Good analysts are showing their mettle by adopting a range of operating modes. Here's a list of the operating modes I've applied myself and observed in others:
1) Orientation Mode
This is where the analyst (or analytical team) gets familiar with the domain and t
he stakeholders. We expect to see a great deal of relationship building here paying particular attention to the 'agenda setters' within that domain. What it looks like:
- Relationship building.
- Coffee meetings.
- Taking a passive role in meetings.
- Conversations over the drinks cooler.
- Conversations with the movers (and the shakers).
An analyst in description mode is focused on describing the current state and the end game and ensuring this is communicated to everyone involved. This is where the vision is captured from the leaders and communicated in as many ways as possible. The aim being to prompt discussion at the tactical/operational level and help the implementers understand how the vision is different from the status quo. What it looks like:
- Taking an active role in meetings.
- Relationship building.
- Generating descriptions (proposals, business cases, high level conceptual states, GAP Analysis).
- Presentations & workshops aimed at understanding.
This mode comes into effect when the analyst has a substantial amount of data to digest. This may be information captured from users, stakeholders, subject matter expects or even simply from themselves which needs to be analyzed and developed to address key questions.
What it looks like:
- Taking a more active role during meetings.
- Analytical Modeling, requirements analysis, gap analysis, impact analysis
- Cogitating, thinking, mulling over...
- Discussing with other analytical peers
- Researching analytical methods
- Testing of theories
- Recreational activities (e.g. playing online games or lots of breaks)
Here the analyst has developed a strong sense of direction and needs to communicate this to the implementers (whether that be directly to the developers or the people who manage them).What it looks like:
- Thought Leadership
- Setting the agenda
- Influencing
- Providing constant reminding of the destination
- Monitoring progress
- Isolating and correcting misalignment
This mode is underpinned by a significant application of analytical skill-set, estimation.
Here the analyst aims to predict the outcome of various conceptual (or committed) paths. It is important to note that the quality of this activity plays a major part in supporting good quality decisions. Often projects live or die by the quality of estimation at the outset.What it looks like:
- Estimation workshops
- Wideband delphi
- Creating estimation models
- Trend analysis
- Data analysis
- Impact analysis
- Workshops
In this mode the analyst aims to independently compare actual outcomes with the outcomes envisaged to validate progress or delivery. This mode also aims to test the usefulness of what's been delivered as perceived by the user or customer.What it looks like:
- Test strategy formulation
- Test design
- Testing
- Quality Assurance activities
- User Acceptance Testing
- User Calibration Testing
