Iowa Business Analyst Development Day (IBADD)
Speaker Topics and Bios
Track 1 - Innovation
Kent McDonald
Track 1 - Innovation
Time: 9:30am-10:30am
Backlog Refinement: “Writing stories” isn’t the whole story
Room: Woodbury/Shelby
If your team is (or claims to be) using an agile approach you’ve probably been asked to lead, or at least play a key role in, backlog refinement. That’s great.. What does that mean? (C’mon, you know the question has crossed your mind. It’s ok.) Backlog refinement is the often misunderstood activity in agile approaches that business analysts are uniquely qualified to excel at. As long as you understand what it’s intended to accomplish. Hint: “writing stories” isn’t it. Join Kent McDonald, freelance product manager and recovering agile coach, to find out how to up your backlog refinement game and be the person everyone wants on their team. In this session you’ll learn how to - Maintain a manageable backlog - Keep your team focused on the right things to build - Make sure your team has the information they need to build that right thing. As an attendee of this session, you’ll learn that this format isn’t necessary so that you can focus on the things that are truly helpful.
About:
I write about and practice software product management in a variety of industries including retail, fintech, agriculture, financial services, health insurance, nonprofit, and automotive. I practice my craft with a variety of product teams and provide just-in-time resources for product people at insideproduct.co. When not writing or product managing, I’m #ubersherpa for my family, listen to jazz and podcasts (but not necessarily podcasts about jazz), and collect national parks.
Barry Closser
Track 1 - Innovation
Time: 11am-12pm
Using UX Methods to Validate Product Assumptions
Room: Woodbury/Shelby
Digital products often find themselves running on tight timelines and even tighter budgets. Oftentimes user experience is the first thing to get cut which can be a costly mistake for your product and the business. Design Thinking can be leveraged early in the product life cycle to ensure that the product will meet or exceed expectations of your users. Rather than spending time and money on development to find out your assumptions were wrong, use Design Thinking methods to validate, iterate, and align with your users.
About:
Barry Closser is a User Experience Designer and Strategist with over 10 years of experience. They have worked for companies large and small across the Midwest. Their passion is around ensuring the right questions are being asked and the problem being solved is well understood. Making sure we design the right thing before we design it the right way.
Sinikka Waugh
Track 1 - Innovation
Time: 1pm-2:30pm
3 Simple Questions to Move People and Work Beyond the Screen
Room: Benton
Ever get tired of the guessing game? Wondering if the person in front of you will be able to effectively execute the ask you’re making of them? Tired of wondering if the work at hand will actually get done? In this engaging session, filled with proven tools, tips, and methods, business leader Sinikka Waugh offers three simple questions that can help you move people and work forward. Regardless of where you sit, who you work with, and what the workload is on your plate this week, applying any of these three questions can improve how you and the people around you get work done, and navigate through change successfully.
By attending this session you will:
1. Have a go-to question to quickly recognize how to communicate more effectively with the person in front of you to get stuff done.
2. Practice a model of questions that helps deliver work on time, on budget, on scope, and with few surprises.
3. Find your own way of wording a question that helps others persuade themselves to move forward.
About:
Sinikka Waugh Founder, Owner, Trainer, and Coach Sinikka Waugh, PMP, President and CEO of Your Clear Next Step, spends her days helping people have better workdays. Trainer, coach, business leader, and difference maker, Sinikka is known for consistently helping people solve problems and get things done at work. With a 20+ year background in languages, literature, and project management, Sinikka has helped over 50,000 people have better workdays since 2008. Her clients value how her professionalism blends seamlessly with her down-to-earth, “try this now” approach and her passion for helping others. Sinikka holds a BA from Central College, an MA from the University of Iowa, and is a certified Project Management Professional through the Project Management Institute (PMI).
Track 2 - Connection
Amanda Vavra
Track 2 - Connection
Time: 9:30am-10:30 am
Tacos Aren't Sandwiches
Room: Benton
Tacos Aren't Sandwiches is a presentation for all levels of business analysts and will cover how psychology goes hand in hand with business analysis. Specifically, how being aware of psychological phenomena such as the Dunning-Kruger Effect, Diffusion of Responsibility, and Group Think can help you in your daily work to become a better business analyst. These theories and more will be discussed during the presentation to provide an understanding of the impact they have to project teams and how through that understanding attendees will be able to avoid the pitfalls of these phenomena. This understanding will help attendees to rise above the rest and stand out in the field of business analysis.
About:
Amanda Vavra has both her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Mount Mercy University. She’s worked various roles in the business analysis space for the past 13 years in both the financial industry as well as the healthcare industry. During that time, she’s had the opportunity to lead a team of system analysts, obtained her Greenbelt Certification and Product Owner certification, started an international business system analyst center of practice, and worked overseas in The Hague, Netherlands. She’s been a member of the Eastern Iowa chapter of IIBA since early 2014 and Central Iowa chapter since 2022, as well as held the Director at Large position on the Easter Iowa IIBA from 2018-2020. She’s currently a Senior Business System analyst working at Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Joe Perzel
Track 2 - Connection
Time: 11am-12pm
The BA/PM Conundrum
Room: Benton
Most projects require at least 2 project professionals – the Business Analyst and the Project Manager. When working together they can be a great force for delivering a great outcome. When there is disagreement on leadership, direction, priorities and/or approach, the project suffers. This session will discuss the occasional situations where conflict arises between a Business Analyst and the Project Manager and how to navigate them successfully for that great project outcome.
The major points to be covered include:
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The typical conflict points, and best practices in Conflict Resolution
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Communication keys and why they are so important
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How to create a lasting bond
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Tips and Hints for multiple scenarios, including when and how to negotiate with your partner
This session will use case studies, interactive activities and audience engagement to practice the lessons learned and review alternative approaches to the various scenarios. Learn to analyze your own strengths and weaknesses, and those of your project partner, while using the information to build strong, trusting relationships.
About:
Joe Perzel has been defining requirements, leading projects of all sizes and managing staffs since 1982 in both a corporate and vendor capacity. He has a background in multiple industries such as healthcare, insurance, finance, government, manufacturing, non-profit and education. Presently Joe is President of the Minnesota Chapter of IIBA, partner at JPerzel Inc. as well as Portfolio Manager at AON in Bloomington MN. Previously he has held leadership positions at Surescripts, Cargill, Thomson Reuters, MN Workers Compensation Bureau, International Multifoods and PMI Minnesota. Joe has been speaking since 2002 on topics ranging from Stakeholder management, leadership/strategy, negotiations/sales and current trends. He has presented keynotes, chapter meetings and workshops internationally to multiple corporate, government and non-profit organizations, BBC (Building Business
Capability) conference, IIBA chapters, PMBA Conferences, PMI Global and Region 2, over 20 PMI chapters, local and global Society for Quality (ASQ), International Project Management Assoc. (IPMA) and the PMO Impact Summit.
Judy Alter
Track 2 - Connection
Time: 1pm-2:30pm
The Recipe (Requirements) Needed for a High-Performing Team
Room: Woodbury/Shelby
What does it take to have a high-performing team? Chris Warner defines a High-Performing team as “They outperform their peers, even if they have fewer resources.” What does it take to have a high-performing team? It appears to be seamless and like a well-oiled machine to an outsider. We will peel back the layers and discuss why these teams outperform their peers. There are seven critical characteristics of a high-performing team that are closely interwoven. This presentation will consist of a brief review of all the characteristics. The attendees will be in small groups to discuss one of the characteristics for most of the second half of the session. The last part will be when the attendees gather to share their thoughts from their groups.
• Collaboration
• Put Team’s needs before personal needs
• Trust and Respect other team members
• Share knowledge with other team members
• Ability to give and receive constructive feedback
• Team members need a positive attitude and be a people person
• Team members have an athletic mindset
About:
Judy Alter, CBAP®, FLMI, ACS, PCS & HIA Judy Alter is a public speaker and coach: mentor, trainer, and Senior Business Systems Analyst with almost 20 years of experience in Business Analysis. The last ten years were spent working with various Agile Frameworks. o CEO/Owner of Judy Alter Speaker & Business Analysis Services LLC Present o IIBA Leader since 2012, where she has served in many roles o IIBA Global Chapter Council Chair September 2017 to December 2022