Corrinne Brits, Lead Business Analyst at Shoprite Checkers, shares her training experience having recently completed the Business Analysis Practice course.
On the training Corrinne learnt new concepts and interactive techniques to engage business and project stakeholders better, and has gained a set of new strategic business analysis tools that are positively improving her approach.
Here’s what Corrinne had to say about her training experience:
Tell us a bit about yourself, Corrinne.
I am a natural communicator and prefer a variety of things to focus on.
At home I always have creative projects planned that help me switch off from work, and I love entertaining and connecting people at the same time. I have 2 teenage children, and it is always interesting to see their reaction when I try and explain what a Business Analyst does!
I have now been a business analyst in the retail industry for 11 years, for different companies, and I still learn every day.
Why did you decide to take the business analysis practice course?
For self-advancement, as the course is geared towards providing focus to business analyst's on the strategic elements of their roles today.
Another objective that was met was confirmation that I am positioned correctly within my organisation; to add value to my team and to my business stakeholders through the skills the I've acquired.
How will the course help you in your career?
Overall the course helped me to understand the external factors that influence the organisation, weigh-up objectives between departments for the same initiative and guide the business towards the correct set of options.
It's early days, but already my approach has changed positively.
Now I tend to ask more direct and to-the-point questions, as well as posing more guided questions to the business stakeholders, ...
by harnessing the new tools and techniques within the overall approach that the Business Analysis Practice course gave me.
What was your biggest learning - did you have an AHA! moment?
My biggest learning on the course was the insight to use the various techniques in a manner that will benefit everyone in a number of planning activities and when unpacking scope of project deliverables with business stakeholders.
PESTLE Analysis is now one of my ‘base’ frameworks to get the sticky conversations and decisions going!
My AHA moment was realising the benefit that teams and stakeholders will benefit by using the concepts I learned on the course.
Because there is a firm place for the business analyst role in organisations -- organisations have so much pressure on improvement and need a business analyst to work alongside them to be tuned in and understand the business needs to the appropriate level of detail.
What did you enjoy most about the BCMG training experience?
The best formulated case studies and assessment questions that are relevant to the business analyst role at the moment, alongside many great interactive exercises for each module.
The trainer facilitated from his experience and encouraged a difference of opinion, by acknowledging different perspectives. He truly has a passion for people and what they need to be as a business analyst inside the organisation -- and clearly keeps up to date with the ever-evolving role as a business analyst, .
What would you tell somebody who is considering doing the course?
The course is incredibly relevant to my work, on a daily basis, and for this reason I would recommend it to anyone who was thinking about enrolling on it.
I'd tell them that it will enrich their business analysis toolkit -- and that they owe it to themselves, if they're passionate business analyst.
When the course finished I was excited to be a business analyst again, because there is a real place for us.
In the spirit of 'keep growing', what would you like to learn next?
I'm definitely keen to enrol on the Commercial Awareness course.
Corrinne took the steps to learn strategic business analysis tools that are positively improving her approach. Are you ready to gear up? Find out more about the Business Analysis Practice course here.