In preparation for elicitation, a business analyst secures supporting material which is essential for the elicitation activities. This involves identifying and procuring all necessary information and resources that will be used during these activities. It includes gathering documents, systems information, historical data, and any other relevant materials that will support the elicitation process.
The BABOK Guide emphasizes the importance of securing supporting materials as part of the preparation for elicitation. This step ensures that the business analyst has all the necessary tools and information to effectively conduct elicitation activities1.

A requirement can be of benefit to a stakeholder and still not be a desirable part of a solution. A requirement that does not deliver benefit to a stakeholder is a strong candidate for elimination. When requirements do not align, either the future state must be re-evaluated and the solution scope changed, or the requirement removed from the solution scope.

When a potential requirement is identified, the next logical step is to assess it. This assessment determines its validity, alignment with business objectives, and impact on other requirements. Only after a requirement is deemed valid and necessary will it be further maintained, prioritized, or traced.
BABOK Reference - Task: Assess Requirements Changes (Section 5.4):
"Business analysts assess new, changing, or conflicting requirements to determine the impact on the solution and the organization."

When preparing for elicitation, Business Analysts (BAs) gather various supporting materials to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the current state and to facilitate effective stakeholder engagement. These materials provide context, background, and constraints that influence the requirements gathering process.
Key Supporting Materials:
* System Documents: Include existing documentation such as system architecture diagrams, data flow diagrams, and user manuals. These help BAs understand the current systems in place.
* Business Rules: Define the operations, definitions, and constraints that apply to an organization.
Understanding these rules is crucial for identifying requirements that align with business operations.
* Organizational Policies: Internal guidelines that govern business processes and decision-making. They provide insight into the organization ' s priorities and constraints.
* Regulations: External legal and regulatory requirements that the organization must comply with. These are essential for ensuring that any proposed solutions are legally compliant.
Reference from BABOK Guide v3:
The BABOK Guide v3 emphasizes the importance of securing supporting materials during the preparation for elicitation. It states that BAs should identify and gather relevant information sources, including system documentation, business rules, organizational policies, and regulations, to inform the elicitation process effectively.

Observation is a technique used in business analysis to elicit information by viewing and understanding activities in their context. It involves watching how stakeholders perform tasks, interact with systems, and cope with problems in their natural work environment. This technique helps business analysts gain insights into the needs, preferences, challenges, and goals of users and stakeholders, especially in situations where they may not be able to articulate their requirements clearly.
The information is verified as per the Business Analysis Learning documents and resources, which discuss various elicitation techniques including observation