In anticipation of his presentation at Building Business Capability in Vegas, Nov. 2 – 6, 2015, we asked Trent Leopold, Sr. Business Analyst V, City of Dallas, Texas, a few questions about pursuing business excellence. Check out his interview in relation to his BBC presentation entitled, The Human Metric & Mind Mapping.

Q: How is your organization advancing the pursuit of business excellence and how does it impact your business units/departments?

A: Our organization fosters excellence by openly recognizing excellence in timely fashion.  This instills in our staff (business units) a desire for fostering excellence, leading to enhanced job satisfaction, reduced errors and quality products.

Q: Can you describe the challenges you face or have already overcome in establishing a more cohesive and productive company or organization?

A: When staff focuses on excellence, they learn that by combining their individual perspectives and nuggets of excellence they collectively enhance the excellence of the resultant product, more so than “going alone.”  As a result the organization becomes more cohesive and productive, for the sake of excellence.

Q: What are your near term goals for creating a more agile organization at your business or company?

A: Simply to do it, now, in accord with the manifesto.

Q: What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned in 2015 thus far? What’s the most important goal/trend for [pick one or two: business analysts, business architects, business process managers and/or business rules managers] to keep in mind?

A: The term “Requirements Engineering.”  This is an extremely important concept.  Rather than simply gathering customer requirements, we’re recognizing the value in assisting with continuously engineering requirements with agility.

Q: What’s the latest method/process/tool you have implemented to help your organization or business run more efficiently and effectively?

A: Agile and requirements engineering with a sharp focus on excellence.

Q: If you could give your five-years-ago self-insight and advice about this industry, what would you say?

A: Five years ago the industry did not fully recognize its value.

Q: Sneak preview: Please tell us a take-away that you will provide during your talk at Building Business Capability?

A: The importance of the human mindset, and ways for analyzing the human mindset.  We’ll also have some giveaways!

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Don’t miss Trent’s presentation, The Human Metric & Mind Mapping, at Building Business Capability on Wednesday, November4, 2015 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. Click here to register for attendance.