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AI. Chess. The Human Element.

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In a recent chess match during the Candidates tournament, a player - Hikaru - took more than 60 minutes to think on a single move. There were two possible moves that were playable at the position. After more than an hour thinking, Hikaru chose the wrong one and he eventually lost the game. After the game, the US grandmaster accused his seconds (his preparation team) of not having prepared him properly for that specific opening variation. This episodes sheds some interesting light on how AI is used and on the boundaries of that use. You see, all chess grandmasters use computers to analyze openings before a game. The computers, with their immense calculation power - can show the best move in every position. However, the application of that knowledge by a human player on the live chessboard comes with some challenges. One cannot remember of all possible moves and all possible variations - even GMs have a limit. So players at the Candidates level analyze the most possible variations...
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Human (AI) Grounding: I do not understand! (A lost art)

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I did not understand. That phrase is encountered less and less in today's AI powered era. You see, everyone "understands" with the summary provided by AI. Everyone "knows" with the knowledge support of a great LLM that taps on the knowledge of millions just to show something. And given time, you may even write a whole essay for this thing that you know nothing about. People fear not understanding something. They believe that not understanding will make them weak, unable to negotiate properly against someone who does. But not understanding is not something to fear. It is the first step towards true knowledge. You do not know something. You do know other things. And must build on these, while acknowledging that some things are beyond what you currently hold. Knowledge does not come for free. And it certainly does not come in the form of a Gemini or GPT summary an hour before you get into that meeting. You must spend time and effort to know something. Try...
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The role of BAs towards more ethical AI

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The AI systems we use are built on data. Data that are derived from the world we live in. As Business Analysts (BAs) working as trusted advisors towards a better world, our job is still the same in its core. We still work with people trying to understand needs and the best ways to satisfy them. However, with AI, a new dimension is added to this work: We must now also safeguard the way AI systems are trained and the way they produce outputs, so that these outputs are aligned with the better world we all strive for. For example, a new banking screening process should be fair to all. This was true before the advent of AI and it is still crucial in the AI era we live in. In both cases the advisor to the customer should pinpoint potential areas that could generate bias and eliminate them. The BA should work to clarify and establish the criteria used and how their application will result in better decisions. If in the past this was a set of COBOL programs in zOS or if in the future...
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Use AI!

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The AI era is all about the use of... AI. Although tautological in nature, that simple proposition contains the essence of the way in which artificial intelligence will affect our lives. It will do so, if we use it. It will not do so, if we do not. At the end, we control the outcome and the magnitude of the change is in our grasp. Doing nothing is a choice, as well as doing everything. The use of AI tools depends first and foremost on our willingness to use them. The repercussions of this are important: If you do nothing with the new tools offered by this new technology, then you will certainly rip no benefits our of it. On the other hand, using the technology may bring benefits that will always depend on how you use it. It may sound childish, but childish advice have merit. Wake up, make up your bed. A simple advice like that can change someone's life. You start your day by completing a chore, by imposing self-discipline on yourself, by letting the world k...
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AI Compass: The need for analysts to guide AI

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Have you used Copilot? Are you using ChatGPT? Do you utilise Manus? Have you tried Lovable? The need to use artificial intelligence today is more and more presenting itself as an urgent need. We, as business analysts, have to use AI tools to improve our efficiency and the quality of our work. To do that, skills like prompt engineering have made their way in the training curriculum of BAs across the world, while a constant pressure to show that you use AI tools is making everyone participate in this gold rush without putting much thinking into the how (let alone the why). Just go out there, open Copilot and start typing! Create agents and start training them! Show results! Site y efficiency gains! And as in the gold rush in Klondike, the people who profit more are not the ones seeking gold but the ones selling the tools. Back then it was about shovels, but now it is about subscriptions and use credits. But even if the tools are now available and we c...
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Can you write user stories? (It doesn't matter...)

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Have you written user stories?  Do you know how to write acceptance criteria?  Have you developed use cases? These topics might soon be obsolete as part of the introductory interviews for junior business analysts. Let me explain why... The advent of AI tools in the field of business analysis (and not only) means one thing: The role of a business analyst (BA) is shifting towards a more advisory role. The BA is not expected to be an expert in writing user stories properly, since this work will eventually be unrtaken by the AI tools. The BA is expected though to have deep knowledge of the customer and its needs, thorough understanding of the product (the business analysis role was for a long time now moving towards a more product-owner-ish role) and, last but not least, the ability to manage the new resources available. The latter, means that the BA will have a managerial role regarding the AI tools available. Like a manager has resources to use, advise and ...
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AI for Business Analysis We are not here to explore the latest AI trends. We are not here to evaluate tools. We are not here to analyze methodologies. We are here to explore the philosophy that should define the use of artificial intelligence in the business analysis field and to shape the new mindset we should embrace in this new era. We will re-define how business analysts will work, how business analysis will be conducted, how AI will be used as a tool and not as a guide. The future is challenging. You will not face it alone. Learn More
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