In anticipation of his presentation at Building Business Capability in Vegas, Oct 31, – Nov. 4, 2016, we asked Joe Goss, Senior Business Analyst at the University of Wisconsin Madison, a few questions about pursuing business excellence. Check out his interview in relation to his BBC presentation entitled, Secrets to Asking Great Questions.

Q: In what ways do you see your group helping your organization pursue business excellence?

A: There are many external forces influencing our success in achieving the mission of the University of Wisconsin Madison, a leading public institution for teaching, learning, and research. Of these forces, State budget cuts and innovations in online learning are driving our campus to make tough decisions about “brick and mortar” education. Business analysis is now a critical strategy for distinguishing “needs” from “wants” – particularly in Administrative systems and processes. As business analysts, we have to ask great questions in eliciting, defining, validating, and communicating these needs. These insights will help our campus continue its leadership role in the 21^st Century.

Q: Can you describe the challenges you face or have already overcome in establishing more robust business capabilities for your organization?

A: On a campus of 60,000 students, faculty and staff, the language of requirements has become well understood and routinely utilized.

Q: What are your short-term goals for becoming more agile?

A: Custom software development predominantly uses Agile, but we are exploring ways to apply Agile approaches to the work of organizations and even requirements elicitation.

Q: What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned in the past year?

A: Meaningful, supportive, and productive relationships with people are the most valuable predictor of project success.

Q: What do you see as the most important goal or trend for business analysts and other professionals to keep in mind?

A: Business analysis tasks and techniques are simply tools. Customers are best served not only by someone skilled in the use of these tools, but by someone who also has extensive “people skills.”

Q: What’s the latest method/process/tool you’ve implemented to help your business operate more effectively? Have you seen any results yet?

A: Caring for the people I serve. I’ve seen consistently outstanding results.

Q: If you could go back 5 years in time and give some professional insight or advice to yourself, what would it be?

A: I wouldn’t change a thing.

Q: Sneak preview: Please tell us a take-away that you will provide during your talk at the Building Business Capability (BBC) conference this year?

A: Great answers to challenging problems require great questions.

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Don’t miss Joe’s presentation, Secrets to Asking Great Questions, at Building Business Capability on Thursday, November 3, 2016 from 8:00 to 8:50 am. Click here to register for attendance.