Business Analyst Track
Business Analyst
Daily face of D3 to the client. Elicits requirements, documents clearly, owns the AI knowledge house, and farms the relationship.
3levels
·
8competencies
·
Total weight 12.5
·
Hire bar BA2
The 3 BA levels
BA1
Junior
Learning the basics. Captures requirements alongside a senior BA.
1.5 – 2.4
BA2
Middle
Independent sub-team BA. Owns the BRD, backlog, and knowledge house.
2.5 – 3.7
BA3
Senior · 2 sub-tracks
Lead BA for a project / ODC. Client-Facing or Knowledge Specialist track.
3.8 – 5.0
Competency matrix — at a glance
Competency
W
BA1
BA2
BA3
User & Stakeholder Communication
×2
2
3
4
Requirements Elicitation & Documentation
×2
2
3
4
Meeting Facilitation & Detailed Capture
×1.5
2
3
4
AI-Powered Knowledge House
×1.5
1
3
4
AI Tooling Mastery
×1.5
1
2
4
Backlog & Jira Dashboard Control
×1
1
2
4
Business & Domain Understanding
×1
1
2
4
Stakeholder Farming & Account Contribution
×2
1
2
4
1 Aware
2 Developing
3 Proficient · hire bar
4 Senior
5 Expert
Competency deep-dive
User & Stakeholder Communication
Weight ×2
L1
1
L2
2
L3 · hire bar
3
L4
4
L5
5
L1
"I am here to listen and write down what the user says."
L2
"I can run a scripted user interview and report it back."
L3
"I drive the user conversation; I leave with no ambiguity left."
L4
"Stakeholders trust me. I prevent issues by reading them early."
L5
"I'm a trusted advisor — clients call me when they're thinking, not just when they're delivering."
Measurement matrix
3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
User interview craft
L1: Listens, transcribes verbatim
L2: Runs scripted interviews
L3: Drives conversation, no ambiguity left
L4: Reads stakeholders, prevents issues early
L5: Trusted advisor in client thinking
Ambiguity resolution
L1: Reports what was said
L2: Flags obvious gaps to senior
L3: Closes ambiguity in the room
L4: Surfaces unstated assumptions
L5: Reframes the client's own question
International client English
L1: Understands written English only
L2: Holds basic spoken meetings
L3: Independent in client calls
L4: Handles tense escalation conversations
L5: Clients ask for them by name
Conflict & escalation handling
L1: Escalates everything to lead
L2: Handles routine pushback
L3: Resolves sub-team-level conflicts
L4: De-escalates project-level disputes
L5: Brokers cross-account tensions
Stakeholder influence
L1: Reports up only
L2: Persuades on small decisions
L3: Negotiates scope with users
L4: Shapes stakeholder priorities
L5: Clients call before they decide
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
L1: Stays silent in meetings, no follow-up questions
L2: Repeats user's words without probing for intent
L3: Lets ambiguity slip into BRD 'to clarify later'
L4: Avoids hard conversations with senior client stakeholders
L5: Becomes gatekeeper rather than enabler of client access
Scoring rule: You are at Level N if you hit Level N in at least 3 of 5 dimensions, AND no dimension is below Level (N−1). Sort levels descending — 3th value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
Measurement matrix
3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
BRD authorship
L1: Fills templates someone designed
L2: Drafts BRDs for small features
L3: Owns full BRD, traceable
L4: BRD is source of truth
L5: Sets BRD standards department-wide
Traceability & versioning
L1: Saves docs in folder
L2: Numbers versions manually
L3: Every requirement traceable, current
L4: Links reqs to tickets and tests
L5: Designs the traceability system
User stories & acceptance criteria
L1: Copies story format
L2: Writes stories with help
L3: Writes testable ACs solo
L4: Coaches devs on story shape
L5: Defines story standards across ODC
Diagrams & visual modeling
L1: Inserts screenshots
L2: Draws basic flowcharts
L3: Produces sequence, ERD, flow diagrams
L4: Uses diagrams to align stakeholders
L5: Department reference for diagram craft
Change request discipline
L1: Logs changes in email
L2: Updates doc when told
L3: Runs change-control on every edit
L4: Drives impact analysis with PM
L5: Sets change-management standard
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
L1: Submits docs with copy-paste template fields
L2: Writes prose narratives instead of structured requirements
L3: Lets doc drift from current build state
L4: Hoards doc ownership, no review trail
L5: Imposes one template style on all project shapes
Scoring rule: You are at Level N if you hit Level N in at least 3 of 5 dimensions, AND no dimension is below Level (N−1). Sort levels descending — 3th value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
Measurement matrix
3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Meeting preparation
L1: Joins meetings as note-taker
L2: Preps agenda when asked
L3: Owns agenda, attendees, materials
L4: Designs hard-conversation flow
L5: Shapes meeting craft across ODC
In-meeting facilitation
L1: Speaks only when asked
L2: Runs short assigned meetings
L3: Drives sub-team meetings to outcome
L4: Facilitates difficult, multi-party meetings
L5: Department reference facilitator
Detailed capture & minutes
L1: Hand notes, partial coverage
L2: Structured notes post-meeting
L3: Searchable, structured artifact every meeting
L4: Notes become governance artifacts
L5: Defines capture standard
Decisions & action tracking
L1: Lists what was said
L2: Flags actions in notes
L3: Tracks decisions and owners to closure
L4: Surfaces decision risks to PM
L5: Designs decision-log standards
Post-meeting follow-through
L1: Sends raw notes
L2: Sends summary same-day
L3: Drives follow-ups till closed
L4: Converts outputs to governance artifacts
L5: Sets follow-through cadence org-wide
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
L1: Submits unedited transcript with no structure
L2: Captures discussion but misses decisions and owners
L3: Lets actions die in notes, no follow-through
L4: Runs meetings without pre-aligning hard conversations
L5: Over-engineers meeting formats for simple syncs
Scoring rule: You are at Level N if you hit Level N in at least 3 of 5 dimensions, AND no dimension is below Level (N−1). Sort levels descending — 3th value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
Measurement matrix
3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Find & retrieve
L1: Uses shared workspace to find things
L2: Searches with tags and filters
L3: Knows where everything lives
L4: Designs retrieval flows for team
L5: Sets retrieval standards across ODC
Tagging & indexing
L1: Saves files when told
L2: Tags and indexes own work
L3: Runs the team's knowledge house
L4: Knowledge house is onboarding asset
L5: Architect of departmental knowledge
AI-powered surfacing
L1: Asks senior where docs live
L2: Uses AI search basics
L3: Tunes AI retrieval for team
L4: Builds AI summaries for stakeholders
L5: Defines AI knowledge architecture
Onboarding new joiners
L1: Shows where the folder is
L2: Walks newcomers through hub
L3: New joiner self-serves from KH
L4: KH is onboarding asset
L5: Sets onboarding-via-KH standard
Hygiene & lifecycle
L1: Doesn't delete anything
L2: Cleans own pages occasionally
L3: Reviews stale content monthly
L4: Owns archive/sunset policy
L5: Designs lifecycle policy for department
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
L1: Hoards info in personal Drive, never links to hub
L2: Tags inconsistently — search returns nothing
L3: Lets pages go stale, no review cadence
L4: Over-structures hub, contributors stop posting
L5: Builds taxonomy nobody else can maintain
Scoring rule: You are at Level N if you hit Level N in at least 3 of 5 dimensions, AND no dimension is below Level (N−1). Sort levels descending — 3th value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
Measurement matrix
3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Drafting & writing AI
L1: Uses ChatGPT/Claude to draft text
L2: Confident with a few AI tools
L3: AI is normal in doc workflow
L4: Produces client-ready artifacts in hours
L5: Sets AI doc workflow standard
Tool breadth
L1: One or two AI chatbots
L2: 3–4 tools for routine tasks
L3: 8–10 tools across docs/slides/diagrams
L4: Architects multi-tool workflows
L5: ODC AI tooling champion
Prompting craft
L1: Single-shot prompts
L2: Reuses prompt templates
L3: Iterates prompts to spec quality
L4: Designs prompt libraries for team
L5: Trains department on prompt craft
Output verification
L1: Trusts AI output as-is
L2: Spot-checks against source
L3: Always validates facts and refs
L4: Builds review gates into AI flows
L5: Sets AI-verification standard
Workflow automation
L1: Manual everything
L2: Uses AI for single steps
L3: Chains AI across multiple steps
L4: Designs AI workflows for project
L5: Codifies AI workflow patterns
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
L1: Pastes confidential client data into public LLMs
L2: Ships AI output unverified, hallucinations leak to client
L3: Becomes prompt-junkie, ignores when manual is faster
L4: Builds bespoke flows no one else can use
L5: Mandates AI tools that don't fit team's workflow
Scoring rule: You are at Level N if you hit Level N in at least 3 of 5 dimensions, AND no dimension is below Level (N−1). Sort levels descending — 3th value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
Measurement matrix
3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Ticket hygiene
L1: Updates tickets when asked
L2: Maintains own tickets clean
L3: Backlog reflects reality always
L4: Audits ticket quality across project
L5: Sets ticket hygiene standard
Backlog grooming
L1: Watches grooming sessions
L2: Grooms with PM
L3: Runs grooming for sub-team
L4: Shapes backlog across multiple teams
L5: Defines grooming cadence ODC-wide
JQL & queries
L1: Uses preset filters
L2: Writes basic JQL
L3: Composes complex JQL for reports
L4: Builds custom queries on demand
L5: Author of shared JQL library
Dashboards & reporting
L1: Reads dashboards
L2: Builds simple dashboards
L3: Jira shows complete, current picture
L4: Provides data PM/client need on demand
L5: Every project sees status the same way
Flow & metrics
L1: Doesn't track flow
L2: Watches burndown
L3: Spots flow issues in sprint
L4: Drives metric-based PM conversations
L5: Defines department flow metrics
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
L1: Updates tickets at week's end, not in real time
L2: Backlog full of stale, duplicate, or vague tickets
L3: Dashboards look healthy but mask actual progress
L4: Reports vanity metrics instead of decision-relevant ones
L5: Forces dashboard standards that ignore project context
Scoring rule: You are at Level N if you hit Level N in at least 3 of 5 dimensions, AND no dimension is below Level (N−1). Sort levels descending — 3th value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
Measurement matrix
3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Domain vocabulary
L1: Knows product name and few terms
L2: Uses common domain terms correctly
L3: Speaks fluently with business users
L4: Coaches team on domain language
L5: Co-pitches domain in presales
Business workflows
L1: Follows what user demonstrates
L2: Understands main workflows
L3: Maps end-to-end business flows
L4: Spots inefficiencies in client process
L5: Recognized SME on the domain
Industry context
L1: Unfamiliar with industry
L2: Knows competitors by name
L3: Understands regulatory and market basics
L4: Advises on industry best practice
L5: External speaker / thought leader
Business metrics
L1: Doesn't reference business metrics
L2: Knows headline KPIs
L3: Links requirements to client KPIs
L4: Quantifies feature value in business terms
L5: Models business cases with client
Business-to-tech translation
L1: Echoes user words to dev
L2: Translates simple needs
L3: Bridges dev and business confidently
L4: Resolves conflicting domain interpretations
L5: Defines domain models for project
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
L1: Avoids domain study, defers all domain questions
L2: Misuses domain terms in front of client
L3: Translates literally without questioning business intent
L4: Gives 'best practice' advice without industry evidence
L5: Talks down to clients on their own domain
Scoring rule: You are at Level N if you hit Level N in at least 3 of 5 dimensions, AND no dimension is below Level (N−1). Sort levels descending — 3th value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
Measurement matrix
3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Stakeholder mapping
L1: Knows who the stakeholders are
L2: Tracks roles and decision power
L3: Maps influence and motivations
L4: Refreshes map as account evolves
L5: Account-wide stakeholder strategy
Rapport building
L1: Polite, transactional
L2: Builds basic rapport, reports feedback up
L3: Key stakeholders trust them
L4: Trusted working partner
L5: Clients ask for them by name
Account-growth signals
L1: Doesn't notice expansion cues
L2: Reports interesting client comments
L3: Flags expansion signals to PM/sales
L4: Helps grow this account
L5: Drives the farming pipeline
Presales contribution
L1: No presales involvement
L2: Provides input when asked
L3: Drafts scoping inputs for proposals
L4: Joins discovery calls with sales
L5: Co-pitches and closes expansions
Truth-telling with client
L1: Repeats what client wants to hear
L2: Hedges bad news
L3: Tells stakeholders the truth, kindly
L4: Delivers tough messages that strengthen trust
L5: Clients consult them before deciding
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
L1: Treats client as task-giver, no relationship investment
L2: Reports gossip up but no actionable account intel
L3: Becomes client's mouthpiece, loses delivery objectivity
L4: Promises expansion without account-team alignment
L5: Builds personal brand at expense of team handover
Scoring rule: You are at Level N if you hit Level N in at least 3 of 5 dimensions, AND no dimension is below Level (N−1). Sort levels descending — 3th value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
Requirements Elicitation & Documentation
Weight ×2
L1
1
L2
2
L3 · hire bar
3
L4
4
L5
5
L1
"I fill out templates that someone else designed."
L2
"I produce most of the document set on small features."
L3
"Every requirement is documented, traceable, and current."
L4
"My documentation is referenced as the source of truth — by the client and by devs."
L5
"I set the documentation standard for the whole department."
Meeting Facilitation & Detailed Capture
Weight ×1.5
L1
1
L2
2
L3 · hire bar
3
L4
4
L5
5
L1
"I take notes during meetings."
L2
"I prep, run, and follow up on meetings I'm assigned."
L3
"Every meeting on this team produces a structured, searchable, traceable artifact."
L4
"I facilitate difficult meetings and turn their output into governance artifacts."
L5
"I shape meeting craft across the ODC."
AI-Powered Knowledge House
Weight ×1.5
L1
1
L2
2
L3 · hire bar
3
L4
4
L5
5
L1
"I use the shared workspace to find things."
L2
"I tag, index, and link my work into the team hub."
L3
"The team's knowledge house is the team's brain. I run it."
L4
"The knowledge house is our onboarding asset and our memory."
L5
"I set how knowledge is captured and surfaced across the department."
AI Tooling Mastery
Weight ×1.5
L1
1
L2
2
L3 · hire bar
3
L4
4
L5
5
L1
"I use ChatGPT or Claude to draft text sometimes."
L2
"I'm confident with a handful of AI tools."
L3
"AI is part of my normal workflow — I integrate 8–10 tools across docs, slides, diagrams, prototypes."
L4
"I design AI workflows for the team and the project. I produce client-ready artifacts in hours."
L5
"I set the AI workflow standard for the department."
Backlog & Jira Dashboard Control
Weight ×1
L1
1
L2
2
L3 · hire bar
3
L4
4
L5
5
L1
"I update tickets when asked."
L2
"I groom the backlog with the PM and write basic JQL."
L3
"Jira gives a complete, up-to-date picture of our work."
L4
"I provide all the data the PM and client need, on demand."
L5
"Every project in this ODC sees status the same way."
Business & Domain Understanding
Weight ×1
L1
1
L2
2
L3 · hire bar
3
L4
4
L5
5
L1
"I know the product name and a few terms."
L2
"I understand the main workflows."
L3
"I can hold a domain conversation with a business user."
L4
"I advise the client on what's best practice in their industry."
L5
"I co-pitch this domain in presales."
Stakeholder Farming & Account Contribution
Weight ×2
L1
1
L2
2
L3 · hire bar
3
L4
4
L5
5
L1
"I know who the stakeholders are."
L2
"I build basic rapport and report feedback up."
L3
"Key stakeholders trust me to tell them the truth."
L4
"I am a trusted working partner. I help grow this account."
L5
"I drive the farming pipeline. Clients ask for me by name when they expand."
How to advance — promotion criteria
BA1BA2
Typical 18–24 monthsWhat to demonstrate
- L3 in Comm, Docs, Meeting Capture, Knowledge House
- L2+ in AI Tooling, Jira, Domain, Farming
- Run a sub-team BA role for 2+ sprints
Portfolio (CORE)
- 2 client-ready BRDs
- Knowledge house snapshot owned by candidate
- Workshop minutes from 3 sessions
Verification path
1Self-assess + supervisor calibration
2Submit portfolio
3Annual review sign-off
BA2BA3
Choose Client-Facing or Knowledge Specialist sub-trackWhat to demonstrate
- Client-Facing: L4 all 8 + L5 in AI Tooling OR Farming + English C1
- Knowledge Specialist: L4 in 6/8 + L5 in AI Tooling AND Knowledge House + English B2
- Lead a project / ODC BA scope for 12+ months
Portfolio (CORE)
- 1 expansion / upsell contribution (Client-Facing)
- OR 1 ODC-level knowledge platform deliverable (Specialist)
- 2 client testimonials
- Mentor written endorsement for 1 BA1/BA2
Verification path
1Declare preferred sub-track
2Multi-reviewer calibration
3ODC Lead + Head of D3 sign-off
Alternative sub-track at BA3
BA3 · Client-Facing
Account farming, client trust, leading BA1/BA2 mentorship. English C1 gate applies.
When to consider
- Your strength is client relationship + farming
- You're comfortable in client-led meetings in English
- You want a path toward Account Manager / ODC BA Lead
English required
C1
Comp parity
Same band
BA3 · Knowledge Specialist
AI tooling, knowledge platform, BRD/glossary/prompt library, domain depth. No C1 English gate.
When to consider
- Your strength is documentation + AI workflow + domain mastery
- English C1 is not your gate; B2 is comfortable
- You want to drive ODC-wide knowledge infrastructure
English required
B2
Comp parity
Same band
How to choose / switch sub-tracks
1. Declare during grandfathering window
2. 1-on-1 with ODC Lead
3. 1-cycle trial
4. Confirm at next quarter
FAQ for BA role
FAQ items will be added as questions surface from the team.
Self-assessment
Self-assess your BA level
Score yourself on each dimension and get a live radar chart of your competency profile. Scores stay in your browser — never saved or shared.