This month we gave away a seat in our CBAP Certification Prep Boot Camp to the Denver IIBA Chapter. They have a CBAP Essay Contest that they run throughout the year that awards prizes for the best submissions from chapter members. The goal it so raise awareness of the CBAP designation and its benefits.

Heidi McLaughlin, was the winner with her essay, “Being ‘All In’ in Your Profession.” In it she discusses her path from accountant to software developer to project manager, and eventually finding her true passion in business analysis.

By this time, I’d been working in IT for 10 years. Although I’d ‘played the role’ of a BA as both a developer and project manager, I’d never held the title o f a BA. And although I knew my passion really lied in the BA realm, I’d not pursued it. From a software developer’s perspective, it was intellectually inferior. From a project manager’s perspective, it was hierarchically inferior. But I noticed a change in the perception of the value of BAs at my company. BAs were gaining respect and responsibility. Project managers were demanding them. Programmers were more open to working with them. Management was realizing that they played a crucial role in the success of projects. I finally gave into my inner desire and transitioned into the role of BA.

By concluding with a discussion of the benefits of actively participating in your profession, Heidi McLaughlin  was able to make her piece a good, quick read that will mimic the sentiments and experience of many people in the BA field.

Congratulations, Heidi. We look forward to seeing you in class, and helping you take that next step to CBAP certification.

Please visit our website for more information about our Business Requirements Training Curriculum or our CBAP certification Boot Camp.