Jira & Confluence
Backlogs, user stories, and requirement docs.
Skills you'll build
Stakeholder analysis & engagementRequirements elicitation & workshopsBusiness requirements documents (BRD)User stories & acceptance criteriaProcess modelling (BPMN, swimlanes)Gap analysis & root-cause analysisSQL & Excel for analysisAgile BA in Scrum teamsUAT planning & sign-offBusiness case & options appraisal
Who this is for
Career changers, graduates, support and operations staff, and team leads who want to move into analysis roles bridging business and technology.
What you'll need
Everything to have in place before day one.
Prerequisites
- Basic computer literacy and comfort with spreadsheets
- Clear written English for documentation
- No technical or coding background required
Equipment & time
- A laptop (Windows, macOS, or Linux) with at least 8 GB RAM
- Stable internet for live sessions and labs
- 8–10 hours per week for classes, labs, and projects
- Free accounts we set up together in week one (no paid software needed to start)
Tools you'll use
The same tools used by teams in the industry today.
Miro / Lucidchart
Process maps, BPMN diagrams, and workshops.
Excel / Google Sheets
Data analysis, pivots, and traceability.
SQL (PostgreSQL)
Query data to validate assumptions.
Power BI (intro)
Simple dashboards for stakeholders.
Figma (basics)
Read and annotate wireframes with designers.
Course outline & syllabus
Six phases, taken in order. Each ends with a practical lab so you apply what you learn straight away.
Phase 1: Business Analysis Foundations
Beginner- What a business analyst does in tech, finance, and public sector teams
- The BA lifecycle: strategy, elicitation, analysis, solution evaluation
- Working alongside product managers, project managers, and engineers
- Core artefacts: problem statements, scope, assumptions, constraints
- BABOK knowledge areas overview
Phase 2: Stakeholders & Elicitation
Essential- Stakeholder mapping: power/interest grids and RACI
- Interviews, workshops, observation, surveys, and document analysis
- Facilitation: running effective requirement workshops
- Handling conflicting requirements and difficult stakeholders
- Capturing decisions and maintaining a requirements log
Phase 3: Requirements & Documentation
Core- Functional vs non-functional requirements
- Writing a business requirements document (BRD)
- User stories, acceptance criteria, and Gherkin (Given/When/Then)
- Use cases and requirements traceability matrices
- Prioritisation with MoSCoW and value vs effort
Phase 4: Process & Data Analysis
Analysis- As-is and to-be process modelling with BPMN and swimlanes
- Gap analysis, root-cause analysis (5 Whys, fishbone)
- SQL fundamentals: SELECT, JOIN, GROUP BY to validate requirements
- Excel pivots and basic dashboards for evidence-based decisions
- Data dictionaries and basic data modelling (ERDs)
Phase 5: Agile BA & Solution Delivery
Advanced- The BA role in Scrum: backlog refinement and sprint support
- Business cases, options appraisal, and cost/benefit analysis
- UAT planning, test scenarios, and stakeholder sign-off
- Change impact analysis and transition planning
- Measuring outcomes after release
Phase 6: Capstone & Career
Career- End-to-end case study: from problem statement to signed-off requirements
- Deliverables: stakeholder map, process maps, BRD, backlog, UAT plan
- Present your analysis and recommendations to a mock steering group
- Certification paths: IIBA ECBA/CCBA, BCS Foundation in Business Analysis
- Job search: BA CV, portfolio, case interviews, and STAR answers
Portfolio projects
Build work you can show hiring managers, not just theory.
Process improvement case study
- As-is and to-be BPMN maps
- Gap analysis with recommendations
Requirements pack
- BRD with traceability matrix
- Prioritised user stories with acceptance criteria
Data-backed business case
- SQL and Excel analysis of a real dataset
- Options appraisal with costs and benefits
UAT plan & sign-off
- Test scenarios mapped to requirements
- Stakeholder sign-off checklist
Keep learning after the course
Your ongoing syllabus: what to study next as you grow in the role.
Deepen your craft
- Advanced BPMN and process mining tools
- Business architecture and capability mapping
- Product discovery techniques shared with product managers
Grow your data skills
- Intermediate SQL and Power BI dashboards
- Data governance and data quality basics
- Analysing requirements for AI and automation projects
Certify and specialise
- IIBA CCBA then CBAP as experience grows
- Agile analysis (IIBA AAC) or BCS International Diploma
- Domain depth: fintech, healthcare, or public sector
Certifications & resources
Ready to start Business Analysis?
Register your interest and we'll recommend the right starting phase for your background and goals.