This BCS accredited course develops your ability to analyse business needs and support effective organisational change. You’ll build a clear understanding of the role of a business analyst, and the skills required to successfully investigate organisational systems, identify issues and evaluate improvement opportunities within your organisation. By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped to contribute effectively to change initiatives.
Business Analysis Practice
Strengthen your role as a business analyst in change initiatives
Designed for professionals who are already working or moving into roles that support business change, this three-day course is ideal for business analysts, project managers, or business change practitioners. You’ll build capability in business activity modelling, stakeholder communication, business case development, and SWOT analysis. By strengthening these skills, you’ll be better positioned to increase project impact and progress towards more advanced business analysis responsibilities.
Learning objectives
- Analyse business activities
- Model business processes
- Apply strategic analysis techniques
- Investigate business systems
- Manage stakeholders effectively
- Build business cases
- Identify improvement opportunities
- Support business change
Key facts
Certification
BCS Business Analysis Practice
Who it’s for
This course is suitable for business analysts, business managers, business change managers, project managers and their teams.
Prerequisites
There are no formal prerequisites, but some practical experience of business analysis is recommended.
Exam information
The exam is multiple choice, closed book, lasts 60 minutes and requires a 65% pass mark. It is taken online via a remote proctor.
Optional extras
Pass Protect exam insurance.
Pre-course
There is no pre-course work required before attending this course.
Course syllabus
Dive into the detail of the course by looking at the syllabus below.
- Business analysis rationale
- The scope of business analysis
- Definition of business analysis
- The development of business analysis
- The business change lifecycle
- Roles in business analysis
- Strategic analysis in context
- External analysis – PESTLE, Five Forces Analysis
- Internal analysis – Resource Audit, MOST
- Building a SWOT analysis
- Critical success factors and key performance indicators
- Measuring performance – the Balanced Business Scorecard
- A project approach to business analysis
- Initiating a business analysis study
- Defining terms of reference
- Understanding business situations
- Review of investigation techniques
- Documenting the business situation
- Rich pictures
- Mind maps
- Fishbone diagrams
- Business perspectives
- Identifying stakeholders
- Analysing stakeholders – Power/Interest Grid, RACI
- Stakeholder management strategies
- Defining business perspectives – CATWOE
- Analysing and modelling the business activities
- Types of business activity
- Building a conceptual business activity model
- Consolidating perspectives and building consensus
- Identifying potential solutions
- Business events
- Business rules
- Business process models
- Exploring the gap between the current and desired situation
- Identifying areas for business improvement – POP-IT
- Taking a holistic approach to business improvement
- Making the business case
- Analysing feasibility
- Contents of a business case
- Options
- Costs and benefits
- Impacts and risks
- Lifecycle for the business case
FAQs
This course builds practical business analysis capability and prepares you for the BCS Business Analysis Practice certification. It covers key techniques for analysing business systems, managing stakeholders, and supporting change, helping you apply structured approaches to real-world business challenges.
What experience do I need before attending this course?
There are no formal prerequisites for attending the course or taking the exam. However, it is recommended that you have some practical experience of business analysis to help you engage more effectively with the course content and apply the techniques covered.
How is the exam delivered?
The BCS Business Analysis Practice exam is delivered online and must be taken via a remote web proctor. This allows you to complete the exam in a controlled environment without needing to attend a physical test centre.
What skills will I gain from this course?
You will develop skills in analysing business processes, managing stakeholders, building business cases and identifying improvement opportunities. These skills enable you to contribute to business change initiatives and develop more effective, evidence-based solutions.
What will I be able to do after completing this course?
Once complete, you will have the practical skills needed to strengthen your credibility as a business analyst and progress your career in change-focused roles. Achieving BCS certification demonstrates your capability to operate with a structured, professional approach, helping you take on greater responsibility and advance within business analysis roles.
Is the BCS Business Analysis Practice certification recognised?
Yes, the BCS Business Analysis Practice certification is a recognised qualification that strengthens your professional credibility as a business analyst. It demonstrates your ability to apply structured techniques to real business challenges and supports your progression within business analysis and change-focused roles.
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