Fundamentals from ECBA – how can they be applied in a real business environment?

Introduction

The Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA) – one of the IIBA (Business Analysis | The Global Standard | IIBA®) certifications – can open the door to better job prospects, higher salaries and greater career mobility.  Joining the IIBA community means connecting with a global network of mentors and industry experts, creating opportunities to share experiences and gain valuable insights. Membership offers many benefits, such as access to the knowledge hub, learning resources for certifications or discounted registration for events. Needless to say, members of the BitPeak Business-System Analysis team, including myself, have active IIBA memberships.

ECBA underwent major updates in July 2025, with a new blueprint focused on the practical application of business analysis concepts, and it remains a globally recognized professional qualification. This change presents an ideal opportunity to examine the certification more closely and assess its alignment with current expectations.

Building practical skills with the ECBA

Improving your foundational skill set can begin with the ECBA certification. Skills that are covered on the exam focus on fundamental domains: understanding, implementing and mindset for effective business analysis. Moreover, to cover the practical application of business analysis in the scope of the exam, we have 20 business analysis techniques that have gained wide acceptance in the community. Knowledge of their purpose, description and usage considerations is required. I will cover some of the methods later in this article.

The exam gives business analysis professionals the practical, job-ready skills they need to thrive in today’s dynamic environments. The IIBA’s base of this certification is a real-world application. If you’re starting out, this approach ensures you can contribute meaningfully and deliver actionable results for your organization. For experienced business analysts, it is primarily an opportunity to formalize their expertise and be up-to-date with the standards.

What ECBA brought to my business analysis practice

At BitPeak, we view certification as a development tool, and our employees are supported in gaining new experiences that align with their long-term career aspirations. I also accepted the challenge of pursuing the certification and became a certified Business Analyst by passing the ECBA exam. Earning the certification helped me organize the knowledge I had already been applying. It allowed me to recognize techniques I was using intuitively, while also introducing new methods that later proved to be very useful in my daily work. Overall, it helped me take a more systematic view of my role.

Gaining certification confirms that you possess the necessary knowledge and understand the relevant definitions, processes, techniques, and standards. But it is practical experience that truly reveals whether you can apply them effectively in a real business environment.

BitPeak projects – where theory meets practice

Below are real-world examples of how even small tasks can serve as opportunities to apply newly acquired knowledge. They illustrate how our Business System analysis team at BitPeak utilizes techniques aligned with the certification framework in our day-to-day project work.

Backlog management: track and prioritize work items

Backlog is a list of tasks and topics managed by the analytical and development teams. It often serves as a communication and planning tool. It contains items prioritized by the client, starting with the highest priority and highest-value business items at the top. Items at the top of the backlog are typically described in more detail with sufficiently accurate estimates of their relative size and complexity. A periodic review and possible reorganization of the backlog is necessary because stakeholder needs and priorities may change over time or new requirements are identified. The following work items are selected from the backlog when the team has capacity and are always aligned with current stakeholder priorities.

An example of applying this approach was a project we delivered for a client from the financial sector. We supported one of our clients with the migration of a new data source to Cloud Data Lake (CDL). BitPeak business analysts had to elicit business, technical, and organizational requirements in order to prepare for the migration.

Meetings, email correspondence, and document reviews enabled the identification and documentation of backlog items. Tasks in the backlog were grouped according to logical areas aligned with the requirements for configuring a source in the CDL, such as source analysis, source connection, initial data load, incremental data, field mapping, data formats, the business meaning of objects, and GDPR compliance. Collaboration with data engineers helped estimate technical feasibility and assess risks associated with the tasks. Dependencies between tasks were managed, for example, required involvement from an additional team and coordination across teams. Tasks that required the quick deployment of configuration changes to the environment were treated as blockers.

Data Modelling: describe the entities, attributes and relationships

Data model presents what data is used in the organization, what structure it has and how it is connected. It is readable for business users and technical teams. During data integration, the data model serves as the foundation for analyzing data mapping and determining how data will be transformed and stored. Data models can be conceptual, logical, or physical. Objects can present actual sample values for the attributes for better understanding.

Data modelling is our bread and butter. One interesting project use case is an overview of entities on the target layer from real-time data processing pipelines.

A logical data model was prepared to present the mapping of selected information extracted from JSON messages into the target tables within the silver layer. The level of detail was tailored to match the needs of the intended audience. The data model helped eliminate inconsistencies in business requirements. It allowed maintaining a consistent approach to analyzing and documenting data and their relationships, in line with reference models shared by the client from Enterprise Architect.

At BitPeak, we prioritize effective data management and compliance with data modeling standards. I strongly encourage you to read the article: Data model for pharma – BitPeak, where we underline the importance of a proper approach to data modelling and share practical tips in pharmaceutical data modeling.

SWOT: analysis and exploration of information

It is a simple yet valuable tool that supports understanding and evaluating different factors for decision-making. SWOT analysis highlights the strengths of a business solution, identifies poorly rated functions or activities, and outlines external and internal factors that may either support or hinder the project’s success. The analysis provides a high-level overview of the proposed approach, helping to inform further strategic actions. Each section often requires deeper investigation.

The SWOT analysis proved to be a valuable tool for evaluating the approach to implementing Databricks technology and the Cloud Data Lake strategy. Our team had to prepare a concept of Azure analytics platform development and integration using Databricks technology and Cloud Data Lake approach.

The strengths of the proposed solution included scalability, security, legal compliance, enhanced real-time data accessibility and flexible data integration. On the other hand, the implementation required regulatory approval from the Polish Financial Oversight Authority (KNF), and deploying new solutions demanded significant time and resources due to the existing infrastructure. The client’s awareness of these challenges enabled the assignment of appropriate priorities to the designated tasks. The analysis also identified opportunities, such as the ability to support advanced analytics and AI/ML models, as well as the potential for developing Data Governance practices, data catalog (Unity Catalog), and data lineage. Operational risks were also highlighted, allowing them to be addressed at the beginning of the project. These were consistently mitigated by focusing on maintaining data quality, consistency, auditability and by ensuring automation and documentation of processes.

Interview: Elicit business analysis information

Interviews are a foundational and common technique used to extract requirements. They help build trust between business analysts and stakeholders and in seeking approval for the proposed solution. The interviewees are encouraged to express their own opinions freely. The objectives of the interview should be clearly defined and communicated every participant. It is essential to ensure good organization, including the location, availability of participants, defined time limits, communication method, consent for recording, and sharing the agenda in advance. A follow-up after the interview is a must because it allows for verification of the results and helps eliminate misunderstandings.

As an example, this technique was extensively used by our team when we prepared a diagnosis of the current state of data management at LOT Polish Airlines.

Interviewers had a well-crafted, predefined list of questions. Selected client department representatives were asked questions about 11 major subject matters. Some of the questions were a deep-dive that referred to the previously conducted survey results. Open-ended questions allowed the interviewer to highlight information that they were not aware of. A total of more than 50 participants were engaged. The interviews revealed a strong awareness of the need to formalize and regulate data management processes. Based on the results of surveys, interviews, and the analysis of the documentation provided, we concluded with an ‘As-Is’ view of Data Governance in the organization and a presentation summarizing the collected information. The information collected during the interviews was critical for designing a Roadmap for Data Governance in LOT.

Conclusion

Theory is not an abstract concept disconnected from reality. It is a standardized form of collective experience. It represents the practice of many people, analyzed, systematized and documented, so that others don’t have to repeat the same mistakes. Thanks to theory, we know what has already been tested, what works and what doesn’t, enabling us to make informed decisions. In our daily project work, ensuring timeliness is beneficial to implementing and maintaining good practices, so that the testing and deployment phases proceed smoothly without unwanted surprises.

Certifications offered by reputable institutions provide a solid foundation of specialized knowledge. The community of business analysts indicates that certifications remain valuable assets. It is not uncommon to obtain a certification after several years of working in this profession. It’s worthwhile investing in those certifications that positively support your professional development, and then applying the techniques and tools you have acquired in a project environment.

Opportunities to connect with fellow business analysts further amplify our learning journey. From 6-7 October, the third edition of the IIBA Summit Poland, organized by the IIBA Poland Chapter, will bring together practitioners, experts, and enthusiasts from across the field. Such an event offers a chance to exchange experiences, discover best practices, and gain insights into emerging trends in business analysis. If you’re attending and want to chat with the BitPeak team, let’s meet up and exchange insights!