Business Analysis Knowledge Areas

I’ve been interested in and good at Business Analysis since undergraduate school; and have chosen to specialize in it despite the various roles I’ve assumed throughout my career. Whether I was a Systems Analyst, Training Specialist, or a Project Manager, Business Analysis skills have always been present in my job duties.

So what is Business Analysis? As per the BABOK® Guide (Business Analysis Body of Knowledge), Business Analysis is:

The practice of enabling change in an enterprise by defining needs and recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders.

A Business Analyst is

Any person who performs business analysis tasks described in the BABOK® Guide, no matter their job title or organizational role. Business analysts are responsible for discovering, synthesizing, and analyzing information from a variety of sources within an enterprise, including tools, processes, documentation, and stakeholders.

While preparing to sit for the Certified Business Analysis Professional exam, I organized the Business Analysis Knowledge Areas and Associated Tasks, Inputs and Outputs into a diagram for easy reference, since the majority of reviews and preparation courses I went through stressed on the importance of familiarizing oneself with the BA Knowledge Areas. Please note that this diagram is based on the BA Knowledge Areas identified by the BABOK Guide V2.

You can download your copy here, and I hope it helps.