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Don’t miss Diana Krylovich’s insights on training analysts from scratch.

⏱ Time: 19:00 (Minsk) / 18:00 (CEST)

See you there!

AI is weaving its way into business analysis — and we want to know how 💡

With GPT-5, Copilot, Gemini and many more, AI tools are reshaping how Business Analysts work. We’re running a short, anonymous survey to explore how widely AI is used, what drives its adoption, and what hopes or concerns professionals have.

Your insights will help us understand current trends and foster smarter, more modern BA practices in IT.
💬👉 https://forms.gle/o8sEU4QqnXev83j1A

Thank you for contributing — your experience really matters!

🏓 The Power & Interest Matrix is a proven framework that helps Business Analysts and project teams categorize stakeholders and develop targeted engagement strategies.

The model divides stakeholders into four categories:

1. High Power + High Interest → Manage Closely
These stakeholders hold significant influence and have a vested interest in the project’s outcome. They must be actively engaged, consulted in key decisions, and kept closely informed to ensure alignment.

2. High Power + Low Interest → Keep Satisfied
This group often consists of senior executives or leaders who care about strategic impact but may not require operational details. Communication should remain concise, highlighting value, progress, and outcomes.

3. Low Power + High Interest → Keep Informed
These stakeholders, often end-users or subject matter experts, may not hold decision-making authority but their involvement and feedback are vital. Regular updates foster trust and prevent misalignment.

4. Low Power + Low Interest → Monitor
These stakeholders require minimal but consistent communication. The goal is to ensure awareness without overloading them with unnecessary detail.

Ultimately, stakeholder management is not about distributing equal attention to all parties. It is about ensuring that communication and engagement strategies are aligned with each stakeholder’s influence and interest, creating the conditions for project success.

💬 How frequently do you apply the Power & Interest Matrix in your work, and what alternative approaches do you find effective in managing complex stakeholder environments? co

#BusinessAnalysis #StakeholderManagement #AnalystHub #ProjectLeadership #ProjectSuccess

❓5 Types of IT users every BA should know

To be truly effective, we need to understand the people we're building for - the end-users. Their behaviors, motivations, and pain points are key to crafting solutions that are not just functional, but truly adopted!

Here are 5 common types of IT users you'll likely encounter and how to collaborate effectively with them:
1. The Knowledgeable Ally
This user is a rare and valuable asset. They understand technical concepts but are humble enough to ask questions when they don't. They are genuinely interested in learning and often have good ideas for improvement. 💡
See them as a partner. They are perfect for early-stage feedback, prototype testing, and even as champions to help with user adoption. Their insightful questions can help you uncover deeper requirements.

2. The Self-Proclaimed Expert
This user believes they are a technical expert because they've read a few articles or understand some jargon. They have loud opinions and are quick to offer their "expert" analysis, which can often be misinformed. 🤔
Don't get drawn into arguments. Instead, guide them by asking open-ended questions that require specific, factual answers about their business process. Redirect their focus from what they think the solution should be to what the business problem truly is.

3. The Results-Driven Stakeholder
This is the high-ranking executive who doesn't care about the technical details. They have the authority to push projects forward and are only focused on outcomes, KPIs, and the bottom line. 🚀
Speak their language. Frame your arguments using terms like ROI, strategic alignment, and business value. Present facts and compelling data to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of your proposed solution in a way that directly links to their business objectives.

4. The Technophobe
This user is overwhelmed by technology and may struggle with basic functions. They are your most frequent callers for simple questions and may be hesitant to embrace new systems, which can lead to friction during a rollout. 😕
Be patient and non-judgmental. Understand that their discomfort is a real barrier to adoption. Simplify processes, create clear and basic training materials, and use this as an opportunity to identify where your solution needs to be more user-friendly.

5. The Hesitant Contributor
Quiet and reserved, this user is often afraid to speak up, even if they have valuable input. They may agree to things in a group setting without fully understanding them, which can lead to issues later in the project. 🤫
Create a safe space for them. Make an extra effort to check in with them one-on-one after meetings to ensure they truly understood the discussion. Their silence doesn't mean they have no ideas; it means they need a more comfortable environment to share them.

#BusinessAnalysis #UserExperience #ITProjects #BusinessAnalysts #UserAdoption

💰Today, a significant share of innovative projects belongs to the rapidly evolving FinTech sector. Let’s explore the latest trends shaping this dynamic industry and discover how Embedded and Contextual Finance are revolutionizing the way financial services integrate seamlessly into our everyday lives.

📆 It was in 2018–2019 when companies began integrating financial services into non-financial platforms. This technology is known as Embedded Finance. However, this idea existed earlier, when Uber, for example, introduced payment systems for drivers and passengers.

Alongside Embedded Finance, a new direction has emerged known as Contextual Finance.

The term has been used in recent years, starting in 2023. This new offering is based on the principle of ‘The right service at the right time’. It offers:
👉 Smarter and more personalized approach based on leading technologies such as Big Data & AI by analyzing human behaviour, transaction history and nature, place, time to predict when and what kind of financial service to offer.
👉 Real-time analytics allow you to make an offer at the exact moment the user is ready to make a transaction. For example, home insurance only appears at the time of payment for a buying home, not weeks before or after. Another interesting example is to suggest making an investment after investigating whether the user has enough money on his account or suggest buy now pay later service when the user tries to pay for any relevant service.
🛑 No matter how exciting and innovative a new technology is, it is not without its own unique challenges, such as:
📌 Privacy and data protection is one of the key challenges since the technology is based on human data analysis, the customer may not know what data has been collected and why he or she has been offered that service.
📌 Offers such as loans and insurance cannot circumvent customer identification (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) rules.
📌 Integration of anti-fraud systems and fast service to avoid potential fraud cases.

✅ Although there is no real-statistics data yet on the market, this new technology promises broad opportunities, such as increased revenue, increased cross-sell levels, and reduced customer acquisition costs.

Interesting fact is that according to Mordor Intelligence, the fintech market is estimated to about $320.8 billion and is projected to grow to $652.8 billion by 2030, a CAGR of 15.27%:
Go to the Report.

#Fintech #RevolutionOfFintech #Technology #BusinessAnalysis

❓ What should you do if the customer keeps suggesting new (even good) ideas during the design approval process?

It’s quite common for a BA or designer to find themselves in a situation where stakeholders keep coming up with new (sometimes even interesting) ideas during the design approval process. Here are a few tips to keep the process smooth and efficient.

🤌 Don’t implement every stakeholder’s request blindly.
Align the ideas with business goals and user needs. The BA’s role here is to filter ideas or ‘solutions’ and not confuse them with actual requirements and needs.

🤌 Emphasize the designer’s role.
The designer is an expert in UI/UX and the final contributor to the visualisation.

🤌 Set boundaries for the discussion.
If new ideas keep coming up, the BA can outline a clear plan of action. For example:
“We have two options. The first is to proceed with the current design and test the solution on real data right away. The second is to go for another round of design, which will require one more sprint of analysis and design and then come back for approval.”

🤌 Maintain an idea backlog/change log
Write down new ideas and reduce stakeholders’ resistance by postponing them instead of rejecting.

What approaches do you use in such situations? Share your thoughts in the comments!

#BA #designer #design #stakeholderrequirements #solutionrequirements #BusinessAnalysis #BusinessAnalyst #UXDesign #UIDesign #AgileBusinessAnalysis

❗️ Digital Intensity Among SMEs: Missed Opportunities Analysts Shouldn’t Ignore

While Europe pushes toward its 2030 goals, one fact is clear: SMEs are still lagging behind in digital adoption.

📊 According to the latest EU data:
Only 73% of SMEs reached a basic digital intensity level in 2024 — 20 pp short of the 2030 target (90%).
Just 6% of SMEs show very high digital intensity.
In contrast, 98% of large companies already meet the minimum threshold.

🔍 What does “digital intensity” mean?
It tracks how many digital tools a business uses — like AI, cloud computing, CRM, or e-sales. The more adopted (out of 12), the higher the score.

📉 Most SMEs are stuck in the low (40%) or very low (27%) intensity categories.
Yet regional contrasts are huge:
Finland (93%) and Denmark (90%) lead
Bulgaria (50%) and Greece (53%) trail far behind

🎯 Why this matters for business and systems analysts:
This is not just about tech gaps.
It’s about identifying untapped markets where:
- digital consulting is in demand,
- legacy system replacement is overdue,
- product-market fit hinges on understanding real client maturity.

Whether you’re mapping requirements, modernizing processes, or designing future-ready platforms — knowing your client’s digital reality is everything.

📌 SMEs aren’t a monolith — and digital readiness varies dramatically across Europe.

💬 Are you seeing these gaps in your projects? How do you account for digital maturity when building solutions?

#BusinessAnalysis #SystemsAnalysis #DigitalTransformation #SMEs #EU2030 #TechStrategy #ProductDesign #DigitalMaturity #ConsultingOpportunities #BAcommunity

💡 AI tools to build BPMN diagram

Not everyone dreams in pools and gateways. With today’s AI helpers you can jump from rough notes to a first draft in minutes, then spend your brainpower on the parts that really decide quality

BA Copilot
Feed it a short denoscription or snap a whiteboard and you get three BPMN drafts that can be exported as a BPMN XML or a PNG. Each new prompt replaces the whole diagram rather than editing through chat. Auto layout can leave crossing connectors, so I still do a quick tweaking, which, to be fair, forces a check of gateway rules and often exposes small gaps.

Pricing starts around 7 USD per user per month

Miro AI
Best when a team is looking at the same board. A draft appears fast during a call, people react in real time, and you can switch shapes to a BPMN set right there. It does not validate BPMN and it does not export BPMN XML, large boards feel busy and credits on entry plans can limit heavy use. I use it to get agreement, then move the model to a stricter BPMN editor for the finishing pass.

Paid tiers start under 10 USD per user per month, and a free tier exists

Lucidchart with Lucid AI
You work inside a mature editor with a proper BPMN 2.0 library. Sharing to Confluence or slides is simple and the picture is clear for people who are not modelers. Lucid AI can draft a general flowchart, but lanes and correct connector types are better set by hand. Huge diagrams take patience to style, and there are no automatic BPMN checks or execution focus, so a short standards review before sign off is still on you. Individual plan starts around 9 USD per month, free tier is available

Bonitasoft AI BPMN Generator
Paste a few lines of text and a BPMN file is ready to download within seconds. Good for prototypes and training, or as a jump start if you plan to automate in Bonita later. The file follows the notation, but the tool will not enforce team naming or style rules and the wider Bonita suite takes setup effort in bigger companies, so pair the generator with a light governance checklist.

The generator is free to try, the open source edition is free and commercial plans are by quote

Camunda BPMN Copilot
On paper this is text-to-runnable BPMN inside Web Modeler with smart follow-ups. Though on my side it times out on every prompt, which is painful because the platform itself is excellent. If your stack is Camunda, run a small pilot in your own tenant and collect feedback before you rely on it.

Modeling is free to try in the SaaS tier, production execution sits on enterprise plans

AI can sketch the early part while you make coffee. The finish still needs careful work, clear lanes and pools, message flows that make sense, explicit gateway conditions, proper end events, and solid error and timeout handling. Use these helpers to save time while you keep quality in your hands

#bpmn #BA #SA #diagram #businessanalysis #systemanalysis

👩‍💻 From Traditional BA to Data-Driven Analyst: how to get more attractive job offers?

Data Analysis is becoming a vital direction for Business Analysts, transforming how we understand and contribute to projects. Companies increasingly seek professionals who can not only understand business needs but also extract actionable insights from data and collaborate effectively with technical teams.

What is Data Analysis?
Data Analysis is the process of collecting, organizing, and examining data to uncover patterns, trends, and insights. It involves working with raw data — often from databases, spreadsheets, or AI-generated reports — and transforming it into meaningful information that supports decision-making. This can include data cleaning, statistical analysis, visualization, and interpretation.

What does Data Analysis include?
✅Data collection and preparation: Gathering data from various sources and ensuring it is clean and structured.
✅Querying databases: Writing SQL queries or using data tools to retrieve the right information.
✅Statistical analysis: Using techniques to quantify patterns and relationships within data.
✅Data visualization: Creating charts, dashboards, and reports that clearly communicate insights.
✅Interpreting results: Turning numbers into narratives that stakeholders can act upon.

Why is it important for Business Analysts today?
Increasingly, projects demand BAs to bridge the gap between technical data teams and business stakeholders. The ability to speak “data” fluently allows BAs to validate requirements, prioritize features based on real usage or market trends, and identify risks or opportunities early.

📈 How to get started or improve?
- Learn SQL basics and practice querying real datasets;
- Explore data visualization tools like Power BI, Tableau, or Looker;
- Understand statistical concepts and how they apply to business data;
- Collaborate closely with data scientists and engineers on your projects;
- Take advantage of online courses and community forums dedicated to data skills

Well, being proficient in data querying, visualization, and interpretation opens doors to more challenging and rewarding projects, especially in areas like AI, digital transformation, and business intelligence. This makes you a more competitive candidate and increases your chances of receiving multiple attractive job offers or project opportunities.

❓How is your team incorporating data skills into their BA work? What challenges or successes have you experienced?

#DataAnalysis #BusinessAnalysis #BACommunity #DataSkills #AI #Databases #DigitalTransformation

❓ In every project, one of the greatest challenges isn’t the lack of requirements, but it’s the abundance of ambiguity.

Stakeholders often express needs in abstract terms: “We want faster processes,” “We need a better user experience,” or “The system should be more reliable.” These statements are valid, but they are not requirements. They are aspirations wrapped in uncertainty.

🧠 This is where the Business Analyst plays a critical role.

1. Translating Ambiguity into Clarity

A skilled BA doesn’t dismiss vague input as unusable. Instead, they recognize it as an entry point into deeper discovery. Through the right questions, contextual analysis, and scenario exploration, ambiguous desires are gradually shaped into precise, measurable, and testable requirements.


2. Ambiguity as a Natural Part of Innovation

Ambiguity is not a flaw—it’s a sign of unexplored opportunity. New products, digital transformations, and disruptive ideas often begin with unclear visions. By embracing ambiguity instead of resisting it, BAs enable organizations to explore alternatives, uncover hidden assumptions, and design solutions that stakeholders themselves couldn’t articulate at the start.


3. Techniques for Managing Ambiguity

- Contextual observation: Observing real user behavior to move beyond assumptions.
- Prototyping & Storyboarding: Transforming abstract ideas into tangible models for discussion.
- Scenario Analysis: Mapping multiple “what if” paths to test the boundaries of the requirement space.
- Progressive Elaboration: Accepting that not all answers are available upfront, and requirements maturity grows over iterations.


4. Why This Matters

Organizations that fear ambiguity risk oversimplifying problems or rushing into poorly defined solutions. Organizations that leverage ambiguity, guided by skilled Business Analysts, uncover innovation paths, prevent costly rework, and build systems that truly resonate with user needs.

Ambiguity is not the enemy of requirements. It is the raw material from which clarity, alignment, and innovation are forged. The Business Analyst is the architect who makes that transformation possible.

💬 How do you personally approach ambiguity in your projects—do you see it as a challenge, or as an opportunity?

#BusinessAnalysis #RequirementsEngineering #Leadership #DigitalTransformation #BACommunity

📈 The Rise of the Product Owner Role for Business Analysts

In today’s fast-paced Agile world, roles and responsibilities on projects can sometimes blur, especially between Business Analysts (BAs) and Product Owners (POs). Many BAs find themselves stepping into PO responsibilities, especially in product-focused or smaller teams. According to recent surveys, nearly 40-50% of Business Analysts are reported to take on PO duties in some capacity, particularly in Agile environments (source).

Key Differences and Responsibilities
✅ Product Owner (PO): Responsible for maximizing the value of the product by managing the product backlog, prioritizing features, defining user stories, and making critical product decisions. POs act as the voice of the customer and are accountable for the product’s success;
✅ Business Analyst (BA): Focuses on identifying and analyzing business needs, documenting detailed requirements, facilitating communication between business and technical teams, and supporting solution validation.

💳 Does the Salary differ?
According to salary data (2025), Product Owners earn on average 20-30% more than Business Analysts, reflecting their strategic influence and leadership roles (source).

In some projects, particularly in smaller teams or startups, a BA may double as a PO, but it is important to understand the scope, responsibilities, and skills each role demands to avoid burnout and ensure effectiveness

#BusinessAnalysis #ProductOwner #Agile #BACommunity #ProductManagement #CareerGrowth #AgileTeams #Scrum #ProjectManagement

🤖 AI Strategy Development Accelerates Globally: What This Means for Business

2024 marked a significant inflection point in AI governance. According to Oxford Insights' latest Government AI Readiness Index, 12 new national AI strategies were published this year—triple the number from 2023.

The trend is particularly striking among emerging economies: over half of these new strategies came from lower-middle-income and low-income countries, including Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan. This represents a fundamental shift from AI being primarily a developed-nation priority to becoming a global imperative.

🌐 For business analysts and IT professionals, this expansion signals:
- Growing regulatory frameworks requiring compliance considerations
- New market opportunities in previously underserved regions
- Increased demand for AI governance and risk management expertise
- Need for solutions that work across diverse regulatory environments

Countries are recognizing that AI readiness isn't optional—it's essential for economic competitiveness and national development. The question isn't whether your organization will encounter these regulatory frameworks, but when and how prepared you'll be.

❓The race for AI leadership is becoming truly global. Are your systems and strategies ready?

#ArtificialIntelligence #AIGovernance #BusinessAnalysis #DigitalTransformation #TechPolicy #GlobalMarkets #RiskManagement #EmergingTech #ITStrategy

Hey, BA Community! 👋

Thinking about starting your IT career or just want to level up your skills? Andersen has got your back, offering FREE courses for beginners that are perfect for anyone who’s ready to dive into the world of IT.

🌟 Business Analysis — November 2025
Want to be the bridge between business and tech? This course’s got you covered!
Apply here

🌟 UX/UI Design Intensive — September 2025
Get hands-on with design and create awesome user experiences!

🌟 QA Manual & Java — October 2025
Learn the ropes of quality assurance and get started with Java programming.

No catch, just good learning and great opportunities! ✨

Hey, dear Community! The much-awaited and biggest event is happening soon this October! 🔥

On October 16, we’ll reveal the secret at a BA meetup with experts from Andersen and IREB.

🎙 Radosław Grębski, Lead Business Analyst and Business Analysis Trainer, will speak on: “From Communication to Validation: Why Model Requirements?”
We’ll take a closer look at best practices and common mistakes in requirements modeling.

🎙 Emil Abazov, PSPO I™, Senior Business System Analyst and Product Owner, will share his experience: “Turning Requirements into Action: Modeling in Practice.”
Through diagrams and models, we’ll explore how to prevent misunderstandings and improve collaboration between business and technical teams.

➡️ Register here

Live discussions, insights from experts, and a professional community — all this at our BA Meetup!

⏰ Time: 18:00 (CEST)
⏳ Duration: 2 hours
🗣 Language: English
📍 Offline: Andersen’s office in Warsaw
💻 Online: The link to the stream will be sent to your email specified in the registration form.

See you!