Business Analyst competencyassessment (Assessment Center) and BA Development Center setup at an international financial organisation

Assessment

The assessment evaluated business analysis maturity across six levels.

The first step focused on understanding the organisational context: identifying expectations towards the BA role, uncovering organisational obstacles, and mapping existing strengths and resources that could support further development.

The second level focused on self-assessment. The key question here was: “Do I know how much I know?” This aspect was critical because development requires not only competency, but also realistic self-awareness.

The third level assessed theoretical knowledge based on recognised standards, complemented by the evaluation of practical competencies and soft skills. Ultimately, the assessment provided both individual and team-level maturity insights, while also evaluating the organisation’s readiness to establish a Business Analyst Development Center.

Assessment criteria

Competencies were evaluated from three complementary perspectives.

1. Theoretical competency level

The theoretical assessment examined the extent to which participants possessed the professional terminology, methodological knowledge, and analytical mindset related to each competency area. This level demonstrated how well the BA understood the professional logic, frameworks, and principles of the role.

2. Practical performance

The practical assessment focused on how participants were able to apply their knowledge in real or simulated working environments. Through workshops and problem-solving exercises, it became observable, among others:

• how they structure problems,
• how they manage stakeholders,
• how they communicate in uncertain situations,
• how they prioritise,
• and how they translate business needs into requirements or solution directions.

3. Self-assessment

The self-assessment evaluated how participants perceived their own knowledge and ways of working. This was particularly important because the gap between self-perception and observed behaviour provides valuable insight into professional self-reflection. The self-assessment helped identify whether a participant:

• realistically understood their own strengths,
• underestimated themselves,
• or demonstrated overconfidence in certain areas.

Assessment tools

The assessment combined multiple methods to ensure that not only quantitative results, but also meaningful behavioural and operational patterns could be identified.

The applied tools included:

• A professional knowledge questionnaire based on international business analysis frameworks.
• A self-assessment questionnaire measuring participants’ perceived competency levels.
• Semi-structured interviews supporting the exploration of organisational context, domain-specific differences, and role expectations.
• Workshop-based situational assessments combining learning and observation in an educational format.
• AC/DC-style problem-solving exercises enabling behavioural observation.
• Document analysis supporting the adaptation of assessment tools to the organisational context.

One of the key advantages of this methodological combination was that quantitative findings were complemented by qualitative observations, resulting in a significantly more nuanced picture than a questionnaire-only assessment could provide.

Soft skill assessment

In addition to professional competencies, a dedicated assessment was conducted regarding the soft skills associated with the BA role. This was essential because the effectiveness of business analysis activities strongly depends on collaboration, communication, and thinking capabilities.

The evaluated soft skill areas included:

• the ability to impart clear, structured information,
• proactivity and autonomy,
• stakeholder relationship management,
• teamwork,
• critical thinking,
• flexibility and adaptability.

This layer of the assessment helped reveal the behavioural background behind professional knowledge and provided insight into how effectively participants were able to influence their environment.

Assessment Process

The assessment process consisted of several interconnected phases.

The first step focused on aligning the assessment content. During this phase, business area expectations, organisational requirements, and professional knowledge domains were harmonised.

Following this, an organisational Assessment Owner was appointed to act as both decision-maker and coordinator throughout the process. Regular progress alignment sessions ensured that the content, schedule, and execution of the assessment reflected organisational realities and constraints.

After the detailed review of the workshop-based assessment and questionnaires, the necessary organisational fine-tuning was completed, and the assessment schedule and format were finalised.

The measurement took place over four workshop sessions, involving two experts. The process simultaneously included self-assessment, expert assessment, questionnaire-based measurement, and practical observation.