Goal
Map the client’s current workflow, find the real pain points and decide what the software will and will not touch.
Inputs → outputs
Inputs
- Intake ticket, go decision and its conditions
- Client’s existing documents, forms and reports
- Anonymised sample data
Deliverables
- Business analysis document: context, actors, as-is/to-be processes
- Context diagram + BPMN process diagrams
- Glossary so both sides use the same words
Teams & roles
- Business Analysis (BA)leads interviews and process modelling
- UX/UI Designobserves users, notes experience pain points
- Solution Architecturesurveys existing systems and integration points
- Data & AIassesses existing data: volume, quality, personal data
- Client (Product Owner / sponsor)provides users, confirms results
RACI matrix
R — does the work · A — accountable, final sign-off (exactly one A per activity) · C — consulted before · I — informed after.
| Activity | BA | UX | Arch | PM | Data | Client |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery plan & interviewee list | A | · | · | C | · | C |
| User interviews / shadowing | A | R | · | · | · | C |
| As-is / to-be modelling (BPMN) | A | C | · | · | · | C |
| Existing systems & data survey | · | · | A | · | R | C |
| Confirm discovery results | R | · | · | I | · | A |
BA = Business Analysis (BA); UX = UX/UI Design; Arch = Solution Architecture; PM = Project Management / Scrum Master; Data = Data & AI; Client = Client (Product Owner / sponsor)
Quality gate
Client confirms the process maps and problem list are correct.
Entry criteria
- A recorded "go" decision
- NDA signed if real data will be viewed
- Client has named a contact and booked interviews
Exit criteria
- BA document confirmed by the client
- As-is/to-be maps exist for every main flow
- List of integrations and data to migrate (estimated volume)
- Prioritised problem list
- Glossary defines the business terms
Activities
- 1.Interview each user group; shadow real work where possible
- 2.Model the as-is and to-be processes
- 3.Collect sample data, forms and reports in use today
- 4.List existing systems to integrate with (accounting, CRM, payments…) and data to migrate
Checklist
Tick to self-review — 0/6. Ticks stay in this browser only and are not sent anywhere.
Document templates
Markdown (.md) files: open in any editor, or paste into Word / Google Docs. Each states its purpose, who fills it in and when.
Client involvement
- Make real users available for interviews
- Share sample data (with sensitive fields masked)
Tools
- draw.io / Excalidraw
- BPMN (Camunda Modeler)
- Google Sheets
- Miro / FigJam
Reference standards
- IIBA — BABOK® Guide v3
- Business analysis body of knowledge: elicitation, analysis, modelling
- OMG BPMN 2.0.2
- Standard notation for business process diagrams
Common pitfalls
- Interviewing managers only, skipping real users
- Recording solutions instead of problems ("we need button X")
- Not asking about legacy data → surprises at migration time
- Accepting real data that is not anonymised
Real example
Applied to LabFlow AI: discovery identifies 7 actors (Guest, Student, Lecturer, Lab Staff, Lab Manager, Admin, System) and the main flows — Reservation → QR check-in → Return; Equipment loan & maintenance; IoT usage metering; AI lab assistant (RAG). Each flow gets its own as-is/to-be map.
Where to learn
Subjects and courses on cuongthai.com that teach this stage’s work.