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Business Analysis Advisor
Agile, Business Analysis, Influencing and Consulting, Leadership, Project Management, Watermark Learning

Tyrion the Trusted Advisor: What Game of Thrones Teaches Us about Influencing Without Authority

I have always loved the Game of Thrones TV series. What has fascinated me the most is the treatment of the Trusted Advisor, beautifully portrayed by Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister. Tyrion embodies important ingredients of a trusted advisor who influences decision-makers, as we’ll see below (WARNING: some plot spoilers ahead). To influence without authority, […]

Agile, Business Analysis, Project Management, Watermark Learning

7 Habits of Highly Effective Thinkers

We all think, every minute of every waking hour. Thinking is an internal mental process that takes the data and information received through our senses and combines the new information into our existing store of learned information. This activity can lead to either the formation of new knowledge, modified knowledge, or be disregarded as irrelevant.

can the same person function as both project manager and business analyst
Agile, Business Analysis, Project Management, Small Business, Watermark Learning

Can the Same Person Function as a PM and BA on the Same Project or Agile Effort?

Ten years ago, I wrote an article entitled, Can the Same Person Function as a PM and BA on the Same Project? I wrote that we need to distinguish whether the same person “could” (sure they could, but with sometimes questionable results) and whether they “should.” I explained that it made complete sense to have one

The Digital BA Series
Business Analysis, Stakeholders, Watermark Learning

The Digital BA Series: 5 Killer Question Types for Digital Transformation

A recent article concluded that for an organization to get the desired results from their digital initiatives, such as data analytics, predictive analytics, machine learning, AI, etc., data scientists have to ask the right questions.[i] The article was written as a guide for data scientists to help them ask questions to get at the business

IIBA Agile Analyst Certification Journey
Agile, BA Training, Business Analysis, Certification, IIBA, IIBA-AAC, Watermark Learning

My IIBA-Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA-AAC) Journey

Even after having earned many certifications in a variety of fields, I still find each journey to be unique in some way. In this article, I share a few observations about my recent experience on the road to the International Institute of Business Analysis® – Agile Analysis Certification, the IIBA®-AAC. The Application Process This is

Beware Not all ScrumMaster Certifications are Equal
Agile, Certification, CSM / CSPO, Scrum, Watermark Learning

Beware – Not all ScrumMaster Certifications are Equal!

Deciding to earn a certification can be a stressful process – the application, the studying, even deciding which certification is right. If you are looking at earning a certification as a ScrumMaster, the options can be confusing. The two most recognized certifications for agile practitioners include Project Management Institute’s Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP®) and Scrum