BCS BA Foundation key terms

The practice of identifying business needs and determining solutions to business problems, often through process improvement, organisational change, or software development.

A professional who investigates business situations, analyses needs, and recommends solutions that deliver value to stakeholders.

Any individual or group with an interest in, or affected by, a business change or project outcome.

The process of identifying stakeholders and assessing their influence, interest, and potential impact on a project.

The ongoing process of communicating with and involving stakeholders to ensure their needs are understood and addressed.

A statement of a need or expectation that must be met by a solution, often expressed as a condition or capability.

A requirement that specifies what a system or solution must do, describing a behaviour or function.

A requirement that specifies how a system performs a function, such as performance, usability, security, or reliability constraints.

The process of gathering requirements from stakeholders and other sources using techniques such as interviews, workshops, and observation.

The process of examining, refining, and prioritising requirements to ensure they are complete, consistent, and feasible.

The process of confirming that requirements are correct, complete, and acceptable to stakeholders before development begins.

The ongoing process of documenting, tracking, and controlling changes to requirements throughout the project lifecycle.

A description of a sequence of interactions between a system and an actor that achieves a goal.

A person, system, or organisation that interacts with a system to achieve a goal, often represented in use case diagrams.

A short, simple description of a feature told from the perspective of the user, often in the format 'As a..., I want..., so that...'.

A technique for prioritising requirements into Must have, Should have, Could have, and Won't have categories.

A technique for representing business processes visually, often using flowcharts or swimlane diagrams, to analyse and improve them.

A set of interrelated activities that transform inputs into outputs to achieve a business goal.

A type of flowchart that shows process steps grouped by the role or department responsible for each step.

A lean technique for visualising the flow of materials and information required to bring a product or service to a customer.

A problem-solving method used to identify the underlying causes of a problem rather than just its symptoms.

A visual tool used in root cause analysis to categorise potential causes of a problem, often into people, process, technology, and environment.

A simple root cause analysis technique that involves asking 'why' repeatedly to drill down to the underlying cause of a problem.

A strategic planning technique used to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to a business or project.

A framework for analysing external factors (political, economic, social, technological, legal, environmental) that may affect an organisation.

The process of transitioning an organisation from its current state to a desired future state to achieve strategic goals.

The structured approach to transitioning individuals, teams, and organisations from a current state to a desired future state.

A widely used change management model that outlines eight sequential steps for leading successful organisational change.

A responsibility assignment matrix that defines who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed for each task or decision.

A document that outlines how, when, and to whom project information will be communicated to stakeholders.

The ability to link requirements to their sources, design elements, and test cases to ensure coverage and manage changes.

A formal process for managing changes to requirements or project scope, including assessment, approval, and implementation.

An iterative and incremental approach to project delivery that emphasises flexibility, collaboration, and responding to change.

A technique that allocates a fixed time period to an activity, helping teams focus and prioritise work.

A clear, concise description of an issue that needs to be addressed, often including the current situation and desired outcome.

The process of analysing the business environment and defining a direction to achieve organisational goals.