Before We Dive In – Why Do BAs Even Need So Many Documents?
Business Analysts (BAs) often juggle multiple documents like BRD, PRD, SRS, and FRS. But what’s the real reason behind this stack of paperwork? Each serves a different purpose in the software development lifecycle and ensures stakeholders, developers, and QA teams are on the same page.
Business Analysts (BAs) often juggle multiple documents like BRD, PRD, SRS, and FRS. But what’s the real reason behind this stack of paperwork?
Each document plays a unique role in translating business needs into technical deliverables. This layered approach helps minimize miscommunication and ensures that each team—be it stakeholders, developers, or QA—is aligned with the project goals. These documents are not redundant; they’re complementary and often sequential in use.
Think of it like building a house: The BRD is your “why,” the PRD is “what features should it have,” the SRS dives into “how it should work,” and the FRS outlines “what functionalities it must perform.”
Let’s break it all down!
Curious about what a Business Analyst does or what Business Analysis is? Read our introductory guide to Business Analysts.
BRD 101: What’s a Business Requirements Document & Why Should You Care?
A Business Requirements Document (BRD) outlines the high-level business needs and stakeholder expectations for a project. It’s the bridge between what a business wants and what developers will eventually build.
Why it matters:
- It sets the tone for the entire project.
- It’s the contract between business and tech.
- It ensures there are no surprises down the line.
Without a solid BRD, teams risk building the wrong solution, even if technically perfect.
Key objectives of a BRD:
- Align all stakeholders
- Define business goals
- Set scope boundaries
- Reduce ambiguity
Anatomy of a BRD – What Goes In & What Must Not Be Missed
A typical BRD includes:
- Project Overview – What the project is all about
- Business Objectives – Clear, measurable goals
- Scope – What’s in, what’s not
- Stakeholder List – Everyone involved and their roles
- Functional Requirements – High-level features
- Non-functional Requirements – Performance, usability, etc.
- Business Rules – Policies or logic the system must follow
- Dependencies and Assumptions – External conditions that may impact the project
- Glossary – Avoid jargon confusion
Free BRD Template (So You Don’t Have to Start from Scratch)
Looking for a plug-and-play BRD template? Download this free BRD template that includes all the critical components a beginner BA needs to kick off a project.
BRD vs PRD vs SRS vs FRS – What’s the Difference & Why It Matters
It’s easy to get lost in the acronym maze. Let’s decode:
| Document | Owner | Focus | Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRD | Business Analyst | Business needs | Stakeholders, Dev Team |
| PRD | Product Manager | Product features | Dev Team, QA |
| SRS | BA/Tech Team | System behavior | Dev Team |
| FRS | BA | Functional features | Dev Team |
Too Many Docs? Here’s a Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | BRD | PRD | SRS | FRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Goals | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Functional Specs | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Non-Functional | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Technical Detail | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
5 BA-Approved Tips for Writing BRDs
- 💬 Engage stakeholders early – Don’t assume, ask.
- 🎯 Focus on outcomes, not features – Prioritize the impact, don’t just build features.
- 🧾 Keep it structured but flexible – It is all about being agile.
- 🕵️♂️ Include visuals like flowcharts – A picture conveys a thousand words.
- 🔄 Revisit and revise – A BRD is a living document. Update as you go.
TL;DR – Documentation Simplified!
A BRD isn’t just documentation—it’s how you communicate intent, vision, and direction. Mastering BRDs is the first step to becoming a strategic BA.
Remember, documentation isn’t just paperwork. It’s how teams align. The time you invest here saves months down the line.
From personal experience, this is most critical time as a BA. Project execution revolves around the work done in this phase. Few days of pain in writing comprehensive documentation, be it BRD, PRD or anything else, goes a long way in streamlining months of execution.
Frequntly Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is the difference between BRD and PRD?
A BRD focuses on business needs, while a PRD focuses on product features.
Q2. Who writes the BRD?
Usually, a Business Analyst is responsible for authoring the BRD with stakeholder input.
Q3. Is BRD necessary in Agile?
While Agile uses leaner documents like epics/user stories, a BRD still helps align vision in complex projects.
