Wednesday, April 21st - 8:45am

The Evolution of a Profession
Kathleen Barret, President, IIBA

Until recently, Business Analysis Professionals have had to rely on their own experiences and the shared experiences of their peers to provide them with guidance on how to do their jobs properly.  There were no external standards or professional body which focused on defining the standards and practices of business analysis.  That changed in March 2004 with the establishment of International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA®). And on March 31st of this year, Version 2 of The Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® was released.  The BABOK® captures the sum of knowledge within the profession of Business Analysis and reflects currently accepted practice. 

As well, during this time, the role of the Business Analysis professional underwent a massive transformation – from Assistant Project Manager and note taker to focal point for understanding and articulating the business need for a solution or change.  This presentation will help you understand the reasons behind the change and how effective execution of business analysis practices will help position organizations for success.

- Why Now – the case for Business Analysis?
- What is the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge®
- Who is the Business Analysis professional?
- Where is the profession heading?

In June of 2009, Kathleen Barret became International Institute of Business Analysis’s full-time President and CEO after having held the role as a volunteer since the organization’s inception in October 2003. IIBA, a professional association for Business Analysts, focuses on defining and enhancing the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK®) and implementing a certification  program for qualified practitioners.

With over 25 years of experience in information technology, Kathleen has held many roles including most recently, managing offshore software development work for a large financial service organization. Her involvement in the field of business analysis began when she was asked to create a centre of competency for BAs for her company. She is experienced in CMMI and benchmarking, and through her many years of consulting, brings cross industry knowledge to her role at IIBA.