Bad service appears to be on the increase… why? Could it be because organisations are forgetting about the needs of the customer or are not sufficiently involving BAs, Service Designers or Business Architects? Debra Paul, Jonathan Hunsley and Mike Williams share a few ‘tales of woe’ and discuss some of their favourite trouble-shooting tools and techniques. Techniques discussed include scenario analysis; business continuity; the ‘Zone of Tolerance’; exploring the voice of the customer; and the POPIT™ technique. FURTHER RESOURCES BOOKS ‘Business Architecture: A Comprehensive Guide’ by Jonathan Hunsley and Debra Paul, is available from the BCS Bookshop. Business Analysis: 123 Essential Tools for Success by James Cadle, Debra Paul, Jonathan Hunsley, Adrian Reed, David Beckham and Paul Turner. Coming in 2026 and available for preorder: Service Design: A practical guide to creating customer centric services by Debra Paul and Jonathan Hunsley ARTICLESThe Rise of the CX Professional | Assist Knowledge Development Putting the Service into Service Design | Assist Knowledge Development COURSESVisit the Free Learning section of Assist’s Learning Zone for a choice of free short courses – with a course dedicated to POPIT™️. AssistKD offers a wide choice of business training. BA BREWSCustomer Experience Analysis Business Service Architecture Business Service Design The BA Tools and Techniques Launch Chat
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25:01
Digital Solutions and the Role of the BA (feat. Catherine Plumridge)
Could BAs be the new digital solutions superheroes? This week’s BA Brew, which features special guest Catherine Plumridge, looks at how the skills of BAs plug into digital solutions across every element of the BA Service Framework. Questions addressed in the chat include: Could the BA role in the future embrace the development of digital solutions, using no-code platforms and AI? How does using the POPIT™️ framework enhance digital solutions? In what ways will the BA role evolve? Catherine Plumridge is a BA Leader at Kensington Mortgages and was a key early reviewer of the new BCS Digital Solutions series written by Pete Thompson. Stuart Mullinger and Fiona Kiss worked with Pete Thompson on designing and developing AssistKD’s new BCS Foundation Certificate in Digital Solution Development course. FURTHER RESOURCES BOOKS Defining Digital Solutions Designing Digital Solutions Delivering Digital Solutions ARTICLES AI and the Business Analysis Role COURSES Solution Development Courses DIPLOMAS The BCS International Diploma in Solution Development BA BREWS The AI Brew BA Brew 102: Trilogy Pete: The Digital Solutions Series | Assist Knowledge Development
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26:03
Business Analysis and All That Jazz (feat. Dominic Ready and Claire Chaundy)
In this music-themed BA Brew, three piano-playing business analysts identify and draw parallels between business analysis and music, highlighting interesting similarities and connections. Claire Chaundy compares mentoring in music and in business analysis. AssistKD’s Stuart Mullinger discusses BA tools and techniques and the musical standards. And Dominic Ready (who also performs the intro and outro) finds some surprising common ground between performing live and the POPIT™ technique. FURTHER RESOURCESBA BrewsBA Brew 33: BA Skills and How to Develop ThemBA Brew 104: Why BA Techniques are UsefulBooksBusiness Analysis Techniques: 123 Essential Tools for SuccessCoursesBCS Foundation Certificate in Business AnalysisFree Courses and VideosCheck out the free Bitesize Learning Videos in our Learning ZoneTop up your BA skills with free courses, in the ‘Free Learning’ section of our Learning Zone
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29:38
Beesiness Analysis – Lessons from the Hive (feat. Mick Brian)
In this week’s BA Brew, Kerry Adams chats to avid beekeepers Mike Williams and Mick Brian about what business analysts can learn from the organisation of a beehive – including how the bees communicate, make decisions, and allocate their resources. Interesting facts include the many different jobs of the worker bees (they don’t just collect pollen) and the intricacies of the ‘waggle dance’. FURTHER RESOURCES BA Brews BA Brew 33: BA Skills and How to Develop ThemBook Business Analysis Techniques: 123 Essential Tools for Success Articles AI Alchemy: Turning Change into Gold] Courses BCS Foundation Certificate in Business AnalysisFree Courses and Learning Videos Check out the free Bitesize Learning Videos in our Learning ZoneTop up your BA skills with free courses, in the ‘Free Resources’ section of our Learning Zone
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20:25
Why BA Techniques are Useful (feat. Carlos Pullen-Ferreira)
Ready for some BA toolbox inspiration? This BA Brew is all about business analysis techniques, and how to apply them. Podcast guest Carlos Pullen-Ferreira waxes lyrical about the Requirements Traceability Matrix and User Stories; Debbie sings the praises of Data Models, the CRUD Matrix and a good Value Stream Diagram; and finally Jonathan puts a word in for GAP Analysis and can’t resist talking (or is it ranting?) about RACI. Other techniques mentioned include: Swimlane Diagrams; SWOT Analysis; PESTLE Analysis; Use Case Diagrams and Context Diagrams; BPMN and UML; Capability Models; POPIT; Customer Journey Maps; Cost Benefit Analysis and VMOST. Carlos Pullen-Ferriera is a highly experienced BA and Head of Change Management, Agile coach, author and conference speaker. FURTHER RESOURCES BA BREWSBA Brew 2: The RACI RantBA Brew 19: The BA Tools and Techniques Launch ChatBA Brew 33: BA Skills and How to Develop ThemBOOKSBusiness Analysis Techniques: 123 Essential Tools for SuccessARTICLESTime For a Skills Stocktake? Customise your Toolkit with the BA Techniques TriageCOURSESBCS Foundation Certificate in Business AnalysisFREE VIDEOSCheck out the Free Bitesize Learning Videos in our Learning ZoneFREE COURSESThe POPIT™ ModelIntroduction to BPMN 2.0
Our podcast is a chance to tune into our musings on a range of subjects from the use of business analysis tools and techniques to the books we like that are helpful for business change professionals.
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