What is a Business Analyst?
Business Analysts are responsible for identifying the business needs of their clients and stakeholders to help determine solutions to business problems.
The Business Analyst is responsible for requirements development and requirements management. Specifically, the Business Analyst elicits, analyzes, validates and documents business, organizational and/or operational requirements. Solutions are not predetermined by the Business Analyst, but are driven solely by the requirements of the business. Solutions often include a systems development component, but may also consist of process improvement or organizational change.
The Business Analyst is a key facilitator within an organization, acting as a bridge between the client, stakeholders and the solution team.
Business analysis is distinct from financial analysis, project management, quality assurance, organizational development, testing, training and documentation development. However, depending on an organization, an individual Business Analyst may perform some or all of these related functions.
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Information technology (IT) business analysts play a vital role in their organizations' technological direction. IT business analysis responsibilities can reside in various corporate functions and departments, such as operations, product development, information systems and finance. The job of business analyst also can fall under many different titles:
- Business Systems Analyst
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Information Systems Analyst
- Systems Analyst
No matter what organization or title owns the function, the business analyst's primary responsibilities are gathering requirements for designing business information systems, modifying systems to improve production or workflow, deploying new applications or expanding systems to serve new purposes. The bottom line for business analysts is to help make their companies more efficient, effective and profitable.
Career and Employment Opportunities for Business Analysts
The IT business analysis field has grown significantly over the last decade. Projected growth from the U.S. Department of Labor shows that from 1990 to 2005 analyst positions grew 45%, with more jobs continuing to be created every year. Through 2014, the expectation is that this job position will grow more than 27%, not including self-employment or openings due to turnover. Many business analysts are independent consultants or work specifically for consulting firms that do business and systems analysis for many companies. The demand for business analysts is expected to rise as advances in technology lead to new applications for computers.
Training Requirements for Business Analysts
Employers generally seek college graduates for IT business analyst jobs, and for some of the more complex jobs, people with graduate degrees are preferred. Employers usually want analysts with backgrounds in accounting, business management or economics for work in a business environment, while backgrounds in the physical sciences, mathematics or engineering are preferred for work in scientifically oriented organizations.
Business analysts must be able to think logically and should like working with ideas. They often deal with a number of tasks simultaneously. The ability to concentrate and pay close attention to detail also is important. Although analysts often work independently, they also work in teams on large projects. They must be able to communicate effectively with technical personnel, such as programmers, as well as with managers and clients who have no computer background.
Analysts also need to keep up with the rapidly changing technology of the computer field, so continuous study is necessary to keep skills up-to-date. Training requirements average about one to two weeks per year.
Given these requirements, successful business analysts will need business analysis training as well as project management, leadership, communication, team-building and business process management training.
Are you a new or current business analyst or business systems analyst? Now you can receive top-of-the-line training that will help you effectively and efficiently support the business analysis phase of a project. Enroll in our Business Analyst Fundamentals Certificate Track, or choose from one of the individual business analyst courses. |
