Which of the following lists contains examples of common tools that a Business Analyst typically uses in day to day work?

Introduction / Context:
Business Analysts rely on a variety of tools to gather requirements, document findings, model processes, and communicate with stakeholders. These tools may be specialized requirements management systems, diagramming tools, or general office applications. The question asks you to choose the list that best reflects common tools used by Business Analysts rather than tools meant for unrelated tasks such as hardware repair or virus scanning.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are focusing on the Business Analyst role in software or systems projects.
• Business Analysts spend much of their time gathering, documenting, and communicating requirements.
• Tools should support activities such as modelling, documentation, tracking, and collaboration.
• We are not considering tools that are purely for system administration or entertainment.

Concept / Approach:
Common tools for Business Analysts include requirements management or issue tracking applications such as JIRA or Azure DevOps, where user stories and requirements are recorded and prioritized. Diagramming and modelling tools such as Microsoft Visio, draw.io, or UML modelling software help create use case diagrams, process flows, and data models. Office productivity tools like word processors and spreadsheets are used for documentation and analysis. Collaboration platforms such as email, chat, and conferencing tools support communication with stakeholders. Together, these tools enable Business Analysts to perform their core functions efficiently.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the typical daily tasks of a Business Analyst, including documenting requirements, drawing diagrams, and communicating with team members. Step 2: Identify tool categories that support these tasks: requirements management systems, diagramming tools, office applications, and collaboration software. Step 3: Review the answer options and find the one that lists these categories explicitly. Step 4: Discard options that focus on antivirus utilities, low level debugging, entertainment software, or physical tools for hardware repair. Step 5: Select the option that clearly matches the toolset appropriate for business analysis work.

Verification / Alternative check:
Industry practice and job descriptions for Business Analysts frequently mention familiarity with requirements tracking tools, modelling environments, and office productivity suites. Teams that follow Agile or traditional life cycle models usually manage requirements and user stories in specialized systems and rely on diagrams for shared understanding. None of these practices require the BA to depend primarily on antivirus software, electronic games, or physical hand tools, confirming that the chosen option is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is wrong because antivirus and disk defragmenter tools are primarily used by system administrators, not Business Analysts, and they do not support requirements work. Option C refers to low level machine code debuggers, which are used by systems programmers rather than BAs. Option D lists video games and music players, which are entertainment tools unrelated to professional analysis tasks. Option E mentions screwdrivers and wrenches, which are physical tools for hardware maintenance and have no direct role in business analysis.

Common Pitfalls:
A common misunderstanding is to think that Business Analysts use only simple office tools and no specialized systems. While word processors and spreadsheets are important, modern projects often rely heavily on collaborative requirements and issue tracking tools. Another pitfall is to underestimate the value of proper modelling tools and to draw complex diagrams in ad hoc ways, which can lead to inconsistency. Selecting and correctly using appropriate tools improves the clarity and traceability of requirements.

Final Answer:
Business Analysts typically use requirements management or issue tracking tools, diagramming and modelling tools, office productivity applications, and collaboration platforms to perform their day to day analysis and communication tasks.