Beware Not all ScrumMaster Certifications are Equal
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Beware – Not all ScrumMaster Certifications are Equal!

Deciding to earn a certification can be a stressful process – the application, the studying, even deciding which certification is right. If you are looking at earning a certification as a ScrumMaster, the options can be confusing. The two most recognized certifications for agile practitioners include Project Management Institute’s Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP®) and Scrum …

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Watermark Learning

This is the corporate source for Watermark Learning posts. Watermark delivers engaging and practical training and coaching in Business Analysis, Project Management, Agile & Scrum, Business Process Management, and Influencing Skills since 1992.

Influencing with Authority Management
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Influencing with Authority: Management, You Need Influencing Skills, Too!

Influencing skills in today’s work environment are central to getting anything done. Consider what you do day in and day out. How much of your time is spent trying to get someone to think, feel, or do something they aren’t already thinking, feeling, or doing? We often think of the demand for influencing skills as …

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Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, BRMP

Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-PBA, BRMP is the Director of Project Management for Watermark Learning. Andrea is an experienced trainer, facilitator, speaker, and project manager, with over 25 years of business experience. Andrea oversees certification and skills development curriculum in project management, business analysis, and leadership. She has been a speaker at IIBA® and PMI® conferences and is an active volunteer. She enjoys practicing what she teaches and has a steady stream of projects that she manages. Andrea is highly committed to partnering with her clients through projects, consulting, and training, and seeks to make every engagement enjoyable as well as valuable.

Five Trends in Business Analysis
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Five Trends in Business Analysis, Project Management, and Agile for 2019

Since 2009, we have enjoyed reflecting on what’s happened the previous year and making predictions for the upcoming year. Here are some of the recent trends we have discussed: The digital BA Lean business cases BAs and PMs in a Dev Ops environment Agile successes, challenges, and use beyond software Strategic thinking as a key …

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Elizabeth Larson, PMP, CBAP, PMI-PBA, CSM

Elizabeth Larson, PMP, CBAP, CSM is a consultant and advisor for Watermark Learning/PMA. She has over 35 years of experience in project management and business analysis. Elizabeth has co-authored four books and chapters published in five additional books, as well as articles that appear regularly in BA Times, Project Times, and Modern Analyst. Elizabeth was a lead author/expert reviewer on all editions of the BABOK® Guide, as well as the several of the PMI standards. Elizabeth also enjoys giving presentations, and her speaking history includes repeat keynotes and presentations for national and international conferences on five continents. Elizabeth enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, theater, and spending time with her 7 grandkids.

Tips to Spice Up Your Next Scrum Event
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Tips to Spice Up Your Next Scrum Event

As you all know, Scrum events are prescribed by the Scrum methodology. These events enable transparency, inspection, and adaption, which are the three pillars of Scrum. In addition, they create structure and provide steady cadence. They are time-boxed to efficiently and effectively realize the events’ purpose. However, if you are like me, you may find …

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Susan Heidorn, Ed.D., PMP, CBAP, HSDP, CSM, BRMP

Dr. Susan Heidorn, PMP, CBAP, HSDP, CSM, BRMP is the Director of Business Solutions for Watermark Learning in Minneapolis. Susan is an experienced consultant, facilitator, speaker, and trainer, with over 25 years of business experience. Susan directs programs in business analysis, business relationship management, and leadership, including developing and delivering courses and providing consulting. She has been a speaker at a number of IIBA® and PMI® conferences as well as local and regional organizations, boards, and private clients. She is a lifelong learner whose passion it is to guide people into achieving excellence in their personal and professional lives and works on creating positive impacts to the organization.

Realizing Value the Latest Trend
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Realizing Value – The Latest Trend or Here to Stay? (An Update)

Updated 07/19/2018. Originally published 04/13/2016. In the 2016 edition of our annual articles about the seven trends in business analysis, project management, and Agile we noticed they have one thing in common—they are all about value. We see and hear the word “value” in articles, blogs, on videos, and even in the definition of business …

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Elizabeth Larson, PMP, CBAP, PMI-PBA, CSM

Elizabeth Larson, PMP, CBAP, CSM is a consultant and advisor for Watermark Learning/PMA. She has over 35 years of experience in project management and business analysis. Elizabeth has co-authored four books and chapters published in five additional books, as well as articles that appear regularly in BA Times, Project Times, and Modern Analyst. Elizabeth was a lead author/expert reviewer on all editions of the BABOK® Guide, as well as the several of the PMI standards. Elizabeth also enjoys giving presentations, and her speaking history includes repeat keynotes and presentations for national and international conferences on five continents. Elizabeth enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, theater, and spending time with her 7 grandkids.

How Data Modeling Has Helped Me in Business
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How Data Modeling Has Helped Me in Business. No, Really!

I’ve been working with and doing data modeling training for many years, more than I want to recount. I feel like the essential principles of data modeling are now baked into my thinking. I haven’t done much data modeling training lately, but I do find myself using the concepts and terminology in my day-to-day business …

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Richard Larson, PMP, CBAP, PMI-PBA

Richard Larson, PMP, CBAP, PMI-PBA, was the founder of and is now a consultant for Watermark Learning. He is a successful entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience in product development, business analysis, project management, training, and consulting. As an internal entrepreneur, Rich led the development of several Watermark Learning online products as a business analyst and product owner. Rich is a frequent speaker at Business Analysis and Project Management national conferences and IIBA® and PMI® chapters around the world. He has contributed as a lead author to the BA Body of Knowledge version 2.0 and 3.0 and was a lead author on PMI’s Business Analysis Practice Guide. He and his wife Elizabeth Larson have co-authored five books on business analysis.

Trend Update Facilitation Skills Are Hot
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Trend Update: Facilitation Skills are Hot (and 3 Keys to Doing it Well)

A recent trend that has emerged this year since we published our annual trends report is the renewed interest in facilitation skills. We are getting more requests than ever from companies, individuals, and small groups looking for classes that give people an opportunity to learn and practice facilitating events of various types. Why all the …

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Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, BRMP

Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-PBA, BRMP is the Director of Project Management for Watermark Learning. Andrea is an experienced trainer, facilitator, speaker, and project manager, with over 25 years of business experience. Andrea oversees certification and skills development curriculum in project management, business analysis, and leadership. She has been a speaker at IIBA® and PMI® conferences and is an active volunteer. She enjoys practicing what she teaches and has a steady stream of projects that she manages. Andrea is highly committed to partnering with her clients through projects, consulting, and training, and seeks to make every engagement enjoyable as well as valuable.

How Course Licensing Can Boost Your Training Efforts
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How Course Licensing Can Boost Your Training Efforts

No class is successful without the right material. Even the most compelling subject can fall short if its supporting content is insufficient, outdated, or worse yet, inaccurate. Course licensing offers an effective and credible solution to a challenge that educators at all levels encounter on a regular basis. What is Course Licensing? Course licensing provides …

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Richard Larson, PMP, CBAP, PMI-PBA

Richard Larson, PMP, CBAP, PMI-PBA, was the founder of and is now a consultant for Watermark Learning. He is a successful entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience in product development, business analysis, project management, training, and consulting. As an internal entrepreneur, Rich led the development of several Watermark Learning online products as a business analyst and product owner. Rich is a frequent speaker at Business Analysis and Project Management national conferences and IIBA® and PMI® chapters around the world. He has contributed as a lead author to the BA Body of Knowledge version 2.0 and 3.0 and was a lead author on PMI’s Business Analysis Practice Guide. He and his wife Elizabeth Larson have co-authored five books on business analysis.

New IIBA Certification
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New IIBA Certification: IIBA Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA-AAC)

Looking for your next certification? IIBA is launching a new certification this summer – the IIBA® Agile Analysis Certification™ (IIBA®-AAC™). This is the perfect certification for business analysts who want to demonstrate that they have the skills and expertise needed to be an effective business analyst working in an Agile project team. This certification will …

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Susan Heidorn, Ed.D., PMP, CBAP, HSDP, CSM, BRMP

Dr. Susan Heidorn, PMP, CBAP, HSDP, CSM, BRMP is the Director of Business Solutions for Watermark Learning in Minneapolis. Susan is an experienced consultant, facilitator, speaker, and trainer, with over 25 years of business experience. Susan directs programs in business analysis, business relationship management, and leadership, including developing and delivering courses and providing consulting. She has been a speaker at a number of IIBA® and PMI® conferences as well as local and regional organizations, boards, and private clients. She is a lifelong learner whose passion it is to guide people into achieving excellence in their personal and professional lives and works on creating positive impacts to the organization.

Using the 80/20 Rule
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Using the 80/20 Rule to Analyze Events

One of my students told me about a technique that he uses in requirements sessions with SMEs and users, and I thought it was a great idea and wanted to pass it on! At that start of the meeting, he writes 80% on the white board in the room. When the users start talking about …

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Marsha Hughes, CSM, CBAP, PMP

Marsha is a senior instructor and consultant for Watermark Learning, and has more than thirty years of experience in the software, technology, telecommunications, and Internet business sectors. She has numerous accomplishments in Agile methods, project management, business analysis, software development, methodology development, process improvement, and courseware development and training. She is a Certified Scrum Master and Professional, a Certified BA Professional, and a Certified PM Professional. She is also a contributor to the IIBA’s Agile Extension to the BABOK, and the agile perspective in version 3.0 of the BABOK.