ISEB Changes the Business Analysis Diploma

The profile of Business Analysis as a professional discipline has grown rapidly. If you’re based in the UK then the business analysis certification you’re looking for will be the ISEB Diploma in Business Analysis. This requires completion of a mix of knowledge based and more practical training modules - followed by an oral exam.

The ISEB is the professional examination arm of BCS (the British Computer Society). They are just relaunching the Diploma and have made a few changes which both iron out inconsistencies and make it more relevant internationally.  These include the “relegation” of the Organisational Context course to non compulsory status, and the inclusion of an exemption scheme for holders of the CBAP qualification from the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA).

>> Download free Business Analysis Fact Sheet
>> Find Business Analysis Training Courses from Focus
>> Visit the BCS/ISEB Business Analysis Site
>> Visit the International Institute of Business Analysis website

Blogalot - December 2009

BCS Re-Launch Increases Profile of ISEB Qualifications

You may have noticed that the British Computer Society has re-launched itself as “BCS - The Chartered Institiute for IT”. 

Nice words.  There’s a lot of talk about “Enabling the Information Society”. There’s a push to give greater recognition to the high level Chartered IT Professional qualification. There are 2 branded taxis which you might notice in London!  And there’s a much improved website. 

For IT Professionals one of the key ways in which BCS makes a difference is their ISEB collection of vendor neutral IT training and certification. This includes exams and qualifications in areas such as Business Analysis, Systems Development, Software Testing and IT Service Management.

BCS has partnered with Focus to make it easier to find and buy convenient courses which lead towards ISEB qualifications.

>> See Video About ISEB
>> ISEB and Focus
>> ISEB qualifications - on the BCS website
>> ISEB certification tracks - on the Focus website

Blogalot - October 2009

Why “Best Practice”?

There is an increasing array of Best Practice Guidance, Qualifications and Training.  It covers everything from very specific skill sets  (eg ISEB Software Testing), through to management methodologies (eg PRINCE2 Project Management) and Personal Skills (eg ILM Coaching & Mentoring). 

The Credit Crunch and its fallout will prompt fundamental reviews of how organisations operate.  Terms such as “Best Practice” and “World Class” will come to the fore over the coming months as organisations seek to ensure they are working in the most efficient way - and that they are adhering to appropriate standards of management and governance.

For individuals, maintaining and developing qualifications has a major impact on job prospects.  In this period of uncertainty and change it’s the right time to invest in Best Practice skills training.

Businesses

1. Don’t Re-invent the WheelJust 10 years ago most project based businesses had developed in-house methodologies for project management - drawing on their own experience of successful and unsuccessful projects.  Many have now switched to a methodology based on a generic standard such as PRINCE2. Many of the core governance and planning processes will be similar.  However the advantages of a technique such as PRINCE2 are compelling:
- It draws on the experiences of many more projects and businesses and is regularly updated
- There is a large pool of project managers familiar with the approach
- There is a widely available training and certification scheme  

2. Concentrate on Business Critical

There are many aspects of management and individual performance that could be targeted for Best Practice approaches.  At time of limited resources make sure that training and development funds are concentrated on areas which are essential:

- Project & Programme Management where effective delivery of benefits to time and budget is essential
- IT Service Management which forms the backbone of most modern organisations
- IT Technical training which is essential to deployment of new technologies which will differentiate your business

3. Ensure Critical Mass

Best practice approaches depend on significant teams (or the whole organisation) working in a co-ordinated way.  There is limited value in an isolated group of 3 or 4 project managers working to a PRINCE2 methodology if other project team members are not briefed and if senior managers do not understand their role within the wider process.

1. Understand where you are going

There are different reasons you may choose to follow Best Practice approaches:

- Extend your range of skills to enhance career/job prospects

- Obtain certification for existing skills (to strengthen your CV and personal credibility)

- Enhance your personal efficiency and provide a shared team approach and language

Where do you want to be in 12 month’s time?  What training or qualifications will help you get there?  If you have been a project manager with a long-term employer but want to be able to prove yourself to new employers then obtaining PRINCE2 certification may be a very wise move.  If formal recognition of existing skills is less important then broaden your horizons: an IT specialist might develop ITIL skills as a route to broader business management responsibilities.

2. Prove You Can Put it into Practice

Attending a course and passing an exam is only the first step. Your current or future employer will be much more interested in how you have been able to take the principles learned and use them to deliver benefits for your organisation.

3. Refresh and ExtendThe business environment is constantly changing and skills learnt 5 years ago will be of limited use today.  Keep refreshing and extending your Best Practice skills both through training and practical application.  Increasingly there is linkage between the Best Practice approaches which makes this easier.  For instance ITIL approaches underpin the ISO20000 certification for service management quality.  Likewise there is increasing commonality between PRINCE2, MSP (Managing Successful Programmes) and M_o_R (Management of Risk).

Blogalot
www.focus-on-training.co.uk