1. What is the role of a business analyst in an organization?

It is the most fundamental question you can expect during your interview. You can
answer this question by explaining that a business analyst is a liaison or a link
between different stakeholders belonging to different domains in an organization. A
business analyst should have the capabilities to fulfill the business objectives and
balance the needs of various stakeholders.

Read more: How to Become a Business Analyst in 2023

2. How do you see yourself fit for the role of business analyst in our
company?

With this type of business analyst interview questions, the interviewer wants to
assess your understanding regarding the job role and whether you match the
company's expectation of the desired candidate.

You can answer this question in two parts:

 Firstly, focus on your education by stating relevant coursework related to the job.

 Secondly, illustrate your experience, attitude, and skills that make you a good fit
for the company.

You can give examples of the previous works that show the interviewer what benefits
you will bring to the company. Make sure your answer has a problem and the
solution you implemented.

Pro Tip: Make sure you also focus on the skills outlined in the job advertisement
when you are highlighting and explaining your experience and competencies

3. What, according to you, are the core competencies of a Business

Analyst?

It is one of the most common business analyst interview questions. Although every
company is different, the core requirements of a business analyst profile are quite
similar. Make sure to go over an organization's job description in detail to understand
the required core competencies and include them in your answer.

You can answer this by stating that a business analyst must have exceptional
communication and negotiation skills. Analytical thinking, problem-solving, and
decision making are also vital attributes. A business analyst should have industry
knowledge, business process management skills along with technical proficiency.
Pro Tip: Make sure to highlight the attributes that you possess and can bring to the
job.

4. List some of the skills and tools used by Business Analysts.

Answer this question by combining both the technical and non-technical tools/skills
used by business analysts.

 Technical skills/tool – MS Office Suite, Google Docs, database knowledge, ERP

systems, SQL, and more.

 Non-Technical/business Analysis skills – Documentation, requirement elicitation,

business process management, and more.

Pro Tip: You can tailor your answer to highlight your unique skills and experience.

5. Do you have any technical skills? Can you list your database skills or
business intelligence skills?

Your technical skills are directly proportional to your value in the organization.

It is not compulsory to have advanced technical skills like relational databases and
SQL, but the more technically proficient you are as a business analyst, the better.
These skills are most desirable and widely used, so if you have some experience in
using these technologies, make sure you explain them to your interviewer.

You can describe the specific Business Intelligence tools you have used. If you have
experience in handling the system the organization uses, highlight that to your
interviewer.

. What do you mean by project deliverables?

These are the set of measurable services and products delivered to the end
customer after project completion. It is the outcome of the project.

ow do you keep yourself updated about the latest business trends and knowledge?

With this business analyst interview question, the recruiter wants to evaluate if you are
motivated enough to keep pace with emerging latest business developments and trends.

The interviewer wants to know what actions you take to keep your knowledge and skills
updated. You can answer this question by including references to news and industry
publications. You can also list the events and conferences you attend to connect with the
business community.
10. What are the various stages of a business project?

The main stages of any business or IT project are Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring,
and Closure.

Technical/Problem Solving Business Analyst Interview Questions

11. Explain UML and its uses?

UML or Unified Modeling Language is a general-purpose, developmental modelling

language that provides a standard way to envision the system. It is used to rationalize the
system behaviour for the detection and elimination of errors/bottlenecks.

12. Can you explain SRS and its key elements?

SRS stands for System or Software Requirements Specification. It is a set of documents

describing the features of a software application or system.

It includes various elements required by the stakeholders and customers to convince the end-
users.

The critical aspects of an SRS are:

 Scope of Work

 Non- functional and functional requirements

 Data Model

 Dependencies

 Assumptions and Constraints

 Acceptance Criteria

13. What is BRD? How is it different from SRS?

BRD is an abbreviation for Business Requirement Document. It is a formal contract between

the organization and the client for the development of the specific product.

 BRD is a functional specification of the software whereas SRS is both BA creates it after their
direct interaction with the clients
 BRD is created by a business analyst after their direct interaction with the clients, whereas SRS is
designed based on technical expertise and needs.

 SRS is derived from BRD

14. What do you understand by requirement? Can you differentiate between

requirements and needs?

A requirement is a targeted solution and representation to achieve specific business

objectives. Stakeholders evaluate the project based on set conditions/requirements before its
implementation. All the elements are correctly documented for reference purposes. Needs are
the high-level representation of the terms and the result.

For example, you need to get a business analyst job, and the requirements to apply for this
job are resume, educational background, and interview practice.

Top 65+ Business Analyst Interview Questions and

Answers
By Nikita Duggal
Last updated on Nov 24, 202320978019

Table of Contents

Basic Business Analyst Interview Questions

Technical/Problem Solving Business Analyst Interview Questions
Scenario-based/Role-specific Business Analyst Interview Questions
Miscellaneous Business Analyst Interview Questions
Summing It Up
View More

The role of a business analyst is to understand the business requirements, integrate

them with technology, and act as the bridge between various stakeholders. The
business analyst job profiles are very lucrative, full of potential, and offer higher
remuneration. Whether you are a professional business analyst or aspiring to be
one, preparing for popular business analyst interview questions is imperative.

It is essential to prepare for a business analyst interview in advance as the

competition level is high, and there are multiple candidates with similar skill sets and
experience levels. Therefore, highlighting your technical capabilities in a limited
timeframe is the only way to impress your potential recruiter and prove your
expertise. Here is a video on Business Analyst Interview Questions and Answers
that will acquaint you with the top questions you can expect in any business analyst
interview.

Basic Business Analyst Interview Questions

1. What is the role of a business analyst in an organization?

It is the most fundamental question you can expect during your interview. You can
answer this question by explaining that a business analyst is a liaison or a link
between different stakeholders belonging to different domains in an organization. A
business analyst should have the capabilities to fulfill the business objectives and
balance the needs of various stakeholders.

Read more: How to Become a Business Analyst in 2023

2. How do you see yourself fit for the role of business analyst in our
company?

With this type of business analyst interview questions, the interviewer wants to
assess your understanding regarding the job role and whether you match the
company's expectation of the desired candidate.

You can answer this question in two parts:

 Firstly, focus on your education by stating relevant coursework related to the job.

 Secondly, illustrate your experience, attitude, and skills that make you a good fit for the
company.

You can give examples of the previous works that show the interviewer what benefits
you will bring to the company. Make sure your answer has a problem and the
solution you implemented.

Pro Tip: Make sure you also focus on the skills outlined in the job advertisement
when you are highlighting and explaining your experience and competencies.
 Become a Certified Business Analyst In 6 Months

With Post Graduate Program In Business AnalysisEXPLORE NOW

3. What, according to you, are the core competencies of a Business

Analyst?

It is one of the most common business analyst interview questions. Although every
company is different, the core requirements of a business analyst profile are quite
similar. Make sure to go over an organization's job description in detail to understand
the required core competencies and include them in your answer.

You can answer this by stating that a business analyst must have exceptional
communication and negotiation skills. Analytical thinking, problem-solving, and
decision making are also vital attributes. A business analyst should have industry
knowledge, business process management skills along with technical proficiency.

Pro Tip: Make sure to highlight the attributes that you possess and can bring to the
job.

4. List some of the skills and tools used by Business Analysts.

Answer this question by combining both the technical and non-technical tools/skills
used by business analysts.

 Technical skills/tool – MS Office Suite, Google Docs, database knowledge, ERP

systems, SQL, and more.

 Non-Technical/business Analysis skills – Documentation, requirement elicitation,

business process management, and more.

Pro Tip: You can tailor your answer to highlight your unique skills and experience.

5. Do you have any technical skills? Can you list your database skills or
business intelligence skills?

Your technical skills are directly proportional to your value in the organization.

It is not compulsory to have advanced technical skills like relational databases and
SQL, but the more technically proficient you are as a business analyst, the better.
These skills are most desirable and widely used, so if you have some experience in
using these technologies, make sure you explain them to your interviewer.
You can describe the specific Business Intelligence tools you have used. If you have
experience in handling the system the organization uses, highlight that to your
interviewer.

Become The Highest-Paid Business Analysis Expert

With Business Analyst Master's ProgramEXPLORE NOW

6. What is INVEST?

INVEST is an abbreviation of Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Sized

appropriately, and Testable. This term is used by business analysts and project
managers to deliver quality services and products.

7. Are you aware of the different techniques like MoSCoW and SWOT?

A business analyst should be aware of the processes used to create and implement
strategies for identifying an organization's needs and delivering the best results.

With this question, the recruiter wants to know whether you understand these terms
and can incorporate them into your working policies.

MoSCoW stands for Must or Should, Could or Would. A business analyst should
implement this process by comparing every demand with other needs to prioritize the
framework requirements. For example, is this requirement a must-have or should
have?

SWOT or Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis is the most

widely used technique in organizations for proper resource allocation. A business
analyst should be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of any corporate
framework and translate them into opportunities and threats.

Pro Tip: There are many other business techniques like MOST and PESTLE, and
you can learn more about them to prepare for your business analyst interview.

Read more: What does a Business Analyst Do?

8. What do you mean by project deliverables?

These are the set of measurable services and products delivered to the end
customer after project completion. It is the outcome of the project.
 Your Ultimate Gateway to Success

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9. How do you keep yourself updated about the latest business trends and
knowledge?

With this business analyst interview question, the recruiter wants to evaluate if you
are motivated enough to keep pace with emerging latest business developments and
trends.

The interviewer wants to know what actions you take to keep your knowledge and
skills updated. You can answer this question by including references to news and
industry publications. You can also list the events and conferences you attend to
connect with the business community.

10. What are the various stages of a business project?

The main stages of any business or IT project are Initiation, Planning, Execution,
Monitoring, and Closure.

Technical/Problem Solving Business Analyst Interview Questions

11. Explain UML and its uses?

UML or Unified Modeling Language is a general-purpose, developmental modelling

language that provides a standard way to envision the system. It is used to
rationalize the system behaviour for the detection and elimination of
errors/bottlenecks.

12. Can you explain SRS and its key elements?

SRS stands for System or Software Requirements Specification. It is a set of

documents describing the features of a software application or system.

It includes various elements required by the stakeholders and customers to convince

the end-users.

The critical aspects of an SRS are:

 Scope of Work

 Non- functional and functional requirements

 Data Model

 Dependencies

 Assumptions and Constraints

 Acceptance Criteria

13. What is BRD? How is it different from SRS?

BRD is an abbreviation for Business Requirement Document. It is a formal contract

between the organization and the client for the development of the specific product.

 BRD is a functional specification of the software whereas SRS is both BA creates it after
their direct interaction with the clients

 BRD is created by a business analyst after their direct interaction with the clients,
whereas SRS is designed based on technical expertise and needs.

 SRS is derived from BRD

14. What do you understand by requirement? Can you differentiate

between requirements and needs?

A requirement is a targeted solution and representation to achieve specific business

objectives. Stakeholders evaluate the project based on set conditions/requirements
before its implementation. All the elements are correctly documented for reference
purposes. Needs are the high-level representation of the terms and the result.

For example, you need to get a business analyst job, and the requirements to apply
for this job are resume, educational background, and interview practice.

Become The Highest-Paid Business Analysis Expert

With Business Analyst Master's ProgramEXPLORE NOW

15. How can you say that a requirement is good or perfect?

A requirement is said to be perfect if it is Specific, Measurable Attainable Relevant,

and Timely or in short SMART. The description of a condition should be specific, and
all the parameters required for success should be measurable. All the needed
resources should be attainable and relevant to the project. All the
conditions/elements should be revealed timely.

16. What is the purpose of the Requirement Traceability Matrix?

It records all the requirements given by a client and ensures that all the necessities
are met.

17. What is business modelling?

Business modelling is a step- by -step approach for identifying the value proposition
for operating the business.

The key attributes of business modelling to develop a strategic plan for an

organization are:

 Vision

 Mission

 Objectives

 Strategies

 Action plan

18. What is the project life cycle? Which models will you employ, and why?

A project life cycle is a framework implemented by a business analyst to split a

project into manageable phases and signify the decision points throughout the
project lifespan. The different models are the Waterfall model, Spiral model, Iterative
model, Agile model, and V-shaped model.

You can answer by stating that selecting a life cycle model is exclusively based on
the type, scope, and limitations of the project. You can give an example of any model
which you used in a project.

19. What do you understand by Gap Analysis, and what are the types of
gaps that can occur during an analysis?

Gap Analysis means the analysis of the differences between the functionalities of an
existing and the targeted system. The gap means changes that are required to
accomplish the proposed result.

 Profit Gap is the change between the actual and estimated profit of a company.
 Manpower Gap is the change between the actual and required workforce strength in a
company.

 Performance Gap is the difference between the expected and actual performances.

 Market Gap is the variation between estimated actual sales.

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20. What strategies will you follow to design a use case?

A use case should be concise, well-defined, and correctly documented.

The strategies or approaches in designing use cases are:

 The first phase is the users' identification to create a role-profile for every user category
and recognition of goals associated with every role.

 The second phase deals with the structure and creation of use cases by capturing both
functional and non-functional requirements. Include use case diagrams and user interface
details.

 The final phase is reviewing and validating the use cases.

Scenario-based/Role-specific Business Analyst Interview Questions

Hiring managers may ask these during a business analyst interview to evaluate your
role-related or scenario-based knowledge in different situations:

21. Explain your typical work tactic for a project?

It is one of the most crucial business analyst interview questions asked by a

recruiting manager to assess your work strategy, teamwork, and project
management skills.

To answer this question, you can explain the general steps you follow with standard
deliverables. For example, if you have managed the planning phase of a project, you
could mention deliverables like a requirements management plan, work breakdown
structure, or a communication plan.
Each business faces different situations and has distinct needs, but these
fundamental steps are essential to achieve a task successfully:

 Firstly, you must clarify your role and determine the stakeholder's perspective in the
project. You should define primary objectives along with reconciling the expectations
conflict among stakeholders.

 Create a work plan listing steps, timelines, and deliverables.

 Define actionable and concise requirements.

 Ensure technical implementation, as many solutions require the support of IT teams.

 Create documentation and train end-users to implement the solution.

 Finally, assess the value of the project. Did it work, or any follow-ups are needed?

You should focus on your experience to describe your skills and explain the
customized tactics you use.

22. What documents are needed by a business analyst? Which documents

have you prepared in your previous works?

A project lifecycle uses many documents, and it depends on the utilization process of
a business analyst.

 Initiation document

 System Requirements Specifications document

 Business requirement document

 Functional requirement document

 Requirements Traceability Matrix

 Use case Specifications document

 Change Request Document

 Gap Analysis Document

With this question, the hiring manager wants to understand if you have used several
types of documents and assess your capability of delivering both business and
technical specifications.

Pro Tip: Make sure to use only those documents you are familiar with and explain in
detail.

23. What is the requirement elicitation? Have you ever participated in these
elicitation meetings?
It is a technique to gather information from stakeholders and users. It involves
approaches or strategies to collaborate with clients or users directly.

Some requirement elicitation techniques are-

 Document analysis

 Interviews

 Prototyping

 Brainstorming

 Workshops and observations

 Surveys/Questionnaire

You can answer the second part of the question by explaining how you have used
these techniques and how they impacted your project.

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24. What are the various kinds of diagrams you use as a business analyst?
How do they impact the work?

Your hiring manager may ask this role specific question to ensure that you
understand standard business analysis documents and how to apply them to a
client's case. You must list your past experiences and examples to validate your
credibility and value.

The most used diagram models by business analysts are:

 Flowcharts – These are the diagrammatic depiction of the complete flow of the system.
They make it easy for all the stakeholders, whether technical or technical, to understand
the operation.

 Activity Diagram – These diagrams illustrate the diverse activities and their flow across
various departments.

 Use case Diagrams – These diagrams model the functionality of a system using a set of
actions, functions, and services that the system/project needs to perform.

These diagrams are beneficial in visualizing the functional requirements of a system

and finalizing development priorities. They also identify any external/internal factors
that should be considered as they can influence the project.
 Sequence Diagrams - These diagrams illustrate the interaction between different objects
and the time sequence of the message flow between them.

 Collaboration Diagrams - These are also called interaction or communication diagrams.

They are the illustration of the relationships and interactions among software objects in
the Unified Modeling Language.

Many diagrams can be used in business analysis, and you can say that you follow a
more coherent approach of merging different models to produce results.

25. What is the exception and alternate flow in a use-case diagram? How
are they different from basic flow?

 The basic flow is the representation of the operation of activities as required by the
company.

 Alternate flow is the representation of actions or activities other than basic flow. It leads to
achieving the goals of use-cases using different steps.

 Exception flow represents the actions executed in case of errors. It leads to NOT
achieving the goal of a use case.

26. What are personas, and how they are useful in user-centred design
methodology?

Personas are created in place of real users to understand their behavioral patterns in
different scenarios. In user-centered design methodology, a system is developed,
keeping the viewpoint of end-users in mind. Personas help create such systems.

27. Define analytical reporting.

A business analyst needs to comprehend the significance and drawbacks of

analytical reporting, and you must be ready with an answer during your business
analyst interview.

You can start your answer by a brief definition of analytical reporting. It is a type of
business reporting that offers data analysis, information, and recommendations. The
recommendations are the critical attributes that make it different from informational
reporting.

After that, you can describe the impact your analytical reporting made in previous
roles. Focus on showing how you can create recommendations from data sources
and demonstrate your analytical skills.

28. If there are multiple stakeholders in a project, how do you influence

them? Also, explain how you would work with a difficult stakeholder?
With this type of business analyst interview questions, the recruiter is trying to
understand how you implement your various competencies, especially
communication, negotiation, problem-solving, decision making, influencing, and
collaboration skills.

As a business analyst, you will deal with various people at different positions with
distinct personalities. This question is crucial as it conveys whether you can
successfully navigate interactions with different stakeholders or not.

Dealing with difficult stakeholders is a significant responsibility for any business

analyst. Use the STAR method to explain the situation you were dealing with, what
your task or role was in the case. Outline the action you took to resolve the problem.
Finally, describe the result & learnings of your actions.

29. How can you manage the post-implementation and pre-implementation

problems of a project?

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You can answer this by briefly explaining both the problems. The problems that
declare their presence before the project implementation are called pre-
implementation problems. The difficulties arising after the project implementation are
called post-implementation problems, and most of the concerns fall in this category.

After that, you can explain that a business analyst cannot overcome all these
problems but can limit them up to the maximum extent within a minimum time frame.

30. During the development of a system, how do you manage frequently

changing customers' requirements?

It is one of the most frequently asked business analytic interview questions. The first
task of a business analyst is to draft a document stating the number of changes that
are allowed, and after a certain point, no amendments will be accepted. It is vital to
get this document signed by the user.

In case the change required is accepted, make sure to note down all the changes
and find out their overall impact on the project. Calculate the timeline, cost, and
resources needed for this change.

31. What is Scope creep and how can you avoid Scope creep?
Scope creep is a problem that can occur during the development of a project, when
the scope of the project gradually expands beyond its original parameters. This can
happen for a variety of reasons, such as changes in the requirements or objectives
of the project, or simply due to poor planning.

Avoiding scope creep can be difficult, but it is essential in order to keep a project on
track. One way to do this is to have a clear and concise definition of the project's
scope from the outset, and to make sure that all stakeholders agree on this
definition. It is also important to have a well-defined change management process in
place, so that any changes to the scope are carefully considered and approved by all
relevant parties. Finally, regular communication with all stakeholders can help to
ensure that everyone is aware of the project's current parameters and objectives.

If you are experiencing scope creep in your own project, it is important to take action
to address the problem as soon as possible. Allowing the scope to continue to
expand unchecked can lead to significant delays and cost overruns, and can
ultimately jeopardize the success of the project.

32. What is requirement prioritization? What are the different techniques

used for it?

Prioritizing requirements is a critical part of the requirements gathering process. It

helps ensure that the most important requirements are addressed first, and that
resources are used efficiently. There are a variety of techniques that can be used to
prioritize requirements, including cost-benefit analysis, value-based prioritization,
and stakeholder analysis.

Cost-benefit analysis is a technique that assesses the costs and benefits of each
requirement. This can be used to identify which requirements are most important in
terms of cost-effectiveness. Value-based prioritization is a technique that assesses
the value of each requirement, based on factors such as how important the
requirement is to the user, how likely it is to be used, and how complex it is to
implement. Stakeholder analysis is a technique that assesses the importance of
each requirement based on who will be affected by it. This can help identify which
requirements are most important to the stakeholders involved.

No matter which technique is used, it is important to involve all stakeholders in the

decision-making process. This will help ensure that the requirements that are
prioritized are those that are most important to the project.

33. What is the fundamental difference between a requirement and need in

a business analysis perspective?

There is a fundamental difference between requirements and needs in a business

analysis perspective. Requirements are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant,
and time-bound statements that describe what the business wants to achieve. On
the other hand, needs are broader statements that describe the general problem or
opportunity that the business is trying to address. In order to create effective
requirements, the business analyst must understand the needs of the business and
then translate them into specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound
requirements.

34. What are non-functional requirements and how do you capture them?

Non-functional requirements are those that specify conditions that a system must
meet in order to be successful. They are often contrasted with functional
requirements, which detail the specific behaviors that a system must exhibit.

There are many different types of non-functional requirements, but some common
ones include performance, security, scalability, and usability. Capturing these
requirements can be challenging, as they are often less well-defined than functional
requirements.

One way to approach this is to think about the different types of users that will be
using the system, and what their specific needs are. For example, if you are building
a website, you will need to consider the needs of users with different levels of
internet access speed, as well as those with different levels of computer literacy.

Another way to capture non-functional requirements is to use scenarios. Scenarios

are stories that describe how a system will be used in a real-world setting. They can
be useful for uncovering unanticipated requirements, as well as for helping to define
the acceptable limits of system performance.

Overall, non-functional requirements are an important part of any system

development project. By taking the time to think about the different types of users
that will be using the system, and by using scenarios to capture real-world usage,
you can ensure that your system meets the needs of all its users.