Once Upon…
This time of year always makes me pause and look back. I start making lists of people I want to thank, gifts I want to give, and messages of gratitude I want to send. And then checking them twice, of course.
Since 2021, the Business Analysis Community from Evozon has always been at the top of my list. If you want to know why, grab a chair by the fire, and let me tell you the story of the Evozon Business Analysis Community.
A Journey to Be on the Nice List
Since the dawn of time, people have needs, but also have difficulty expressing them specifically. When we left the cave, and stepped into the light, Business Analysts were born. This story has no mages, though.
Jokes aside, I have no idea when this community started, but when I joined it, I was amazed by its maturity: it had regular meetings, lots of Confluence pages with process, tools, books, articles, presentations and useful notes for anyone to learn about being a better professional.
Looking back, I realise that in this community we feel supported, encouraged, and most importantly that we have someone to walk alongside on a shared journey. Our sessions are partly how Evozon provides learning opportunities, trust, and space to grow.
Not many of us started as Business Analysts, and each of us had their own journey to this role. This is why the community is so open, willing to help and has a thoughtful approach to helping new joiners grow.
In 2021, when I joined the community as a facilitator, we conducted a needs assessment to better understand the needs and expectations of the members and our management. We conducted interviews, did thematic analysis, and then adapted our meetings to better suit us. It was a great exercise for the core group that worked on this initiative (a fun one, for sure!), but it also helped us deliver value to our stakeholders!
In 2022 a larger initiative started: an Introduction to Business Analysis Training that helped employees transition to this role. That course became the perfect playground for wanna-be BAs. The participants worked on small projects from start to finish, and when the course ended, the inevitable question came up: “What’s next?” We tried to find projects or contexts for our colleagues to further grow their newly acquired skills, while integrating those who wanted to further pursue this direction in the community. They went from padawans to masters in no time! And their (user) stories are still being written.
It Was Always More Than a List
Throughout all of the challenges our members go through, the BA Community is a constant. One-on-one conversations, peer discussions, mentoring moments, and feedback is how we help each other overcome adversity.
The EvoBAs Community has changed over time. Some people left, many new colleagues joined, some even became managers. But the core philosophy remains the same: we are here to learn from each other, but most importantly together. Being part of this community means staying faithful to continuous learning, a mindset we all carry.
That welcoming, supportive attitude is what helps us become consultants who take chances, propose ideas, challenge perspectives, and question assumptions. The EvoBAs Community keeps reminding us that growth does not happen when you are alone in a room, but when you join others or invite them to sit at the table and discuss.
