Re-Imagining the BA Role, Prompt Templates, Scope Creep! AI Databases & Autonomous Vehicles

Before Generative AI, businesses adapted to Cloud and Big Data.

Now, with what feels like daily breaking news, businesses are looking at how to adapt to the many text to capabilities offered by Generative AI.  

As Business Analysts (BA) we’re all too familiar with business change. However, what does Generative AI mean for the BA role?

The BA role has been depicted as a 3 circle Venn diagram - technical, domain and soft skills.  In my post - “Re-Imagining the BA role - Now that there’s Generative AI”, I argue for a 4th circle - “Technology Adoption”. 

Technology adoption is different from technical skills; it’s not the possession of technical skills, i.e. “I can code”,  rather the willingness to adopt and adapt new technology to our BA tasks, workflows and outputs - “I can add new technologies to my capabilities.” 

The post argues that Generative AI boosts our capabilities, taking us outside of our technical and domain comfort zones. One area for me is Python. 

I’ve a bookshelf full of Python books. With Claude, I no longer need to: 

• turn to page X for the answer, or

• search Google / Stack Overflow.  

Code errors are explained, Claude re-writes faulty code.  Claude also (if you ask), suggests areas for improvement i.e. “Claude, where am I going wrong, what patterns have you observed in my faulty code?”

Knowledge of Python basics + Claude, will advance my learning and BA capabilities. Python courses I’ve found useful: 

• Udemy 100 days of Python

• Introduction to Python Programming

Enjoy the post, welcome your feedback. 

Using Large Language Models for New Project Preparation and Planning

Continuing with Generative AI and Business Analysis, the use case is a new project. 

Although you can draw on experience, each new project has its own…uniqueness - new industry & new client or maybe known stakeholders but new project team. Whatever the scenario, you’re starting with a “blank” page. 

In my post - “Using Large Language Models for New Project Preparation and Planning”, I advocate prompt templates as a method to prepare for new projects. 

The concept of prompt templates is explained, an example template and prompt are provided. 

Is the template useful, how would you use it on new projects?

Scope creep isn’t quite the enemy you think it is

Scope creep! 😠

The Atlassian post provides a definition of scope creep, causes and a compelling case study - 1995 Denver International Airport automated baggage handling system.

The post concludes with tips on how to set your team for success. 

AI Databases as a Service  

Host Prateek Joshi talks to Tim Tully about Databases for AI Workloads.

Tim is a partner at Menlo Ventures, a VC firm that has invested in companies like Uber, Anthropic, Pinecone, Benchling, Chime, Carta, Recursion, and more.

He was previously the CTO of Splunk, a publicly traded company that was acquired by Cisco for $28 billion. 

In 35 minutes they cover a range of topics from the evolution of databases , modern database architecture to AI's role in database optimisation. 

New acronym alert - DaaS - Driver as a Service  

The autonomous industry covers a range of applications from self driving cars to automated warehouses. Markets & Markets predict that the Autonomous self driving market will reach $62.4 Billion in revenue by 2027. 😲

In “Kodiak Robotics establishes driver-as-a-service agreement with Atlas Energy”, two companies Atlas (trucks) and Kodiak (hardware and software) collaborate to provide driverless deliveries within the US. As a prelude, a 21 mile journey was completed successfully with no driver. Impressive!

Interested in other applications? 

Check out more content from the BBC on autonomous ferries and ships, benefits, concerns and the companies behind them.

Appreciate your feedback and comments, send to [email protected]