BCD key terms

The internal and external conditions, goals, and constraints that shape why an organisation is undertaking a change and what outcomes it values. It frames how business analysis work is scoped, prioritised, and judged as worthwhile.

A problem to solve or an opportunity to exploit that motivates a change. It describes the gap between the current situation and a desired one, expressed in business terms rather than technical ones.

A technique for scanning external factors across political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental dimensions. It helps analysts understand forces outside the organisation's control that may affect a proposed change.

A structured way to summarise internal strengths and weaknesses alongside external opportunities and threats. It is often used to test whether an organisation is positioned to pursue a particular strategic direction.

A concise statement of the benefit an organisation offers to a customer or stakeholder group, and why that benefit matters more than alternatives. It links strategic intent to what the change must deliver.

The combination of people, processes, information, and technology that lets an organisation achieve a particular outcome. Changes are assessed by whether they build, remove, or reshape specific capabilities.

Any person or group with an interest in, influence over, or dependency on the change or the business situation being examined. Stakeholders can be internal or external and may be affected directly or indirectly.

The systematic identification and assessment of stakeholders by attributes such as influence, interest, impact, and attitude. Its output informs how each stakeholder should be engaged and communicated with during the work.

A two-dimensional mapping that places stakeholders by how much influence they hold and how much the outcome matters to them. It guides engagement strategy, from close management to keeping informed.

A documented approach describing who will be engaged, on what topics, at which points, and through which channels. It sets expectations for communication, consultation, and sign-off across the change lifecycle.

A table that assigns each activity to those responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed. It clarifies decision rights and prevents ambiguity over who owns an outcome versus who merely contributes.

A schedule and set of conventions for what information is shared with which audiences, in what format, and when. It supports consistent messaging and reduces the risk of stakeholders being surprised by decisions.

The deliberate gathering of information from people and sources to understand the business situation and requirements. Techniques include interviews, workshops, observation, document analysis, and surveys, chosen to suit the context.

A structured or semi-structured conversation with an individual to gather detailed information, opinions, or context. It is valuable for depth and sensitive topics but is time-consuming and limited to one perspective.

Bringing a group together in a managed session to elicit input, resolve differences, or reach agreement. Skilled facilitation balances participation, keeps the group on purpose, and records decisions and actions.

Watching people carry out their work in context to see what actually happens rather than what is described. It often reveals tacit steps, workarounds, and pain points that interviews alone would miss.

Reviewing existing records such as policies, procedures, reports, and system documentation to build understanding. It is efficient for background and rules but may reflect outdated or aspirational rather than actual practice.

A set of techniques, such as the five whys or fishbone diagrams, used to trace a visible problem back to its underlying causes. Addressing causes rather than symptoms leads to more durable solutions.

A repeatable set of activities that transforms inputs into outputs of value to a customer or stakeholder. Processes cross roles and systems, so improvements often require coordination beyond a single team.

A description of how a process currently operates, including its steps, roles, inputs, and known problems. It provides the baseline against which improvements and future designs are compared.

A description of how a process should operate once the change is implemented. It expresses the intended future flow, roles, and rules, and is used to assess impact and plan transition.

A visual or structured representation of process steps, decision points, actors, and information flows. Models make complexity visible and give stakeholders a shared reference for discussion and validation.

A process model that groups activities into lanes by role, department, or system. It highlights handoffs and dependencies between participants, which are frequent sources of delay and error.

A comparison of the current state with the desired future state to identify what is missing or must change. The resulting gaps inform options, requirements, and transition planning.

The structured comparison of alternative ways to close a gap or meet a need. Options are assessed against agreed criteria such as cost, benefit, risk, feasibility, and strategic fit before a recommendation is made.

An evaluation of whether a proposed option can realistically be delivered, covering technical, financial, organisational, and schedule dimensions. It tests viability before significant commitment is made.

The baseline option of making no change, used to show what happens if the organisation takes no action. Comparing other options against it clarifies the true value of intervening.

The identification and evaluation of uncertainties that could affect delivery or outcomes, judged by likelihood and impact. It informs mitigation planning and helps decision makers weigh options fairly.

A statement of a capability or condition that a solution must satisfy to meet the business need. Requirements should be clear, testable, and traceable to their source and to the value they support.

A requirement describing what the solution must do, such as a behaviour, calculation, or service it provides. It is typically expressed from the perspective of the user or business activity supported.

A requirement describing qualities or constraints the solution must meet, such as performance, security, usability, or availability. These shape how well a solution performs rather than what it does.

A short, plain-language statement of a need written from a user's perspective, often with acceptance criteria. It supports incremental delivery and conversation about intent rather than fixed detail.

The specific, testable conditions that must be met for a requirement or user story to be accepted as complete. They provide a shared definition of done between business and delivery stakeholders.

The ability to link each requirement back to its source and forward to design, build, and test artefacts. It supports impact analysis, coverage checks, and evidence that the business need is addressed.

A structured justification for a proposed investment, setting out the need, options considered, costs, benefits, risks, and a recommendation. It gives decision makers the evidence to approve, defer, or reject the change.

A comparison of the expected costs of an option against its expected benefits, often over several years. It helps rank alternatives and test whether the investment is worthwhile.

The time taken for cumulative benefits to equal the initial investment. It is a simple indicator of financial exposure, though it ignores value created after the break-even point.

The process of planning, tracking, and confirming that the intended benefits of a change are actually achieved. It requires owners, measures, and review points beyond the point of delivery.

The decision-making structures, roles, and controls that direct and oversee a change. Clear governance defines who approves scope, funding, and key decisions, and how exceptions are escalated.