How to become a Business Analyst: the complete roadmap

Business analysts translate between stakeholders and builders — requirements, processes, and the data to defend decisions. It's one of the most accessible paths for strong communicators entering tech.

Roughly 6–12 months to a first BA role.

Stage_01

Analysis fundamentals

Skills

Requirements elicitation
Process mapping
Stakeholder communication

Project

Document a real process end to end — current state, pain points, proposal.

Certification

CS 56 · See official page (member and non-member rates differ)

IIBA Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA)

IIBA · Beginner

Stage_02

Data fluency

Skills

Spreadsheets and SQL basics
Dashboards
Metrics definition

Project

Build a KPI dashboard for a real or volunteer organization.

Certifications

CS 75 · Coursera subscription (about $49/month)

Google Data Analytics Certificate

Google · Beginner

CS 83 · $99

Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Fundamentals (PL-900)

Microsoft · Beginner

Stage_03

Delivery context

Skills

Agile ceremonies
User stories
Prioritization frameworks

Project

Own the backlog for one project increment, from stories to acceptance.

Certifications

CS 72 · $225 (PMI members) / $300 (non-members)

Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)

PMI · Intermediate

CS 83 · $200

Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)

Scrum.org · Intermediate

Where Business Analysts go next

Product Manager
Project Manager
Data Analyst

Compare its certifications Get an AI-personalized roadmap →