Michelle Van Kesteren, Operations Manager at Saratoga, shares her training experience having recently completed the Business Analysis Practice course.
On the training Michelle learnt some great frameworks she can use to better assess business problems, and feels she has gained strategic business analysis skills that will differentiate herself from typical business analysts.
Here’s what Michelle had to say about her training experience:
Tell us a bit about yourself, Michelle.
I’ve been in the consulting industry for 15 years, though I have not been in a practicing business analyst role for some time now.
Currently, I am the Operations Manager for the Business Consulting Division at Saratoga, and, as well as overseeing its operational delivery, I am responsible for the teams training and development.
Why did you decide to take the business analysis practice course?
I attended the training to assess the course content and classroom delivery in order to make a decision about the relevance, quality and value for money for the Saratoga team.
How will the course help you in your career?
After graduating from university, you enter the working world, ready to apply the theory you’ve learnt, and often you are left disappointed because the real world just does not work like a textbook. But
… the real art is being able to
- draw from your “menu” (i.e. theory base) and
- create a “recipe” tailored to the environment in which you operate, in order to deliver real benefit.
We then gain the deep experience, and sometimes become complacent as a result (much like the university curriculum that has not evolved over time).
What I’ve learnt is that no matter how ‘seasoned’ you think you are, you are never too old, or experienced to learn new things!
What was your biggest learning – did you have an AHA! moment?
I have not been practicing the business analyst role for some time now, but what I realised while on this course is that you never really stop being a business analyst!
The skills and techniques taught can be applied across any role, and I believe that this course will benefit anyone who has a critical role in realising business benefits for their organisation.
But more specifically, CATWOE — what a great framework to use to analyse and assess business problems.
What did you enjoy most about the BCMG training experience?
The training experience was fantastic!
It is evident that BCMG have given careful consideration to every aspect of what they want delegates to experience during the training.
- Great content.
- Great training style.
- Good balance between theory, exam preparation and real-world application.
- Professional delivery.
Plus all delegates received branded goods which could all be practically used during the training, e.g. pencil bag with all sorts of stationary for use during the training and my personal favourite were the quality snacks (ice tea, lindt chocolate and nuts!!! – all to keep the energy flowing!).
But the most critical element of training, is the facilitator!
The course trainer was phenomenal – great, natural, engaging facilitation style, knowledgeable and has true depth in the subject matter.
They offered some of their own experiences, allowed for good conversation to take place amongst the delegates and offered some great examination tips in between.
What would you say to someone who is considering doing this course?
It dawned on me as I was listening to the course lecturer that I completely believe that
… BCMG’s business analysis programme is the one that will allow you to differentiate yourself from other business analysts.
I would definitely challenge all the seasoned Business Analysts out there, to open their minds to this training.
In the spirit of ‘keep growing’, what would you like to learn next?
We’re looking at ALL of the business analysis courses for ALL of our business consultants — juniors through to seniors, as this training will allow Saratoga to offer a differentiated consulting service and experience to our clients.
Michelle took the steps to learn strategic business analysis skills that are setting her apart from the rest. Are you ready to gear up? Find out more about the Business Analysis Practice course here.