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
You ship:
Capture requirements alongside senior
📚Shadow + learn workflows
✍️Write user stories with mentor
🎯Single sub-team focus
1.5 – 2.4
BA2
Middle
You ship:
Own BRD + backlog of 1 sub-team
📋Independent sub-team BA
🗂Maintains knowledge house
🤝Runs client requirement sessions
2.5 – 3.7
BA3
Senior · 2 sub-tracks
You ship:
Lead BA for project / ODC · Client-Facing or Knowledge Specialist
🧭Lead BA across project / ODC
🎯2 sub-tracks: Client-Facing or Knowledge
📜Sets BA standards for team
3.8 – 5.0
Your journey:
BA1
BA2
BA3
Behaviors, not tenure. See the detail below.
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."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Attends user/stakeholder interview sessions as note-taker with senior BA | ≥90% attendance/month | Calendar + interview notes archive |
| Solo client meetings hosted | 0 solo client meetings (always shadowed) | Calendar host field |
| Verbatim transcripts filed after each session | 100% sessions transcribed within 1 business day | Confluence/KH meeting notes |
| English written comprehension passes onboarding check | CEFR ≥B1 written, verified at hire | HR onboarding English assessment |
| Escalates every ambiguity to senior BA | 100% ambiguities flagged to senior within same day | Slack/email escalation thread |
L2
"I can run a scripted user interview and report it back."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Runs scripted user clarification meetings solo | ≥1 client clarification meeting/week solo | Calendar host + meeting notes |
| Stakeholder interviews led with senior reviewing notes only | ≥1 interview/week led solo | Calendar host + interview notes |
| Spoken English in client calls | CEFR ≥B2 spoken, no senior assist for routine calls | HR English assessment + meeting recordings |
| Routine pushback handled without senior BA | ≥80% routine pushback resolved solo | Slack escalation log / meeting notes |
| Persuades on small scope decisions with stakeholder | ≥2 documented small-scope decisions influenced/sprint | Confluence decision log |
L3
"I drive the user conversation; I leave with no ambiguity left."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Facilitates BRD walkthroughs solo with client | ≥1 BRD walkthrough/sprint led solo | Calendar host + BRD walkthrough notes |
| Regular client interactions sustained | ≥3 client interactions/week | Calendar + Slack/email client thread log |
| Escalates blockers to PM/senior within 24h | 100% blockers escalated within 24h | Slack/email escalation timestamps |
| Handles non-routine clarifications without senior BA | ≥85% non-routine clarifications resolved solo | Meeting notes + senior review log |
| Written client comms ship without senior review | ≥90% routine client comms sent without senior review | Email draft review trail |
L4
"Stakeholders trust me. I prevent issues by reading them early."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| De-escalates project-level disputes between client and delivery | ≥90% project disputes closed without PM/ODC Lead | Escalation log resolution column |
| Surfaces unstated stakeholder assumptions in BRD reviews | ≥2 unstated assumptions documented per release | BRD review notes / Confluence |
| Handles tense escalation conversations with client | ≥3 escalation calls/quarter handled solo | Calendar + escalation log |
| Shapes stakeholder priorities through BA recommendation | ≥2 priority shifts/release attributed to BA input | Confluence priority decision log |
| Mentors BA1/BA2 on stakeholder communication | ≥1 BA mentored via documented 1:1s/quarter | Confluence mentorship log |
L5
"I'm a trusted advisor — clients call me when they're thinking, not just when they're delivering."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Clients request BA by name for new engagements | ≥2 named-request instances/year | Sales/CRM record |
| Brokers cross-account tensions involving multiple PMs | ≥2 cross-account mediations/year | ODC Lead escalation log |
| Clients consult BA before deciding internal direction | ≥3 unprompted client advisory requests/quarter | Email/Slack inbound from client execs |
| Sets ODC stakeholder-communication standards | Standards adopted by ≥2 PMs and ≥3 BAs | Confluence standards + adoption record |
| Coaches BAs through tough client conversations | ≥3 BAs/quarter with documented coaching | Confluence coaching log |
Anti-signal & scoring rule3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
Stays silent in meetings, no follow-up questions
Repeats user's words without probing for intent
Lets ambiguity slip into BRD 'to clarify later'
Avoids hard conversations with senior client stakeholders
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 — the 3rd 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."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Drafts BRD sections from senior BA's outline | ≥90% drafted sections accepted with minor edits | Confluence BRD revision history |
| Uses approved BRD/user-story templates | 100% template compliance | Confluence template audit |
| Versioning of docs follows team convention | 100% docs saved to KH with correct version stamp | Confluence/KH version history |
| Inserts screenshots and basic illustrations on request | 100% screenshots labeled and sourced | BRD review checklist |
| Change requests logged in email/CR log | 100% client asks logged within 24h | Email archive vs CR log |
L2
"I produce most of the document set on small features."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Owns BRD for one sub-team end-to-end | Owns BRD for 1 sub-team, reviewed by senior BA | Confluence BRD ownership field |
| User stories with testable acceptance criteria authored | ≥80% stories pass DoR without rework | Jira DoR audit |
| Basic flowcharts/wireframes produced for features | ≥1 diagram per feature ≥3 story points | Confluence BRD attachments |
| Change requests categorized at intake | ≥90% CRs categorized within 48h | Confluence CR log |
| DoR pass rate on owned stories | ≥75% stories pass DoR first attempt | Jira DoR review log |
L3
"Every requirement is documented, traceable, and current."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| BRD coverage of shipped stories | BRD coverage ≥95% on shipped stories | BRD-to-story traceability matrix |
| ACs follow Given/When/Then format | 100% ACs in Given/When/Then format | Jira AC format audit |
| Ambiguity on shipped stories | Zero ambiguity reports on shipped stories | Jira clarification ticket log post-ship |
| Owns BRD across multiple sub-teams | Owns BRD across ≥2 sub-teams independently | Confluence BRD ownership field |
| Diagrams produced for medium-complexity features | ≥1 sequence/flow diagram per medium feature | Confluence diagram archive |
L4
"My documentation is referenced as the source of truth — by the client and by devs."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Lead BA for project covering 2+ workstreams | Lead BA on ≥1 multi-workstream project | Project charter / HR project assignment |
| BRD treated as source of truth by engineering | Dev clarification questions ≤0.5 per story | Jira comments / Slack #dev-questions |
| Diagrams (sequence, ERD, flow) drive stakeholder alignment | ≥3 alignment diagrams/release referenced in decisions | Confluence diagram + meeting minutes |
| Drives impact analysis with PM for complex CRs | 100% contract-impacting CRs have BA impact analysis | CR log + impact analysis doc |
| Mentors BA1/BA2 on BRD authorship and traceability | ≥1 BA mentored via documented 1:1s/quarter | Confluence mentorship log |
L5
"I set the documentation standard for the whole department."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Sets BA documentation standards across ODC | Standards adopted by ≥2 PMs and ≥3 BAs | Confluence standards + adoption record |
| Designs traceability system used by other projects | ≥2 projects adopt traceability template/year | Confluence traceability template + adoption log |
| Department reference for diagram craft | ≥2 BAs/quarter consult for diagram review | Slack consultation log |
| Authors ODC change-management playbook | ≥1 playbook adopted by ≥2 PMs | Confluence playbook + adoption record |
| Defines user-story standards across ODC | Story template adopted by ≥80% BAs | Confluence + Jira template usage |
Anti-signal & scoring rule3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
Submits docs with copy-paste template fields
Writes prose narratives instead of structured requirements
Lets doc drift from current build state
Hoards doc ownership, no review trail
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 — the 3rd value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
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."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Joins meetings as note-taker with senior BA | ≥90% meetings attended as scribe | Calendar + meeting notes |
| Hand notes filed within 24h of meeting | 100% notes uploaded within 1 business day | Confluence/KH timestamps |
| Solo facilitation of client meetings | 0 solo-facilitated client meetings | Calendar host field |
| Lists what was said in meetings as raw record | 100% meetings have raw record filed | Confluence meeting archive |
| Sends raw notes to senior BA same-day | ≥95% same-day delivery | Email/Slack timestamps |
L2
"I prep, run, and follow up on meetings I'm assigned."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Preps agenda when assigned by senior BA/PM | 100% assigned meetings have agenda pre-sent | Calendar invite + agenda attachment |
| Runs short assigned clarification meetings solo | ≥1 meeting/week solo | Calendar host field |
| Structured notes posted post-meeting (decisions, actions) | ≥95% meetings have structured notes (not raw) | Confluence meeting note template compliance |
| Actions flagged in notes with owners | 100% notes contain owners and due dates | Confluence note audit |
| Summary sent same-day to attendees | ≥95% same-day summary | Email/Slack timestamps |
L3
"Every meeting on this team produces a structured, searchable, traceable artifact."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Runs requirement workshops solo with client | ≥1 requirement workshop/sprint led solo | Calendar host + workshop minutes |
| Weekly cadence with client kept | 100% weekly cadence meetings held on schedule | Calendar recurring meeting attendance |
| Action items closed within agreed timeframe | ≥90% action items closed by next cadence | Confluence action item tracker |
| Designs meeting flow for multi-topic agenda | ≥2 multi-topic meetings/sprint pre-designed | Confluence agenda + meeting prep doc |
| Decision and action capture quality | ≥95% meetings have decisions and actions captured with owners | Confluence meeting note audit |
L4
"I facilitate difficult meetings and turn their output into governance artifacts."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Designs hard-conversation meeting flow | ≥2 hard-conversation pre-briefs/quarter documented | Confluence meeting prep doc |
| Facilitates difficult, multi-party meetings (3+ stakeholder groups) | ≥2 multi-party meetings/quarter as facilitator | Calendar + meeting minutes |
| Meeting notes upgraded to governance artifacts | ≥1 governance artifact (steering minutes, decision memo)/release | Confluence governance archive |
| Decision risks surfaced to PM proactively | ≥3 decision risks logged/release | Risk register decisions section |
| Mentors BAs on meeting craft | ≥1 BA/quarter with documented coaching | Confluence coaching log |
L5
"I shape meeting craft across the ODC."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Department reference facilitator for complex meetings | ≥3 consultation requests/quarter from PMs/BAs | Slack/email consultation log |
| Defines meeting capture standard across ODC | Standard adopted by ≥80% BAs | Confluence standard + adoption audit |
| Designs decision-log standards used ODC-wide | Decision log template adopted by ≥2 PMs | Confluence template + adoption |
| Sets follow-through cadence standards | ≥1 standard published, ≥3 projects adopt | Confluence follow-through standard |
| Shapes meeting craft training/curriculum across ODC | ≥1 training delivered/year, ≥5 BAs trained | HR training log |
Anti-signal & scoring rule3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
Submits unedited transcript with no structure
Captures discussion but misses decisions and owners
Lets actions die in notes, no follow-through
Runs meetings without pre-aligning hard conversations
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 — the 3rd value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
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."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Saves files to KH when instructed | 100% own deliverables filed within 1 business day | Confluence/KH file timestamps |
| Uses shared workspace to find documents | ≤5 'where is X?' asks to senior per week | Slack ask frequency / mentor notes |
| Asks senior BA where to file new docs | 100% new doc types confirmed before filing | Slack/mentor notes |
| Uses AI search basics to retrieve existing knowledge | ≥1 AI-retrieval per week logged | AI tool usage log / mentor check |
| Does not delete or move shared content unilaterally | 0 unilateral deletions/moves | Confluence/KH audit log |
L2
"I tag, index, and link my work into the team hub."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Tags and indexes own work consistently | ≥95% own pages have consistent tags | Confluence tag audit |
| Searches with tags and filters for routine retrieval | ≥80% routine retrieval via filter, not ad-hoc browsing | Mentor knowledge check |
| Walks new joiners through KH structure | 100% new BAs receive KH walkthrough within day 3 | Onboarding checklist |
| Cleans own pages occasionally | ≥1 cleanup pass/month | Confluence version history |
| Uses AI search to draft retrieval queries | ≥3 AI-assisted retrievals/week logged | AI tool usage log |
L3
"The team's knowledge house is the team's brain. I run it."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Documents lessons learned each sprint | ≥1 lessons-learned entry/sprint | Confluence lessons-learned archive |
| Contributes to BA playbook | ≥1 playbook contribution/quarter | Confluence BA playbook revision history |
| Owns KH structure for one sub-team | Owns KH taxonomy for ≥1 sub-team | Confluence KH ownership field |
| Reuses lessons-learned in current sprint planning | ≥1 prior lesson cited per sprint planning | Sprint planning notes citation audit |
| Reviews AI search output for accuracy | 100% AI search output verified before use | AI tool usage log + verification trail |
L4
"The knowledge house is our onboarding asset and our memory."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Designs retrieval flows for team (templates, taxonomy) | ≥1 retrieval flow/year adopted by team | Confluence flow doc + adoption |
| Builds AI summaries for stakeholders | ≥1 AI-generated stakeholder summary/release | Confluence/email summary archive |
| KH used as onboarding asset by new joiners | ≥80% new BAs self-serve from KH in week 1 | Onboarding feedback survey |
| Owns archive/sunset policy for project KH | ≥1 archive pass/quarter, stale pages <10% | Confluence stale-page audit |
| Mentors BAs on tagging and indexing discipline | ≥1 BA/quarter with documented coaching | Confluence coaching log |
L5
"I set how knowledge is captured and surfaced across the department."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Architect of departmental knowledge taxonomy | Taxonomy adopted by ≥2 PMs and ≥3 BAs | Confluence taxonomy + adoption record |
| Sets retrieval standards across ODC | Standards adopted by ≥80% BAs | Confluence standards + audit |
| Defines AI knowledge architecture (sources, prompts, gates) | ≥1 architecture doc adopted ODC-wide | Confluence AI-KH architecture doc |
| Sets onboarding-via-KH standard for new BA joiners | Standard cited in ≥80% BA onboarding plans | HR/Confluence onboarding plan audit |
| Designs lifecycle policy for department KH | Policy adopted, ≥95% pages have lifecycle tag | Confluence lifecycle tag audit |
Anti-signal & scoring rule3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
Hoards info in personal Drive, never links to hub
Tags inconsistently — search returns nothing
Lets pages go stale, no review cadence
Over-structures hub, contributors stop posting
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 — the 3rd value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
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."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Uses ChatGPT/Claude to draft routine text | ≥1 AI-assisted draft/day logged | AI tool usage log / mentor check |
| Single-shot prompts only, no iteration expected | 100% AI output reviewed by senior before client use | Mentor review log |
| Spot-checks AI output against source under supervision | 100% AI artifacts checked by senior BA before send | Senior BA review log |
| Never pastes confidential client data into public LLMs | 0 confidentiality violations | AI usage policy compliance audit |
| Completes AI tooling onboarding training | 100% within 30 days of joining | HR training tracker |
L2
"I'm confident with a handful of AI tools."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Confident with 3-4 AI tools for routine tasks | ≥3 tools used weekly across docs/notes/summaries | AI tool usage log |
| Reuses prompt templates from team library | ≥5 reusable prompts used weekly | Prompt library usage stats |
| Spot-checks AI output against source independently | ≥95% facts verified before doc finalization | BRD review audit |
| Uses AI for single workflow steps (draft, summarize, translate) | ≥40% of doc steps AI-assisted | AI workflow log |
| Hallucination escape rate to client docs | ≤1 hallucination/quarter caught in review | Review/QA hallucination log |
L3
"AI is part of my normal workflow — I integrate 8–10 tools across docs, slides, diagrams, prototypes."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Uses AI Agent fluently for BRD drafting | ≥80% BRD sections drafted via AI Agent | AI Agent usage log + BRD authorship trail |
| Productivity gain from AI usage | ≥30% productivity gain on doc tasks | Time-tracking before/after AI adoption |
| Reviews 100% AI output before use | 100% AI output verified before client/dev use | AI output review trail |
| Designs multi-step prompts for own workflow | ≥5 multi-step prompt chains in use | Prompt library personal section |
| Hallucination escape rate | ≤1 hallucination escape/quarter to client docs | Review/QA hallucination log |
L4
"I design AI workflows for the team and the project. I produce client-ready artifacts in hours."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Architects multi-tool AI workflows for project | ≥1 multi-tool workflow live, ≥3 tools chained | Confluence workflow diagram + tool config |
| Designs prompt libraries for team | ≥1 prompt library with ≥10 production prompts | Confluence prompt library |
| Builds review gates into AI flows | 100% client-facing AI artifacts have ≥1 verification gate | Workflow gate audit |
| Client-ready artifacts produced in hours not days | ≥80% BRD/spec sections drafted in <4 hours | Time-tracking on BRD authoring |
| Mentors BAs on AI verification standards | ≥1 BA/quarter with documented coaching | Confluence coaching log |
L5
"I set the AI workflow standard for the department."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| ODC AI tooling champion role | ≥1 ODC-wide AI initiative/year owned | ODC Lead memo / initiative log |
| Sets AI documentation workflow standard across ODC | Standard adopted by ≥80% BAs | Confluence standard + adoption audit |
| Trains department on prompt craft | ≥2 trainings/year, ≥10 BAs trained | HR training log |
| Sets AI-verification standard ODC-wide | Standard adopted, escape rate ≤0.5/quarter ODC-wide | Confluence standard + escape rate audit |
| Codifies AI workflow patterns adopted by other roles | ≥1 pattern adopted by PMs/QA/Devs | Confluence pattern adoption record |
Anti-signal & scoring rule3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
Pastes confidential client data into public LLMs
Ships AI output unverified, hallucinations leak to client
Becomes prompt-junkie, ignores when manual is faster
Builds bespoke flows no one else can use
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 — the 3rd value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
Backlog & Jira Dashboard Control
Weight ×1
L1
1
L2
2
L3 · hire bar
3
L4
4
L5
5
L1
"I update tickets when asked."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Updates own tickets when reminded | ≥90% own tickets current within 48h | Jira ticket update logs |
| Uses preset JQL filters provided by team | 100% reports built from preset filters | Jira filter usage |
| Watches grooming sessions led by senior BA | ≥90% grooming attendance | Calendar + grooming notes |
| Reads existing dashboards to find sprint status | 100% sprints reviewed via existing dashboard | Jira dashboard view log |
| Asks senior BA before changing ticket workflow/state | 100% workflow changes confirmed before edit | Slack/mentor notes |
L2
"I groom the backlog with the PM and write basic JQL."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Maintains own sub-team tickets clean (no zombies) | ≤5% stale/zombie tickets in owned scope | Jira zombie audit |
| Grooms backlog with PM for sub-team | ≥1 grooming session/week co-run | Calendar + grooming notes |
| Writes basic JQL for own reports | ≥3 custom JQL queries authored/sprint | Jira filter authorship |
| Builds simple dashboards for sub-team | ≥1 dashboard live for owned sub-team | Jira dashboard URL |
| Watches burndown and flags slip to PM | 100% slip flags raised within sprint | Slack flag vs sprint dates |
L3
"Jira gives a complete, up-to-date picture of our work."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Backlog hygiene on owned scope | ≥95% backlog hygiene (no zombies, all sized) | Jira backlog hygiene audit |
| Story sizing accuracy | ≥80% stories complete within ±20% of estimate | Jira estimate vs actual report |
| Sprint planning prep complete before ceremony | 100% sprint planning has ready Backlog ≥1 day prior | Jira sprint planning prep checklist |
| JQL queries authored for cross-team reporting | ≥5 cross-team JQL queries authored/quarter | Jira filter authorship |
| Dashboard maintained for owned scope | ≥1 dashboard live and updated weekly | Jira dashboard last-modified log |
L4
"I provide all the data the PM and client need, on demand."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Audits ticket quality across project | ≥1 audit/sprint with documented findings | Confluence audit log |
| Shapes backlog across multiple teams | Owns backlog hygiene across 2+ workstreams | Jira backlog ownership |
| Builds custom JQL queries on demand for PM/client | ≥5 on-demand queries/sprint | Jira filter authorship + Slack request log |
| Provides data PM/client need on demand via dashboards | ≥95% data requests answered within 1 business day | Slack request → dashboard response timestamps |
| Drives metric-based PM conversations from flow data | ≥1 flow-metric review/sprint with PM | Confluence flow review notes |
L5
"Every project in this ODC sees status the same way."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Sets ticket hygiene standard ODC-wide | Standard adopted by ≥80% BAs | Confluence standard + adoption audit |
| Defines grooming cadence ODC-wide | Cadence adopted by ≥2 PMs and ≥3 BAs | Confluence cadence doc + adoption record |
| Author of shared JQL library | Library with ≥30 production filters, ≥80% BAs use | Jira shared filter usage stats |
| Every project sees status the same way via shared dashboard | ≥80% projects use shared dashboard template | Jira dashboard template adoption |
| Defines department flow metrics | Metric set adopted, ≥2 PMs cite in reports | Confluence flow metric doc + citation |
Anti-signal & scoring rule3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
Updates tickets at week's end, not in real time
Backlog full of stale, duplicate, or vague tickets
Dashboards look healthy but mask actual progress
Reports vanity metrics instead of decision-relevant ones
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 — the 3rd value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
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."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Knows product name and basic domain terms | ≥20 domain terms recalled in mentor check | Mentor knowledge check |
| Follows what user demonstrates in workflow walkthroughs | 100% walkthroughs attended with notes | Confluence walkthrough notes |
| Echoes user words to dev (no translation expected) | 100% requirements quoted verbatim with attribution | BRD source attribution audit |
| Completes domain onboarding (glossary, industry primer) | 100% within 60 days of joining | HR training tracker |
| Files domain learning notes for mentor | ≥1 note/week | Confluence mentor log |
L2
"I understand the main workflows."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Uses common domain terms correctly in client meetings | ≤1 misuse per meeting (senior check) | Senior BA meeting feedback |
| Understands main workflows in client domain | Can describe ≥5 end-to-end workflows in mentor check | Mentor knowledge check |
| Knows competitors and market players by name | ≥5 competitors named with key differentiators | Mentor knowledge check |
| Knows headline business KPIs of client | ≥3 client KPIs recalled and linked to features | BRD KPI section audit |
| Translates simple business needs to dev-ready stories | ≥80% simple stories pass DoR without dev clarification | Jira DoR audit |
L3
"I can hold a domain conversation with a business user."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Domain certification or equivalent depth | ≥1 domain certification earned or equivalent mastery validated | HR certification record / SME assessment |
| Answers client domain questions solo | ≥90% client domain questions answered without senior | Meeting notes + Slack/email Q&A trail |
| Translates complex business needs to dev-ready stories | ≥85% complex stories pass DoR without dev clarification | Jira DoR audit |
| Connects features to client KPIs | ≥80% major features traced to ≥1 client KPI | BRD KPI traceability section |
| Speaks credibly with client domain SMEs | ≥3 SME conversations/quarter without senior present | Calendar + meeting notes |
L4
"I advise the client on what's best practice in their industry."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Coaches team on domain language | ≥1 domain primer session/quarter for team | Calendar + session notes |
| Spots inefficiencies in client process and proposes improvements | ≥2 documented process improvements/release | Confluence process review log |
| Advises on industry best practice with evidence | ≥3 best-practice citations/release with source | BRD/spec citation audit |
| Quantifies feature value in business terms (revenue, cost, time) | ≥80% major features have quantified business case | BRD business case section |
| Resolves conflicting domain interpretations between stakeholders | ≥3 interpretation conflicts/release resolved by BA | Confluence decision log |
L5
"I co-pitch this domain in presales."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Co-pitches domain expertise in presales | ≥2 presales pitches/year with BA as domain lead | Sales/CRM presales record |
| Recognized SME on the domain by client and ODC | ≥3 SME consultation requests/quarter from PMs/sales | Slack/email consultation log |
| External speaker / thought leader on domain | ≥1 external talk or article/year | Marketing/HR external content log |
| Models business cases with client (joint ROI/value modeling) | ≥1 joint business case/account/year | Confluence joint business case archive |
| Defines domain models adopted across multiple projects | Domain model adopted by ≥2 projects | Confluence domain model + adoption record |
Anti-signal & scoring rule3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
Avoids domain study, defers all domain questions
Misuses domain terms in front of client
Translates literally without questioning business intent
Gives 'best practice' advice without industry evidence
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 — the 3rd value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
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."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Knows who the stakeholders are (names, roles) | 100% stakeholder map filed for owned scope | Confluence stakeholder map |
| Polite, transactional client communication | 100% client comms reviewed by senior BA before send | Email draft review trail |
| Reports interesting client comments to senior BA/PM | ≥1 client signal/week logged | Confluence/CRM signal log |
| No presales involvement (focus on delivery) | 0 presales asks (defers to senior) | Sales/CRM record |
| Repeats client wants to senior BA accurately | 100% client asks logged verbatim within 24h | Confluence/CRM ask log |
L2
"I build basic rapport and report feedback up."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Tracks stakeholder roles and decision power | Stakeholder map with decision-power column, ≥80% complete | Confluence stakeholder map audit |
| Builds basic rapport with stakeholders, reports up | ≥1 rapport touchpoint/stakeholder/sprint | Calendar 1:1s / Slack DMs / CRM notes |
| Reports interesting client comments with actionable framing | ≥1 actionable client intel/week to PM | Slack/email intel log |
| Provides input to presales when asked | 100% asks responded within 2 business days | Sales/CRM input log |
| Hedges bad news with senior BA review | 100% bad-news comms reviewed before send | Email draft review trail |
L3
"Key stakeholders trust me to tell them the truth."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Identifies upsell opportunities | ≥1 upsell opportunity identified/quarter | CRM opportunity record |
| Documents upsell opportunities in CRM | 100% identified opportunities documented in CRM within 1 week | CRM opportunity log |
| Maintains 1:1 cadence with named stakeholders | ≥1 named stakeholder with 1:1 cadence ≥1/month | Calendar 1:1 series + CRM notes |
| Client comms ship without senior review for routine cases | ≥85% routine client comms sent without senior review | Email draft review trail |
| Stakeholder map refreshed regularly | ≥1 stakeholder map refresh/quarter | Confluence stakeholder map version history |
L4
"I am a trusted working partner. I help grow this account."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Refreshes stakeholder map as account evolves | ≥1 refresh/quarter, includes influence and motivation | Confluence stakeholder map version history |
| Trusted working partner to ≥2 named client leaders | ≥2 named leaders with 1:1 cadence ≥1/month | Calendar 1:1 series + CRM notes |
| Helps grow this account (expansion involvement) | ≥1 expansion deal/year with BA contribution | Sales pipeline + expansion record |
| Joins discovery calls with sales on this account | ≥2 discovery calls/quarter for account expansion | Calendar + sales discovery log |
| Delivers tough messages that strengthen trust | ≥3 tough-message events/year with positive CSAT follow-up | CSAT survey + meeting notes |
L5
"I drive the farming pipeline. Clients ask for me by name when they expand."
Measurable indicators(pQA verification checklist)
| Indicator | Threshold | pQA source |
|---|---|---|
| Drives ≥1 expansion deal/year through farming activity | ≥1 expansion closed/year with BA as primary farmer | Sales pipeline + expansion record |
| Account-wide stakeholder strategy authored | ≥1 strategy doc/major account/year | Confluence account strategy archive |
| Clients ask for BA by name on new work | ≥2 named-request instances/year | Sales/CRM record |
| Co-pitches and closes expansion deals with sales | ≥2 expansion co-pitches/year, ≥50% close rate | Sales pipeline win/loss |
| Clients consult BA before deciding internal direction | ≥3 unprompted client advisory requests/quarter | Email/Slack inbound from client execs |
Anti-signal & scoring rule3-of-5 majority
Dimension
L1 · Aware
L2 · Familiar
L3 · Proficient
L4 · Advanced
L5 · Expert
Anti-signal · auto-disqualifies the level
Rejects
Treats client as task-giver, no relationship investment
Reports gossip up but no actionable account intel
Becomes client's mouthpiece, loses delivery objectivity
Promises expansion without account-team alignment
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 — the 3rd value is your overall level. If the lowest drops more than 1 below, demote 1 level.
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.