FAQs
What is the best beginner business analysis course to start with?
If you have recently been placed into the role of business analyst, or if you have some experience of working on business change or IT projects, then our 5-day Fundamentals of Business Analysis course is probably the right course for you. It will allow you to develop and practise all of the key skills and techniques that you need to work as a business analyst including actual stakeholder engagement and stand-up presenting. The course includes the BCS Requirements Engineering certificate which includes a ‘practitioner’ level multiple-choice examination. Those with no IT or project experience may struggle with this course and should consider the 3-day BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis.
If you have no experience of business change, IT work or projects, or you want to find out what a business analyst is then you should probably attend the 3-day BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis. This is a foundation level course that offers a broad view of many different aspects of business analysis. You will learn about many different techniques and theories related to business analysis. The exam for this course is more straightforward than the BCS Requirements Engineering exam but will still give you a recognised qualification
Will you help me to find a BA job if I attend one of your business analysis courses?
We are happy to offer advice on finding work as a business analyst and help you to tailor your CV, but cannot offer job placements or internships. You should be very wary of any training company that offers to find a job for you if you attend one of their courses – they are really just after your money! Click here to find out about essential business analyst competencies.
What is the most recognised business analyst qualification in the UK?
The BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis qualification, is the most widely recognised by employers in the UK. It requires you to pass 4 different modules (including BCS Requirements Engineering and the BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis). When you have all 4 modular certificates (each of which is a recognised accreditation in its own right), you sit a one-hour oral exam with two BCS examiners. We recommend attending an oral exam preparation day to get you ready for the oral exam.
Will I be trained by a ‘trained trainer’ or by someone who has worked as a business analyst?
All of our course tutors have several years of training experience but importantly have also worked on major IT and business change projects for at least 10 years. This means that they can share their real-world experiences with you and also answer questions which fall outside the scope of the actual training course. If you are thinking about training with another provider, make sure you ask them about the background of the person who will be teaching you. Meet our course tutors here.
Which certification is best for a business analyst?
If you are looking for business analysis work in the UK, we recommend the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis. The qualification is modular meaning that you can study a number of individual modules each of which is an accreditation in its own right. The BCS’s business analysis diploma allows you to start with a foundation level subject, followed by two core subjects and a practitioner specialism of your choice. We strongly recommend studying Modelling Business Processes as this is a core skill for most practising business analysts.
What qualifications does a business analyst need?
The simple answer to this question is ‘None’. Many business analysts end up in the role after being involved in projects as a business expert, product owner or tester. The other route into BA work is through the technical route of working as developer/programmer. If you’re about to choose a degree subject, pick a subject like Computer Studies/Science or similar where you can learn how IT systems work and are built. If you are already working in a different role, consider starting with the BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis. This is the first step towards the BCS’s business analysis diploma. This is probably the most highly regarded qualification by employers in the UK. Find out more about the diploma here.
Should I attend a virtual (on-line) or a classroom-based business analysis course?
This depends on your budget, physical location and time you have available. Our virtual courses offer a very interactive environment where you can ask questions and share work experiences. You also take the exam at the end of the course and get an immediate result when the exam finishes.
However, there is no real substitute for learning in the classroom where you can engage with and interact with fellow students and the course tutor face-to-face. Attending a classroom course with BA Training Solutions for Requirements Engineering, Business Analysis Practice or Modelling Business Processes also means that you will sit an exam paper that has been written by us rather than a centralised BCS exam.
Can I pay for my business analysis course in instalments?
We do not offer credit terms as we are not licenced to do so but we are happy to accept payment by credit card if you wish to spread the payments for your course.
What happens if the business analysis course I have booked does not run?
95% of our scheduled courses run in the location specified. On the rare occasions we cancel a course due to low numbers, you can transfer to another course, or receive a full refund. Always check the terms and conditions of other training providers as some of them will not issue a refund if your course does not run as scheduled.
Why don’t you offer business analysis training courses in more locations?
We restrict the number of locations where we run our business analysis training courses based on our previous history of number of bookings. We concentrate on those locations where we can be most certain that the course won’t need to be cancelled due to low delegate numbers. You should always check this with other training providers as some may force you to attend in a different location from the one you booked.
Will the course I book actually be delivered by BA Training Solutions?
We are an accredited exam and training provider. When you make a booking with us, the course will be organised and run by us. If you decide to book with a different company, check whether they are a third-party intermediary or an actual accredited training provider, as third parties cannot guarantee the quality of the training you will receive.
Why is your classroom-based BCS Business Analysis Practice Course run over only 2 days?
The content of this course is largely theoretical so to keep attendee costs down, we run it over 2 days which allows us to comfortably cover the content as well as 2 sample exam papers. Virtual courses take a little longer to run, so we run the course over 2.5 days.
Why are your BA course prices a lot cheaper than most others?
We are a small business run by dedicated professionals who want to deliver a great learning experience for all. We do not employ a large sales force or occupy an expensive office space. The advertised prices on our website are pretty much the price you will pay when you book, whether you’re a large corporate or a private individual. We are also an accredited exam provider for BCS Requirements Engineering, BCS Modelling Business Processes and BCS Business Analysis Practice which means we set and write our own exams in these subjects for classroom-based courses. All of this enables us to keep our prices low but still deliver high-quality training.
Can you really get the most out of a virtual BA training course?
We have been surprised at the success of our virtual business analysis training courses. We try to take a break every hour or so and have lots of group exercises where you get to work in a virtual breakout room to solve problems and complete exercises. We use Zoom for our virtual training which many delegates are already familiar with and requires no previous knowledge to use. Our course tutors will be happy to stay on the call at the end to deal with any queries or concerns. We also offer free taster sessions where you can sit in on a training course for half an hour to see how they work!