Business Analyst

About this course

Business analysts connect business problems with practical solutions. This course introduces the role and the main types of analyst, shows how to find and drive improvements, explains how a BA works across a project, and covers requirements gathering. It closes with careers in business analysis and a capstone proposal.

What you will be able to do

• By the end you can describe what a business analyst does and compare systems, process and data analyst roles.
• By the end you can find improvement opportunities with process mapping and root cause analysis, and explain their business impact.
• By the end you can describe the BA's role through each project phase and gather requirements with interviews, surveys, workshops and prototypes.
• By the end you can plan a business analysis career path and write a short technical solution proposal.

Course outline

1. The role of the business analyst

   11 min · Lesson notes, example, action task · 2-question quiz

   Business analysis identifies and describes an organisation's needs, then recommends solutions that meet them. The role blends communication, problem-solving and process thinking, and it takes different shapes depending on the type of analyst.
2. Driving change and process improvement

   10 min · Lesson notes, example, action task · 2-question quiz

   Business analysts find inefficiencies and recommend changes that save money, speed up work or open new revenue. They use mapping and data analysis to see where a process goes wrong, then involve stakeholders before testing any solution.
3. The BA across the project lifecycle

   10 min · Lesson notes, example, action task · 2-question quiz

   A business analyst is involved from the start of a project to its close. The BA helps define scope, plan resources, track issues during delivery and make sure the project is handed over properly.
4. Gathering and analysing requirements

   11 min · Lesson notes, example, action task · 2-question quiz

   Requirements describe what a solution must do. Business analysts choose techniques such as interviews, surveys, focus groups, workshops and prototypes, then document, prioritise and trace each requirement to the project's deliverables.
5. Careers in business analysis

   9 min · Lesson notes, example, action task · 2-question quiz

   Business analysis is a growing field with many related job titles. Employers often ask for specific skills, tools and certifications, so plan your learning around the roles you want.
6. Capstone: a technical solution proposal

   9 min · Lesson notes, example, action task · 2-question quiz

   Apply what you have learnt to a fictional business. Identify a problem, gather requirements, map the process and propose a solution that is feasible and clearly costed.
7. Final quiz and certificate

   10 questions, pass mark 8 of 10. Pass to get your Reesby Academy certificate with a verification link.