“Some people would rather die than have you tell them what to do”

Tony Robbins

One of the key reasons why software project still fail till this day.

Most people are so acquainted with the ways they have planned, acquired, managed business-technology projects to the point that they would rather repeat what they are used to despite having proven tens of times to lead to over budget, low quality and late software deliveries.

A Smart Business Analyst will “help” rather than “tell” others what to do, especially if these others are CXOs. They can not see that a BA will ever know more than they do. I am not saying we do, I am saying we BAs have a different angel.. a clearer one in some cases. They don’t feel the same about an accountant, but that’s because our job is Business and they are the Business Gurus and will strive to ensure that.

Working in an independent Business Analysis firm does seem to reduce this phenomena, at least for me because when you provide Business Analysis as an independent service …you are contracted with their free will, not employed especially in a global corporate culture which presumes that an employee can never know more than their superiors. And I don’t claim we do, the idea is very simple; business Analysts are not pressured by organizational growth, increasing profit or reducing cost, they are obsessed by delivering high quality business solutions which in turn does optimize the business, pave for efficient scalable operations, decreases cost and increases profit.

We are focused on an objective and not stressed by a problem or a target. Our target is a streamlined Business Operation and that’s how a good BA thinks.

Many business analysts complain that they are assigned too late to projects, after fatal mistakes have taken place in the scope definition and planning.

There is also the rush syndrome which practically means everyone on the team is running in different opposing directions ..presumably towards one goal !!

This rush syndrome … can and does lead to disastrous results .. Many successful Organizations which have attempted to optimize their operations at the exact same time of implementing enterprise-wide software solutions have failed dramatically; wasted hundred of thousands of dollars. Again, it’s simple .. it’s like furnishing your home before you actually build walls and paint!!

“The biggest tragedy is that software failure is for the most part predictable and avoidable. Unfortunately, most organizations don’t see preventing failure as an urgent matter, even though that view risks harming the organization and maybe even destroying it. Understanding why this attitude persists is not just an academic exercise; it has tremendous implications for business and society”  IEEE

What I find very alerting and frightening in a way is that we are beginning to accept avoidable software projects failures as a life norm. We are starting to accept the fact that any software should and will go live with a few hidden fatal defects. This is unacceptable and illogical, forgive my tone. I know that being cynical does annoy some of my readers and I am working on controlling that as much as humanly possible… it’s just my nature to avoid a heartache!

The quality chain for software starts with the investment not the makers, testers or the operators of the software .. it starts with the funder; who is willing to accept and allow mediocre quality for a cheaper price or a faster launch.

I urge you to read about the most infamous software failures in 2015. It is disgraceful and sad to waste money on software which ultimately damages the business. Some facts will have you give an immediate migraine.

We have seen some software vendors sell the same product to different departments in the same organization twice in one year! Can you possibly believe that?

Even if the software is of premium quality, if your business processes are unclear, tangled and even the staff is unaware of clear business events, triggers and complete business cycles.. the most brilliant software on this planet can not perform magic without perfect alignment with business.

In my modest opinion, what we need in the business world today; to ensure technology leverages business rather than holding it back is a mindset transformation first.

Written by: Angie M. Eissa, CBAP, MSc BIT, UK Founder & Managing Partner of Business Borderlines