Business Analysis Techniques: 123 essential tools for success 3rd Edition

Book Preface

This is the third edition of this book. The first, published in 2010, described 72 techniques; the second, published in 2014, described 99 techniques; this edition extends to 123 techniques. This growth reflects both the developments in business analysis over the last seven years and the ability of business analysts to apply and adapt techniques from other disciplines where they appear relevant and useful.

Professional business analysts have at their disposal a range of techniques from which they can select those most appropriate to their current task. Some techniques are used regularly, others less frequently – but often when a particular technique is needed nothing else will be as effective.

This edition is structured differently from its predecessors. Business Analysis, fourth edition (BCS, 2020) introduced the Business Analysis Service Framework (BASF) and it seemed sensible to align the structure of this book with this framework. Most of the techniques could be used to carry out several BASF services, so have been allocated where we felt was most relevant. Given that the skill of the business analyst lies in selecting and applying techniques as appropriate, we anticipate that this will be in line with current practice and should raise opportunities rather than challenges.
Each section of the book covers a BASF service, divided into logical groupings of techniques. The structure that has proved successful in earlier editions of this book has been applied for each technique: an overview description followed by a discussion of how the technique might be used.

Although the coverage has been extended to 123 techniques, there are many more used within business analysis that could have been covered; we are constantly advised of new – or newly popular – techniques. Given that the importance of the services offered by business analysts is increasingly recognised, and those services continue to flourish and grow, who knows how many business analysis techniques might be available in the future?

The expansion in the volume of techniques, and the need to revisit those that have been in the book since its inception, has prompted us to extend the writing team. We are delighted to welcome contributing authors Jonathan Hunsley, Adrian Reed and David Beckham. Apart from working on the additional techniques presented in this edition, they have also brought new perspectives and current experiences that have enhanced and refreshed the technique descriptions. Our long-term collaborator, Paul Turner, having contributed significantly to the earlier editions, provided an experienced critical eye while contributing the occasional pearl of wisdom for this edition.

Context is key for business analysis; there is no ‘one size fits all’ technique or method. Our aim in writing this book is to provide a compendium of techniques that business analysts can discover (or rediscover) when the situation demands. We hope this book enables professional business analysts to develop their toolkit so that they can apply and adapt techniques as the situation requires.
James Cadle
Debra Paul
August 2021