeholders and those involved in the changes. It

has a pros and cons to weigh in.

In the mentioned news, the example is the current international student including myself.

The said news could have value to the students and they could gain more income to pay their

living expenses. In contrary to that, the cons will be the inefficient performance of school and

how the institutions will adjust to the new regulations. More so, the employer or companies will
also benefit from it but it will be also an expense cost from their end with regard to unlimited

hours and salary rate.