According to VersionOne\u2019s Annual State of Agile Survey<\/a>, 88% of organizations practice Agile development, an increase from 80% in 2011. In addition, 30% of survey respondents reported having started using Agile within the last 2 years.<\/p>\n In particular, Scrum is the most popular Agile methodology being implemented, with nearly 75% of respondents using Scrum or a variation of Scrum.<\/p>\n Mark J Owen recently blogged on this same issue<\/a>, and he suggests that \u201cthere is quite an adjustment [for business analysts] to move into a change-driven <\/em>approach.\u201d In addition, IIBA only recently (2013) published the Agile Extension to the BABOK\u00ae. Their delay in publishing best practices may have contributed to the lack of Agile knowledge among BAs.<\/p>\n But Mark argues, and we agree, that there\u2019s no excuse for a business analyst not to become knowledgeable in Agile. As we said earlier, don\u2019t get left behind!<\/p>\n Fortunately, there are a variety of resources and opportunities available to help business analysts bring their Agile skills up to snuff\u2014whether you\u2019re an individual BA or part of an organization that wants to ramp up its BAs Agile skills.<\/p>\n Below are 5 ways to gain and demonstrate Agile skills as a business analyst.<\/p>\n Naturally, the first place to start your Agile journey is to familiarize yourself with Agile concepts. A plethora of resources are available on the Scrum Alliance<\/a>, PMI<\/a>, and IIBA<\/a> websites. Some additional resources from around the web include ScrumGuides.org<\/a> and Scrum.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Watermark Learning also offers tons of free Agile articles<\/a>, blog posts<\/a>, webinars<\/a>, and additional resources<\/a> that can get you started.<\/p>\n Workshops provide hands-on experience with Agile that allow you to actively practice skills that you can immediately apply on the job.<\/p>\n Watermark Learning currently offers an Agile workshop created with the business analyst in mind. Our Agile Business Analysis Workshop<\/a> provides the essential information needed for business analysts to be successful on Agile projects.<\/p>\n (We recommend that those who wish to perform a Scrum Master role should take our\u00a0Agile Planning and Estimating<\/a>\u00a0course.)<\/p>\n Maybe you\u2019re already a CBAP or CCBA, but certification is always a great way to demonstrate mastery of industry knowledge.\u00a0 Whether you already have a certification or not, you might consider adding the PMI-ACP credential to your signature.\u00a0 Depending on your role, becoming a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) or Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) may also be useful.\u00a0\u00a0 Check out Watermark Learning\u2019s PMI-ACP Cert Prep<\/a>, Certified Scrum Product Owner<\/a>, and Certified ScrumMaster courses for more information.<\/p>\nAgile Business Analysts\u2014Do They Exist?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Agile](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Agile-BA.png\")
Remarkably, the VersionOne report illustrates that business analysts are the least knowledgeable about Agile. <\/strong><\/strong>According to the survey results, business analysts rank dead last in terms of Agile knowledge.<\/p>\nSo What\u2019s a BA to Do? <\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Free Resources<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Agile Workshops
\n<\/strong><\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n3. Ind<\/strong><\/strong><\/b>ustry Certification<\/strong><\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n
5. Agile Coaching & Mentoring <\/strong><\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n