Blueprints for Success: Episode 22 with Vince Mirabelli

Hosted by Deirdre Caren on Agora Insights’ Blueprints for Success –?Business Analysis, AI, and the Intrapreneurial Mindset

Introduction?

I enjoyed meeting and talking to Vincent Mirabelli , Principal Research Director at Info-Tech Research Group. He is a man of many talents, interests and perspectives with a great sense of humour. Vince is also a business analyst, speaker, instructor, investor and so much more. Our conversation covered his fascinating background, insights into the business analysis and AI field, advice for professionals, and what the future may hold.??

Background

Vince has a truly unique path that led him to business analysis. Originally intending to pursue a career in politics with degrees in political science and law, he eventually found his calling in this "new and emerging profession" in the early 2000s. Vince is a self-proclaimed "certification junkie" with an impressive array of credentials - he's a Certified BA, Project Management Practitioner, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, and has certifications in areas like Cybersecurity, Innovation and Design Thinking. As he puts it, he's "the Swiss army knife” of problem-solving.?

Three Key Topics?

1. The Importance of Business Analysis and AI?

In Vince's words, "Everything starts with good business analysis." He passionately believes it is the critical foundation that enables success in domains like AI, cybersecurity, and architecture. While the work of requirements gathering and planning may not be viewed as "cool," Vince argues the business analysis profession needs to step up and put some swagger into these essential activities. Vince strongly believes that no business can thrive without mature business analysis practices.?

Vince highlighted how the business analyst role can span strategic work like SWOT analysis all the way down to very technical tasks like understanding coding and solution development lifecycles. He emphasized that the tools a business analyst needs are highly dependent on what "type" of BA they are because the roles are often blurred.?

Vince shared strong views on Ai and productivity: "I cringe when I hear AI is going to enhance productivity like I hear senior leaders talk about this all the time. We're going to leverage AI because it's going to enhance our productivity again". Vince still wants to know what problem they are trying to solve and how AI is going to support them in achieving that??

2. The Power of an Intrapreneurial Mindset, Curiosity and Understanding? ?

According to Vince, the best business analysts are endlessly curious and have an insatiable need to understand how things work at a deep level. He related it to being "that kid who would take apart a radio to see how it functioned." This mindset of always seeking to comprehend the full picture and put the puzzle back together is what truly sets outstanding business analysts apart.?

Vince discussed the importance of having an intrapreneurial mindset - solving problems and finding innovative solutions from within an organization, even if it conflicts with the existing culture. He ties this to his lean six sigma background of always seeking continuous improvement:?

"Having an intrapreneur, someone that does what an entrepreneur does but within an organization, right? They solve problems, they find solutions, they make things better. Now that can often conflict with the attitudes and the culture of the organization, but that idea of challenging the work that you do and trying to make things better and solve problems is key."? - Vince Mirabelli?

3. The Future of Business Analysis and AI?

Vince shared some fascinating predictions about what lies ahead for the BA field. He foresees agile methodologies eventually being replaced by something new that incorporates the best aspects of agile. Additionally, business analysis will be fundamentally transformed by AI - but crucially, business analysts who know how to leverage AI will have a major advantage over those who don't. Vince also believes the metaverse and virtual worlds will become increasingly prominent for holding meetings and conversations in the coming years.?

Vince mentioned he has recently done research and a webinar on using generative AI for enhancing test automation strategies. Utilizing AI to generate test cases and support testing is likely to be an increasing area of focus for business analysts.?

"I've also written research on how to use generative AI in your test automation strategy. Actually just did a webinar on that today which will probably be available by the time this publishes."? - Vince Mirabelli?

Ten Learning Points?

1. Network relentlessly - it's one of the most valuable things you can do as a business analyst.?
2. Find the "sharers" - people who will openly exchange ideas, challenges and perspectives.? ?
3. Nurture your innate curiosity and determination to solve problems.?
4. Appreciate that business analysis requires mastering both the "science" and "art."?
5. Be an "intrapreneur" - challenge assumptions and always strive to improve processes.? "There's always something that you can do better. Some people will take that as a criticism, says Vince.?"It's not about pointing fingers. It's not about the person. It's about the failure in the process. Let's make the process better."
6. Adopt AI, but build solid foundations of good practices first.? ?
7. Don't just chase "shiny new" tech - always understand the problem you're trying to solve.?
8. View AI tools as a conversation - write clear prompts just like you would with a person.?
9. Continuously learn and expand your skills to remain invaluable.?
10. For tough problems, pull together diverse perspectives – “you'll be unstoppable”.?

“Find the people who are sharers – because you don’t know enough.” ? - Vince Mirabelli?

Close?

Vince is a thought leader with insight and expertise in the business analysis space. His enthusiasm for the profession and commitment to continuous learning and growth are inspiring. His key topics and learning points provide further insights around the multifaceted nature of business analysis, the need for an innovative mindset, and how AI can be leveraged in areas like testing - all of which could be valuable for BAs and business architects.?

The future may be filled with AI and virtual worlds, but one thing is certain - skilled, curious, and inquisitive business analysts with AI skills like Vince will always be in high demand.?

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