Business Needs & Strategic Analysis
This is the foundational phase where Business Analysts operate at the enterprise level—bridging overarching business objectives with actionable initiatives. It goes beyond tactical problem-solving to deeply shape an organization's direction.
1. Framing Strategy & Business Needs
Business Analysts begin by defining the strategic intent. This involves engaging senior leadership to understand the organization's vision, goals, and market positioning. Analysts conduct discovery workshops, interviews, and surveys to align with executive priorities and clarify what success looks like.
2. Environmental & Competitive Research
Key to this work is analysing both internal and external forces:
- PEST/PESTLE analysis explores macro-conditions—political, economic, social, technological—that affect strategic decision-making.
- Porter's Five Forces examines industry competition, supplier and buyer influence, threats of new entrants/substitutes, framing the strategic landscape.
- Competitor analysis evaluates rival strengths, weaknesses, and market positioning to identify opportunities and threats.
3. SWOT & Gap Analysis
Transforming data into insight, Analysts use:
- SWOT to surface organizational strengths and vulnerabilities against external opportunities and threats.
- Strategic gap analysis to identify where current performance lags behind strategic aspirations—setting a roadmap to bridge that divide.
4. Enterprise Architecture & Business Modeling
Delving deeper, BAs use enterprise modeling and business architecture to outline how various components—processes, systems, people, and data—must align to support strategy. They articulate current and future state blueprints, ensuring transformation efforts aren't fragmented or siloed.
5. Prioritization & Feasibility
With a rich diagnostic in place, BAs work closely with leadership to define, scope, and prioritize initiatives. They evaluate each potential project for:
- Strategic alignment
- Financial viability
- Technical feasibility
- Organizational readiness
This stage bridges strategy with action—building the pipeline for prioritized, purposeful transformation.
6. Roadmapping & Governance Support
Strategic analysis culminates in creating a transformation roadmap. Analysts define:
- Key milestones
- Interdependencies
- Resource needs
- Governance structures (e.g. steering committees, sponsorship frameworks)
This roadmap becomes the central framework guiding all downstream activities ensuring engagement, coordination, and accountability.
7. Continuous Strategic Monitoring
Strategy isn't static. As the external or internal landscape shifts, Analysts revisit the analysis, adjust priorities, and update roadmaps accordingly. Rather than single-point input, this is often an ongoing dialogue that evolves across the transformation lifecycle.
Why This Matters
- Prevents piecemeal efforts: Ensures transformation is anchored in context and strategic alignment, not side projects.
- Clarifies ROI: Empowers organizations with objective, fact-based insight to decide what really matters.
- Unites functions: Breaks silos by connecting leadership's vision with operational realities and IT capabilities.
- Accelerates delivery: With clear scope, roadmap, and governance, execution becomes more focused, responsive, and resilient.
At Bright Lambs, we lead with Strategic & Enterprise Analysis to unlock clarity and buy-in from day one. It's the difference between reacting to change and confidently shaping your future.