In this section, we're going to look at verbal communication skills. What's really happening when you're communicating? The biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it actually took place. somebody's talking, somebody's listening, that doesn't necessarily mean that you're communicating. Let's look at what we can do to improve that verbal communication skills are necessary as your position as a business analyst or software tester, or really any other role that you may play on a project team. During requirements sessions, it's the business analysts job to not only capture the requirements being given, but you're also expected to facilitate discussion about those requirements and take the conversation to a deeper level.

Vas are the liaison between the business and the technology team. And it's their responsibility to communicate effectively between those two groups. Let's look at what's mes expect of you in terms of communication. So in your role as business analyst, what do they expect? They want you to listen. They want you to be flexible.

They want you to understand their business. They want you to be a translator. They want you to put their needs first, be their champion, and be open to their suggestions and requests. What else can you add to this list based on your experience, think about that for a moment and jot down other things that you think belong on this list. So these are your customers, right? They're getting information from you.

You're getting information from them. They are in effect your customer. The SMI expects business analysts to use their language, right they want you to use their language coming from their business area. They expect MBAs to ask good questions to learn about their business. They expect business analysts to organize requests into clear, concise, understandable written documents and diagrams. They expect business analysts to facilitate and leave requirements meetings.

They also expect for you as the BA, to present them with suggestions for fitting requirements into existing organizational processes. They expect to receive a solution that meets their needs. They expect business analysts to communicate their needs to the technical team, and they expect business analysts to consistently demonstrate leadership, conflict management, problem identification, and solution skills. Now, let's take a look at what technical teams expect. They expect from you that you will give them clear requirements. They expect details from you detailed information.

They expect their needs to be met first. They expect you to understand code. They want answers. They want you to be They're champion, and they want you to be able to translate. Does that sound a little bit familiar? Right.

Some of those things are also the expectations from the suite. technical teams are also your customer, and they expect to be familiar with their language. They expect them to be familiar with current technology and understand priorities. They expect business analysts to present the user requirements in clear, concise, understandable written documents and diagrams. They expect vas to be able to answer detailed questions about exception processing and error handling requirements. And they expect the VA to continue to be involved with the project during the design phase answering questions and following up with this means so they don't expect you to do your work as a BA elicit the requirements, document them and then walk away and not be available to them.

As part of that project team. You are expected to be available to To the technical team throughout the life of that project. Now let's look at some barriers to listening. Perfect communication is when the receiver accurately interprets the sender's intended message. And there are several factors that can influence or interrupt to that message. So those factors are called barriers to listening.

Some of those things are filters when you're filtering out information, when you might have a lack of interest in the topic being discussed. When you have preconceived ideas and thoughts around the topic. When you are thinking of responses during the communication process, I will admit that I'm guilty of that. When somebody is talking. I sometimes am formulating a response before they've even finished talking. So what does that mean?

It means I'm not really listening, right? Because if I'm starting to formulate a response part of my brain is now focused on that so I'm not truly listening at that point. And then finishing statements for Others is also a barrier to listening