Most organisations invest in Business Analysis training expecting improved capability. 

Yet “good” is rarely defined clearly. 

Without that definition, capability becomes inconsistent, decisions lack structure and outcomes are difficult to predict. 

Using the BCS The Chartered Institute for IT framework, “good” can be defined clearly at each level of Business Analysis.

  • Foundation — structured understanding and disciplined investigation
  • Practitioner — informed decision support through analysis
  • Strategic BA (Professional level) — enabling change and delivering measurable outcomes 

This progression reflects how Business Analysts develop from understanding concepts to delivering real business impact. 

Why defining ‘good’ in Business Analysis matters 

Business Analysis supports the full business change lifecycle, not just requirements definition. Without a clear definition of ‘good’: 

  • work becomes inconsistent
  • decisions are based on assumptions
  • outcomes are unpredictable

With a clear definition: 

  • work is structured
  • decisions are evidence-based
  • outcomes improve

In simple terms: defining “good” turns activity into impact. 

The Business Impact of Getting This Wrong 

Poorly defined capability leads to: 

  • Rework due to unclear requirements
  • Delays caused by weak analysis
  • Inconsistent stakeholder engagement
  • Reduced return on training investment 

Defining “good” is not academic — it directly affects delivery performance. It determines whether training translates into capability or remains theoretical. 

What ‘good’ looks like at each BA level 

  1. Foundation BA – Understands and applies 

A Foundation BA demonstrates knowledge and understanding (K2). At this level, the focus is on building a strong understanding of core Business Analysis principles and applying them in a structured way. The aim is to investigate business situations clearly and avoid jumping to solutions too quickly.

They: 

  • understand the business change lifecycle
  • focus on root causes, not symptoms
  • explore options rather than immediate solutions
  • use structured techniques to investigate problems 

How this works in practice 

A Foundation BA gathers and organises information using recognised techniques. They support the definition of requirements and contribute to understanding the current situation. 

A Foundation BA: 

  • Runs interviews or workshops
  • Gathers information clearly
  • Documents findings accurately
  • Supports requirements definition 

They do not guess. They follow a structured approach. 

This is where many organisations begin — building structured capability through foundation-level capability. 

  1. Practitioner BA – Analyses and adapts

A Practitioner BA moves beyond understanding into analysis and application (K3–K4). At this level, the focus shifts to selecting the right techniques for the situation and using them to support decision-making. The BA begins to interpret information rather than simply collect it. 

They: 

  • analyse environments using PESTLE and SWOT
  • assess alignment using VMOST
  • evaluate processes and identify improvements
  • support business case development  

The key shift

At this level: 

  • technique selection becomes critical
  • stakeholder understanding deepens
  • decisions are supported with structured analysis 

In Delivery 

A Practitioner BA takes ownership of analysis activities and influence” is key language for senior BA capability (this also aligns with the SFIA Foundation). They ensure that requirements and solutions are aligned to business needs. 

A Practitioner BA: 

  • prioritises requirements using structured methods
  • analyses stakeholders using tools like the Power/Interest grid
  • identifies gaps between current and target state 

They do not just apply techniques. They choose the right ones.  

  1. Strategic BA (Professional level) – Enables business change (K3–K5).

At this level, a Strategic BA operates across the full business change lifecycle. 

The focus is on enabling effective business change and ensuring that solutions deliver real value. The BA connects analysis activities to organisational strategy and outcomes.

They: 

  • define target business states
  • align solutions with strategy
  • support delivery, testing and implementation
  • ensure benefits are realised 

In a Real Project 

At professional level, the BA works across multiple stages of change and supports decision-making at a higher level. They help organisations move from current state to target state in a controlled and effective way. 

A Strategic BA (Professional level): 

  • uses gap analysis to guide change
  • evaluates options and builds business cases
  • supports delivery across design, development and testing 

They do not focus on tasks. They focus on outcomes. 

The structure behind ‘good’ – BCS Business Analysis Service Framework 

The BCS framework defines where Business Analysts add value across the lifecycle. This ensures that analysis is not isolated but connected to real business change. 

This provides a consistent structure for where “good” is applied in practice:

  • situation investigation and problem analysis
  • feasibility and business case development
  • business process improvement
  • requirements definition
  • business acceptance testing
  • business change deployment
  • stakeholder engagement 

‘Good’ means contributing effectively across these areas. 

How to progress between BA levels 

Simple progression model 

Understand → Apply → Analyse → Enable 

This reflects how capability develops from learning concepts to enabling business change. 

  • Foundation → builds knowledge and applies structure
  • Practitioner → analyses situations and supports decisions
  • Strategic BA (Professional level) → enables change and delivers outcomes 

Progression is not about more knowledge. It is about greater impact. 

Build BA Capability That Delivers 

If your team:  

  • Completes training but struggles to apply it
  • Delivers inconsistent analysis
  • Lacks clarity on what “good” looks like 

…it may be time to introduce a more structured approach to capability development: 

Final thought…Good in Business Analysis is not about activity. 

It is about clarity, decision quality and measurable outcomes. At every level, the role of the Business Analyst is the same: Reduce uncertainty and enable better business decisions. 

That is what “good” looks like at every level. 

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