Your Chapter Director of Education:  Mike Jones

What motivated you to volunteer with IIBA® Calgary Chapter?

• The local chapter provides a tremendous amount of value for professional business analysts. It provides access to continuing eduction, enhances networking within the community and extends opportunities for volunteering. But mostly, it provides visibility to the business analysis practice and ensures taht the community is viewed as valuable and professional. Over the years, I have attended many IIBA events and finally decided to give back to the community by becoming an official BA mentor. When I heard that there were positions open, (on the Board), I wanted to contribute to the health and longevity of the local chapter in a broader way and accepted the position as Director of Education.

What value does your Board position/portfolio provide to members of the Calgary Chapter?

• As the Director of Education, I am utlimately responsible for certification and recertification of our members, preparation and facilitation of regular BABOK Study Groups, administering the local BA mentorship program, nurturing the relationships with local education providers, organizing the Professional Development Day event and providing guidance in the choice of presentation content for the chapter events. All of this is done with a grateful reliance on volunteers and other board members whose assistance is vital to the delivery of these benefits for our members.

What is your favorite past time or hobby?

• I have the privilege of being a semi-professional musician for many years. They say music is food for the soul and I depend on that source of nourishment. On the other hand, I'm not about to quit my BA day job any time soon...after all, I quite like being able to buy real groceries!

What book/podcast would you recommend to our members?

• For most of my BA career I have focused on Agile Software Delivery. So here are 3 recommendations to nurture your understanding of Agile delivery:

1.      For anyone curious or critical of iterative delivery, please take a few minutes to view the following YouTube video: “Agile Project Ownership In A Nutshell” by Henrik Kniberg. It is a great introduction to Agile delivery that describes how the elements fit together at a high level and includes many of the elements that are missing from failed Agile delivery efforts. https://youtu.be/502ILHjX9EE

2.      For any Agile proponents who want to consider Agile delivery on a bigger scale, please check out “Disciplined Agile Delivery” by Scott Ambler and Mark Lines. Agile delivery is typically viewed as delivery by a small, co-located team, however, that’s not always possible. Scott and Mark take a deep dive into extending the agile methodology on a large scale.

3.      And let’s not forget IIBA’s Agile Extension. If you want to take a broader view of the Agile methodology, then the Agile Extension will challenge you to apply Agile principles in a broader fashion. 
Shameless plug: don’t forget to check out the new Agile Certification: https://www.iiba.org/Membership/EEP-Program/agile-analysis-cert.aspx

What tip, trick or advice can you suggest that will help your fellow BA's succeed?

• Nurture a genuine curiosity and care for other people. As a business analyst, you will be meeting new people or establishing long term, interdependent relationships with people everyday. There's no point in pretending to be interested. People will see right through you and you will impair your ability to establish meaningful partnerships. By nurturing genuine empathy and interest in the people you meet; you will develop the patience, understanding, self-awareness and curiosity necessary to build real relationships in your career and in life.

• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. “No one is an island”, “Many hands make light work”, “Two heads are better than one”: just a few examples of sayings that capture this age-old wisdom. Perhaps you want the credit, perhaps you feel better in control, perhaps you can do it faster on your own; but alone is not how you do your best work. Provide opportunities for others to help and share the success. You’ll be better for it.

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