Deliver successful project outcomes with the BA Essentials Master Class
What if there was a step-by-step process that could radically transform your professional career as a business analyst? One that would earn your stakeholders' trust and respect? One that you could use again and again on different types of projects in any kind of environment?
Would you want to know that process?
Well, I’ve got it.
I’m Laura Brandenburg. I’ve been a business analyst since 2002 and I created Bridging the Gap back in 2008. Since then, we’ve helped over 1,000 professionals like you start successful, fulfilling careers in business analysis.
There is a step-by-step approach to being successful
as a business analyst.
Once you know how to walk your project team step by step through the business analysis process, then there isn’t really any ambiguity about what to do next and you are even able to come up with realistic and credible timelines that keep your project managers happy and avoid all-too-common project pitfalls.
All of a sudden, you start to experience some other amazing benefits as well. For one thing, your stakeholders start showing up to your meetings because they don’t want to miss out on the decisions and, well, even the fun. (That might sound odd, but I’ve always been told that I can make a boring process like business analysis at least a little bit fun!)
To help you create more success in any type of project environment, we put together the BA Essentials Master Class. This is an online course that you have the luxury of working through at your own pace.
You'll learn exactly how to start a new project, even under time pressure
With the 8-step business analysis process, you'll know exactly where to start – in Step 1 – Getting Oriented. After going through this lesson, you'll learn what kind of information you are looking for to get moving quickly and where you are most likely to find it.
From there, you'll walk step by step through the business analysis responsibilities you might be expected to fulfill, and learn how to make the best possible decisions about what to do, when to do it, and how to maximize the success of your projects.
While I have performed business analysis activities for several years in my professional journey, I have struggled to fully understand and communicate to others the value that they bring. This course walks you through a logical sequence to approach any project and tips to make you the most effective at any stage.
I was impressed with how practical and in-depth the instruction was, which allowed me to immediately apply what I was learning to active projects I'm working on in my role. This has exponentially increased my confidence and ability to make positive, lasting changes.
Thank you, Laura Brandenburg for all you do for business analysts!
In addition to the video lessons, you also get full-text PDF transcripts to refer back to a key point, and downloadable audio mp3 files you can take with you on the go.
Let’s look at what’s covered in each step.
BONUS: The Agile Business Analyst – Apply the BA process iteratively and effectively
to collaborate with an agile software development team and increase efficiency.
"I was glad to learn from the course that I was already performing a large percentage of the activities, which reinforced the feedback I had received from my clients.
The timing of the course was good too in that I was in the middle of a project and it pointed out areas where I needed to concentrate, even backtrack a little, to keep everything cleanly moving forward. It reminded me that I need to ask “why” more often because the groups I work with try to push changes/projects through and I realized I wasn’t always understanding why we were pursuing them.
The course informed me of areas where I am lacking, especially in the initial stages of a project and where I need to be more upfront with the stakeholders to ensure I am involved from the very beginning and have that initial understanding."
"I decided to sign up for the Essentials Master Class to get some basic education in business analysis and learn a process I could apply to just about anything. I was a Research Analyst and looking to eventually become a Management Consultant.
There was a bit of an opportunity cost for it because I work at a small company and don't have a large pay packet, but I decided that it was an important investment to make in my life.
But the investment makes so much sense, because it ends up being a fraction of what I'm going to end up making, especially if I make it into management consulting.
A few months later, I moved into a Project Manager / Business Analyst Role. I am able to solve problems every day and I'm always learning something new."
"I recently purchased your book, How to Start a Business Analyst Career and the BA Essentials Master Class. I actually had an interview for a BA/Project Manager job where I currently work and I followed your advice on how to ace an interview. Both IT Director and CIO were impressed of how much I know about BA."
"I recently purchased your book, How to Start a Business Analyst Career and the BA Essentials Master Class. I actually had an interview for a BA/Project Manager job where I currently work and I followed your advice on how to ace an interview. Both IT Director and CIO were impressed of how much I know about BA."
Yes, this works in agile too.
(Let's be real here.)
While every project is unique and has nuances that make it special, there are essential principles that guide effective business analysis to drive project success. This process is designed to help you find your path to success regardless of your domain, type of solution, or methodology – and, yes, even in agile environments.
Yep, even in agile.
The 8 steps can guide you to success in each of the following situations:
In the course, you'll learn the principles and receive the guidelines so you can apply them as it makes sense in your unique project situation.
And yes, these steps apply even if you find yourself in an agile software development environment. In fact, they will help you ensure you stay relevant by applying business analysis best practices.
What's more, you'll even receive a special bonus lesson – The Agile Business Analyst – and learn how to apply the BA process iteratively and effectively to collaborate with an agile software development team and increase efficiency.
Be prepared to address the most common criticisms business analysts face.
Let's get real here for a minute. Not everyone understands what a business analyst is actually supposed to do – and that could mean your stakeholders, your tech team, or even your manager!
And the end result of this confusion about the business analyst role is that you can receive unclear feedback about your performance.
Here are just a few of the pieces of feedback you'll learn to overcome in the BA Essentials Master Class.
These are common issues that new business analysts face and they are totally fixable with the right attitude and the right process.
You'll learn how to avoid or correct these mistakes in the BA Essentials Master Class so you can move up the career ladder more quickly.
"I was offered a business analyst position and I was a bit freaked out wondering how I would do the work. But I had all my material from the BA Essentials Master Class that gave me confidence and I knew I could do this work.
I was really concerned about going into a meeting and not knowing what terminology to use. The course gave me a reference to confirm what I was doing.
Once I got on my way, I landed the most challenging program work. I was crossing between 5 and 7 different projects at a time and stretched in every direction.
Investing in the course was a difficult decision. It was a significant financial investment at the time. But without making that decision, I could have ended up in project administration and being quite frustrated, because I was capable of a lot more."
"BA Essentials Master Class was very informative and enjoyable to me. I have learned so much from this training that will assist me in my workplace and I already started implementing BA strategies and techniques which I gained from this training."
"As a new B.A., starting a business analysis is one of the hardest parts. This course has given me templates and foresight in what to look for that will definitely push me past that initial and most difficult hump."
"The BA Essentials Master Class really helped me to validate my own practices as well as giving guidance of how to progress on a project as a Business Analyst. This is great training regardless of where you are in your career and helps to promote best practice. I recommend this training as well to those that are newer to the profession and want guidance on how best to proceed within a project. Well written material with some templates provided as well. Solid course."
How the self-paced,
online course works
When you join the BA Essentials Master Class self-study today, you’ll be starting an online course that will walk you through the 8 steps to being an effective and successful business analyst. You get the luxury of starting exactly when it makes sense for you and participating in the course on your own schedule.
Let’s take a quick look at each component.
Lessons cover the entire 8-step business analysis process
We cover the entire 8-step business analysis process in a series of video, audio, and written lessons.
Video lessons range from 26 to 52 minutes each, so they are easy to incorporate into your workday or commute.
(Since these lessons are available for you at any time, there's no need to reschedule your work commitments or weekend plans and you can fully participate in the course regardless of where in the world you live. Simply carve out an hour or two each week to work through them when it's convenient for you.)
Weekly guidepost emails keep you focused and moving
Each week you'll receive an email from us letting you know about the new lessons you have access to and addressing some of the more frequently asked questions that come up about the topics.
These emails will help you stay focused and remind you to carve out a little bit of time each week to make it through the lessons, so you can receive all of the benefits of becoming a more effective business analyst. They'll ensure you stay motivated and moving, even though you are participating in a self-paced format.
But there's one more component of the course, and it's essentially important. So let's talk about that next.
The Business Analysis Plan Template
makes your learning actionable
We want to be sure you have everything you need to apply the business analysis essentials in your work as a business analyst. That’s why you’ll receive a Business Analysis Plan Template as part of the course materials.
The planning template is in a spreadsheet format and provides a milestone checklist of the key business analysis responsibilities. You’ll also find notes that remind you of the key aspects of each responsibility so you won’t always have to refer back to the detailed and comprehensive course materials.
The template is editable so you can add your own tasks, fill in your estimates and timelines, and incorporate notes to remind yourself of key points. You can use it to plan out your approach and then share it with your manager, stakeholders, or project manager.
With the on-demand lessons, weekly guidepost emails, and Business Analysis Plan Template, you’ll be fully prepared to get on track for this project or start off your next project professionally.
“I have always been told that I'm a problem solver. I was soul searching for a career that I would find fulfilling and came across business analysis. Bridging the Gap made me realise the potential & how much I would enjoy formally taking on the role of a BA, something I had been doing informally for quite some time. The BA Essentials Master Class is a full overview, an excellent walk through and very very very much worth the money - if you're ready to start on this career path, start here.”
"The course materials are very well written and organized. They have proven to be an excellent reference as I focus on strengthening my business analysis skills. I have a much better understanding of the information I need to solicit from stakeholders, and why."
"BA Essentials Master Class was fantastic! The course allows you to understand what parts you are responsible for in your current position, aspects you would like to get more training on, your strengths, and weaknesses. In other words, it is like an assessment of where you are at, and what you need to do to grow to become the BA you were meant to be!!!"
Here's a quick summary of
everything you are about to receive
With the BA Essentials Masters Class, you’ll receive everything you need to walk through each of the 8 steps to successful and effective business analysis.
Should you decide to take the next step in your BA career, you can apply your investment of $500 as a discount towards the next scheduled session of The Business Analyst Blueprint® training program.
Remember, if you want a different result in your career, then you have to be willing to take some type of different action. Think about how your career will be different when you can commit to applying a structured process for solving the right business problem on each and every project.
And while $797 isn’t a small price tag, the investment pales in comparison to a typical college program where you’ll experience a fraction of the real-world learning we’ve built into the BA Essentials Master Class. In fact, many of our participants come from college programs and need our training to fill in the gaps between the theoretical knowledge they get in school, and how business analysis happens in the real world.
And we've got you covered with a payment plan too – so you can get started with 3 monthly payments of $297. (Payments are processed automatically every 30 days.)
You get enough of the theory to be successful too – so think of this investment as saving you the tens of thousands of dollars you might invest in a degree program and getting right to the good stuff – what you really need to be successful as a business analyst.
Let's take a quick look at everything you are about to receive when you join the BA Essentials Master Class self-study today:
I’m confident you’ll find the course helps you handle all kinds of projects more professionally. You’ll not only have a step-by-step process to guide you on your next project but confidence in your decisions and approach.
But if for any reason you find the course isn’t a good fit for your work as a business analyst, you are entitled to a hassle-free money-back guarantee for the first 7 days.
Enroll now – click below to join the BA Essentials Master Class
