I completely disagree with the statement that Business Analysis has always been about 'gathering' requirements and converting them into specifications and only it i changing....
Business Analysis has always been about understanding business problem and designing a solution. As part of the process we 'elicit' requirements from users (which can be done only after we understand the problem 'as is')
Being a BA with formal education and experience in Business Process Re-Engineering, I do not like the use of the term 'gathering' which implies the requirements all there ready with the users, and all we do is 'gather' them.
We really have to 'elicit' requirements using good techniques and smart questions, which again can be done only after we understand the problem.
Joel is completely correct as the second paragraph in the paper tries to state. As a training provide we see 2 types of analysts, those in more junior roles who quite literally just document requirements and the more senior ones who actively work to change the business. The paper's objective is to broaden the horizons of the more junior ba's. Elicit is not a word much used by us antipodeans although it's meaning is 100% applicable in this context...Jan Kusiak
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