three contributors to the importance of influencing skills

Three Contributors to the Importance of Influencing Skills

Influencing skills in today’s work environment is 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 …

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.

top 5 characteristics of effective facilitators

Top 5 Characteristics of Effective Facilitators

As any instructor will tell you, one of the best things about teaching is learning from your students. It happens in some way, big or small, every time you get in front of people who are expecting to hear how to do it “right.” Of course, there is no “right” a lot of the time. In my classes, …

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.

eliciting its not just for business analysis anymore

Eliciting: It’s Not Just for Business Analysts Anymore

If you ask project professionals what Job #1 is for business analysts, many will answer, elicit requirements. It is true that eliciting requirements is an essential activity at the heart of doing business analysis work. But BAs are not the only ones who should think of eliciting requirements as essential to their work. If you …

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.

become an agent for change in an agile environment

Become an Agent for Change in an Agile Environment

Organizations move to “Agile” ways of approaching initiatives to enable them to respond quickly and easily to new opportunities in the marketplace and new customer demands. Consequently, Agile has not only introduced change to the organization in its overall adoption, but it has also quickened the pace of most change initiatives (projects). Change management can no longer just be …

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.

the business case for business cases

The Business Case for Business Cases

Business cases are one of those artifacts that people understand and appreciate but do not always do. The good news is that they do not need to take a lot of time or be overly complex in order to be of value. To make the business case for business cases, I would like to address …

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.

a conversation with a certified iiba

I’m IIBA® Certified – Now What?

Welcome to the last blog in this IIBA® certification series. Again, MANY CONGRATULATIONS on your achievement. These exams are not “cake walks!” Take some time (but not too long) to bask in the sunshine of your accomplishment because before you know it, it’s time to “recertify!” What? MORE study? No, will not need to take …

Ben Schwartz

iiba certification study plan

IIBA® Certifications: Foolproof Study Plan and Test-Taking Strategies

Welcome back! If you’ve been following this series, we first explored the value proposition and answered the “What’s in it for me?” question regarding certifications in general, identified the IIBA® certification that is right for you, walked through the application process, and introduced the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® – specifically, some of the terminology. …

Ben Schwartz

demystifying the ccba-cbap application

Demystifying the CCBA®/CBAP® Application Process

The single most important piece of advice we at Watermark Learning can offer regarding the CCBA® or CBAP® application process is (drum roll please) – DON’T WAIT! The majority of students in our certification classes report that they haven’t started their application; later they share that they wish they had that out of the way …

Ben Schwartz

ecba vs ccba

ECBA™ vs. CCBA® vs. CBAP® vs. IIBA®-AAC: Which IIBA Certification is Right for You?

In this blog, we will be exploring the various certifications offered by IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis). We will start by differentiating between the three designations that are considered the “core” business analysis certifications: ECBA™ (Entry Certificate in Business Analysis) CCBA® (Certificate of Capability in Business Analysis) CBAP® (Certified Business Analysis Professional) After outlining …

Ben Schwartz

what can a business analysis certification do

What Does a BA Certification REALLY Buy You?

Studying for any certification is a daunting task; actually, it is more like a project. Watermark Learning routinely advises that studying for the Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®) exam after taking our 35-hour certification preparation class will take approximately 100 hours or more, depending upon how familiar you are with the Business Analysis Body of …

Ben Schwartz