Business analyst blog
Business analyst guides, examples and career advice
Plain-English articles for people who want to learn business analysis, whether you are starting from zero, moving from another job or sharpening skills you already use.
Every article here is written to answer a real question a learner or working analyst might type into a search box: what business analysis is, how to write a user story, when a LEFT JOIN is the right choice, what an HTTP status code means for a requirement, or how to prepare for an interview. We explain each idea in three steps, what it is, why it matters and a worked example on a fictional company, so you can see the idea in action instead of memorising a definition.
The articles are written by the BA Mentorship editorial team. We do not invent statistics, salaries or testimonials, and we do not claim that reading a guide, or buying anything from us, will get you a job or a certificate. Where a topic involves professional certification, we point you to the official body so you can check current rules yourself.
New articles are added on a regular schedule and the date on each page is the real publication or revision date. If you prefer to learn by doing, the BA Lab turns these ideas into a simulated company project, and the glossary explains every term in short What, Why and Example entries. You can also start with the free worked practice guides or the free demo.
Latest articles
What is business analysis?
Business analysis explained in plain English: what it is, why it matters, the main steps, and a worked example on a fictional online store. Start here.
What does a business analyst do?
See what a business analyst does each day: meetings, requirements, process maps, data checks and testing, with a fictional week at a credit union.
How to become a business analyst with no experience
A realistic step-by-step plan for becoming a business analyst from zero: skills to learn, practice to do, portfolio ideas and honest advice on getting hired.
Business analysis certification guide: ECBA, CCBA, CBAP, PMI-PBA and IREB CPRE
An honest guide to business analysis certifications: how ECBA, CCBA, CBAP, PMI-PBA and IREB CPRE differ, who each suits and how to choose without hype.
Business analyst skills: 12 core skills and how to build them
The 12 skills every business analyst needs, from listening and requirements writing to SQL and testing, with simple ways to practise each one.
Business analysis training: what good training includes and what to avoid
How to judge business analysis training before you pay: what a good course teaches, red flags, questions to ask and a simple scorecard you can reuse.
Business analyst interview questions with model answers
30 business analyst interview questions with model answers: role basics, requirements, stakeholders, SQL, APIs, agile, testing and behavioural questions.
SQL for business analysts
Learn the SQL a business analyst really uses: SELECT, WHERE, GROUP BY, joins and data checks, with a fictional lending example and results you can verify.
Power BI for business analysts
What Power BI is, which parts a business analyst should learn first and how to turn a stakeholder request into a clear dashboard specification.
APIs for business analysts
What an API is, how requests, responses, JSON and status codes work, and how a business analyst writes clear API requirements, with a FleetArc example.
Jira for business analysts
How business analysts use Jira: epics, stories, bugs, workflows, backlog refinement and sprint planning, with ticket examples from a fictional SaaS team.