Mentorship Program Overview

The Business Analyst Mentorship
Program (BAMP) Overview

The Business Analyst Mentorship Program (BAMP) was conceived and implemented by the Greater Atlanta Chapter (GAC) of the IIBA. The program pairs a Novice BA (the Mentee) with a Senior BA (the Mentor) for a four-month series of one-to-one Meetings. The purpose of the program is to deliver Information, Coaching, and Career Guidance to Mentees using the CPP (Career Path Planning) Methodology. The target Mentee audience are non-BA’s, who are considering the Business Analyst field as a career option (“BA Wannabees”), and young BA’s with little BA experience (“Novice BAs”) who are seeking to advance their careers by improving their BA Skill Set and their Business Acumen.

Vision Statement

The Business Analyst Mentorship Program (BAMP) Overview document will provide program information and guidance to those who may wish to participate as a Mentee, a Mentor, an Apprentice BA, a Master BA, or as a Program Director.

BAMP Facts

The first BAMP Session began in June, 2013.

The GAC meets 10 months of each year (except July and December).

The GAC conducts two BAMP Sessions per year:The Spring Session and the Fall Session.

The BAMP Program was initiated by Wanda Hudgins Spain, the original President of the GAC, who also developed the CPP. In her honor, the
Wanda Hudgins Spain CPP Award has been established to recognize the Mentee who develops the best Career Path Planning (CPP) document.

Sessions

Each Session is four months long:

Spring Session: Mar, Apr, May, Jun
Fall Session: Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov
Each Session should have around 10 Mentees with a Chairperson assigned to the Session.
There may be more than one Session being conducted concurrently.

Registration

Prospective Mentors and Mentees should complete the GREATER ATLANTA CHAPTER IIBA BA MENTORSHIP PROGRAM form on the GAC website
Deadline, Spring Session: Feb 15.
Deadline, Fall Session: Jul 15

Program Directors

Those responsible for managing the program are:

President, GAC, IIBA
VP, Professional Development
BAMP Director
BAMP Session Chairperson(s)
BAMP Apprentice Initiative Chairperson

EVENTS IN THE BAMP SESSION:

Mentor Interest Emails are dispatched to all known Mentors in the month preceding the beginning of each Session, requesting the level of interest of each Mentor to serve in the upcoming Session.

The Kick-Off Meeting: The Kick-Off Meeting scheduled during the period after the Registration Deadline and before the Start of the Session. Both New Mentees and New Mentors are expected to attend the Kick-Off Meeting. The Kick-Off Meeting has two purposes. First, the Program Directors present the program in full, and assure that the Mentees and New Mentors have a good understanding of the principals of the program. Second, the Program Directors and New Mentors discuss with each mentee individually their General Background, their Education, their Business Experience, and the Desired Direction of their Career. This information is solicited for the purpose of matching the Mentee with a Mentor who is best suited to instruct the Mentee.

The Pairing: Before the beginning of the Session, the Program Directors use the information gleaned from the Mentees and their knowledge of the Mentors to MATCH each Mentee with a suitable Mentor.

The START Emial: On or about the first day of the Session, the Session Chairperson will send out a “BAMP – MATCH and START” email to each Mentee individually, cc to their Mentor. The Start Email identifies the Mentee and the Mentor, contains their contact information, and gives the mentee instructions on steps to start the meetings with the Mentor. The CPP is attached to the email. A second email is sent to the Mentor providing them the Registration Form of the Mentee.

The Apprentice Initiative: The Apprentice Initiative is an extension of BAMP. It is maintained by a Chairperson. Mentees are invited to participate in the Apprentice Initiative during first month of the Session. The Apprentice Initiative allows the BAMP Mentee (the “Apprentice BA”) to accompany an experienced, practicing BA (the “Master BA”), at the Master BA’s place of business, for at least one Business Day. Apprentice Visits can occur during the second and third months of the Session. Master BA’s are not required to be an IIBA or a GAC member.

The Graduation Ceremony:

All Mentees must submit their completed CPP’s in order to graduate. The graduation Ceremony is held during the regular Chapter Meeting in the first month of the following BAMP Session (August for the Spring Session, March of the following year for the Fall Session). Mentees in the new session are expected to volunteer to assist in the Graduation Ceremony. All graduates will receive a Certification of Completion, and the Mentee who submitted the best CPP will receive the Wanda Hudgins Spain CPP Award.
The Graduation Ceremony

The Meeting at Midway:
The Meeting at Midway occurs the first Tuesday of the third month of the program. Invited are: All Mentors and Mentees of the current session, all Mentors who are On-The-Bench, the last four winners of the Wanda Hudgins Spain CPP Award, and the Program Directors. This is a meeting of all members of the BAMP community. It maintains interest among the Mentors. It provides a forum for passing information and for maintaining standards. And it gives a lift during a long 4-month program so that attention and work does not lag in the middle.

The Meeting at Midway

Expectations of Mentees:

Be an active member of the IIBA and the GAC in good standing (dues paid).
Complete the BAMP Application and Registration.
Attend the Kick-Off Meeting.
Attend the Chapter Meetings during the four months of the program.
Find a way to volunteer to serve Chapter Activities during the four months of the program.
Arrange and execute a minimum of one meeting with the Mentor each month.In-person meetings is the expectation.However, if unavoidable, virtual meeting may be used.
Attend and volunteer in the Graduation Ceremony for the Mentees of the previous Session
Attend the Meeting at Midway
Complete the CPP, and submit the document to the Director of the BAMP Program before the end of the Session (Required to graduate)
Attend the Session’s Graduation Ceremony
Winners of the Wanda Hudgins Spain CPP Award are invited to attend the next four Meetings at Midway as Guest of Honor.

Expectations of Mentors:

Respond to the “Mentor Interest” email
New Mentors Complete the BAMP Application and Registration
New Mentors attend the Kick-Off Meeting
Respond positively to your Mentee’s request for meetings, and prepare for and meet with your Mentee each month.
Attend the Meeting at Midway
Assist your Mentee in completing their CPP
Sign off on the Mentee’s CPP when it is satisfactory
Attend the Mentee’s Graduation Ceremony