Free Business Analysis and Agile Resources

In today’s dynamic business environment, agility is no longer just a buzzword; it’s a necessity. As organisations strive to stay competitive and responsive to ever-changing market demands, the traditional approaches to business analysis are undergoing a significant transformation. In this article, we explore the need for adapting business analysis techniques and frameworks to thrive in […]

As an employer, you want ‘best of breed’ training providers to meet your skills gaps. Metadata Training understands how to help you get the most value from your levy funding while minimizing the impact on your precious staff time. We asked some of our customers why they chose us compared to other providers. Below are […]

What separates a mediocre business analyst from a good one? What makes the good business analysts the best at what they do? A good analyst is appreciated by stakeholders, coveted by recruiters and hiring managers, and has a wide variety of career options available to them. We’ve broken down 5 secrets to being a successful […]

Agile is a trendy topic at the moment. To keep up with a fast-changing world you need to be agile. But first, you need to understand agile. Below, we have put together a brief overview of the key principles of Agile Business Analysis. 1. See the Whole This is about looking at the entire system. […]

Our apprentice, Alex Challis, shares how the business analyst apprenticeship has changed his life and career. Alex has been upskilling on the Business Analyst Apprenticeship for the last 9 months when he shared his experience in an interview with Metadata Training. The Business Analyst Apprenticeship is an 18-month programme so he has 9 more months […]

Alex shares his experience upskilling on the Business Analyst Apprenticeship. Full interview available. Watch the video to discover: What is the business analyst apprenticeship? What is the difference between the Business Analyst Apprenticeship and the BCS Business Analysis Diploma? Who can benefit? Why did Alex enrol in the business analyst apprenticeship? How did the BCS […]

“Guidance from experts to uplift your skills and qualifications to the level expected from business analysts.” – Alex Challis, current apprentice on the programme The Business Analyst Apprenticeship is a level 4 apprenticeship spanning over 18 months with off-the-job training (averages to 6 hours a week). It is a government-funded programme of training, coaching, mentoring […]

We’ve created this article to give you more information on: For managers: how to enrol an employee on the Business Analyst apprenticeship For professionals looking to upskill: how to get approval from your organisation to enrol on the Business Analyst Apprenticeship A manager looking to enrol an employee The first step – Talk to the […]

Do you manage business analysts and need to upskill them? If your training budget doesn’t allow you to send your team on courses so they can develop skills and confidence then the Business Analyst Apprenticeship Programme might be the answer for you. It’s an opportunity that few people are aware of because: 1) It’s a […]

While training professionals over the years, we’ve come across a common experience where BAs sometimes feel to just get “things” done without the proper time and analysis. Many have succumbed to this at times in their career – and from talking to delegates on our courses, it is always to their ultimate regret. Especially for […]

Asking your employer to fund your training may seem daunting, but you have less to worry about than you think. Apart from in rare cases, most employers will be thrilled to hear that you want to broaden your knowledge base and skills of the job that they’re paying you to do, ultimately helping them to […]

Professional networking isn’t about walking into a room full of strangers and trying to charm them into being your best friends. Nor is it about identifying the most senior people in the room and agreeing with everything they say. It’s about consciously and gradually building up a list of contacts, while being part of a […]

Getting started on your professional BA training can be hard when you’re not sure which route is best for you. Most of our delegates ask about qualifications that will help them make that big career change they have been holding out for. We have narrowed down to two qualifications that we think will take your […]

No matter what level you are in your career as a business analyst, there are always going to be key skills that don’t necessarily come naturally to you, just like in any other area of life. Perhaps you’re great at conceptualising a project, but struggle to consider stakeholders during this process. Or maybe you’re a […]

On October 28th 2021, we will be introducing new pricing plans. Our prices have remained the same over the last three years, meaning that every time there has been a price increase from suppliers we have absorbed that cost. Unfortunately, this is no longer sustainable and due to increasing exam prices and changes in the […]

We are aware the pandemic has brought challenges for all professionals including our customers and delegates. We want to support the business analysts community and all professionals looking to develop business analysis skills and expertise to prepare for the future. We have been working hard to find a safe way to restart classroom based courses […]

Trying to train and up-skill your business analysts with a limited training budget is a challenge – even more so when it’s a struggle to find that talent in the first place. We’re seeing time and time again that demand for skilled Business Analysts is only continuing to grow, while the pool of talent dries […]

If you heard about a project that came in a year late, twice its original budget, and every single major player swore that they would never work with the person in charge ever again, you’d assume that that was a failed project. Well, it may surprise you to find out that that project was actually […]

With there now being several ways for business analysts to build skills and knowledge in the workplace, It is completely reasonable to seek out the benefit of professional training and question how much more value could it really bring to your work? It is an undeniable truth that business analysis training comes at a price, […]

Want to develop business analysis skills and continue your personal development? Every month, we host Lunch & Learn sessions with one of our expert trainers. These sessions are hands-on, practical, and help you develop business analysis skills for free. Each session  focuses on teaching you a specific business analysis technique that is essential for you […]

Business analysis training can be expensive, especially if you are self-funding. The pressure of the expenses can often shy you away from pursuing the professional training that you want and need to push your career in the right direction.  There are a few ways that you can get trained without having to dig into your […]

We know that as a BA manager, training your staff is one of the most difficult parts of managing your team. Training can be a hit and miss for some and a common problem for many is that the training that staff receive is not translating back into the workplace. In simple terms, employees go […]

If you are a business analyst, we know that working on complex business improvements & change projects can lead to misunderstandings and confusion. When we present confusing data our stakeholders can’t make decisions and we don’t get their buy-in. No one wants to invest time & money in developing solutions that fail. Some research from […]

When it comes to building a superstar team that can exceed all of your expectations as a manager, you might instinctively want to hire in new talent that will close skill gaps that you’ve noticed crop up in your existing team time and time again. Below, we give you five reasons why that instinct is […]

At the moment, the cost of training your new recruits on the job or enrolling them in an apprenticeship in Business Analysis is almost the same. Depending on the size of your business, enrolling your team in an apprenticeship could be free, or could cost you as little as 5% of the original fee, with […]

Case study: Meet Rory Rory completed the business analysis diploma with Metadata Training last year. He managed to take some time to share his experience with us. What made you decide to take the diploma? “Well it was when I started at my company. I worked for consultancy so we can be put in different […]

We know that having skilled, trained business analysts on your team who understand your business is crucial to business success. Rather than hiring qualified professionals from outside the company, it has recently become a common practice for organisations to upskill their existing staff. However, the process of training your staff can easily seem overcomplicated when […]

Want to train in business analysis but struggling to fit it into your working schedule? Continuing professional development is a great way to advance your career but the common problem is making time for it in an already-busy work life. Let’s talk about the 5 ways that the BCS Business Analysis Diploma can work around […]

If you are a business analyst or a business change professional, Swimlane Diagrams will help you model business processes. We recently ran a session on this as part of our Lunch & Learn Programme and you can now access the recording by filling the form below. Why get the recording? It is a really practical […]

If you are a business analyst or a business change professional, customer journey mapping will help you increase the success of your projects. We recently ran a session on this as part of our Lunch & Learn Programme and you can now access the recording by filling the form below. Why get the recording? It […]

Meet Victoria Gorrell Before Vickie started the apprenticeship, she was working as a project support officer for Coventry City Council. She was interested in business analysis so when the opportunity for a BA apprenticeship came up in 2019, she put herself forward for the programme with the help of her manager at the time. She […]

Meet Barry Keegan Barry had been thinking about moving into a business analysis role for a couple of years. He initially considered self-funding for the BCS qualifications but then he heard about the apprenticeship and being able to gain practical experience while studying. The apprenticeship coordinator in his organisation at the time had informed him […]

Back in February, we hosted a virtual graduation ceremony for our apprentices from Coventry Council, Vickie, Barry and Jodie, to celebrate their completion of the business analyst apprenticeship. All 3 of our graduates achieved distinctions and obtained the BCS Business Analysis Diploma qualification & 1 Agile qualification. Our apprenticeship director, Mike Goodland hosted the event. […]

National Apprenticeship Week 2021 aims to shine a light on the amazing work being done by employers and apprentices across the country. It will take place from 8 to 12 February 2021 – check what we have planned for the week! If you are interested in the Business Analyst Apprenticeship Programme we’ve prepared a few […]

Could you benefit from an apprenticeship to advance or change your career? Let’s look at the common misconceptions and how they no longer fit today’s fast-changing workplace.  Learning is at the heart of everything we do. We need to learn new skills, how to use new tools and software, and how to do our jobs […]

Apprenticeships Case Study: Meet Harpal Harpal is one year in to his IS Business Analysis Apprenticeship Programme journey, and shares his experiences of the programme so far. Before starting his apprenticeship, Harpal was working as a Business Analyst, and had been in a BA role for three years. What made you consider an apprenticeship? “Knowledge. […]

Apprenticeship Case Study: Meet Jodie Jodie works as a Business Analyst for Coventry City Council and is also a mum to a two year old daughter. Jodie was looking for flexible ways to further her education and become a qualified Business Analyst. It was when Jodie returned from Maternity leave, she was offered the opportunity […]

Case study: Meet Kerry Kerry is currently completing the Business Analyst Apprenticeship programme and shares her experience. Can you tell me a bit about your role? “I’m a Business Analyst for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS), but have only been officially working in this role since March. Before then, I was working as […]

What is the apprenticeship levy? The Apprenticeship Levy is a levy on UK employers to fund apprenticeships and help their staff upskill. The new apprenticeship standard was introduced in April 2017 and the aim is to address the skill gaps and the low productivity in the UK. Many businesses have not used the levy and […]

If you are a business analyst or a project manager or a professional who works on delivering projects, the Project Scope Diagram tool helps you present the required work to deliver a product, service, or result with the specified features and functions. We recently ran a session on this as part of our Lunch & […]

If you are a Business Analyst, Business Change Manager or work in Project Management, Benefits Dependency Networks are a useful technique for understanding how a project will deliver business benefits. According to the BCS, a benefits map is “A diagrammatic representation of what needs to be done on a project/program in order to achieve its […]

What is a Swimlane Diagram? A swimlane diagram documents the steps or activities of a process flow or workflow. It visualises a process from beginning to end,  but it also divides these steps into categories to help distinguish which departments or employees are responsible for each set of actions. Swimlanes can represent many categories of information […]

What is a rich picture? A Rich Picture is a simple way of communicating ideas, or expressing issues or problems visually. Peter Checkland included Rich Pictures as part of his analysis of the current situation within Soft Systems Methodology. The rich picture is a technique for documenting a chaotic situation for which no other modelling […]

Overview of Programme The IS Business Analyst Apprenticeship is a level 4 apprenticeship spanning over 13 -18 months with 20% off-the-job training. The programme aims to help apprentices develop business analysis soft skills. It Includes the BCS BA Diploma and Agile qualifications. Typical job roles include: IS Business Analyst IT Business Analyst Business Systems Analyst […]

Are you thinking to enroll in the Business Analyst Programme and want to know how much time you will have to spend learning and if it is something you can achieve considering your work commitments? We are providing you in this article an estimate of the type of learning activities you are expected to do […]

Are you or one of your staff looking to move into a business analyst role and have no or very little experience? You might be wondering where to start your training and we are providing more information in this article. If you are looking to train your staff in business analysis and your company is […]

Agile is a trendy topic at the moment. To keep up with a fast-changing world you need to be agile. But first, you need to understand agile. So getting a recognised qualification seems like the best place to start in your journey to prove to employers that you can work in an agile environment. The […]

We are aware the pandemic has brought challenges for all professionals including our customers and delegates. We want to support the business analysts community and all professionals looking to develop business analysis skills and expertise to prepare for the future. In order to do this we implemented the following initiatives to make your training experience […]

Want to develop business analysis skills and continue your personal development? We recommend attending our virtual Lunch and Learn sessions. These sessions are hands-on, practical, and help you develop business analysis skills for free. Each session is delivered by an expert trainer and focuses on teaching you a specific business analysis technique that is essential […]

A professional qualification is a significant investment in your career and it is important to have a clear understanding of what is available so you can make the right decision. We are reviewing in this post all the qualifications available, who are they for, and what you will learn.   BCS Business Analysis Diploma Certification […]

What is a Use Case Diagram? The use case diagrams describe what a system should do and not how it should be done that is why it is extensively used by business analysts to communicate with IT specialists and business users. Using use case diagrams with functional requirements provide a great tool for IT specialist […]

Are you a Business Analyst? Do you work on Business Change Projects? IT is both a driver and an enabler of business change, which means that often as a business analyst, it will be part of your Business Change project. Without the right requirements the project won’t deliver and this is where requirements engineering comes […]

Case Study: Meet Angela Angela has completed the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis and shares her experience. Before completing the diploma, Angela was working in a training position as a junior business analyst. That’s where she became aware of business analysis generally and got involved in projects through that role. On the go? You […]

Considering the BCS Diploma in Business Analysis? New to business analysis or not, a lot of people struggle to piece together the learning from different modules. Rod Simpson, one of our highly-rated trainers has created a diagram to help explain how everything fits together in business analysis, so you can leave each course with confidence. […]

We know there are often so many questions when it comes to considering an apprenticeship, and so we’re on a mission to help you understand what’s involved, how an apprenticeship is structured, and what your personal journey might look like. Meet our Apprenticeship Mentor, Jason. This week, we’re focusing on our mentors – a team […]

Is now the time to develop business analysis expertise by up-skilling current staff? If your team’s role is to deliver business change for your organisation, the short answer is Yes.  Because of Covid-19 and Brexit, change is happening at a faster rate. And change managers need to deliver that change fast.  Do you have the […]

The term apprenticeship often conjures up the idea of a 16 school-leaver, fresh out of their education and looking to kick-start their career. In fact, the modern apprenticeship is a completely different way to train. Overhauled in 2017 by the Department for Education, the apprenticeship programme is intended to address two significant problems in the […]

Business Analysis is about CHANGE ensuring that all stakeholders are involved understanding their needs, wants and issues specifying the agreed changes that bring the most value to all working with IT and other partners to build the processes and systems  that support the change helping embed the changes with all stakeholders and ensuring that value […]

If you’re looking to pass the BCS Business Analysis exam questions,  you’ve come to the right place! With the right preparations, you can easily ace your exams. Rod Simpson, one of our highly-rated trainers has put together these tips to help you approach your BCS Business Analysis Exam questions with confidence. What are multiple-choice exams? […]

  Are you considering taking the BCS Business Analysis exams, but have some concerns? Maybe you’re all ready to book your BCS Business Analysis exam, but worried about what to expect? Maybe you’re just curious about the type of questions you’ll get asked in the exam. Worry over, we’ve put together a handy little sample […]

Interested in Business Analysis training? We are running a free open evening and taster session on Wednesday 26th February from 6:15 pm until 8 pm. The session is run by one of our trainers and you will get the opportunity to discuss your specific situation and get advice. Make the right choice for your career. Click […]

  We get asked this question a lot so we decided to give you some advice in an article. To get more tips on which qualifications to choose and where to start make sure you download our business analysis guide – click here to download. BCS Foundation in Business Analysis The course objectives are to […]

Demand for business analysis skills has increased as the pace of change has grown. Often this is driven by technology, the traditional BA role ‘bridges the gap’ between business experts and technical software teams. Apart from business analysts, project managers, business change managers, product owners and software developers benefit from BA training and qualifications. Currently, […]

We are often asked the following questions: How do you become a business analyst? Can the business analysis qualifications help me get into business analysis? We would like to share with you our experience and thoughts. Many professionals engage in business analysis work in their current job even though they don’t have a business analyst title.

We run weekend courses to support busy professionals continue their professional development without taking time off. Our weekend courses are very popular and allow our delegates the flexibility they need to achieve their qualifications.