Every new BA makes mistakes — but the best ones learn fast. In this episode, Benjamen Walsh shares the 10 most common missteps new business analysts make, along with practical fixes, tools, and real examples to help you get it right.
From jumping into solutions too soon to being afraid to ask “dumb” questions, this is your shortcut to becoming the BA your team needs — faster.
🎧 Subscribe, share, and tune in weekly for more practical insight from The Better Business Analyst Podcast.
Episode Transcript
Today, we're tackling the classic missteps every new BA
makes. And here's the twist.
These aren't just mistakes, they're signals.
They show us where the real growth buys.
The Better Business Analysis Institute presence, the Better
(00:23):
Business Analysis Podcast with Kingsman Walsh.
In the show everyone, I'm Benjamin Walsh, the host of the
Better Business Analysis podcast, and today we are
talking about the top ten mistakes every new BA makes and
(00:44):
how to get them right. And you may be a well seasoned
BA and you still might be doing these things.
So let's step back and work through the top ten.
Number one is jumping into solutions to really, every BA
does this. This is the natural way that the
environment, the world operates,and this is the first trick.
(01:08):
BAS aren't solution designers. First we have problem framers.
Ask what problem are you solvingbefore documenting any
requirements for letting your mind wander.
A stakeholder wants a chat bot. You discover the real issue is
slow customer onboarding. The solution might be a better
(01:31):
welcome flow, not AI which they've jumped to #2 is not
validating assumptions. Stakeholders often present
beliefs as facts. Use interviews, surveys, and
data to test claims like users hate the current system or they
(01:56):
find it more complicated. Here's an example.
Here you might have a departmentthat claims no one is using a
feature. You check the logs, it's being
used daily and insights beat assumption #3 we all do it when
we start because we feel nervousand it makes us feel better over
(02:19):
documenting instead of communicating.
Keep specs short. Long specs don't equal clarity.
If you want to reduce risk, favour whiteboards,
conversations and real interactive reviews of a heavy
(02:41):
upfront documents. My suggestion would be to use
visual models like process flowsto kick off deeper understanding
and use those as your communication tools #4 ignoring
the quiet stakeholders. Not everyone who matters shouts
(03:03):
the loudest, identifies silent influences, often operational
staff or end users, and pour them into the conversation.
You know that the receptionist may know more about the customer
pain then the general manager #5thinking your role is just
(03:24):
writing stuff down. You're not a note taker, you're
a meaning maker. Frame your job as a translator
between strategy, operations, and technology.
Use this question often. What will success look like when
you get this right? Number six is not understanding
(03:48):
the business context or doing your research.
Without context, your requirements are just words.
Ask how this project connects the strategy, revenue, risk, or
customer value. If you're building a workflow
system but you don't know which team profits from faster
(04:08):
processing, that's a gap. Go and find out number seven.
Don't be afraid to ask dumb questions.
If you don't understand something, someone else probably
doesn't either use phrases like just so I'm clear, or can we
(04:29):
unpack that term or haven't heard that term before.
Ask what acronyms stand for. They're a lingo, an internal
lingo that often reveals deeper business logic.
And there's no problem saying this might be a stupid question
but OK #8 forgetting to reflect on past projects.
(04:53):
Your best BA lessons often come after the project ends because
30 minute solo debrief after go live.
What surprised you? What would you change?
This is you've got a small window to remember this stuff.
Write it down and look at how you can grow.
(05:15):
Keep a personal BA journal. The patterns are gold.
Join a community or a membershipwhich can help you give some
feedback on how you can get better #9 is getting to attached
to your first idea. The best ideas evolve through
collaboration. Treat your initial approach as
(05:37):
hypotheses, not a fixed plan. We use the Agile plan here.
You sketch user journey on a Monday and then by Friday it's
unrecognizable. Because it got better #10 trying
to be the hero. Good BAS don't carry the load
(05:57):
alone. They enable others and they're
barely celebrated. OK, their work is barely
celebrated. Shift from how can I fix this to
who can we bring in the room to fix it together?
Your influence multiplies when you create clarity, not control.
(06:20):
You don't need to be perfect, you need to be aware.
Mistakes are your early career. Pompous, but only if you take
the time to read them and then learn for next time so your
journey is easier. This week's challenge, pick one
of these 10 and reflect on how it's shown up in your work.
(06:44):
What would you do differently now and let me know.
Share this episode with someone who's starting out or if they've
made some of these mistakes. Welcome to the club, we have all
been there. Until next week, be bold, be
courageous, and become or be a Better Business analyst.
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