What Do Business Analysts Really Do?
Learn the basics of what a business analyst does.
What is a business analyst required to do?
The qualified business analyst wears several hats. He or she could be a negotiator, a talented observer, a motivational speaker, and a team leader. His or her title could embody that of a systems analyst, requirements analyst, or project manager. The business analyst could or might not have a degree in business analysis. He or she might not be able to write code. However, the business analyst is educated in the method necessary to produce the code. He or she could even come from an IT department. However, what is it they do?
They will always be a step ahead
The business analyst is somebody capable of troubleshooting… He or she is going to be a position to examine data and different information gathered to determine losses experienced by the company. The business analyst will be able to compare previous facts and figures to current numbers to deduce or predict wherever failure could occur. He or she is going to be able to examine information gathered by stakeholders to assess the risks of certain project programs.
“We may have a perfectly adequate way of doing something, but that does not mean there cannot be a better way. So, we set out to find an alternative way. This is the basis of any improvement that is not fault correcting or problem-solving.”
Edward de Bono, Author, Six Thinking Hats
Business analysts will always be attentive!
The business analyst is an objective listener. He or she is going to be ready to speak to stakeholders and hear the needs determined by the management. The business analyst is going to be ready to ask questions that could lead to certain discoveries once overlooked. The qualified business analyst gains knowledge of a situation by being attentive to team leaders and end-users. He or she is going to hear the underlying message of what is being developed versus what is needed.
You have to have great social skills!
The business analyst could be a negotiator. He or she is going to be ready to involve themselves with departments and teams to permit the teams to work together. The business analyst will notice conflicts among departments. He or she is going to work side by side with every team to negotiate a compromise therefore the project is not jeopardized. The business analyst can motivate the groups to recognize their strength and weakness and allow them to stand out and overcome. He or she is going to develop a rapport with department heads and stakeholders to rally the groups into finishing the tasks at hand.
A business analyst knows how to do everything
The business analyst could also be asked to concentrate services for additional economical work environments. He or she could also be asked to scale back duplication processes occurring between departments. A qualified business analyst could also be asked to develop relations with external sources when necessary to deliver services required for project completion. The duties of the business analyst are never-ending. He or she could be a helpful quality for the company.
Every situation will be different
The business analyst may be a visionary. He or she typically thinks outside the box. always in the know about the latest technological advances, the business analyst can grasp when a program is capable of being used by the company. He or she is going to know how to see a need once the situation arises. This way the business is not left behind and may carry on with company peers.
