20 Amazing Years of Business Analysis
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Time flies when you are having fun and IIBA is thrilled to be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year!
The inaugural meeting of the International Institute of Business Analysis TM (IIBA®) was held by a group of pioneering business analysts in Toronto, Canada on October 29, 2003. This visionary, enthusiastic group set out to define the profession by establishing standards and certifications that would enable practitioners to create better business outcomes. The seeds that they have sown have seen business analysis grow, at an incredible rate, around the globe and IIBA as the globally recognized association shaping the practice of business analysis.
Business analysis has helped organizations improve their processes, optimize their resources, and achieve their goals. Over the years, business analysis has evolved, and it has become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes. According to IIBA’s 2022 Global State of Business Analysis report, 51% of respondents state the role of business analysis is now officially recognized within their organization.
What is Business Analysis?
Business analysis is the practice of enabling change in an enterprise by defining needs and recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders. Business analysis enables an enterprise to articulate needs and the rationale for change, and to design and describe solutions that can deliver value.1Who is a Business Analyst?
A business analyst is any person who performs business analysis tasks described in A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK® Guide), no matter their job title or organizational role. Business analysts are responsible for eliciting, discovering, synthesizing, and analyzing information from a variety of sources within an enterprise, including tools, processes, documentation, and stakeholders. Business analysts are responsible for eliciting the actual needs of stakeholders—which frequently involves investigating and clarifying their expressed desires—to determine underlying issues and causes.2Ready to rewind? Let’s look at some of the themes and milestones that have helped shape the business analysis industry over the past 20 years.
- 2003: The First IIBA Meeting
- The inaugural meeting of IIBA® was held on October 29, 2003, in Toronto, Canada with 28 founding members from 21 different organizations.
- 2004: IIBA was Incorporated
- The International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®) was officially founded in Toronto, Canada to support and promote the profession of business analysis.
- 2005: BABOK® Guide v.1
- Work began on the first version of A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide) a global collaboration of business analysis professionals sponsored and started by IIBA. It quickly became the globally recognized standard for the practice of business analysis guiding professionals in their work and was adopted by enterprises to achieve better business outcomes.
- 2005: IIBA’s First Global Chapters
- Business analysis became a global phenomenon in 2006 when IIBA established Chapters around the world, starting in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, providing training and networking opportunities for business analysis professionals.
- 2006: Endorsed Education Providers (EEP) Program
- In 2006, IIBA introduced the Endorsed Education Providers (EEP) Program. By establishing the EEP Program, IIBA created a trusted and globally recognized platform to support individuals seeking to excel in business analysis. The program offers leading education and training providers worldwide, providing the highest standards of quality, relevance, and effectiveness.
- 2006: Hello CBAP® Certification
- The Certified Business Analysis Professional™ (CBAP®) certification was introduced in 2006, providing a globally recognized standard for business analysis professionals. It is known as the gold standard of business analysis certifications for seasoned professionals.
- 2009: BABOK® Guide v.2
- Work continued on A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide). Still considered the globally recognized standard for the practice of business analysis guiding professionals in their work. IIBA launched BABOK® Guide v2 in 2009.
- 2010: Global Membership and Corporate Program
- An important initiative in 2010 was the introduction of the Global Membership Program, which was designed to make business analysis more accessible and gain recognition from companies across all industries about the value of the business analysis role. The launch Global Corporate Program began with 30 members.
- 2011: Global Academic Program
- In 2011 IIBA embraced the Academic community. The Academic Program for Colleges and Universities was launched for academic faculty at accredited colleges and universities.
- 2011: Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®)
- To further support practitioners IIBA launched the Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®) for business analysis practitioners with two to three years of experience.
- 2013: Agile Extension to the BABOK® Guide
- In 2013, IIBA and the Agile Alliance release the Agile Extension to the BABOK® Guide version 1. The Guide describes business analysis areas of knowledge, their associated activities and tasks, and the skills necessary to be effective in their execution within the framework of agile software development.
- 2015: BABOK Guide v.3
- Developed through a rigorous consensus-driven standards process, work continued on BABOK Guide, incorporating the collective wisdom and experience of experts in the field from around the world. IIBA launched BABOK® Guide v3 in 2015.
- 2015: Business Analysis Core Concept Model™ (BACCM™)
- In 2015 IIBA introduced The Business Analysis Core Concept Model™ (BACCM™). The BACCM™ is composed of six core concepts that provide a common language and guidance for effective business analysis. The six core concepts highlighted in the definition of business analysis - Change, Need, Solution, Value, Stakeholder, and Context.
- 2016: Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™)
- To support the entry-level practitioner, IIBA introduced the Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™). Covering foundational knowledge on how to approach business analysis.
- 2017: The Business Analysis Competency Model® v.4
- The Business Analysis Competency Model® is a skills assessment tool and a professional development guide and was introduced in 2017. It describes the knowledge, skills, abilities, and personal characteristics required for a person to perform effectively as a business analysis professional.
- 2018: Agile Analysis Certification
- In 2018, IIBA’s Agile Analysis Certification was launched to provide practitioners with evidence of their competencies with agile approaches.
- 2019: Analyst Catalyst Blog
- IIBA launches the Analyst Catalyst blog. A blog for the global business analysis practice and its professionals.
- 2019: Business Data Analytics Domain and Certification
- In 2019, IIBA released the Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA®-CBDA) recognizing a business analysis professional’s ability to effectively execute data analysis-related work in support of business analytics initiatives.
- 2020: Cybersecurity Analysis Domain and Certification
- Cybersecurity became a critical area of business analysis, with businesses using analysis to identify vulnerabilities and develop security measures. In 2020, IIBA released the Certificate in Cybersecurity Analysis (IIBA®-CCA) developed with the IEEE Computer Society.
- 2020: IIBA’s KnowledgeHub
- The KnowledgeHub, an exclusive online platform providing Members access to a wealth of business analysis resources and community-curated content was launched in 2020. It included valuable resources like "how do I" scenarios, templates, and checklists, all designed to enhance everyday business analysis practices.
- 2021: Product Ownership Analysis Domain and Certification
- Product Ownership Analysis (POA) was widely embraced by the business analysis community in 2021. IIBA's Guide to Product Ownership Analysis provided a foundational understanding of the Product Ownership Analysis discipline, along with the guide, Digital Access resources were launched as another way to consume the concepts. IIBA also released the Certificate in Product Ownership Analysis (IIBA®-CPOA).
- 2021: Global Research - Achieving More with Data
- Achieving More with Data research analyzed the forces shaping the use of data and analytics at companies and the strategies, including the use of Business Analysis Professionals, for transforming into a data-driven organization.
- 2022: Global Research - Being Nimble
- As part of IIBA’s Global Research, Being Nimble examined the established concept of business agility and identifies ways that organizations can improve their ability to sense and respond to change through the application of business analysis.
- 2022: The Business Analysis Standard
- In 2022, IIBA launched The Business Analysis Standard, which provides a simplified, inclusive view of business analysis. It delivers a comprehensive view of the foundation for effective business analysis and provides the direction for the future development of business analysis standards and resources.
- 2023: 20th Year Anniversary
- IIBA’s 20th anniversary celebrations kicked off with an unforgettable Member reception party at the 2023 Building Business Capability conference. It was a truly memorable occasion, where there was an opportunity to connect with professionals from around the globe, celebrate their achievements, the profession, and build new relationships. Stay tuned for more ways to celebrate business analysis with IIBA.
Let’s celebrate IIBA’s 20th anniversary all year long! Recognize business analysis professionals and the role of business analysis supporting organizations over the past 20 years. Use the hashtags #IIBA20th and #20YearsOfBusinessAnalysis and post a message on social media sharing your greatest IIBA or business analysis moments and tag @IIBA on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Become a Member
Join IIBA and expand your network and professional development through global events, career resources, and the foundational knowledge you need to become more competitive in the business analysis job market and increase your earning potential.
Sources:
1. A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide)
2. A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide)
About The Author:
Tiffani Iacolino is a Senior Manager, Product Marketing at IIBA® and has 15+ years of marketing experience across the legal, technology, telecommunications, publishing, media, and professional services industries. She’s passionate about delivering meaningful products and solutions to the business analysis community. Hailing from the Greater Toronto Area, she enjoys an amazing cup of coffee, running, and yoga -- between chasing her two adorable children!
