What does a Business Analyst Do?

It has been observed that a general lack of understanding exists around what a business analyst does. However, the good news is that the contemporary business analyst of today is multi-talented. Most of Information Technology jobs have a fixed job description attached to them leading to a clear career path. However that is not the case with a business analyst. Their role and job description do vary and so do their career paths.

Business Analysts work primarily in organizations which have technology departments or they work with project managers in project management consultancies. Their prime objective is to put together business needs along with the IT resources. So let’s learn more about this multifaceted professional and to know answers to the question “What does a Business Analyst Do”?

Help in Facilitating Solutions

The nature of daily duties at work can vary for a business analyst depending upon the organization. One of the prime objectives of a business analyst is to work with the stakeholders of the project. This is primarily done in order to define business requirements and fulfill the needs for what must be delivered.

During this process, the business analyst has an imperative role to play. He is required to document them in a way which is well communicated to the team for delivering the solution.

Analysis and Investigating

Since it is the responsibility of a business analyst to deeply understand the project, its requirements and solution, usually they do conduct interviews too for their data collection. They do a lot of research work.

At the same time, business analysts have to spend a lot of their time in analyzing the info they already have procured and to make sure it is up to date, accurate and thorough. This is required so that they can weigh the pros & cons of the possible solutions and accordingly take a decision as per the requirements.

Wearing Many Hats at the Same Time

The most impressive part of a business analyst’s job is that their job nature is not set in stone which means that they have the need to possess a flexible approach while matching the circumstances. In fact, their title might vary as per the structure of the organization which they work for.

Having a strong business background or being from an extensive IT background is very helpful in being a top notch business analyst. A Business Analyst has to be a versatile professional as they have to wear many hats at the same time – the reason being that their job profile never involves simply performing a single task. Instead it can include and is not limited to fulfilling the following responsibilities:

• Defining business cases and analyzing them
• Project Management
• Project Development
• Quality Testing
• Subject Matter Expertise
• Playing the role of a Change Agent

Communication & Documentation

One of the integral tasks of a business analyst is getting involved in documentation. Being a good listener, confirming what they have assimilated and finally communicating well to the people who will actually build the solution is crucial.

They also spend a great deal of time documenting all they have assimilated, understood and the final result of their analysis. Documentation by using pdfs, graphs or tables and so forth for putting down relevant info is something which they often do.

Problem Solvers & Visionaries

Business Analysts are efficient problem solvers and they take up the challenges of solving problems within the organization they work for. Being a visionary also becomes critical for them as they are not limited by a boundary or a monotonous perspectives of arriving at solutions. They naturally make their effort to look at things differently from otherwise a conventional approach.

Analysts also are involved in finalizing the design of business systems. Designing technical solutions as and when required & working with the team to pick opportunities for improving business operations are some of the other significant roles they play in organizations.

In certain situations, they also provide valuable help for the architects for ensuring the smooth working of the system. Testing the systems and creating user manuals at the same time along with system documentation are also their forte.

Salaries & Certifications for Business Analysts

An entry level business analyst can earn anything from $45,000-$50,000 on an average. A senior and well experienced professional with about 5 to 10 years of experience can expect to earn about $80,000-$85000 as per a salary survey lately. The salaries can also vary as per individual company policies.

Most positions require a business degree as the minimum requirement and in fact those having a MBA Degree can earn more. Experience indeed counts as mostly companies look at success stories to back up claims made by prospective employers. On an average the salary of a business analyst increases with experience.

There are a variety of certifications which can prove to be significant for career growth for business analysts. The IIBA offers The Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (Certified Business Analysis Professional). Similarly, for project managers the required certifications are CAPM and PMP.