What is the purpose of 'elicitation techniques' in business analysis?

The purpose of elicitation techniques in business analysis is fundamentally to gather information from stakeholders. Elicitation is a critical process in understanding requirements, needs, and expectations for a project or initiative. Business analysts use various techniques such as interviews, surveys, workshops, and observations to engage stakeholders effectively and extract valuable information that can guide decision-making and ensure that solutions align with business goals.

By focusing on gathering insights from stakeholders, elicitation techniques enable analysts to document functional and non-functional requirements, uncover underlying motivations, and identify potential challenges early in the project. This helps in building a solid foundation for further analysis and the eventual development of solutions that meet the real needs of users and the organization as a whole.