The Creative and Innovative Analyst

18th September 2013

Ian Richards

Principal Business Architect

Serco Global Technology Delivery

BA UX

Traditionally BAs are thought to have more of a business focus and UX practitioners

are thought to have more of a user focus However in practice neither can work in a

silo and BA and UX skill sets overlap more than they diverge

Business analysis and user experience practioners both employ analysis and

design thinking to bridge the gaps between business needs user needs and

technology

CONTENTS

Where can Analysts ldquounleash the potential of the mindrdquo express their

creative side and have the opportunity to innovate

Does the current trend towards methodologies templates frameworks and

reference architecture catalogues stifle creativity for Analysts

Is creativity and innovation KEY as a method for Analysts to

demonstrate value to their clients

Does it cease to be creative to re-use

BA UX

Traditionally BAs are thought to have more of a business focus and UX practitioners

are thought to have more of a user focus However in practice neither can work in a

silo and BA and UX skill sets overlap more than they diverge

Business analysis and user experience practioners both employ analysis and

design thinking to bridge the gaps between business needs user needs and

technology

CONTENTS

Where can Analysts ldquounleash the potential of the mindrdquo express their

creative side and have the opportunity to innovate

Does the current trend towards methodologies templates frameworks and

reference architecture catalogues stifle creativity for Analysts

Is creativity and innovation KEY as a method for Analysts to

demonstrate value to their clients

Does it cease to be creative to re-use

CONTENTS

Where can Analysts ldquounleash the potential of the mindrdquo express their

creative side and have the opportunity to innovate

Does the current trend towards methodologies templates frameworks and

reference architecture catalogues stifle creativity for Analysts

Is creativity and innovation KEY as a method for Analysts to

demonstrate value to their clients

Does it cease to be creative to re-use

Creativity is the generation of ideas while

Innovation consists of transforming these

ideas into action through a selection and an

implementation

ldquoCreativity is seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking

what no one else has thoughtrdquo Einstein

CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

Our brains are built for creative problem solving

and it is easy to both uncover and enhance our

natural inventiveness

Technology is the intersection of Science and engineering with liberal arts amp humanities Steve Jobs

CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

Our highly evolved brains are always assessing

our ever-changing environment mixing and

matching our responses to fit each situation

CREATIVE PEOPLE

NOT SO CREATIVE PEOPLE

Harry M Warner

Warner Bros Pictures 1927

Who the hell wants

to hear actors talk

Charles H Duell Director of

US Patent Office 1899

Everything that can

be invented has

been invented

NOT SO CREATIVE PEOPLE

ldquoyou canrsquot win anything with kidsrdquo MOTD 1995

IS INTELLIGENCE A PREREQUISITE OF CREATIVITY

Ability to go wrong

Children are creative because they are inquisitive

A child thinks innovatively

Praise and encouragement

Adults seem to focus more on risk and benefit

CAN CREATIVITY BE LEARNED

Talent

Tools amp Techniques

Training

Many people think that creativity is a

mysterious trait like charisma mdash you

either have it or you dont

SO WHAT IS STIFLING OUR CREATIVITY

Are we as adults afraid to be creative because of

senior management and colleagues

Do we tend to go with the tried tested and trusted

The current trend is for the client to get us to take

on the risk

The competitive environment in which we work in

isnrsquot somewhere that encourages us to take risks

IS THE TREND TOWARDS STANDARDISATION SUFFOCATING OUR CREATIVITY

In an effort to standardise our work have we lost focus

of the importance of Creativity and Innovation

Do I really have to use this

tool

Do I need to produce a

document in this template

Do I need to use this

methodology or follow this

framework

Do I need to work in accordance

to this governance

Do I have to re-use from the reference

catalogue or contribute to it

SO LETS LOOK AT OUR NEW WAY OF PAYING FOR GROCERIES

Will it mean that anyone can

Follow a set of guidelines

Complete a checklist

Apply some metrics

Complete a template

Assemble them into a proposal

Why not

BOUNDARIES OF CREATIVITY WITH OTHER PROFESSIONS - THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

BOUNDARIES OF CREATIVITY WITH OTHER PROFESSIONS - THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE ARTS

March

Jazz

Harmony

MY JOURNEY HERE TODAY

DOES THE CURRENT TREND TOWARDS METHODOLOGIES TEMPLATES REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE STIFLE CREATIVITY FOR BAS

DOES THE CURRENT TREND TOWARDS METHODOLOGIES TEMPLATES REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE STIFLE CREATIVITY FOR ANALYSTS

Scenic Route Direct Route Avoid Motorways

How many stops

Places of Interest

Clean the car

Get the car serviced or not

Creativity

Therersquos is a lot of opportunity left within the boundaries to be creative if the culture is creative

These tools ensure that

DOES THE CURRENT TREND TOWARDS METHODOLOGIES TEMPLATES REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE STIFLE CREATIVITY FOR ANALYSTS

We need to get the right balance between creativity uniformity and standardisation within the culture of your workplace

No they shouldnrsquot

Personal preference is removed

Ensures standard output

Nothing is missed

Everyone is engaged

Ground rules are followed for comparison with other sites

Provide our clients with fact based evidence around benefits and usage

SO WHAT IS OUR 4-4-2 THEN

What is the shape of our football team or our

orchestra

How do we get people buying tickets to come to

our concert

The reviews say that our tickets are overpriced

the concert goes on forever and that it is hard on

the ears

How are we going to score goals instead of

conceding own goals

REFERENCE MATERIAL

SO WHAT DOES THE BABOK SAY ABOUT CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

Purpose

Business analysts must be effective in generating new ideas for approaches to problem solving and in

generating alternative solutions

Definition

Creative thinking involves generating new ideas and concepts as well as finding new associations

between or new applications of existing ideas and concepts These concepts should be innovative

and appropriate to the situation In addition to identifying and proposing alternatives the business

analyst should be effective in promoting creative thinking in others by asking questions and

challenging assumptions

Effectiveness Measures

Measures of successful creative thinking include

The successful generation and productive consideration of new ideas Application of new ideas to

resolve existing problems Willingness of stakeholders to accept new approaches

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Design Analyst ------

All teams sometimes look for the most creative and innovative way to

form the solution within their disciplines

Client ------

SO WHERE ARE OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO BE CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE

Analyst

Issues amp Problems

Stakeholders

Product Design

CREATIVITY WITH ISSUES AND PROBLEMS

We are in the business of solving issues and without issues

and problems to solve is there any need for Analysts

Donrsquot we have a toolbox full of ideas on how we identify

the problem and break it down into smaller problems

Instead of seeing an issue or a problem couldnrsquot we create a culture

where we see it as an opportunity to create solutions and innovate

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Design Analyst ------

All teams sometimes look for the most creative and innovative way to

form the solution within their disciplines

Client ------

SO WHERE ARE OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO BE CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE

Analyst

Issues amp Problems

Stakeholders

Product Design

CREATIVITY WITH ISSUES AND PROBLEMS

We are in the business of solving issues and without issues

and problems to solve is there any need for Analysts

Donrsquot we have a toolbox full of ideas on how we identify

the problem and break it down into smaller problems

Instead of seeing an issue or a problem couldnrsquot we create a culture

where we see it as an opportunity to create solutions and innovate

SO WHERE ARE OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO BE CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE

Analyst

Issues amp Problems

Stakeholders

Product Design

CREATIVITY WITH ISSUES AND PROBLEMS

We are in the business of solving issues and without issues

and problems to solve is there any need for Analysts

Donrsquot we have a toolbox full of ideas on how we identify

the problem and break it down into smaller problems

Instead of seeing an issue or a problem couldnrsquot we create a culture

where we see it as an opportunity to create solutions and innovate

CREATIVITY WITH ISSUES AND PROBLEMS

We are in the business of solving issues and without issues

and problems to solve is there any need for Analysts

Donrsquot we have a toolbox full of ideas on how we identify

the problem and break it down into smaller problems

Instead of seeing an issue or a problem couldnrsquot we create a culture

where we see it as an opportunity to create solutions and innovate

CREATIVITY WITH STAKEHOLDERS

How we deal with the emotional interpretation by our clients

Inspiration energy enthusiasm drive professionalism creativity and innovation

Be creative in ways to get the best out of everyone you work with from every

discipline in every situation

Analyst Client ------

CREATIVITY WITH PRODUCT DESIGN

Design Analyst ------

HOW INVOLVED DO WE GET IN DESIGN

HOW INVOLVED DO WE GET IN DESIGN

CREATIVE WITH PRODUCT DESIGN

Analysts tend to have the relationship with the client

Product Design

We share the stakeholderrsquos vision

(expectation of the end product

screens look and feel and

solution)

Analysts tend to deliver the solution to the client

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Design Analyst ------ Client ------

All teams should look for the most creative and innovative way to

form the solution collaboratively

SO WHEN BUSINESS ANALYSTS BUILD ON THEIR CREATIVE POTENTIAL AND INNOVATE DOES IT CEASE TO BECOME CREATIVE TO RE-USE

If you shake that pattern about a bit you get something new ndash

otherwise it is the same old pattern and same old result

REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE - CREATIVITY WITH RE-USE

Creativity is using the same things amp seeing the

same things as other people but creating

something new

Of course re-use is a good thing (it cuts down on

re-work which cuts down on time and effort)

Itrsquos not only you who is looking at this reference

architecture and people have different perspectives

THE BEST EXAMPLE OF RE-USE

118 elements building blocks

of a whole world

What is wrong with simply

following due process to

produce what the customer

is asking for

Surely discipline done well is

the difference between a

successful and a struggling

project

So why do we as Analysts need to be creative

Is creativity and innovation key as a method for Analysts to demonstrate

value to their clients

ldquoYour idea of doing it like

that was genius rdquo

It is more likely that if you find a creative and innovative

way to work it will save on time and effort

ldquoThat is what you asked for so that is what youve gotrdquo

Where is the added value in that

Is this ldquounleashing the potential of the mindrdquo

WHAT DO WE GET ALL TOO OFTEN

Clients pay inflated costs for skilled analysis but some simply ask the client what they want and write it down

Isnrsquot the bad perception of IT is as a result of an army of diligent and dedicated IT professionals doing precisely what they were asked to do

Is creativity and innovation key as a method for Analysts to

demonstrate value to their clients

Lets keep our profession in demand

One thing is for sure without the drive to come up with breakthrough ideas and the confidence that a creative and innovative solution exists it is

unlikely that one will be found

Lets be regarded as those clever analysts who will come and solve this problem

There are rules and guidelines in every profession and in every walk of life

We need to promote a culture of creativity and innovation within ourselves and within our organisations

Is creativity and innovation key as a method for Analysts to

demonstrate value to their clients

Lets keep our profession in demand

One thing is for sure without the drive to come up with breakthrough ideas and the confidence that a creative and innovative solution exists it is

unlikely that one will be found

Lets be regarded as those clever analysts who will come and solve this problem

There are rules and guidelines in every profession and in every walk of life

We need to promote a culture of creativity and innovation within ourselves and within our organisations

SUMMARY

Where can Analysts ldquounleash the potential of the mindrdquo express their

creative side and have the opportunity to innovate

Does the current trend towards methodologies templates frameworks and

reference architecture catalogues stifle creativity for Analysts

Is creativity and innovation KEY as a method for Analysts to

demonstrate value to their clients

Does it cease to be creative to re-use

SO WHAT NOW

Not only with the products that you have contributed to but with the culture you

have developed within your teams

Some of you will identify a need for a slight amendment in attitude approach

Some of you have the right attitude

and just dont know how to apply it

Take a moment to reflect on the legacy of creativity and innovation that you have

left in your wake personally

QUESTIONS