During which stage of the Business Analysis Process Model would a gap analysis be carried out?

Gap analysis is a technique used to compare the current state ("as-is") of a business process or system with the desired future state ("to-be"). This comparison identifies the differences, or "gaps," that need to be addressed. Within the standard Business Analysis Process Model, this activity is central to the 'Analyse needs' stage. It is during this stage that the business analyst moves from understanding the current situation to defining the core business needs that must be fulfilled to achieve the desired future state. The gap itself represents the business need.

A. Define requirements: This stage occurs after a solution option has been chosen; it details the specifics of the solution, whereas gap analysis identifies the problem.
C. Evaluate the options: This stage involves assessing different ways to bridge the gap. Therefore, the gap must have already been identified and analyzed.
D. Investigate situation: This stage focuses on understanding the current "as-is" state, which is only one of the two components required for a gap analysis.

1. Paul, D., & Cadle, J. (2020). Business Analysis (4th ed.). BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. In Chapter 4, "The Business Analysis Process Model," section 4.4.3, "Analyse needs," it is stated: "The purpose of this stage is to get to the root of the business problem or opportunity and to identify exactly what needs to be addressed... This involves analysing the gap between the current situation and the desired future."

2. The Open University. (n.d.). T215: Communication and information technologies. Courseware Block 3, Section 5.2, "The business analysis process model." The materials describe the 'Analyse needs' stage as the point where the gap between the current and desired situation is analyzed to define the business needs.

3. Turner, P., & Coupé, T. (2011). A Business Analysis Process Model. In Proceedings of the European Conference on Information Management and Evaluation (pp. 440-446). Academic Conferences International Limited. This paper discusses the standard process model, positioning the analysis of needs (including gap analysis) after the initial investigation and before the evaluation of potential solutions.