The BCS Business Analysis Process Model
In short The BCS book describes business analysis as a sequence of stages, from investigating the situation to defining requirements, with an extended version that also covers delivering the change. It is a practical alternative to the BABOK® Guide’s knowledge areas when you need an end-to-end route through a piece of analysis work.
Based on: D. Paul, D. Yeates, J. Cadle (eds.), Business Analysis (BCS), 2nd ed., chs. 1, 2 and 4.
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Key ideas#
Understand the problem before solving it#
The BCS book bases its process on a creative problem-solving model from Isaksen and Treffinger. It has six stages: mess finding (recognizing how complex the situation is), data finding (separating facts from opinions), problem finding (identifying the real problem rather than a symptom), idea finding (generating options), solution finding (evaluating ideas against criteria agreed beforehand) and acceptance finding (getting the solution adopted). The lesson the book draws: the pressure to produce a solution quickly is misleading. Half of the stages are about understanding the problem.
The five stages, plus delivery#
The model sits on top of the organization’s business strategy and objectives. The stages, in the book’s terms:
| Stage | Aim | Typical techniques |
|---|---|---|
| Investigate situation | Uncover the problem or opportunity as a whole | Interviews, observation, workshops, rich pictures, mind maps |
| Consider perspectives | Understand how different stakeholders see the situation | Stakeholder analysis, soft systems methodology and CATWOE, business activity models |
| Analyse needs | Find the gap between how things are and how they should be | Business activity modeling, process modeling, gap analysis |
| Evaluate options | Package improvements into options and assess feasibility | Business case, cost-benefit analysis, risk analysis |
| Define requirements | Elicit and document detailed requirements | Requirements engineering, IT system modeling |
| Deliver changes (extended model) | Support building and implementing the solution | Delivery lifecycles, change management |
The model is not strictly linear. Many projects only touch some stages; a narrowly scoped project might involve only “define requirements”.
Four views of a business system#
When looking for improvements, the BCS book asks you to examine four aspects together: processes (are they well defined, or do people rely on workarounds?), people (skills, motivation, understanding of goals), organizational context (supportive management, clear roles, cross-functional working) and technology (does it support the business and provide the information needed?). Focusing on processes and IT alone, and ignoring people and organization, is a common reason changes underdeliver.
Where the model sits#
The BCS book places business analysis between strategic analysis (mostly done by others, but the analyst must understand it) and IT systems analysis (traditionally separate, though merged in some organizations). Its guiding principles include tackling root causes, offering options rather than accepting preset solutions, and staying involved across the whole change lifecycle. See What Is a Business Analyst?.
How to apply it#
- Use the stages as a plan outline. For a new assignment, write one line per stage: what you will do, with whom, and what you will produce.
- Decide which stages apply. If strategy and options are already settled, say so explicitly and start at “define requirements”. Record the assumption.
- Resist skipping to requirements. If the sponsor hands you a solution, spend at least a short time on investigation and perspectives to confirm the problem.
- Check all four views. Before finalizing options, ask what each option means for processes, people, organization and technology.
- Agree evaluation criteria before generating options. This follows the book’s advice to evaluate ideas against criteria set in advance, and keeps the favorite idea from winning by default.
Example#
The Workshop, a fictional chain of 12 bike-repair workshops, wants “better spare-parts ordering”:
- Investigate: the analyst interviews managers and spends a morning observing a busy workshop. Parts are ordered by phone, from memory.
- Consider perspectives: the owner sees cost, mechanics see waiting time, the supplier sees chaotic small orders.
- Analyse needs: the gap is no reliable record of parts used, and no reorder trigger.
- Evaluate options: (A) shared spreadsheet and weekly order, (B) off-the-shelf stock tool, (C) custom module in the new booking system. A short business case compares cost, risk and fit.
- Define requirements: for option B, needs-focused requirements for vendor evaluation.
- Deliver changes: training at each workshop and a new ordering routine. The “people” view showed that mechanics need a quick way to record parts, or nothing else will work.
Pitfalls#
- Treating the model as a waterfall. Stages overlap and loop back when new facts appear.
- Ignoring the people view. Process and technology changes fail when skills, motivation or roles are not addressed.
- Collapsing options into one. “Evaluate options” with a single option is a rubber stamp. Include at least a do-minimum alternative.
Sources and further reading#
- D. Paul, D. Yeates, J. Cadle (eds.). Business Analysis, 2nd ed. BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, 2010. Ch. 1 (scope of the role, principles); ch. 2 (competencies); ch. 4 (problem-solving approach and the business analysis process model).
- S. Isaksen, D. Treffinger — creative problem-solving model, as adapted in the BCS book.