The Foundation of Business Analysis: Why Choosing the Right Method Matters

"Embarking on a project without a proper problem definition is like going on a journey without a map."

This quote resonated deeply with me during my Microsoft Business Analyst Professional certificate training - not just professionally, but personally.

(But that’s for another blog.)

One of the key lessons from the Microsoft Certified Business Analyst specialization course was that problem identification is not just a first step - it’s the foundation that shapes every decision moving forward. Why? Because no one likes to invest time, money, and energy into something that was later found to be misunderstood, misinterpreted, or just plainly wrong. That’s just... meh. And honestly, who wants to see the Project Manager grumpy again?

So, how do we go about it?

At the heart of this process lies Root Cause Analysis (RCA), a technique that helps us go beyond surface-level symptoms and identify the real issues.

A good-good analyst digs deep:

Why is this happening?

Why it triggered it?

 And yes… at least three more whys.

This mindset prevents rushed decisions and ensures implemented changes actually stick.

But just to be clear: we’re not only orbiting around understanding the problem! A good-good analyst also needs to understand the organization - its structure, culture, and dynamics. That’s why we dive into financial analysis, cultural assessments, and models like SWOT to evaluate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Yes, that’s right - we keep digging. Like dwarves in a mine of documentation, we unearth long-lost reports and “bother” people who always say they’re too busy…

Quantitative Methods: Numbers That Tell a Story

Quantitative analysis provides the “what” - the patterns, the trends, the performance indicators. It’s how we study the root cause and develop precise solutions.

Some of the key tools:

• Break-even analysis: When does the business finally make a profit?

• Regression analysis: Predicting future outcomes based on historical data.

• Trend analysis: Spotting changes over time - like your local weather guy.

• Statistical sampling: Drawing conclusions from representative data.

• Activity sampling: Observing tasks over time to measure performance.

  
  

We also dive into Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA), measuring central tendencies (mean, median, mode) and dispersion (variance, standard deviation). But let’s not forget - dirty data is dangerous. No insights come from chaos.

So yes, please clean your data.

Qualitative & Hybrid Methods: The “Why” Behind the Data

Quantitative methods scream “what.”

Qualitative methods whisper “why.”

Techniques like:

• focus groups

• storytelling

• user interviews 

  
  

help us capture real human experiences, motivations, and behaviors.

It’s the juice inside the visible orange.

(You get it, right?)

And then there are hybrid methods, which combine both types. For example, surveys that include both rating scales and open-ended questions, or combining user role analysis with task performance data. These blended approaches give analysts a fuller view of the problem space.

As someone transitioning deeper into Business Analysis, with a background in communication and customer insight, I’ve realized:

knowing what tool to use is just as important as knowing how to use it.

Every method has a purpose. Learning to combine them smartly is what separates a good analyst from a good-good one!

Have an awesome week - and for sanity’s sake, let your PM have a good one, too.

Irena Kolek - Business Analyst