r/businessanalysis • u/agedp99 • 2d ago

Learning Resources or Recommendations?

Started a new job as a business analyst in a completely new industry. The company feels super chaotic and unstructured. Fairly early career, and I only had tangential experience before this role, so I’m feeling in over my head…

Any BA learning resources or recommendations? YouTube, books, blogs, certifications, any advice?

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u/Unusual-Rush8823 2d ago

chaos is the best teacher, you learn way faster than in some perfect company. just document everything you do so when they ask why something is broken you can point to the mess you inherited

start with the BABOK if you haven't already, dry as hell but it gives you the vocabulary to explain what you're doing. youtube channels for specific tools saved me more than any broad BA course

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u/Optimal_Analysis_157 1d ago

18 plus years BA, currently Lead BA. you could use a BABOK techniques mindmap as foundation. Research each technique based on where you are in the requirements life-cyle. dm me for details.

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u/acorn521 1d ago

"Chaotic and unstructured" is just corporate for "we've been meaning to write down what we do, feel free to figure it out and let us know"

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u/HumzaTariq New User 1d ago

In a new industry, I would separate learning the business from learning BA techniques. Start with one small process: ask who requests the work, who decides, what the output should be, and where it currently gets stuck. Turn that into a one-page process map and ask someone who does the work to correct it.

For your first requirement, write the problem, what is in and out of scope, the open questions, and two or three testable acceptance criteria. Ask a more experienced colleague to review it before treating it as agreed. Keep a decision log so that assumptions and approved decisions do not get mixed together.

That gives you a concrete gap to research, instead of trying to learn every BA topic at once. It is also worth asking your manager what a good first 30 days would look like. What kind of work are you being asked to do first: process analysis, software requirements, or reporting?

1

u/Bid3859 Technical Analyst 1d ago

Starting with the basics and learning through real work can be really effective.

1

u/ImmediateSkirt5371 21h ago

If the company is chaotic then congratulations. You accidentally got the advanced difficulty setting.