Martin Postmus, Business Analyst at Shoprite Checkers, shares his training experience having recently completed the Business Analysis Practice course.
On the training Martin learnt many new insights to better consider his approach to conducting business analysis, and has gained strategic analysis techniques that are giving him a greater understanding of the business context and needs.
Here’s what Martin had to say about his training experience:
Tell us a bit about yourself, Martin.
I'm 48, was raised and schooled in Pretoria. I pursued my interest in psychology and decided to study Personnel Management at the University of Pretoria, graduating with a B.Com (Honours) in 1991. Military service followed for one year, and then I accepted an HR internship at the BMW manufacturing plant outside Pretoria after that.
At the time of leaving BMW, I worked on their SAP HR implementation project. Seven years of international travel followed (my partner is a professional opera singer) before settling in Cape Town. Before formally becoming a business analyst, various roles were positioned between IT and business areas and the sum of business and technical parts seemed to align to make business analysis a logical choice for my career.
Why did you decide to take the business analysis practice course?
To improve my overall competency.
However, one of my primary learning objectives was to leverage new insights to better consider my approach for conducting business analysis - and, indeed, it was fulfilled by the course.
How will the course help you in your career?
To assist me assist the business to leverage system functionality (particularly for the ERP system) and realise their goals, by articulating business requirements in a manner that is clear to both my business and IT stakeholders.
Plus be able to better support User Acceptance Testing (UAT), as well as post implementation support, through having a better understanding of the business context and needs.
What was your biggest learning - did you have an AHA! moment?
Definitely being able to relate the content and guidance to pitfalls in the current job.
The combination of course syllabus and the interaction with like-minded business analysts resulted in healthy debate and scenario based comparisons.
The business analysis practice course certainly stimulates thought!
What did you enjoy most about the BCMG training experience?
The manner in which the course was presented.
Using real world scenarios and case studies was very insightful -- and I really enjoyed the informal approach.
What would you tell somebody who is considering doing the course?
That it is incredibly insightful -- and that it is well worth attending.
In the spirit of 'keep growing', what are you keen to learn next?
Business Acceptance and Benefits Management, to get an even better understanding of the business context and needs!
Martin took the steps to learn strategic analysis techniques that are giving him a greater understanding. Are you ready to gear up? Find out more about the Business Analysis Practice course here.