| WHAT IS A BUSINESS ANALYST? | | | | use them in that proportion'. G.K. Chesterton |
| Today the term Business Analyst is synonymous with | | | | Computer programmers sometimes make the move |
| a career in the IT industry but the most successful and | | | | to an analysis role, not always successfully. |
| valuable analysts are those who understand the | | | | Programming requires a particular personality - |
| "business" rather than those who understand IT. | | | | comfortable with detail and logical precision. Business |
| So what exactly is a Business Analyst? What is the | | | | analysis is more of the big picture. It is a rare individual |
| Business Analyst's role? What is the best background | | | | that is comfortable - and competent - in both areas. |
| for this job? What skill set is required? What type of | | | | Today's Business Analyst - the job role |
| person is the best fit? What training is required and | | | | At the core of the Business Analyst's skills are |
| available? Each organisation seems to have its own | | | | process modelling, requirements gathering and |
| ideas about the role, skills, responsibilities and | | | | requirements specification. However, because the B.A. |
| expectations. Given the importance of the job, a | | | | has a highly visible role in the project, the expectations |
| common definition would assist both practitioners and | | | | from clients, colleagues and the organisation are often |
| employers. In this second part we look at typical | | | | far higher and extend through the life of the project: |
| background requirements for a Business Analyst, and | | | | In the project initiation phase, the B.A. may be |
| their job role. | | | | expected to investigate, formulate & agree terms |
| Academic level | | | | of reference, and etablish relationships. |
| In our experience the most successful B.A.'s are those | | | | In the analysis and specification phase, the B.A. may be |
| with formal, structured education and training. Business | | | | expected to investigate business systems, to establish |
| administration and similar qualifications are certainly | | | | & agree business requirements, establish cultural |
| helpful, but not essential. Similarly, a qualification in a | | | | & organisational changes required and advise on |
| computing topic, while helpful is not essential. | | | | technology options. |
| Professionalism is not widely sought-after or | | | | In the design phase, the B.A. may be expected to |
| recognised, and most B.A.'s are not members of the | | | | propose, outline, design & specify business |
| ACSiii (Australian Computer Society). | | | | functions, to appraise software packages, to design |
| Experience | | | | manual interfaces and design implementation & |
| A broad experience of business is required, the more | | | | training processes. |
| varied, the better. Business experience in insurance, | | | | In the build phase, the B.A. may be expected to liase |
| HR, banking, retail, manufacturing, processing and | | | | with the technical services provider, and plan/build |
| technology industries, etc. is transferable, no matter | | | | present training courses. |
| what the recruiters might say. | | | | In the test phase, the B.A. may be expected to liase |
| Personal characteristics | | | | and manage acceptance testing. |
| The B.A. has to get along with everyone, maintaining | | | | In the implementation phase, the B.A. may be expected |
| good relationships at all levels from senior | | | | to liase and manage the implementation. |
| management to junior staff. They must be able to | | | | A Business Analyst may find themselves involved in |
| understand the business objectives and be able to | | | | some or all of the above roles. The required skill set |
| quickly prioritise their work, so that they do not spend | | | | may be classified as follows: |
| undue time on the small things before they've sorted | | | | Primary skills - analysis & investigative skills, |
| out the main issues. They must be analytical and be | | | | process modelling, data modelling, specification writing, |
| able to deal with the abstract; this is most important. | | | | business writing, inter-personal communications skills. |
| They must be good with detail, and tenacious - | | | | Secondary skills - presentation & training skills, |
| following issues through to conclusion. They must be | | | | technology & vendor knowledge, SDLC |
| good organisers and good with their own time | | | | knowledge, project management, team leadership. |
| management. Above all, they must be excellent | | | | Even if the B.A. works predominantly in the domain of |
| communicators, able to reduce the complex to the | | | | primary skills, to be effective within the organisation |
| understandable. An often under-rated skill is listening. | | | | they will need a balance of secondary skills as well. |
| 'You have two ears and one mouth. I suggest that you | | | | |