AI Requirements Elicitation for Business Analysts

The problem with generic question lists

A checklist of "standard" elicitation questions wastes a stakeholder's time and yours — half the questions don't apply, and the ones that matter for this specific project aren't on it. A senior BA tailors the questions to the project type, the person in the room, and what's already been confirmed. That tailoring is what this skill automates.

What it does

Session plan. Objective, the three things that must be answered, timings, and what to send in advance.
Opening questions. Two or three that establish context and get the stakeholder talking.
Core questions, grouped by current state, pain and cost, rules and exceptions, data, volumes and timing, roles and permissions, integrations and handoffs, and success criteria.
Tailored, not generic. Established against the project type, the stakeholder's role and what's already known before the questions are generated.

Example

For illustration only, no real client involved.

Input

Project: replacing a manual expense
approval process. Stakeholder: Finance
Ops Manager. Session: 45 min. Already
know: approvals currently happen over
email.

Output (excerpt)

CURRENT STATE
- Walk me through what happens from an
  expense being submitted to it being
  paid, end to end.
- Where does it break down today, and
  when did that last happen?

RULES & EXCEPTIONS
- Is there a value above which a second
  approver is required?
- What happens when the approver is
  on leave?

How it works with Claude

A 10-minute one-off to add it to your Claude account.

Describe the project, the stakeholder and how long you've got.

Walk into the session with a plan and questions already written.

FAQs

What is AI requirements elicitation?

Using AI to prepare the specific questions a business analyst needs to ask a stakeholder before a workshop or interview, tailored to the project type, the stakeholder's role, and what's already known — rather than a generic question checklist.

Can AI replace requirements elicitation workshops?

No. AI helps you prepare better questions and structure what you hear afterward, but the workshop itself still needs a human reading the room, following up, and building trust with stakeholders.