Most BA Training is Just Theory. We Teach the Reality Layer.
Stop memorizing clean textbook definitions. Master the messy, political, and complex skills that high-performing BAs use to drive outcomes in the real world
Jump to: The Reality Layer | The Real Path | True BA Expertise | Battle-Tested Frameworks
THE REALITY LAYER
Breaking Free from the "Theory Layer"
In most training courses, business analysis looks clean. Diagrams fit neatly on half a page. User stories are perfectly independent. Stakeholders know exactly what they need.
This is the "Theory Layer." It is safe, linear, and logical.
Welcome to the Reality Layer. In the real world, the diagram doesn't fit on the page. A basic use case explodes into 40+ scenarios and a web of messy relationships. The product you launch on Day 1 is never bug-free; it is often a triage zone.
In the Reality Layer, stakeholders don't tell you what they need; they tell you what they want (which is usually wrong). In the Reality Layer, "collaboration" is often a hollow word used to dodge accountability. In the Reality Layer, you aren't just analyzing software; you are navigating political landmines.
Why Traditional Training Fails You
Most courses are "soft." They sugarcoat the profession because they want to sell you a dream. They teach you the mechanics of a technique but fail to teach you how to wield it when the room is hostile.
This creates "paper tigers" -- business analysts who have the certification but freeze when they hit the Fog of War on Day 1.
How We Teach the Reality Layer
We don't teach in a vacuum. We built the digital transformation universe containing Peterson & Baker, a simulated Fortune-500-style enterprise.
When you learn with us, you don't just memorize definitions. You enter a simulated chaos. You deal with messy stakeholders, legacy tech stacks, and conflicting priorities.
THE PATH
A Career Roadmap, Not Just Courses.
We don't sell random skills. We built a career pipeline designed to take you from "Zero Experience" to "Seasoned Practitioner."
To survive the Reality Layer, you must build on a solid foundation. Identify where you are in your career today, and see exactly where you go next.
Step 1: Baseline Your Knowledge
The entry point for aspiring analysts.
ALFA™ (Accelerated Launch for Analysts)
Format: On-Demand / Self-Directed
This is the "Reality Layer" download. You will skip the fluff and gain an undergraduate-level understanding of the profession in under 30 hours. Your goal here is to understand the profession, baseline your knowledge, and land your first job.
Entry Requirements: None. (Open to all backgrounds).
Step 2: Build Your Portfolio
The proving ground for early-career practitioners.
Product: FOBA™ (Foundation of Business Analysis) Format: Yearly Cohort / Instructor-Led
Theory isn't enough. In this stage, you enter the "Peterson & Baker" simulation to execute a project from start to finish. You will master the foundational skillset and build a physical portfolio of deliverables to prove your competence to employers.
Entry Requirements (Must meet ONE):
● 1-3 Years of BA Experience
● OR: Have been on at least one project in a BA capacity
● OR: Have attained the ALFA™ Certificate
Step 3: Breakthrough to Seniority
The advanced track for career leaders.
BAPC™ (Business Analysis Practitioner Certificate)
Format: Yearly Cohort / Instructor-Led
This is where you cross the "Invisible Line" from order-taker to strategic partner. You will master advanced scoping, functional architecture, and complex stakeholder management to lead large-scale enterprise initiatives.
Entry Requirements (Must meet ONE):
● 4-8 Years of BA Experience
● OR: Have been on a large project in a BA capacity
● OR: Have attained the FOBA™ Certificate
TRUE BA EXPERTISE
We Don't Just Teach It. We Do It.
The BA training market is flooded with marketers who learned to "talk the talk." They sell courses based on theory they read in a book, not battles they fought in the project war room.
Our leadership team brings over 75 years of combined experience executing digital transformations in the world's most complex enterprise environments. We don't teach you what should happen. We teach you what actually happens.
Emal Bariali | Founder & Managing Partner
The Architect of the Reality Layer.
20+ years executing 20+ enterprise projects.
Emal is a practicing Senior Business Analyst/Architect & Consultant who generated $250,000+ in pure BA consulting income at the top of his BA career. He doesn't just teach the curriculum; he tests it daily on million-dollar projects.
Danielle Robert | Managing Partner
The Hiring Manager.
25+ years as both a practitioner and a people manager.
Danielle brings the perspective you need most: the person across the interview table. As a Senior Manager leading a large team of BAs for a major charity, she knows exactly what differentiates a "paper BA" from a high-performer.
Marcus Udokang | Managing Partner
The Hybrid Expert.
20+ years of experience in business analysis & project management excellence.
Marcus brings a dual-threat capability as a Senior Consultant in both Business Analysis and Project Management. With 20+ years in the trenches, he understands how BAs must integrate with the broader project ecosystem to survive.
Vanessa Moore | Managing Partner
The Transformation Leader.
10+ years as Management's top choice.
Vanessa is the heavy hitter management calls when a transformation cannot fail. With 10+ years of leadership in the high-stakes Energy and Aviation sectors, she links complex compliance requirements and agile execution.
BATTLE-TESTED FRAMEWORKS
BAs who fail, fail because they rely on "bloated" committee designed frameworks or "over-simplified" marketing fluff to guide their careers.
To reach the top of the profession, Emal had to invent his own frameworks. These aren't academic theories; they are the proprietary tools he uses to execute million-dollar consulting engagements for his independent consulting practice (bariali.com).
1. The ODESA™ Framework (Execution)
The roadmap for every project.
When you are dropped into a chaotic project, you don't need a textbook; you need a battle plan. ODESA is the 5-stage execution loop that guides you from Day 1 to Go-Live.
Onboarding: Secure access, orientation, and alignment.
Discovery: Define the true business needs and technical constraints.
Elaboration: Refine requirements into build-ready specifications.
Support: Ensure development and QA alignment.
Adoption: Enable the business to absorb the change.
2. The P7 Framework (Performance)
Mastering the invisible forces.
Technical skills are not enough. To become a high-performer, you must master the "invisible hand" of office politics and organizational dynamics. P7 maps the six interconnected elements that dictate your success:
The Ecosystem: People, Processes, Products, Projects, Policies, and Politics.
The 7th P (Performance): How you manipulate these elements to drive outcomes.
3. The S5 Framework (Judgement)
How to think like an architect.
Average BAs write down what they are told. Elite BAs structure their thinking. S5 provides the scaffolding to separate the Current State (Problem Space) from the Future State (Solution Space), ensuring you solve the right problem every time.
