3 minute read
Business analysis expert teachs from industry experience and know-how
By Adm S. Kamras and Nora Zelluk
Amanda Dietz
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UD Business Analysis Certificate instructor
Businesses and organizations spend a huge sum each year on data and technology solutions, projects and needs. Realizing value on those projects is a high priority.
To that end, the role of the business analyst can be key in helping an organization to define strategy and provide the leadership needed to identify project goals and requirements, functioning as a type of translator who converts business needs into measurable IT requirements and solutions.
“It is all about delivering business value,” said Amanda (Mandy) Dietz, instructor for UD’s Business Analysis Certificate program and vice president—business analysis and project management and customer experience practice leader for Orion Development Group.
“Whatever your strategic priorities are is how you define business value and make sure you are constantly working toward it in the most effective way possible,” added Dietz. “Delivering business value entails finding out what is important, figuring out how to get there and confirming that you actually deliver that value.”
With a diverse, business-oriented background, Dietz is the epitome of an expert who teaches both “from the book” as well as from a deep well of experience and know-how. “My job with the certificate program is to teach you to be a business analyst and cover what it takes to do effective business analysis,” said Dietz. “I definitely teach in alignment with the International Institute of Business Analysis’ Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (IIBA BABOK), and then there's the stuff that I know because I've been doing this for a lot of years.”
Dietz has over 35 years of experience as a strategic and tactical leader of transformational change. In her corporate leadership roles, she was recognized for her work in the turnaround of distressed operations. Successes were achieved through strategic alignment, process improvement and business-focused technology solutions.
Since building the Business Analysis Certificate program for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2004, Dietz has conducted the program for numerous institutions over the last 17 years. Though the first part of her career was spent in the business world, the daughter of two teachers had a teacher’s mindset even before she entered the classroom.
“When I was leading organizations, I believed in showing people how to do something rather than doing it for them,” said Dietz. “Wherever the teaching is occurring, I love watching the lightbulbs come on.”
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