BMAD-METHOD/docs/analyst-quickstart.md

# Business Analyst (Analyst) - Quick Start Guide

## 5-Minute Setup

### Step 1: Persona Activation (1 minute)
```markdown
# In v0.dev or your IDE
1. Load BMAD Method workspace
2. Select "Business Analyst" persona
3. Verify activation: "Insightful Analyst & Strategic Ideation Partner"
4. Confirm access to three working modes:
   - Brainstorming Phase
   - Deep Research Prompt Generation Phase  
   - Project Briefing Phase
```

### Step 2: Choose Your Working Mode (1 minute)
```markdown
# Mode Selection Guide
**Brainstorming Phase**: Use when you need to:
- Generate new product ideas
- Explore solution possibilities
- Challenge assumptions creatively

**Research Phase**: Use when you need to:
- Plan comprehensive market research
- Structure competitive analysis
- Design user research studies

**Briefing Phase**: Use when you need to:
- Create formal project documentation
- Define scope and requirements
- Prepare development handoffs
```

### Step 3: Quick Configuration (2 minutes)
```markdown
# Essential Setup
1. Create working directories:
   /research - Research findings and analysis
   /briefs - Project documentation
   /templates - Reusable frameworks

2. Bookmark key resources:
   - Industry research databases
   - Competitive intelligence sources
   - User research tools

3. Set up collaboration tools:
   - Shared workspaces for stakeholder input
   - Communication channels for team updates
   - Review and feedback systems
```

### Step 4: First Analysis (1 minute)
```markdown
# Quick Test Run
1. Present a simple business challenge
2. Watch the Analyst guide you through mode selection
3. Experience the structured questioning approach
4. Receive initial framework or next steps
```

## Practical Example: E-commerce Mobile App Analysis

### Scenario Setup
```markdown
**Challenge**: "Our e-commerce conversion rates are declining on mobile devices"
**Goal**: Understand the problem and develop actionable recommendations
**Timeline**: 2 weeks for initial analysis
**Stakeholders**: Product Manager, UX Team, Development Team
```

### Working Session Example

#### Phase 1: Problem Analysis (Brainstorming Mode)
```markdown
Analyst: "Let's start by exploring this conversion rate challenge. I'll guide us through some structured brainstorming to uncover potential root causes and solutions."

Key Questions Asked:
- "What specific metrics are declining? (conversion rate, cart abandonment, checkout completion?)"
- "When did the decline start? Any correlation with app updates or market changes?"
- "What's different about mobile vs. desktop user behavior?"
- "What assumptions are we making about user intent and experience?"

Brainstorming Techniques Applied:
- "What if..." scenarios: "What if users are abandoning due to payment friction?"
- First principles: "What are the fundamental requirements for mobile commerce?"
- Analogical thinking: "How do successful mobile-first retailers handle this?"

Output: Prioritized list of potential causes and investigation areas
```

#### Phase 2: Research Planning (Research Mode)
```markdown
Analyst: "Based on our brainstorming, let's create a comprehensive research plan to validate our hypotheses."

Research Prompt Generated:
---
# Mobile Conversion Rate Research Brief

## Primary Objective
Identify root causes of declining mobile e-commerce conversion rates and develop evidence-based improvement recommendations.

## Key Research Areas
1. **User Experience Analysis**
   - Mobile app usability testing
   - User journey mapping and friction point identification
   - Comparative analysis with high-performing competitors

2. **Technical Performance Assessment**
   - Page load times and app performance metrics
   - Payment processing reliability and speed
   - Cross-device experience consistency

3. **Market and Competitive Intelligence**
   - Industry benchmarks for mobile conversion rates
   - Competitive feature analysis and best practices
   - Emerging trends in mobile commerce UX

## Specific Research Questions
- What are the top 3 friction points in our mobile checkout process?
- How do our load times compare to industry standards?
- Which competitor features are driving higher engagement?
- What payment methods do our users prefer on mobile?

## Success Criteria
- Identify specific, actionable improvement opportunities
- Quantify potential impact of recommended changes
- Provide prioritized roadmap for implementation
---

Output: Detailed research directive ready for execution
```

#### Phase 3: Project Brief Creation (Briefing Mode)
```markdown
Analyst: "Now let's create a formal project brief to guide the improvement initiative."

Project Brief Created:
---
# Project Brief: Mobile Conversion Rate Optimization

## Executive Summary
Mobile conversion rates have declined 15% over the past quarter. Research indicates three primary improvement areas: checkout process simplification, payment method expansion, and performance optimization.

## Problem Statement
Current mobile checkout process has 4.2 steps vs. industry average of 2.8 steps, contributing to 35% cart abandonment rate.

## Objectives
- Increase mobile conversion rate by 20% within 3 months
- Reduce cart abandonment rate to below 25%
- Improve mobile app store rating from 3.2 to 4.0+

## Scope
**Included:**
- Mobile app checkout flow redesign
- Payment method integration (Apple Pay, Google Pay)
- Performance optimization for key user flows

**Excluded:**
- Desktop website changes
- Inventory management system updates
- Marketing campaign modifications

## Success Metrics
- Mobile conversion rate: Target 20% improvement
- Cart abandonment rate: Target <25%
- Average checkout time: Target <90 seconds
- User satisfaction score: Target >4.0/5.0

## Implementation Phases
1. **Phase 1** (Weeks 1-2): UX research and design
2. **Phase 2** (Weeks 3-6): Development and testing
3. **Phase 3** (Weeks 7-8): Launch and optimization

## Next Steps
1. UX/UI Architect: Create improved checkout flow designs
2. System Architect: Design payment integration architecture
3. Product Owner: Create detailed user stories and acceptance criteria
---

Output: Complete project brief ready for team handoff
```

## Common Usage Patterns

### Quick Market Research
```markdown
# 15-Minute Competitive Analysis
1. "I need to understand our competitive position in [market segment]"
2. Analyst guides through research question formulation
3. Structured research plan is created
4. Key information sources are identified
5. Analysis framework is provided

Example Output:
- Competitor feature comparison matrix
- Market positioning analysis
- Opportunity gap identification
- Strategic recommendation summary
```

### Rapid Problem Diagnosis
```markdown
# 20-Minute Problem Analysis
1. "Our [metric] is declining and we don't know why"
2. Analyst facilitates root cause brainstorming
3. Hypotheses are prioritized by likelihood and impact
4. Investigation plan is created
5. Success criteria are defined

Example Output:
- Prioritized hypothesis list
- Investigation methodology
- Resource requirements
- Timeline and milestones
```

### Strategic Planning Support
```markdown
# 30-Minute Strategy Session
1. "We need to decide between [Option A] and [Option B]"
2. Analyst structures decision criteria
3. Research requirements are identified
4. Evaluation framework is created
5. Decision timeline is established

Example Output:
- Decision criteria matrix
- Research and analysis plan
- Stakeholder input requirements
- Decision-making timeline
```

## Quick Reference Commands

### Mode Activation
```markdown
# Brainstorming Mode
"I need to explore ideas about [topic]"
"Help me brainstorm solutions for [challenge]"
"Let's think creatively about [opportunity]"

# Research Mode  
"I need to research [topic] thoroughly"
"Help me plan analysis of [market/competitor/user need]"
"Create a research plan for [specific question]"

# Briefing Mode
"I need to document this project formally"
"Help me create a project brief for [initiative]"
"Structure this information into a handoff document"
```

### Quick Analysis Requests
```markdown
# Market Analysis
"Analyze the competitive landscape for [product/service]"
"What are the key trends in [industry/market]?"
"How does our offering compare to [specific competitor]?"

# User Research
"What do we need to know about [user segment]?"
"Help me understand why users [specific behavior]"
"Design research to validate [assumption/hypothesis]"

# Problem Solving
"Our [metric] is [trend] - help me understand why"
"We're seeing [issue] - what could be causing this?"
"How should we prioritize [list of challenges]?"
```

## Best Practices Checklist

### Before Starting Analysis
- [ ] Clear objective is defined
- [ ] Success criteria are established
- [ ] Stakeholders are identified
- [ ] Timeline and resources are confirmed
- [ ] Working mode is selected appropriately

### During Analysis
- [ ] Multiple perspectives are considered
- [ ] Assumptions are documented and tested
- [ ] Evidence is gathered from credible sources
- [ ] Findings are validated through multiple methods
- [ ] Insights are actionable and prioritized

### After Analysis
- [ ] Recommendations are specific and measurable
- [ ] Next steps are clearly defined
- [ ] Handoff documentation is complete
- [ ] Success metrics are established
- [ ] Follow-up plan is created

## Troubleshooting Quick Fixes

### "Analysis is too broad"
**Solution**: Use the "So what?" test - ensure every finding leads to a specific action

### "Research is taking too long"
**Solution**: Set time limits, focus on decision-critical information first

### "Stakeholders aren't aligned"
**Solution**: Document disagreements, facilitate alignment sessions, escalate if needed

### "Recommendations aren't being implemented"
**Solution**: Ensure recommendations are specific, feasible, and have clear ownership

---

*This quick start guide gets you productive with the Business Analyst persona immediately. For comprehensive capabilities and advanced usage, refer to the Comprehensive Guide and Integration Guide.*