# Planning discovery and preparing for elicitation

*Business Analyst Study Guide · Collaboration with Stakeholders · Last updated October 15, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/business-analyst/collaboration-with-stakeholders/planning-discovery-and-preparing-for-elicitation*

How to build a discovery plan around who your stakeholders are, what each group uniquely knows and how much time it can give, and what to prepare before the first elicitation session: the business need, project history, enterprise analysis and a draft current-state flow.

- Certification: Salesforce Business Analyst
- Exam section: Collaboration with Stakeholders
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/business-analyst

**Official exam objective:**

> Plan discovery activities based on the target stakeholders to perform a thorough analysis of business needs.

## What the exam expects

- Know that planning discovery starts with identifying and analyzing stakeholders, then matching activities to each group.
- Tailor the format to a group's role, influence and availability (executives, process performers, distributed staff, large populations).
- Name the activities of the prepare-for-elicitation stage and reject activities that belong to later phases.
- Gather project history and run enterprise analysis before the first sessions, and know how enterprise analysis differs from strategy, gap and interface analysis.
- Choose a cross-departmental process map when several teams share a process and blame each other for delays.

Key terms: **stakeholder** (anyone who has an interest in, or may be affected by, the issue); **elicitation** (drawing forth information from stakeholders and other sources); **project history** (background on prior work and decisions, also called project orientation); **enterprise analysis** (learning the organization's structure and how departments interact); **stakeholder wheel** (a tool to recognize each stakeholder and their level of influence).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stakeholder test | Anyone who has an interest in, or may be affected by, the issue | [Explore Techniques for Information Discovery](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst_skills-strategies/explore-techniques--information-discovery) |
| External stakeholders | Competitors, customers, partners, suppliers, regulators | [Explore Techniques for Information Discovery](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst_skills-strategies/explore-techniques--information-discovery) |
| Three elicitation stages | Prepare, conduct, confirm results | [Explore Techniques for Information Discovery](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst_skills-strategies/explore-techniques--information-discovery) |
| Project history | Also called project orientation; prevents repeated work and rehashed decisions | [Explore Techniques for Information Discovery](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst_skills-strategies/explore-techniques--information-discovery) |
| Enterprise analysis | Organization structure, reporting lines, department functions and interactions | [Explore Techniques for Information Discovery](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst_skills-strategies/explore-techniques--information-discovery) |
| Draft flow | A rough draft from existing documentation and training materials is fine | [Learn the Customs of Your Customer](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst-best-practices/learn-the-customs-of-your-customer) |
| Remote workshops | Used to include all stakeholders wherever they are located | [Learn the Customs of Your Customer](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst-best-practices/learn-the-customs-of-your-customer) |
| Missing stakeholder | Anyone missing from input to outcome invalidates a mapping workshop | [See Business Process Mapping in Practice](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-process-mapping/see-business-process-mapping-in-practice) |
| Process map scope | Can cut across departments and include external partners | [Get Started with Process Mapping](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/process-mapping-for-business-analysts/get-started-with-process-mapping) |

## Check yourself

- What should a BA do first when asked to plan discovery for a new initiative?
- Why gather project history before the first sessions of a later phase?
- When is an incomplete draft of the current-state flow good enough to bring to a session?
- Which analysis tells you who reports to whom and how departments interact?

## Sources

- [Explore Techniques for Information Discovery](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst_skills-strategies/explore-techniques--information-discovery)
- [Learn the Customs of Your Customer](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst-best-practices/learn-the-customs-of-your-customer)
- [Review Collaboration with Stakeholders](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/salesforce-business-analyst-certification-prep/reivew-collaboration-with-stakeholders)
- [Salesforce Certified Business Analyst Exam Guide](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/help?article=Salesforce-Certified-Business-Analyst-Exam-Guide)
- [Explore Documentation Types](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst_skills-strategies/learn-documentation-types-importance-documentation)
- [Sharpen Your Communication Skills](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst_skills-strategies/sharpen-your-communication-skills)
- [Get Started with Process Mapping](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/process-mapping-for-business-analysts/get-started-with-process-mapping)
- [See Business Process Mapping in Practice](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-process-mapping/see-business-process-mapping-in-practice)
- [Schedule for Success](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst-best-practices/schedule-for-success)
- [Advocate for the Customer](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-analyst-best-practices/advocate-for-the-customer)
- [Select and Prioritize Features](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/advanced-salesforce-release-readiness-strategies/select-and-prioritize-features)
- [Add Journey Mapping to Your Solution Toolbox](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/journey-mapping/add-journey-mapping-to-your-solution-toolbox)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 12 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Business Analyst pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams