Jonathan Babcock

• How is your presentation relevant to the theme of this year’s BBC conference: Innovation in the Fast Lane?

Innovation is about looking at challenges and opportunities from different angles in an effort to identify creative solutions that raise capabilities and deliver results. The intent of my presentation, Agile, Executive Blind Spots & the Evolution of Business Analysis, is to help practitioners and organizational leaders view business analysis through a different lens – one that sees “agile” as a tremendous opportunity rather than a threat, and envisions real, practical opportunities for business analysis professionals at the top levels of business, and throughout the lines of business which have historically been under-served.

By focusing on the value business analysis provides instead of on the traditional role and tasks of the analyst, we’ll discover innovative ways to reinvent business analysis in our organizations as a true enabling capability with interesting new roles, responsibilities and career paths, regardless of delivery methodology or other trends.

• What are your top tips for companies or employees wishing to innovate?

1. Provide time and space for creative thought and solutioning, both for teams and individuals. Ideally let creative thought and solutioning take place outside of traditional workspace.
2. When solutioning, take a clean sheet approach, and avoid anchoring to “how we do it today,” or to organizational “sacred cows.”
3. Encourage staff to identify opportunities or “white space” in the organization or in the market, and solutions to fill it.
4. Develop and nurture a network of creative thinkers and innovators to use as a sounding board for ideas, and to offer be the same for them in return.
5. Remember that the creative aspect of innovation is fun and important, but that true innovation is about turning great ideas into practical solutions. A solution doesn’t need a fully built-out plan on day one, but it should always have at least two or three next steps written down and being actively tracked to ensure steady progress.