➡️ Skip to see the Fall 2023 program.
When I first launched the mentorship circle for business analysts this spring, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve heard plenty of times from professionals interested in mentorship. I couldn’t mentor them all individually — what could I offer instead?
Joining a mentorship group provides a more affordable option than one-on-one coaching —albeit less personal. And it offers another advantage — hearing from peers and learning from their experiences. That’s how the idea of a mentorship circle came about.
But if I build it, will they actually come?
So it was an experiment — an investment in the idea of BA peer coaching. First, I ran a survey to gauge the interest and determine potential time slots. Finding a time that works for participants from multiple time zones is always a challenge.
Then, it was time to plunge in — to run it for a few months and see what happens.
Amazingly, the experiment was quite successful. My focus group was very enthusiastic; they came from a dozen different countries, joining at different times of their day (including at 10 pm) and adapting their schedules to be part of the circle.
Within two weeks, I was running two time slots to accommodate the numbers and provide schedule options.
As we complete three months of meetups, I look back at the diversity of topics we covered and feel it was a great run already. The discussions were so practical: how to survive on a project, plan BA activities, deal with stakeholders, and which BA techniques to apply when.
Completed topics
#1: Decision tables
#2: BA portfolio
#3: User story mapping
#4: Resume mistakes
#5: Business analysis planning
#6: Role of BA in the project life cycle
#7: How to review requirements with stakeholders
#8: What does it mean to be a Senior BA
#9: Structured data and using SQL
#10: How to challenge a requirement?
#11: How to improve stakeholder communication?
#12: Storyboarding
Another expression of the collaborative nature of these meetups was our monthly vote for the next batch of topics. We selected what the majority of the member voted for. This worked so well that we’ve used the same approach to create our program for the fall.
Fall 2023 Program
Sep 12 — Case study: Planning business analysis (insurance claims system)
Sep 19 — Tools and techniques: State transition diagrams
Sep 26 — Data: Business analysis for data migration projects
Oct 03 — Methodology: Techniques for requirements traceability
Oct 10 — Case study: Select a BA technique for a given scenario
Oct 17 — Tools and techniques: Conceptual modelling
Oct 24 — Methodology: Business process inventory
Oct 31 —Career: Behavioral BA interview questions
Nov 07 — Methodology: Dealing with change requests
Nov 14 —Case study: High-level requirements for RFPs
Nov 21 — Tools and techniques: Requirements elicitation for complex multi-system changes
Nov 28 — Career: Career advancement for business analysts
How the mentorship circle works
The group runs on a monthly membership basis with four virtual meetups every month:
“Coffee Cup Group”: Tuesdays at 8–9 am EST (1–2 pm GMT)
“Teacup Group”: Tuesdays at 12–1 pm EST (4–5 pm GMT, 9–10 am PST)
The subscription includes access to all past recordings and lesson resources.
You will meet peer BAs, make connections, hear war stories, and will have a chance to share your experience, ask questions, and learn from the group.
I provide templates, resources, and slides on each topic, meetup recordings and mentorship for all your business analysis questions.
➡️ Register for the fall and get FREE access to all past recordings right away.
If you are interested in starting a BA Mindset Mentorship Circle in your company, reach out to me for special corporate offers.
Training | Mentorship | Courses | Books | Downloads | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter