The document discusses three myths about business analysts in agile environments: 1) There is no formal "Agile Business Analysis" discipline or "Agile Business Analyst" role, though BAs can incorporate agile principles. 2) In agile, the product owner, not the BA, is considered the sole voice of the customer. However, BAs can still advocate for customers. 3) BAs are not redundant in agile, as they bring skills like analysis, modeling, and technical awareness that product owners may lack. While responsibilities have changed, BAs can still add value in areas like non-functional requirements.

1. Agile and
the Enterprise
Business Analyst
Myth vs Reality
Last Changed: March 2019
Author: MRR Consulting
Version: 0.03

2. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
2
Before we begin
Not here today to talk about how the future is so
bright for Business Analysts as agile
transformations take hold.
Not here today to talk about how Agile is the end of
the world for the Business Analyst profession and
that we need to all update our resumes.
Here today to talk about some fallacies,
misconceptions that have arisen when people
discuss the role of the Business Analyst
transitioning to the land of Agile.
Fair Warning –
I may be poking the bear!
I may communicate some things that do not give you
the warm fuzzies.

3. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
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My Background
30+ years of working in an Enterprise IT
environment.
Close to 20 years of working formally as a Business
Analyst (the title) but more if you consider the
roles and responsibilities.
Exposure to Agile transformation programs in
multiple organizations across North America
including DIRECTV, AT&T, American Express,
and TD Bank.
Bottom Line– This presentation is not based on
abstract concepts, an academic discussion.

4. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
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Agenda
Today we will discuss three myths and realities as it relates to Agile
and the Business Analyst…
1. Agile Business Analysis/Agile Business Analysts
2. Business Analysts as the voice of the customer in Agile
3. Business Analysts as a redundant role in Agile

5. AgileandtheEnterpriseBusinessAnalyst
MythsandRealities
Myth #04 Myth #1
Agile Business Analysis
Agile Business Analysts

6. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Agile Business Analysis / Agile Business Analysts
Myth
A discipline, practice entitled “Agile Business Analysis”.
An established role entitled the “Agile Business Analyst”.
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Myth

7. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Agile Business Analysis / Agile Business Analysts
Reality
There is no formal discipline, practice entitled “Agile Business Analysis”.
There is no industry recognized role entitled “Agile Business Analyst”.
These are not terms recognized by Agile governing bodies such the Agile Alliance,
the SCRUM Alliance, or SCRUM.org.
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Reality

8. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Agile Business Analysis / Agile Business Analysts
Reality
The reality is that the term “Agile” has two meanings.
• Agile with an uppercase “A”
This refers to Agile Development Methodologies such as Scrum, eXtreme
Programming (XP), Crystal, and Lean. It is about an iterative approach to
software development with defined methods, roles, processes and tools.
• agile with a lowercase “a”
This is not a tool or process. It is a quality, a characteristic typically
associated with speed, flexibility, adaptability and collaboration. It is a
core competency and source of competitive advantage.
It is a quality, attribute often linked to the twelve principles of the agile
software development manifesto.
8
Reality

9. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Agile Business Analysis / Agile Business Analysts
Reality
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Reality
Agile with an uppercase “A”
SCRUM
DAD
SAFe
XP
Lean
Crystal
agile with a lowercase “a”
simplicity
working together daily
continuous delivery
collaboration
working software
face-to-face conversation
self-organizing teams

10. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Agile Business Analysis / Agile Business Analysts
Reality
There are definitions of Business Analysis that incorporate agile principles and
concepts.
This is about Business Analysis with “agility”.
There is such as thing as a “agile Business Analysis”, agile with a lowercase-”a”.
Consider the following publications which provide different interpretations of
how to apply agility to Business Analysis.
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Reality

11. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Agile Business Analysis / Agile Business Analysts
Reality
There are job postings that exist for a position entitled Agile Business Analyst.
These postings are few and far apart .
When the position exists, the fine print, the details point to a hybrid role which
involves either:
• a Business Analyst that understands and incorporates agile practices,
lowercase “a” ..or..
• a Business Analyst willing to work as a contributor in the context of an Agile
team, uppercase “A”
The Agile Business Analyst is not a well-established role. However, people that
have skills in both Business Analysis and Agile methodologies are in demand.
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Reality

12. AgileandtheEnterpriseBusinessAnalyst
MythsandRealities
Myth #2
Business Analysts
As the Voice of the Customer in Agile

13. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Business Analysts as the voice of the customer in Agile
Myth
The Business Analyst is:
• the voice of the customer
• the bridge between the business and technology
• the go-to person expected to act as the champion of the customer
This doesn’t change because we’re in Agile.
The Business Analyst is still expected to interact with the business stakeholders
and subject matter experts in order to understand their problems and facilitate
solutioning to meet their needs.
The product owner is just the business owner by another name. The only
difference is that they’ve committed to be a full-time person on the project team.
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Myth

14. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Business Analysts as the voice of the customer in Agile
Reality
The reality is that there is one and only one voice of the customer in Agile and it
is not the Business Analyst.
• It is the Product Owner who is the authoritative and single voice of the
customer
• This is the person who knows what the customer wants and the relative
business value of those needs.
• The Product Owner speaks to the customer ask and can relate customer
values back to the Agile team.
• The SCRUM Guide clearly states that the Product Owner is the sole person
responsible for managing the Product Backlog, the agile repository for
requirements information.
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Reality

15. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Business Analysts as the voice of the customer in Agile
Reality
It is the Product Owner that speaks to the need of the customer. They are driving
the definition and management of user needs that relate to the customer
experience.
Can a Business Analyst act as an advocate for the customer with expertise and
suggestions to ensure a satisfactory customer experience? Absolutely, yes. Can
the PO can delegate to the Business Analyst? Again, yes. But ultimately it is the
Product Owner making the end-decisions.
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Reality

16. AgileandtheEnterpriseBusinessAnalyst
MythsandRealities
Myth #3
Business Analysts
As a redundant role in Agile

17. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Business Analysts as a redundant role in Agile
Myth
The role of a Business Analyst is redundant in a project given the allocation of
responsibilities to the Product Owner.
It is no longer the responsibility of a Business Analyst to:
• Be the voice of the customer
• Be the connector between business and technology
• Drive the identification of customer needs
• Produce a requirements deliverable
The Business Analyst is merely an assistant to the Product Owner.
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Myth

18. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Business Analysts as a redundant role in Agile
Reality
The knowledge and expertise of Business Analysts can make a significant
difference to the success of an Agile project.
While there is overlap between the competencies (skills) of a Business Analyst
and a Product Owner, there are strengths that a Business Analyst brings to the
table that a Product Owner may not possess.
This includes
• Analytical Skills
• Familiarity with project and development methodologies
• Modeling Skills
• Systems Thinking
• Technical Awareness
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Reality

19. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Business Analysts as a redundant role in Agile
Reality
The focus of a Product Owner is typically on features and functionality associated
to the customer (business functional requirements)
The Product Owner often knows little about:
• Non Functional Requirements
• Data Requirements
It would not be reasonable to expect a Product Owner to understand the
different ways of eliciting requirements information when there is a need to
speak to the needs of other stakeholders outside their core constituency.
These are areas is which Business Analysts can add value
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Reality

20. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Business Analysts as a redundant role in Agile
Reality
The role of a Product Owner in the enterprise environment is often as new as the
agile transformations embraced by the organization.
• There is a ramp-up time for Product Owners before they can be proficient in
their role.
• The skills and expertise of the Business Analyst can make a huge difference in
this interim period
• The Business Analyst can be a critical factor in determining whether the
Product Owner succeeds.
• The Business Analyst can provide value-add contributions in refining the
backlog.
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Reality

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Conclusion

22. Agile and the Enterprise Business Analyst – Myth vs Reality
Conclusion
Success will be a product of how we adapt as individuals in Agile
The reality is that a Business Analyst has less decision-making rights in Agile and
not owning the delivery of a requirements document can be traumatic to
individuals who measured their contribution on a project by the deliverable.
The landscape has changed. The role of a Enterprise Business Analyst in an Agile
environment varies by organization, department, and teams.
We may no longer be the voice of the customer but that does not mean our role
is redundant. There are many areas where the skillset of a Business Analyst can
compliment the competencies of a Product Owners.
There will always be opportunities as Business Analyst practitioners. We need
merely to recognize and take advantage of those opportunities.
Conclusion
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Thank You