Your Guide to Business Analysis Tools for 2025

Written by Coursera Staff • Updated on

Businesses rely heavily on data and the tools necessary to analyze it. Learn about popular business analysis tools, including techniques and a business analysis tools list.

[Featured Image] A businesswoman uses data visualization, one of many business analysis tools, to explain recent trends in their company to a colleague.

Business analysis is a key component of a successful decision-making strategy. Professionals such as business analysts use different tools to understand the data that a business collects. They leverage these insights to recommend actions that optimize processes, address issues, and identify potential opportunities. Read on to learn more about data analysis tools, discover various techniques you can use in your role, and explore a comprehensive list of business analysis tools.

Types of business analysis tools

Business analysis tools are software applications and methods that help gather, identify, store, and analyze data sets. Each tool addresses a specific type of analysis and tends to depend on the individual project.

Data visualization tools

Data visualization tools can help you create visual representations of the information contained within a data set. This technique makes data sets more easily understood across your organization’s departments. Data visualization tools are types of software that allow you to input a data set and create graphical representations, often with built-in templates. Some data visualization tools include:

  • Google Charts is a free tool for creating interactive data charts that are hosted on the Internet. It can pull data from a wide range of sources and provides eighteen types of charts, such as histograms, pie charts, and bar charts.

  • Tableau, owned by Salesforce, is one of the most popular software programs on the market. It provides desktop, web, and server-hosted versions that integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) software. Its robust offerings offer dozens of visualization options to best represent data sets.

  • Infogram is unique because it allows you to create infographics that you can embed within presentations, documents, or websites.

Read more: 5 Types of Data Visualization

Statistical analysis software

Statistical analysis software allows you to track data sets over time and identify trends and patterns that, in turn, inform actionable decisions. The results from this software can help you discover areas of weakness, forecast future events, and predict problem areas to address. Some statistical analysis software examples include the following:

  • DataMelt supports the statistical analysis of massive volumes of data and is popular in engineering, the natural sciences, and financial marketing. 

  • SAS/STAT Software uses proven techniques to analyze data sets of any size. This software updates regularly, which means you’ll have access to models based on the latest discoveries in the analysis field.

  • IBM SPSS is proprietary software that provides advanced analysis, no matter your level of experience. It comes as a suite that allows for a wide range of statistical analysis, from detecting fraud to optimizing business strategies.

Process mapping software

Process mapping software allows you to visualize workflows and processes, which can help make those processes more effective by identifying those spaces that could use improvement. Some examples of process mapping software include the following:

  • Microsoft Visio offers a wide range of templates that allow you to build out basic to advanced sequences and diagrams. This means you can visually represent every process detail, providing clarity to your team.

  • IBM Blueworks Live allows you to pull from a single source of truth, which helps ensure that your team will work from the same information and minimizes the risk of discrepancies or inaccuracies.

  • Pneumatic helps you build workflows that move from one team member to another as tasks are completed, keeping projects moving smoothly and efficiently.

Strategic analysis frameworks

Strategic analysis frameworks are structures that allow you to develop effective action plans, helping you to reach stated business goals. Some examples of these frameworks include:

  • SWOT stands for Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It is a comprehensive way to examine your business's internal and external factors.

  • PEST is a framework for analyzing external factors affecting your business, such as political, economic, social, and technological factors.

  • MOST can help you analyze internal business factors, such as mission, objectives, strategies, and tactics.

What can you use business analysis tools to accomplish?

Business analysis tools can assist you in making more informed decisions about the right steps and strategies to reach your business’s stated goals. These tools can help you to identify what type of pricing to use for products and services, for example. They can help you better understand, serve your customer base, and improve process efficiency. Business analysis tools also help identify potential pitfalls early in the planning process, which can help you mitigate risk. They can provide a competitive edge for your business since you will have access to the latest technology and trends.

Who uses business analysis tools?

A wide range of professionals find business analysis tools useful, including:

1. Business analysts

Business analysts collect and analyze data to identify opportunities and support teams as they work toward stated outcomes. They recommend courses of action and improvements for business processes, which can help increase profits and reduce costs.

2. Project managers

Project managers plan and oversee projects from inception to execution. They make sure that the projects proceed on schedule and stay within budget. They also monitor progress and communicate everything, from potential issues to updates, to business leaders and stakeholders.

3. Marketing specialists

Marketing specialists use data to help increase brand awareness and reach new and existing customers. They collaborate with other marketing professionals to create materials for outreach, campaigns, and promotions.

4. Strategic planners

Strategic planners use business data to identify short—and long-term goals and create actionable strategies to meet those goals. They research trends and prepare reports for business leaders that include their findings.

Read more: What Is Strategic Management? Approaches, Benefits, and Careers

Benefits and drawbacks of using business analysis tools

Business analysis tools can offer you a wide range of benefits and drawbacks that you’ll want to consider before purchasing or implementing any of these software programs or methods.

Pros

Business analysis tools can provide robust insight into your business’s effectiveness, reach, and progress toward goals. They help business leadership identify where to improve processes, increase operational efficiency, and support strategic planning that helps businesses meet stated goals in ways that increase revenue and reduce costs.

Cons

Some cons of business analysis tools include your team's potential resistance to change and adaptation to new technology. You’ll want to carefully consider the cost of purchasing, implementing, and running this software, as it can become expensive depending on your goal. You’ll also want to be mindful of data security and how to safely store the information you collect.

How to get started with business analysis tools

Business analysis tools are an effective way to support your organization’s growth and goals. If you’re interested in working with these tools in a professional role, you’ll want to consider developing your skills to pursue business analysis jobs.

Education

For business analysts, employers typically require at least a bachelor’s degree in business administration, computer science, finance, or a subject that's similiar. According to Zippia, 71 percent of business analysts hold a bachelor's, 18 percent have a master's, and 7 percent have an associate [1]. Developing accounting, finance, marketing, or other business skills is also helpful in securing a role.

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Practical experience

Hands-on experience in the business administration field is a helpful way to gain the skills and insight you’ll need to become a business analyst or something similar. You might start in adjacent roles, such as a software engineer, before moving into an analyst role.

Certifications

The International Institute of Business Analysis is a globally recognized organization that offers you the opportunity to demonstrate your business analysis expertise. Three core certifications, include:

  1. Entry Certificate in Business Analysis

  2. Certification of Capability in Business Analysis

  3. Certified Business Analysis Professional

Each of these certifications helps you advance your career by deepening your knowledge.

Getting started with business analysis tools on Coursera

Business analysis tools are effective software, techniques, and methods that can provide you with insight into your business’s operations through data. Learn more about business analysis with courses and certificates on Coursera. Consider the Microsoft Business Analyst Professional Certificate, designed for beginners who want to build job-ready skills for a career in business analysis. The program covers business analysis fundamentals, Microsoft Excel, and more.

Article sources

  1. Zippia. "Business Analyst Education Requirements, https://www.zippia.com/business-analyst-jobs/education/." Accessed January 29, 2025.

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