BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis

• The origins of business analysis
• The development of business analysis
• The scope of business analysis work
• The role and responsibilities of a business analyst

• Personal traits
• Business knowledge
• Professional techniques
• Competencies development

• Strategy context and definition
• External environment analysis
• Internal environment analysis
• SWOT analysis
• Executing strategy

• Approaching problem solving
• The stages of the business analysis process
• Objectives of the process model stages
• Procedure for each process model stage
• Techniques used within each stage of the process model

• Protocols for interviewing
• Observation and the protocols
• Workshops and the appropriate stages
• Scenarios
• Advantages and disadvantages of prototyping
• Quantitative approaches
• Documenting the current situation

• Stakeholder categories and identification
• Analysing stakeholders
• Stakeholder management strategies
• Managing stakeholders
• Understanding stakeholder perspectives
• Business activity models

• The context of an organisation
• Alternative view of an organisation
• Organisational view of business processes
• Value propositions
• Process models
• Evaluating the as-is process model
• How to improve business processes

• Gap analysis
• An introduction to and definition of business architecture
• Techniques of business architecture

• The business case in the project lifestyle
• Assessing project feasibility
• The structure of a business case
• Investment appraisal

• A framework for requirements engineering
• Requirements elicitation and analysis
• Requirements validation

• The requirements documents and catalogue
• Managing requirements

• Delivering the solution
• Context
• Lifecycles

• BA role in the business change lifecycle
• Design stage
• Implementation stage
• Realisation stage

This course is assessed through self-study and an online examination. There are no specific prerequisites for sitting the examination, but candidates should possess the appropriate level of knowledge to fulfil the objectives.
The format of the examination is a one-hour multiple-choice paper consisting of 40 questions. The examination is closed book so no learning materials will be permitted.

You may start at any time and have up to a full year to complete your studies. This is more than enough time to give you flexibility and work at your own pace without the pressure of deadlines.

You will study this course through distance learning, which will enable you to learn when and where you want. You can study from home or at work; it is completely up to you. All your materials will be emailed to you online and you will receive our tutor support by email, so help is only a click away!

At the end of this course, successful learners will receive a Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis from BCS (British Computer Society). This certification provides foundation-level Business Analysis knowledge. The certification may also be used as the knowledge-based specialist module for the Diploma in Business Analysis.