Business Analysis
BA1. Introduction
1.1 What is Business Analysis?
Business analysis is the practice of enabling change in an enterprise by defining needs and
recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders
® Bridges “Business Problem” => “Solution Implementation”
Historical context: In the 1980s, organizations rapidly digitized their processes, which increased
complexity. This led to the emergence of the business analyst role to ensure IT systems aligned with
real business needs.
® IT alone does not deliver success, true impact
requires a broader view of business change
® IT projects often fail!
BACCM = Business Analysis Core Concept Model:
IIBA = International Institute of Business Analysis.
- Institution shaping BA
- Courses, books,…
- Sets standards in BA
BABOK = Body of Knowledge
- A standard reference for BA
- Collection of concepts, activities… considered standard within the profession
- Developed and enhanced by professionals
- Not a step-by-step method
- More than just IT
BABOK Knowledge areas:
1.2 Role of a Business Analyst
A Business Analyst:
- Acts as liaison among stakeholders
- Elicits, analyzes, communicates, and validates requirements
- Ensures solutions meet real business needs à Business focus
- Works across IT, non-IT, and process improvement contexts
- Core responsibility
o Understand actual needs, not just expressed desires
o Align business needs with IT capabilities
,Types of BAs:
• Business Analyst – focuses on business processes & problem solving.
• IT BA – bridges business & IT; defines “what” system must do.
• Systems Analyst – defines “how” the system will work (technical).
• Business Systems Analyst – hybrid.
Roles: Strategist, Expert, Communicator, Planner, Architect, Negotiator, Facilitator, Problem Solver.
1.3 Competencies of a Business Analyst
A competency is the capability to apply or use a set of related knowledge, skills, and abilities
required to successfully perform "critical work functions" or tasks in a defined work setting.
The 5 main areas of competence for a BA are:
1. Business Knowledge
a. External Business Knowledge:
- Business Acumen
- Industry Knowledge
- Information Technology
b. Internal Business Knowledge:
- Business Model and Strategies
- Organizational Knowledge
2. Analytical Thinking
- Discovering
- Synthesizing
- Analyzing
- Identifying
- Evaluating
3. Organization and Time Management
Organizing …
- different types of meetings
- manage complex plans
- manage frequent changes
4. Communication and Interaction: While being neutral, facilitate Agreements, Discussions,
Collaboration, Meetings, Workshops, Eliciting facts, Perspectives
5. Tools & Techniques (BABOK)
® In this course we will mostly look at Business Process Modeling (BPM)
1.4 BA Planning and Monitoring
BA Planning Parameters:
• Objective – What is the outcome of BA work? What will be delivered?
• Needs – What problem, need, or opportunity is being investigated?
• Scope – What is the boundary of the project or analysis?
• Approach – Predictive vs. adaptive; method to be used.
• Activities – Tasks, timing, tools, and methods to achieve the outcome.
• Complexity & Risk – Level of difficulty and risks involved.
• Approval – Gain approval and secure resources.
,Elicitation:
- Gather requirements from stakeholders.
- Techniques: Brainstorming, Focus groups, Interviews, Observation, Prototyping,
Requirements workshops, Surveys / questionnaires, Document analysis, Interface analysis
® “What do stakeholders need?”
Requirements Management & Communication:
- Present and communicate documented requirements to stakeholders.
- Ensure project team reaches consensus on scope.
- Identify and manage requirement changes.
® “Does everyone understand and agree?”
Enterprise Analysis
- Understand the big picture.
- Define business goals the solution must meet.
- Integrate requirements into overall business architecture.
- Support initiatives and long-term planning.
- Techniques: strategic planning, business case development, cost–benefit analysis,
feasibility studies.
® “Why are we doing this?”
Requirements Analysis:
- Focus: analyze data gathered during elicitation.
- Define methods, tools, and techniques to structure raw data.
- Identify requirement gaps.
- Define “solution capabilities” as a basis for selecting among alternatives.
® “What must the solution do?”
Solution Assessment & Validation:
- Ensure the best approach is chosen and objectives are met.
- Check feasibility of solution and guide verification.
- Assess transition requirements and organizational readiness.
- Validate the solution and evaluate its performance.
® “Does the solution do what it is supposed to do?”
1.5 Stakeholder Engagement
A stakeholder is defined as any person or group that has a relationship to a change or solution.
Stakeholders are relevant because they either experience a change in value themselves or influence
the value experienced by others.
Ex. Families of employees relocated to a new office are stakeholders — not because they move, but because they
affect employees’ experience of value
In business analysis, stakeholders are regarded as part of the system and serve as valuable sources
of information.
The engagement of stakeholders is important because it creates healthy and productive
collaboration and ensures progress in the analysis process.
§ Efficient communication strategy (rally support rather than fighting resistance)
§ Better stakeholder satisfaction (increased participation)
§ Limiting scope creep (increased clarity reduces conflict)
, What we want to know:
There are 3 steps in stakeholder engagement.
1. Identify Stakeholders - Who are they?
2. Analyze Stakeholders - Their power, interest, expectations.
Stakeholder matrix:
Onion Diagram:
- Visualizes stakeholders in concentric layers
around the system
- The closer to the center, the more direct the
involvement
- Helps identify all relevant stakeholders, not just
end users
- Ensures business analysis considers the full
ecosystem of influence and impact
RACI Matrix:
o A RACI matrix clarifies roles and responsibilities for activities in a project or process. It
avoids confusion, overlap, and gaps in accountability.
BA1. Introduction
1.1 What is Business Analysis?
Business analysis is the practice of enabling change in an enterprise by defining needs and
recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders
® Bridges “Business Problem” => “Solution Implementation”
Historical context: In the 1980s, organizations rapidly digitized their processes, which increased
complexity. This led to the emergence of the business analyst role to ensure IT systems aligned with
real business needs.
® IT alone does not deliver success, true impact
requires a broader view of business change
® IT projects often fail!
BACCM = Business Analysis Core Concept Model:
IIBA = International Institute of Business Analysis.
- Institution shaping BA
- Courses, books,…
- Sets standards in BA
BABOK = Body of Knowledge
- A standard reference for BA
- Collection of concepts, activities… considered standard within the profession
- Developed and enhanced by professionals
- Not a step-by-step method
- More than just IT
BABOK Knowledge areas:
1.2 Role of a Business Analyst
A Business Analyst:
- Acts as liaison among stakeholders
- Elicits, analyzes, communicates, and validates requirements
- Ensures solutions meet real business needs à Business focus
- Works across IT, non-IT, and process improvement contexts
- Core responsibility
o Understand actual needs, not just expressed desires
o Align business needs with IT capabilities
,Types of BAs:
• Business Analyst – focuses on business processes & problem solving.
• IT BA – bridges business & IT; defines “what” system must do.
• Systems Analyst – defines “how” the system will work (technical).
• Business Systems Analyst – hybrid.
Roles: Strategist, Expert, Communicator, Planner, Architect, Negotiator, Facilitator, Problem Solver.
1.3 Competencies of a Business Analyst
A competency is the capability to apply or use a set of related knowledge, skills, and abilities
required to successfully perform "critical work functions" or tasks in a defined work setting.
The 5 main areas of competence for a BA are:
1. Business Knowledge
a. External Business Knowledge:
- Business Acumen
- Industry Knowledge
- Information Technology
b. Internal Business Knowledge:
- Business Model and Strategies
- Organizational Knowledge
2. Analytical Thinking
- Discovering
- Synthesizing
- Analyzing
- Identifying
- Evaluating
3. Organization and Time Management
Organizing …
- different types of meetings
- manage complex plans
- manage frequent changes
4. Communication and Interaction: While being neutral, facilitate Agreements, Discussions,
Collaboration, Meetings, Workshops, Eliciting facts, Perspectives
5. Tools & Techniques (BABOK)
® In this course we will mostly look at Business Process Modeling (BPM)
1.4 BA Planning and Monitoring
BA Planning Parameters:
• Objective – What is the outcome of BA work? What will be delivered?
• Needs – What problem, need, or opportunity is being investigated?
• Scope – What is the boundary of the project or analysis?
• Approach – Predictive vs. adaptive; method to be used.
• Activities – Tasks, timing, tools, and methods to achieve the outcome.
• Complexity & Risk – Level of difficulty and risks involved.
• Approval – Gain approval and secure resources.
,Elicitation:
- Gather requirements from stakeholders.
- Techniques: Brainstorming, Focus groups, Interviews, Observation, Prototyping,
Requirements workshops, Surveys / questionnaires, Document analysis, Interface analysis
® “What do stakeholders need?”
Requirements Management & Communication:
- Present and communicate documented requirements to stakeholders.
- Ensure project team reaches consensus on scope.
- Identify and manage requirement changes.
® “Does everyone understand and agree?”
Enterprise Analysis
- Understand the big picture.
- Define business goals the solution must meet.
- Integrate requirements into overall business architecture.
- Support initiatives and long-term planning.
- Techniques: strategic planning, business case development, cost–benefit analysis,
feasibility studies.
® “Why are we doing this?”
Requirements Analysis:
- Focus: analyze data gathered during elicitation.
- Define methods, tools, and techniques to structure raw data.
- Identify requirement gaps.
- Define “solution capabilities” as a basis for selecting among alternatives.
® “What must the solution do?”
Solution Assessment & Validation:
- Ensure the best approach is chosen and objectives are met.
- Check feasibility of solution and guide verification.
- Assess transition requirements and organizational readiness.
- Validate the solution and evaluate its performance.
® “Does the solution do what it is supposed to do?”
1.5 Stakeholder Engagement
A stakeholder is defined as any person or group that has a relationship to a change or solution.
Stakeholders are relevant because they either experience a change in value themselves or influence
the value experienced by others.
Ex. Families of employees relocated to a new office are stakeholders — not because they move, but because they
affect employees’ experience of value
In business analysis, stakeholders are regarded as part of the system and serve as valuable sources
of information.
The engagement of stakeholders is important because it creates healthy and productive
collaboration and ensures progress in the analysis process.
§ Efficient communication strategy (rally support rather than fighting resistance)
§ Better stakeholder satisfaction (increased participation)
§ Limiting scope creep (increased clarity reduces conflict)
, What we want to know:
There are 3 steps in stakeholder engagement.
1. Identify Stakeholders - Who are they?
2. Analyze Stakeholders - Their power, interest, expectations.
Stakeholder matrix:
Onion Diagram:
- Visualizes stakeholders in concentric layers
around the system
- The closer to the center, the more direct the
involvement
- Helps identify all relevant stakeholders, not just
end users
- Ensures business analysis considers the full
ecosystem of influence and impact
RACI Matrix:
o A RACI matrix clarifies roles and responsibilities for activities in a project or process. It
avoids confusion, overlap, and gaps in accountability.
