In this episode of The Brazilian BA Guest, Fabrício Laguna speaks with experienced business analyst Greta Metz about how the Business Analysis Playbook helps structure and evolve the practice of business analysis inside organizations.
With nearly two decades of experience in IT and business analysis, Greta shares practical insights on how the role has changed—from writing business cases and supporting software implementations to shaping strategic initiatives across enterprise portfolios.
Her career path reflects a common journey among business analysts: professionals often migrate into the role from related functions because they naturally gravitate toward analysis, problem solving, and bridging communication gaps between business and technology.
Watch the other episodes in this podcast series featuring interviews with experts from around the world.
Business Analysis as the “buyer’s advocate”
One of the most powerful ideas Greta shares is her definition of business analysis: the analyst acts as a “buyer’s advocate.”
Business analysts represent the interests, expectations, and needs of stakeholders while translating them into language that technical teams can understand. Rather than simply acting as interpreters, they synthesize perspectives, clarify intentions, and ensure that the final solution reflects what stakeholders truly need, even when those needs are initially unclear.
According to Greta, this translation layer is essential because business and technical teams often speak different “languages.” Business analysts identify patterns, uncover hidden needs, and help stakeholders articulate ideas they may struggle to express clearly.
How a Business Analysis Playbook structures the work
A key topic of the discussion is the Business Analysis Playbook, a structured guide used within Greta’s organization to standardize BA activities.
The playbook describes:
- Types of BA activities and deliverables
- Templates and examples for common artifacts
- Roles and responsibilities across the project lifecycle
- Guidance for new analysts joining the organization
Greta originally drafted the playbook based on earlier materials, but it has evolved into an organizational resource. As teams grow and new roles emerge, such as solution architects, testers, and change management specialists, the playbook is continuously updated to reflect the evolving ecosystem of delivery roles.
Beyond documentation, the playbook helps align expectations across teams and accelerates onboarding for new analysts.
From generalists to specialized analysts
Greta describes how the BA role has matured over the years.
In earlier project structures, the BA often acted as a generalist, filling gaps between project managers and technical teams. However, as organizations mature and introduce more specialized roles such as architects, testers, and organizational change professionals, the BA role becomes more focused.
Today, analysts are expected to produce higher-quality, deeper analytical artifacts that feed into these specialized disciplines. This shift elevates the importance of strong analytical thinking, structured communication, and stakeholder collaboration.
The impact of AI on Business Analysis
Artificial intelligence is also reshaping the practice of business analysis.
Tasks that once consumed days, such as drafting requirements, user stories, or acceptance criteria, can now be generated much faster using AI tools. As a result, business analysts can focus more energy on higher-value activities such as:
- Pattern recognition
- strategic thinking
- solution framing
- stakeholder alignment
Rather than replacing analysts, AI is raising expectations: analysts must leverage these tools while applying critical thinking to validate and refine the results.
Junior vs. senior analysts in the AI era
Greta believes that AI will allow junior analysts to start at a higher level of capability, since they can leverage knowledge embedded in tools and historical documentation.
However, the distinction between junior and senior analysts remains significant. Senior analysts bring:
- confidence in navigating ambiguity
- the ability to challenge assumptions
- strong judgment about where to push for detail
- experience managing stakeholders and trade-offs
In essence, seniority in business analysis is less about producing artifacts and more about guiding decisions and shaping outcomes.
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Four key competencies of a strong Business Analyst
When asked what she looks for when hiring a senior business analyst, Greta highlights four essential competencies:
1. Comfort with chaos
Great analysts thrive in ambiguous environments and enjoy bringing structure to complex problems.
2. Deep listening skills
Listening goes beyond hearing words. It involves validating understanding and uncovering the real problem behind what stakeholders say.
3. Adaptive communication
Business analysts must speak effectively with stakeholders at all levels, from frontline staff to executives.
4. Ability to uplift others
Senior analysts should help train and elevate colleagues, explaining their approach and guiding teams toward better outcomes.
Together, these competencies enable analysts to navigate complex scenarios with confidence.
The future of Business Analysis
The conversation concludes with an optimistic view of the future of the profession.
As organizations grow more complex and technology evolves rapidly, the role of the business analyst becomes even more critical. Structured approaches like the Business Analysis Playbook, combined with modern tools such as AI, enable analysts to focus on what matters most: understanding problems deeply and guiding organizations toward better decisions.
Acknowledgment
I want to thank the International Institute of Business Analysis for supporting this initiative.
As part of the IIBA community and serving as Senior Advisor to the President & CEO, it’s a privilege to help bring forward the voices of practitioners shaping our profession.
References
- Connect with Greta Metz on LinkedIn
- Listen to this and other episodes on The Brazilian BA Guest on Spotify
- Read the summary and watch other episodes of The Brazilian BA Guests on the Current State of Business Analysis
- Connect with the global Business Analysis community at iiba.org
