The Value-Driven Business Analyst with Laura Brandenburg

In this episode, I speak with Laura Brandenburg, founder of Bridging the Gap and author of The Value-Driven Business Analyst. Laura shares her journey from QA to business analysis leadership, her passion for empowering mid-career professionals, and the thinking behind her new book. The conversation explores how BAs can become more value-driven, how to define their role clearly, and how to adapt in the age of AI.

Key Takeaways:

1. One BA at a Time:
   Laura’s mission is to empower individuals rather than fix the system from the top down. Her approach focuses on confidence-building, clarity, and career transformation.

2. What is a Value-Driven BA?
   Being value-driven means aligning your work to business outcomes, not just deliverables. It’s about solving the right problems, asking why, and creating momentum—not just documenting.

3. The 8-Step BA Process (from her book):

   1. Get Oriented

   2. Discover the Business Objectives

   3. Define Scope

   4. Plan the BA Work

   5. Elicit and Define Requirements

   6. Support Implementation

   7. Support Business Rollout

   8. Assess Value & ROI

4. Clarify Your Role:
   Too often, BAs are unclear about what’s expected of them. The first step to adding value is understanding your role on each project.

5. The BA Identity Crisis:
   Business analysis still suffers from an unclear definition. Compared to roles like UX, the BA title lacks specificity—yet that ambiguity can be empowering if navigated with intention.

6. Why She Wrote the Book:
   After years of refining her training, Laura felt ready to crystallise her methodology. The book is both a culmination and a gateway to what’s next.

7. BA as AI Educator:
   BAs should be early adopters of AI, not just for personal productivity, but to guide stakeholders in understanding AI’s possibilities, risks, and business relevance.

8. Tools ≠ Outcomes:
   A reminder that overly polished artefacts (like digital models) can discourage collaboration. Use low-friction tools like whiteboards and sticky notes to co-create value.

9. Sustainability and the Bigger Picture:
   Laura’s wish for a superpower? Abolish narrow definitions of value that ignore environmental and societal impact. She advocates for a more regenerative, circular economy mindset in business.

Guest: Laura Brandenburg

Laura Brandenburg, CBAP, is an internationally-recognized leader who helps mid-career professionals start and thrive in business analysis careers. She is the founder of Bridging the Gap, author of The Value-Driven Business Analyst and How to Start a Business Analyst Career, and creator of The Business Analyst Blueprint® training program. With over 20 years of experience, Laura is passionate about building the profession one business analyst at a time and empowering others to achieve confidence and success.

Book: https://www.bridging-the-gap.com/value/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BridgingtheGapBA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurabrandenburg/