Building a product without asking the right questions is like pouring concrete before checking the ground. It might hold for a while, but cracks are only a matter of time.
Still in the rush to “get started,” teams often skip this discovery step. Business Analysts (BAs) sometimes get brought in late — after scope creep has set in, budgets are strained, and everyone’s wondering why the product doesn’t match expectations. But when they’re involved early, BAs act as translators between business needs and technical execution. They don’t just gather requirements; they shape them into something the entire team can build with confidence.
That’s why great Business Analysts don’t dive straight into writing stories or mapping features. First, they ask.
Not just polite check-ins, but sharp, sometimes uncomfortable questions. The kind that surface hidden risks, uncover blind spots, and save teams from building the wrong thing beautifully.
Essential Questions a Skilled Business Analyst Will Ask Before Starting Any Project
Let’s imagine you’re building a web and mobile app for managing last-mile delivery vehicles — assigning routes, tracking drivers in real-time, and generating performance reports. Here’s what a great BA will ask before anyone starts designing or coding.
1. What problem are we solving — and for whom?
You might say, “We want to track deliveries in real-time.” But why?
Is the problem that customers complain when their packages are late? That dispatchers don’t know where drivers are? That you can’t prove delivery times when clients dispute invoices?
A BA will push to define the core pain point, and whose pain it is — the driver, dispatcher, customer, or manager. Because solving the wrong problem is the easiest way to waste time.
2. What does success look like?
“Better tracking” sounds good — but how will we know we’ve succeeded?
A better answer:
“We want to reduce calls from clients asking where their order is by 80%.”
“We want drivers to complete routes 10% faster because of smarter assignments.”
This kind of clarity helps the entire team — from designers to testers — align around a goal that’s measurable, not vague.
3. What happens today — and what’s broken?
Before proposing features, a BA will ask how things are done now.
Maybe dispatchers are assigning routes in Excel. Maybe drivers text their arrival times. Maybe the only performance tracking is done manually in monthly reports.
Understanding the current workflow helps identify real friction points — and avoid simply digitizing bad habits.
4. Who will actually use the system, and in what conditions?
A delivery driver isn’t using your app on a MacBook with fast Wi-Fi. They’re in a van, using a cheap Android phone, under the sun, with spotty internet.
A BA will ask:
- What devices are being used?
- Are users tech-savvy?
- Will they use it with gloves on? While driving?
These details affect design, platform decisions, and how forgiving the interface needs to be.
5. What absolutely has to work — even on day one?
Maybe the reporting module can wait, but route assignment and real-time tracking must be bulletproof from day one. Or maybe driver ID verification is critical because of company insurance policies.
A good BA helps prioritize:
- What must work on launch?
- What can come later?
- What’s optional until scale?
6. What are we assuming to be true — but haven’t validated?
You might assume:
“Customers will use the tracking link we send them.”
“Drivers won’t forget to mark deliveries as complete.”
“Dispatchers want to assign routes manually.”
But assumptions aren’t facts. A BA will challenge these and ask:
- Have we spoken to users?
- Do we have usage data?
- Can we test this before building?
This protects you from expensive surprises.
7. What could go wrong — and how should the system respond?
If a driver loses signal, should the app store location data offline and sync later? If two dispatchers assign routes at the same time, who wins? If a customer claims a package never arrived, do we have proof?
BAs are trained to think about exceptions, not just ideal flows. That thinking saves you from support headaches — and angry clients.
8. What existing systems or data do we need to connect to?
Maybe you already use a GPS provider. Maybe driver details live in another CRM. Maybe accounting needs delivery data for billing.
Your app doesn’t live in isolation. A BA will ask:
- What integrations do we need?
- Are they well documented?
- Who owns them?
This avoids costly last-minute integration surprises.
9. Who needs to approve what — and when?
In many projects, things go smoothly until “someone important” sees the product and says, “This isn’t what we wanted.” A BA will map out:
- Who are the real decision-makers?
- Who needs to be involved early?
- Who just needs to be kept informed?
This protects the team from rework and scope changes halfway through development.
10. What does ‘done’ really mean to you?
For one team, “done” means a pilot with internal users. For another, it means a public launch with legal approval, customer support, and SLA guarantees. A BA will ask:
- Who signs off?
- Are there legal, compliance, or training requirements?
- Is there a clear go-live checklist?
Knowing the finish line prevents endless polishing or premature launches.
Common Mistakes When Skipping BA Discovery
- Overbuilding: Adding features nobody uses.
- Misaligned priorities: Spending months on reporting while the core delivery function is still unreliable.
- Integration chaos: Discovering too late that APIs don’t exist or cost extra.
- Scope creep: Unchecked changes that extend timelines and inflate budgets.
Final Thoughts
You don’t bring in a Business Analyst to jot down what’s already in your head. You bring them in to ask the questions no one else is thinking about.
The best BAs slow things down at the beginning, so you don’t hit roadblocks halfway through. They protect your investment by ensuring every feature serves a clear business goal, every assumption is tested, and every risk has a mitigation plan.
Whether you’re building something new, fixing what’s broken, or scaling fast — these 10 questions are your early warning system. Ignore them, and you risk building on shaky ground.
