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Introduction to Business Analysis
Dr. M H B Ariyaratne edited this page Feb 2, 2026
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Business Analysis is the practice of enabling change in an organization by defining needs and recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders.
Business analysts work as a bridge between:
- Business stakeholders (who have problems / goals)
- Solution providers (IT, process improvement teams, vendors, operations, etc.)
- End users / customers
The core question every business analyst should continuously ask is:
“What is the real business need and what is the best way to satisfy it?”
- Understand business problems and opportunities
- Elicit, analyze, document, and validate requirements
- Facilitate communication between stakeholders
- Recommend and evaluate potential solutions
- Support solution implementation and adoption
- Measure and assess value realization
- Analytical thinking + problem solving
- Strong stakeholder engagement & communication skills
- Ability to see both the big picture and the details
- Business acumen + technical awareness
- Comfort with ambiguity and change
| Phase | Typical Activities | Main Deliverables |
|---|---|---|
| Planning & Monitoring | Define approach, plan tasks, manage stakeholders | BA Plan, Stakeholder List, Approach |
| Elicitation & Collaboration | Interviews, workshops, surveys, observation, document analysis | Requirements, open questions, notes |
| Requirements Life Cycle Management | Trace, maintain, prioritize, approve requirements | Requirements backlog, traceability matrix |
| Strategy Analysis | Understand current & future state, assess risks | Business case, current/future state models |
| Requirements Analysis & Design Definition | Model, refine, specify, verify requirements | User stories, use cases, data models, process models |
| Solution Evaluation | Assess value, measure performance, recommend actions | Evaluation reports, change recommendations |
Common job titles (but not limited to):
- Business Analyst
- Systems Analyst
- Product Owner / Product Manager
- Process Analyst
- Requirements Engineer
- Consultant (Business / Management / IT)
- Project Manager (in smaller teams)
- Scrum Master / Agile Coach (in many teams)
| Role | Primary Focus | Typical Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Business Analyst | Understanding need → right solution | Requirements, analysis, recommendations |
| Product Owner | Product vision & value maximization | Product backlog, prioritization |
| Project Manager | Delivering on time, budget, scope | Project plan, status reports |
| Solution Architect | Technical design & feasibility | Architecture diagrams, tech decisions |
| Developer | Building the solution | Working software |
| QA Engineer | Verifying solution meets requirements | Test cases, defect reports |
- 30–70% of project failures are related to poor requirements (various industry studies)
- Reduces rework (the most expensive type of work)
- Increases solution adoption
- Improves return on investment (ROI)
- Helps deliver real business value — not just “on time and on budget”
Next steps →
Continue to BABOK Guide Fundamentals to understand the structured framework most widely used in the profession.
Last updated: February 2026