IIBA Global State of Business Analysis Report Now Available

IIBA’s Global State of Business Analysis Report (GSBA) provides a broad view of the skillsets, trends, and demographics that influence the global business analysis profession. 

The Global State of Business Analysis Report is your vital resource that prvides a view of today's on career trends and statistics in business analysis. It is an exclusive IIBA Member benefit, the annual survey provides useful information to employees for compensation comparison and for organizations 60 attract, support and retain employees within the context of an overall retention plan.

IIBA Members may access the report on the IIBA website.

Congratulations on a Milestone Career Achievement Justin! 

   

Justin Cockerham is currently a Business Analyst for Premier Packaging and is just getting started in his Business Analysis career. In the summer of 2017, Justin started his career as an intern for an MSP while he was a senior in high school, working as a Desktop Support Technician. He was able to gain various technical skills while working there such as problem solving, technical troubleshooting, and customer service skills. In 2020, Premier Packaging hired him as a Helpdesk Technician and he has since worked his way up to an Application Support Specialist in the fall of 2021, troubleshooting issues within the ERP system his company uses. While analyzing specific issues within the ERP, Justin was able to assist in making business decisions with the executives by bringing forth data and information that were collected from the ERP and elicited from stakeholders. Since then, he started to shift his focus towards BA responsibilities in February of 2022 and he’s excited to see what he can learn and how he can grow to be a successful BA.

Through the IIBA, Justin was able to prepare for and obtain his ECBA™ certification in January of 2023 and has expressed interest in pursuing the CBDA certification. Justin also plans on attending the various study groups, workshops, and networking events that will be scheduled throughout the year.

When Justin isn’t eliciting information or documenting processes, he likes to spend time with his family and friends. Justin enjoys traveling to different parts of the country (and soon the world) and trying out various cuisines and eateries. Videogames and Movies/TV is very enjoyable for Justin as well. He lives in the Louisville Metro area and his family is from Elizabethtown, KY. Justin is very honored to be a part of the IIBA and the Bluegrass IIBA Chapter; and he is excited to see how he can contribute to the organization. He plans to continue learning and developing skills for him to apply successfully at the company he works for, and he’s excited to see what will be in store for him going forward!

         

Bluegrass IIBA Chapter has entered into partnership with The Uncommon League to offer their Business Analysis Career courses at a discount to our community. You can receive a 10% discount to participate in any The Uncommon League course this year. 

Some of the courses will be promoted on the Bluegrass IIBA Chapter website; however the 10% discount offer extends to all The Uncommon League courses. If you wish to attend a course that is not promoted on the Bluegrass IIBA website, contact Retta Witter at Professional@bluegrass.iiba.org to receive a discount code to get the 10% discount for the course. 

Are you interested in obtaining your business analysis certification but just can't determine which one you should pursue? We have created a little survey that can help you make that decision.

This survey takes into consideration the amount of business analysis experience you have to meet the eligibility requirements for each certification, as well as your knowledge of business analysis to help determine which certification you would have greatest possibility to qualify for and pass the certification exam. We do this in 10 easy questions.  Don't you wish all certification exams were 10 questions?

Nothing is 100% foolproof, but this should give you a good indication of which certification you should pursue at this point in your career. 

Which BA Certification Should You Pursue? 

Click here to find out! 

We will also help you study for the certification exam in our BABOK® Study Group. The three core IIBA® certifications (ECBA™, CCBA®, CBAP®) are designed to test business analysis practitioners at different times in their career from new to the field to a seasoned business analyst. The certification exams test the student at different competency level expected at that point in their business analysis career. Our study group does the same thing. The study group includes four practice test experience and tests ECBA students at a lower competency level than CCBA or CBAP students. This study group is a true studying experience and prepares the students for taking the certification exam.

For those viewing events on the Bluegrass IIBA website and wanting to register to attend our events remotely, there is a "Remote" button in the text of the event listing that will get you to the Zoom registration link. Look for the attendance options text in the event listing that has four attendance buttons. The last button is the Remote attendance button. 

 

‘Twas the night before implementation and all through the warehouse
not a program was working, not even a browse.

The programmers hung by their screens in such despair,
with hopes that soon, a miracle would be there.

The users were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of working systems danced in their heads.

When out in the snow there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew in a flash,
tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.

And what to my wondering eyes would appear,
but a Senior Business Analyst with a six-pack of beer.

His resume glowed with experience so dear,
I knew in a moment; the miracle was here!

More rapid than the programmers could consume, his requirements they came,
and he shouted and clamored and called them all by name:

“Now Update! Now Inquiry!
Now, Create and Delete!
On Batch Job! On Interface!
On, Closing and Functions Complete! 
To this programmer! and to that programmer!
Now code away! Code away!
Code away all!”

He was dressed in a tux, from his head to his foot,
and his clothes were bright, all glowing and afoot.

His eyes—how they shined! Fingers nimble and lean,
from weeks and weeks in front of the screen.

His cute little mouth was drawn up in a smile,
and his hair, every strand in place as he worked a mile.

He stopped only to take a swig of his beer,
as the work ahead circled in the atmosphere.

He worked so fast, and smiled aware of his self,
and I looked upon his work with dismay, in spite of myself.

A wink of his eye and a twitch of his head,
soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to work in great affair,
turning out specs and models with such flair!

And laying his finger upon the “Enter” key,
and giving a wink, the system came to life to a tee!

The updates updated, the deletes deleted,
the inquires inquired and the functions completed!

The testers tested each whistle, and tested each bell
with nary an abend, all had gone well!

The system was finished, the tests were concluded,
the users' last changes were even included.

And the client exclaimed with a snarl and taunted,
“That’s not what I asked for, but exactly what I wanted!”

                                                                              --Aaron Whittenberger

Tuesday's Global Business Analysis Day conference began with IIBA^® Chapter Awards and Volunteer of the Year Awards. During the Chapter Awards ceremony, Bluegrass IIBA Chapter was awarded their seventh annual chapter award in a row; this year winning the 2022 Delivering Membership Value Award. 

Last year, Bluegrass IIBA Chapter won the Leadership Excellence Award and in 2020, won the Chapter of the Year Award.

Bluegrass IIBA Chapter currently offers about four events per month for our community to attend. There are chapter meetings, webinars, certification study groups and BA career courses offered throughout the year. Chapter meetings and webinars are typically free for members and guests to attend, and IIBA members get a significant discount to attend the chapter's professional development events (study groups and career courses). Bluegrass IIBA Chapter is looking at adding training workshops to their offerings for 2023.

The Bluegrass IIBA Leadership Team believes in offering many events that would be of interest to business analysis professionals and allow the community to select what they wish to attend. This has been very successful, as many of the professional development events attract many students. The chapter meetings, study groups and career courses have attracted international audience for many years. 

Bluegrass IIBA Chapter has a huge Members-only section on their chapter website (https:/bluegrass.iiba.org). Bluegrass IIBA Chapter also promotes IIBA material and member discount offers to its community. 

Congratulations to our, Steph Hawkins, IIBA^® Volunteer of the Year!

    

During Tuesday's IIBA® Global Business Analysis Day conference our very own Stephanie Hawkins was awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award for the Americas Southeast Region. IIBA awarded a Volunteer of the Year in each of their regions. There were three finalists in each region; the Americas Southeast Region included our own Aaron Whittenberger and Orlando Guedez. IIBA received over 200 submissions for Volunteer of the Year Awards.

Steph Hawkins joined the Bluegrass IIBA Board of Directors, as Vice President of Community Outreach and Engagement, last year bringing fresh blood and new ideas to the leadership team. She revitalized the community outreach program and restarted the BAs on the Street video series started by her predecessor. 

Steph is a cast member and Project Manager for Disney Cruise Lines. She was instrumental in the launch of their newest cruise ship, 

Congratulations Steph Hawkins, 2022 IIBA Volunteer of the Year!

Renewing your IIBA membership should be made easier, so it is not missed when life gets busy.

We are pleased to introduce the option to set-up and enable Auto Membership Renewal, so you do not have to manually renew every year. It makes life a little simpler!

Benefits of setting up Auto Membership Renewal

• Peace of mind. You’ll enjoy uninterrupted access to your IIBA member resources​​​​.
• ​​​​​Time-saving. You won’t have to go through all the steps of manually renewing your membership subscription. 
• Opt-out at any time. You can cancel the Auto Membership Renewal at any time.

IIBA Certifications

An IIBA^® certification prepares and equips Business Analysis Professionals with expertise and key competencies. Certification improves your marketability, your employability, and your earning potential. 

Hurry! Get 20% off Exams 

For a limited time, Members save 20% on IIBA’s full suite of certification exams including, ECBA™, CCBA®, CBAP®, IIBA®-AAC, IIBA®-CBDA, IIBA®-CCA, and IIBA®-CPOA when they write the exam by December 30, 2022! 

Not an IIBA Member? Purchase your Membership here first to take advantage of this offer. Hurry, this offer won’t be around for long! 

            

*Terms & Conditions: The 20% exam rebate offer applies to IIBA® Members in good standing who write including ECBA™, CCBA®, CBAP®, IIBA®-AAC, IIBA®-CBDA, IIBA®-CCA, and IIBA®-CPOA exams from October 24 to December 30, 2022. The discount applies to exam fees and exam rewrite fees only. The rebate will be applied to the original payment method after the exam is completed in USD and may take up to February 15, 2023, to be processed. Currency exchange rates fluctuate daily so the amount refunded may differ from the purchase price. The exam rebate applies to the exam portion of the IIBA®-CCA and IIBA®-CPOA bundled price. The offer does not apply to bulk purchasing. This offer is subject to change without notice. Note: The exam cannot be taken on the same day as the exam purchase. Exam scheduling availability is determined by the exam fulfillment service.