“Business Analysts don’t just write requirements—they write the future.”

If you think being a Business Analyst is about taking notes and making diagrams, you’re already behind.

In 2025, successful BAs are trusted problem-solvers, change-makers, and decision accelerators. They sit at the intersection of people, process, and technology—and they know how to make things happen.

Here are the top 10 skills every aspiring BA needs to not just survive, but lead.

1. Critical Thinking

Forget surface-level answers. Great BAs ask better questions.

They break problems into pieces, look beyond symptoms, and get to the root cause—fast. When everyone’s running around fixing the wrong thing, the BA slows down just enough to ask: “What’s really going on here?”

Real world: Robert Chapman used this skill to uncover a broken claim process at Landsec. The result? Over £300,000 recovered annually just by fixing how claims were handled.

2. Stakeholder Management

People don’t resist change. They resist confusion. BAs remove that.

The ability to manage, influence, and build trust with different stakeholders—from execs to frontline—is key. You’ll need to balance priorities, navigate politics, and tailor your message to your audience.

Robert’s example: 60+ process mapping workshops across six countries at Centralis. Different time zones, priorities, and people—but he brought them together.

3. Process Mapping

If you can’t visualise it, you don’t understand it.

Whether it’s with BPMN 2.0, Visio, Lucidchart, or Camunda, process mapping is a must. It uncovers redundancies, reveals bottlenecks, and sets the stage for automation.

Without clear maps, teams operate on assumptions. And assumptions kill projects.

4. Requirements Engineering

There’s a difference between listening and eliciting.

Great BAs extract what people really need—not just what they say they want. Then they refine, prioritise, and document it in a way that’s usable, testable, and future-proof.

Want to build the wrong thing faster? Skip this skill.

5. Data Analysis

You don’t need to be a data scientist—but you must know how to spot trends, read dashboards, and validate assumptions.

Knowing what to measure—and why—helps avoid endless debates and steers the team toward smart decisions.

Quick tip: Get very good with Excel. Even in 2025, it still runs half of corporate decision-making.

6. Communication (Written + Verbal)

You must simplify the complex without dumbing it down.

Whether it’s writing a clear BRD, leading a workshop, or explaining to an exec why their “quick fix” is a bad idea—your job is to make things make sense.

A confused team is a slow, expensive team.

7. Tech & Tool Awareness

You don’t have to build systems. But you do need to understand how they work.

You should be familiar with:

• Automation tools (e.g. Camunda, RPA)
• ITSM systems (e.g. ServiceNow)
• Collaboration tools (e.g. Jira, Confluence)
• AI integrations (emerging and expanding fast)

You’re the bridge between business need and technical delivery. The better you understand both sides, the smoother that bridge becomes.

8. Change Management

Change isn’t just about systems—it’s about people.

A solid BA knows how to manage expectations, handle resistance, and guide people through uncertainty.

Robert’s impact: Rolled out Lean Six Sigma training to dozens of staff across Landsec and BCLP. This created self-sufficient teams that kept improving long after his projects ended.

9. Agile & Project Delivery Know-How

Today’s BAs work hand-in-hand with delivery teams. That means:

• Understanding sprints, scrums, and stand-ups.
• Writing clear user stories.
• Managing backlogs and epics.
• Adapting to shifting priorities.

Even in waterfall environments, agile principles help you work faster and smarter.

10. Curiosity + Commercial Sense

This might be the most underrated skill of all.

Great BAs don’t just ask how something works. They ask:

“Does this even make business sense?”

They challenge legacy thinking, connect dots others miss, and constantly look for ways to deliver more value with less effort.

They’re not order-takers—they’re value creators.

Final Thought: Be a BA That Gets Remembered

Anyone can fill out a template. But the BAs who stand out are the ones who:

• Solve the real problem.
• Bring calm to chaos.
• Turn big visions into delivered results.

If you want to thrive in 2025 and beyond, master these 10 skills. Don’t just be “in the room”—be the reason the project succeeds.

Next Steps for Aspiring BAs

Looking to build or sharpen these skills?

👉 leadingbusinessimprovement.com – Learn the skills that set high-performing BAs apart—practical, proven, and ready for 2025.
👉 robertchapman.info/contact/ – Want help building or sharpening your BA capabilities? Let’s talk.