How do you maintain business analysis standards while staying true to your values?

1 Define your values

The first step is to clarify what your values are and how they guide your decisions and actions as a business analyst. Your values are the core beliefs and principles that reflect your personal and professional ethics, such as honesty, respect, fairness, or excellence. You can use various tools and frameworks to identify and articulate your values, such as the BABOK Guide's Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, the Business Analysis Core Concept Model, or the Business Analysis Value Proposition. By defining your values, you can align them with your goals and objectives, communicate them effectively to others, and evaluate your performance and behavior against them.

2 Understand the standards

The next step is to understand the standards and best practices that apply to your business analysis work. These are the rules and guidelines that define the scope, quality, and consistency of your deliverables, processes, and methods. They may be set by your organization, industry, domain, or professional association, such as the IIBA, PMI, or ISO. You can learn about the standards by reading relevant documents, attending training sessions, joining communities of practice, or consulting with experts. By understanding the standards, you can comply with them, adapt them to your context, and justify any deviations or exceptions.

3 Assess the alignment

The third step is to assess the alignment between your values and the standards. This means evaluating how well they match or complement each other, and identifying any gaps or conflicts that may arise. For example, you may value creativity and innovation, but the standards may require you to follow a rigid or traditional approach. Or you may value transparency and accountability, but the standards may limit your access to information or feedback. To assess the alignment, you can use various techniques, such as SWOT analysis, stakeholder analysis, gap analysis, or risk analysis. By assessing the alignment, you can anticipate and prevent potential issues, or prepare to address them if they occur.

4 Negotiate the differences

The fourth step is to negotiate the differences between your values and the standards. This means finding a way to reconcile or resolve any discrepancies or disagreements that may affect your work or relationships. For example, you may need to explain or justify why you chose a different technique or tool than the standard one, or why you refused to accept a request or demand that violated your values. Or you may need to compromise or collaborate with others who have different values or standards than yours. To negotiate the differences, you can use various skills, such as communication, persuasion, facilitation, or conflict resolution. By negotiating the differences, you can achieve a win-win outcome or a mutually acceptable solution.

5 Review and improve

The final step is to review and improve your business analysis standards and values. This means reflecting on your experiences and learning from them, and making any necessary changes or adjustments to your work or behavior. For example, you may need to update or revise your values to align with your current or future goals, or to incorporate new insights or perspectives. Or you may need to suggest or implement improvements to the standards to enhance their effectiveness or efficiency, or to address any gaps or flaws. To review and improve, you can use various methods, such as feedback, lessons learned, audits, or surveys. By reviewing and improving, you can ensure your continuous growth and development as a business analyst.