I would also strongly encourage formal training, or at least reading up on the web what they should do and what outputs they should produce (with samples). You might even review some of that yourself, then tailor the sample outputs to something you would find useful. I don't recall ever working with a Business Analyst per se; however, my expectations would be something like: 1. They should document the main business processes, especially those that need automation or interface with automation (like user stories). This should include copies of sample forms and reports currently in use. 2. This should include key terms, abbreviations, and definitions. 3. It should include any (industry) standards or regulations the business is expected to adhere to (with links to full specs/requirements where available). 4. This should include data flow (and decision/action flow) diagrams that show who creates the data, who acts on it, and where it eventually goes. 5. It should also include data models. They don't have to be formal/relational, but they should list all the business data entities, allowable (and sample) data, volume/size/quantity, and relationships. 6. You might want to also have them help with developing persona, use case, or actor models. Hope this helps.
