When you are learning a new domain as a business analyst, you want to understand the domain well enough so that you can ask questions that extend the scope of the domain.
The scope of a domain is extended by applying the domain to other areas, changing aspects of the domain such as speed or availability, imagine the domain in 10, 20, or 50 years in the future.
The process of extending the domain results in questions that you would need to pose. Contemplating these questions solidifies the understanding of the domain as it is.
Taking the domain of insurance the domain could be extended by asking questions such as:
– What would the domain be like if we applied the domain to pets?
– What if claims against insurance could be resolved in minutes?
– What will insurance look like in 10, 20, 50 years?
Contemplating these questions will reveal gaps in our knowledge of the domain as it exists.
The goal of a business analyst is to become an expert in the domain so that quality questions can be asked, and effective value-adding changes can be implemented.