Modern Analyst’s
Business Analyst
Skills and Knowledge audit
For more information contact Craig Brown at www.ModernAnalyst.com.

The purpose of this workbook
This workbook runs through the BABOK (v1.6)
and highlights the key knowledge areas. It has
So, you want to be a been put together to help you identify your
strengths and weaknesses, and to assist you in
Business Analyst? developing your career as a business analyst.
The structure of the workbook is set up like this;
And not just any BA but an – Each page presents a chapter heading of
excellent one. the BA Body of Knowledge (Care of the
International Institute of Business Analysts.)
This is your opportunity to – On the right hand of the page a quick
summary of the contents is provided.
test out your knowledge & – On the left hand you are asked to write
experience. down your own assessment of your skills in
this area and to demonstrate your
experience.
– This will highlight the areas you should
focus on to develop your skills and
knowledge.

Resources
This document refers to the IIBA’s
Business Analyst Body of Knowledge
(BABOK) as the main source document.
It can be downloaded from the IIBA website at
www.theiiba.org.
The BABOK is the leading standard for what a BA does,
but is not he exclusive and only source. You may use or
need other skills, and you may not need all the skills
documented in this BOK. Other examples include;
– PMBOK available from www.PMI.org, and
– SWEBOK available from www.swebok.org

Chapter 1; Introduction
What do I know about this?
What practical, specific examples have I got
• What is IIBA and the BABOK? to demonstrate credibility?
• Why is it here and how is it useful?
• What is a BA, and where do they
fit in to project teams and
organisations?

Chapter 2; Enterprise Analysis
What do I know about this?
What practical, specific examples have I got
• Strategic planning
to demonstrate credibility?
• Enterprise/Business Architecture
• Feasibility studies
• Project Scope and Business Case
• Risk Assessments
• Project Prioritisation
• Project kick-offs
• Benefits management and
tracking

Chapter 3: Requirements planning
& management
What do I know about this?
What practical, specific examples have I got
• to demonstrate credibility?
About the roles on project teams
• The roles of BAs on projects
• Requirements Risks
• Requirements Planning
• Defining and estimating work
activities
• Managing requirements scope
• Measuring performance and
effectiveness
• Requirements change control

Chapter 4; Requirements elicitation
What do I know about this?
What practical, specific examples have I got
• What is requirements elicitation to demonstrate credibility?
• Techniques
– Brainstorming
– Document analysis
– Focus Groups
– Interface analysis
– Interviews
– Observation
– Prototyping
– Workshops
– Reverse engineering
– Surveys and questionnaires

Chapter 5; Analysis and
documentation
• Analysis techniques What do I know about this?
• Solution development methods What practical, specific examples have I got
to demonstrate credibility?
– Structuring requirements
– Business domains
– User requirements (eg UX)
– Functional requirements
– Service requirements (non
functional)
– Assumptions and constraints
– Requirements attributes
• Documenting requirements
• Validating & Verifying
requirements
• Data and behaviour models
• Process flows
• Usage models (use cases)

Chapter 6: Requirements
communication
What do I know about this?
What practical, specific examples have I got
• Communications plans to demonstrate credibility?
• Managing conflicting requirements
• Format and presentation
• Review and approval

Chapter 7: Solution Assessment
and Validation
What do I know about this?
What practical, specific examples have I got
• Developing alternatives to demonstrate credibility?
• Evaluating (technology) options
• (Facilitating) Selection of a
solution
• Validating solution
• Support QA
• Support implementation
• PIR

Chapter 8: BA Fundamentals
What do I know about this?
What practical, specific examples have I got
• Communications, to demonstrate credibility?
• Leadership,
• Problem Solving,
• Business Knowledge,
• IT Knowledge

Chapter 9
Glossary & Terms What do I know about this?
What practical, specific examples have I got
– Industry jargon is inevitable, but you have to know it
to speak with other project team members, to demonstrate credibility?
particularly technical people and managers. It helps
demonstrate your capability.

Next steps
What now? Author: Craig Brown
www.betterprojects.blogspot.com
Go back and reflect on your comments on each of the BA
Areas. Which areas do you have particular strengths?
What areas do you think need further development?
Business Analysts can develop specialisations in one or
several areas of the BABOK, but should have general
competency in all areas.
Develop an action plan to close your knowledge and
experience gaps. Seek workplace opportunities to help
you on your journey.
If you want help contact us at Modern Analyst and we can
work with you on your career development.
Contact us