Doreen Evans and Associated has just released an updated version of their report comparing enterprise-class software requirements platforms.  This report now includes Blueprint’s newly released web-based requirements platform.  As before both the report and the detailed comparison data is available for download.  Visit doreenevans.com to get your new copy of the report.

Celent and Doreen Evans Associates cover business analyst competency—Research results and practical advice. During this 60-minute informational and interactive webinar, Celent will not only let you know where your competition stands, but having worked for over 20 years helping insurance and banking firms establish BA Competency, DEA can show you how you can gain a competitive advantage through improved BA performance:

• Discover how the Insurance and Banking industries judge the competency of their own BAs
• Understand why projects fail—and what you can do about it
• Learn how to gain critical leadership buy-in and empower agents for real change

Click here to register: https://doreenevansevents.webex.com/doreenevansevents/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=930706702

Demand for increased business analyst involvement throughout the system development life cycle has fueled the recognition and growth of the business analysis profession.  As a result you may be considering how to formalize your business analysis practice.  To determine if a Business Analysis Center of Excellence (BACoE) is right for your organization, start with a discovery and planning effort focused on understanding your current situation. We find that discovery and planning is well worth the investment as it provides a clear picture of the organization’s business analysis maturity and the effort it will take to reach a higher level. At Doreen Evans Associates, we help organizations establish, institutionalize and maintain best-in-class business analysis competency. Click here to download a practical approach to determine the need for a BACoE in your organization.

A new report has just been released comparing enterprise-class software requirements platforms targeted for business analysis needs.  This report, authored by Susan Martin of Doreen Evans Associates (DEA) describes the criteria that are important in an enterprise requirements platform and why.   It then identifies those specific products, out of the many available today, that are truly enterprise ready and that are focused directly on the needs of business analysts.   Finally it presents the results of a very detailed product comparison along with recommendations.  The detailed comparison data is also available as a separate download – the link to that is within the report itself.  Click here to get your copy of the report.

At many forward-thinking organizations, recognition of the importance of business analysis skills has fostered a movement toward building Business Analysis Centers of Excellence.   But building a Business Analysis Center of Excellence (BACoE) can’t be done overnight.  It requires commitment and planning.  At Doreen Evans Associates, we help organizations establish, institutionalize and maintain best-in-class business analysis competency.  Click here to download the top five lessons we’ve learned as we’ve helped clients establish their BACoE organizations.

Requirements.net is very pleased to welcome its newest member, Doreen Evans Associates (DEA).   DEA is one of the longest running Business Analysis service firms in the industry.  Throughout their 19 year history DEA has remained true to its vision of providing experienced, high-quality services while enabling clients to be self-sufficient in the discipline of business analysis.  While they’ve remained a smaller-scale and focused business, they are a giant in the space.  We expect DEA to be an active contributor to requirements.net, sharing their expertise and knowledge, so stay tuned!

Leading analyst firm voke is currently conducting a survey whose result will be published in an upcoming voke Agile Market Snapshot.  All information provided is confidential and anonymous, with only the statistical results being reported.  Whether you currently use agile, transitioning to it, or just investigating it, your input is valuable.  Please take a moment to complete the survey here.

The Requirements.net consortium is pleased to announce that the 2011 Requirements Lifecycle Award has been presented to Rick Toothill, Manager and Kathleen O’Brien, Lead Business Analyst both of Merck. Rick and Kathleen were recognized for their continued contributions to advancing the Business Analysis discipline within Merck’s globally distributed IT groups.

Rick and Kathy’s pioneering efforts brought together the Business Analysis community at Merck starting back in 2002. Their efforts have since evolved into the present-day Analysis Skills Center, an essential resource for over a hundred Business Analysis practitioners at Merck. This Community of Practice has been instrumental in the promotion and advancement of Business Analysis best practices and solutions throughout the organization, and they’re now looking to take things to the next level.

Be sure to watch the compelling interview with Rick and Kathy as they tell the Merck story and pass on valuable tips for all who are looking to effect meaningful Business Analysis change in their own organization.

Nominations are now closed for the 2011 Requirements Lifecycle Award. We would like to thank all those who put forward so many excellent nominations.

The winner will be announced in the first quarter of 2011, so stay tuned…

The Requirements Lifecycle Award returns this year to recognize an individual who has made a positive difference in their organization’s software requirements lifecycle. Companies today recognize that inadequate requirements definition and management is a key inhibitor to software project success which can have a direct and negative affect on the business itself. The Requirements Lifecycle Award recognizes the achievements of an individual who has effected positive change in their organization’s software requirements lifecycle through education, process and automation initiatives to reduce waste, rework and inefficiencies. If you, or someone you know has made a positive difference with your organization’s software requirements lifecycle, nominate them today!

This award not only recognizes individual achievement, but also shows others that there are ways to make meaningful improvements in the Software Requirements Lifecycle.

Nominate a deserving individual today!