BCS Business Analysis Practice

Course summary

This BCS certified course is concerned with some of the strategic aspects of business analysis. Its focus is on using a holistic approach to the investigation and improvement of business situations with a view to developing effective, feasible business solutions.

BCS Business Analysis Practice investigates the ‘Business System’ comprising elements of organisation, process, people and Information & Technology. This certificate teaches techniques for understanding business strategy and driving out strategic change within an organisation including the production of a business case.

Delivery Method

Classroom and virtual.

Our virtual classroom training courses are delivered via Zoom. Online BCS exams will also require use of Zoom and installation of exam software on the delegate’s laptop or desktop PC.

Course Tutors

Our BCS Business Analysis Practice course tutors for both classroom and virtual courses, are practising business change professionals with at least 5 years training delivery experience.

Suitable for

Professionals seeking to improve their business analysis skills and knowledge:

• Practising business analysts – experienced or junior
• Project experts including project managers, project support staff, and project analysts
• Business experts including product owners, subject matter experts (SMEs), business change managers, senior users and project stakeholders
• IT experts including systems architects, software developers, testers, support, and trainers

This course is aimed at individuals who would like to achieve the BCS Certificate in Business Analysis Practice, one of the practitioner level core modules required for the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis.

Course Dates

What is included?

• 3-day tutor led training course
• BCS Business Analysis Practice multiple-choice examination, taken after the course
• Printed course notes and exercise workbook sent to you by post
• 2 sample exam papers taken and assessed with support and guidance from the course tutor, plus a further 30 sample exam questions for homework or pre-course preparation
• Experienced tutors who have also worked on business change projects for at least 10 years
• Maximum 9 delegates per course for virtual and classroom courses
• Engagement with other delegates to learn from their experiences and to share your own
• Case studies and exercises to apply techniques learnt
• Post-course access to careers advice from practising business analysts

Learning Outcomes

Candidates should be able to demonstrate knowledge, understanding and application of Business Analysis Practice principles and techniques in the following areas:

• The breadth of the role of a business analyst (BA), the value of the role to organisations and the skills required of a BA to support successful business change.
• The processes and techniques of strategy analysis.
• Investigation of an organisation’s business systems in order to uncover the problems and issues occurring within them.
• The importance of, and techniques used within, stakeholder management and the need for analysing perspectives.
• Conceptual modelling through the use of business activity models.
• Recommendations for business improvements and how they may be identified through gap analysis between desired and current business models.
• The role of a business case within the business change lifecycle, including the contents of a business case for the development and implementation of business changes.

Course syllabus

The course covers the BCS syllabus for Business Analysis Practice which is divided into the following seven areas:

• Strategic Context for Business Analysis (20%)
• Analysing and Managing Stakeholders (20%)
• Analysing the Current State (15%)
• Establishing the Target State (15%)
• Designing and Defining the Solutions (15%)
• Building the Business Case (15%)

To view the full BCS syllabus for the Certificate in Business Analysis Practice please click here.

View some Business Analysis Practice sample exam questions here

Course preparation

The syllabus for this course and exam is based on several chapters from the BCS publication ‘Business Analysis, Fourth Edition’. It is strongly recommended that delegates purchase and read the relevant chapters before attending the course. This will greatly increase their chances of passing the exam.

The BCS reading text is not included in the course fee and delegates should obtain their own copy in order to complete the pre-reading.

Additional course information

Courses take place approximately 09:30 – 16:00 each day.

The BCS Business Analysis Practice exam is taken online via the BCS’s remote proctoring service allowing attendees to book an exam at a date and time suitable for them.

We generally recommend taking the exam on the same day or soon after.

BCS Examination and Accreditation Details

To support preparation for taking the exam we provide delegates with two sample exam papers during the course.

The BCS Certificate in Business Analysis Practice exam is taken after completion of the course.

The exam fee is included in the costs shown above. The format of the examination is a one-hour closed-book multiple-choice examination consisting of 40 questions. Candidates need to achieve a minimum of 26 marks out of 40 to pass the examination.

Free BCS Associate Membership worth £92 when you pass your first BCS exam. Gives you access to professional development and networking tools to enhance your BA career. Click here for more information.