Business Analyst Job Description
JB | Feb 14, 2007 | 15 Comments | Print |
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So, what exactly is a Business Analyst? What is the role of the Analyst in the software development lifecycle? If you don’t want to be completely confused, don’t bother trying to get a conclusive definition by just “Googling” it. There are dozens of variations on the BA role depending on the company, and on the software engineering methodology used.
You’ll hear of Systems Analysts, Requirements Engineers/Analysts and a host of other related titles. These, again depending on the company, may be the same thing as a BA, somewhat similar, or completely different.
Based on my experience, I like the Business Analyst job description provided over at Mike Schaffner’s blog. It seems to hit all the main points as well as some of the more generic desired attributes in an IT professional.
I like that Schaffner goes a bit further in pointing out specific attributes (I’ve highlighted them in blue text) that distinguish the BA from a typical “good applications person.”
Here’s the list:
- Elicit requirements using interviews, document analysis, requirements workshops, surveys, site visits, business process descriptions, use cases, scenarios, business analysis, task and workflow analysis.
- Critically evaluate information gathered from multiple sources, reconcile conflicts, decompose high-level information into details, abstract up from low-level information to a general understanding, and distinguish user requests from the underlying true needs.
- Proactively communicate and collaborate with external and internal customers to analyze information needs and functional requirements and deliver the following artifacts as needed: (Functional requirements (Business Requirements Document), iii. Use Cases, GUI, Screen and Interface designs)
- Utilize your experience in using enterprise-wide requirements definition and management systems and methodologies required.
- Successfully engage in multiple initiatives simultaneously
- Work independently with users to define concepts and under direction of project managers
- Drive and challenge business units on their assumptions of how they will successfully execute their plans
- Strong analytical and product management skills required, including a thorough understanding of how to interpret customer business needs and translate them into application and operational requirements.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with a diverse group, executives, managers, and subject matter experts.
- Serves as the conduit between the customer community (internal and external customers) and the software development team through which requirements flow.
- Develop requirements specifications according to standard templates, using natural language.
- Collaborate with developers and subject matter experts to establish the technical vision and analyze tradeoffs between usability and performance needs.
- Be the liaison between the business units, technology teams and support teams.
For more information, below are some other links to posts specializing on defining the business analyst role and responsibilities, as well as some ideas on how BAs can best be used to solve business problems.
- It’s Good to be a Business Analyst
- McDonald’s Burgers and High-Quality Business Analysts
- Business Analysts: SME’s or Generalists?
- Finding a Home for Business Analysts
- How Can a Business Analyst Help You?
- Thought, Problems, and Business Analysts
- Corporate Strategy and the Business Analyst
- On Business Analysis in an Agile Setting
- Excellent Resources for Business Analysts
Filed Under: Business Analysis
Jonathan,
Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate the feedback. For me, providing this kind of service is what it will take for us to become strategic and go beyond just being order takers.
By the way, the link to the article is actually http://mikeschaffner.typepad.com/michael_schaffner/2007/02/lets_get_down_t.html#more
You inadvertently used the trackback link instead of the permalink.
Thanks,
Mike Schaffner
http://www.mwschaffner.com
Thanks for stopping by, Mike, and thanks for the great content.
Oh, I’ve fixed your link, too. Sorry about that!
Jonathan
A while ago I surveyed BA job descriptions and broke down the cmpetencies they were looking for. There is a pie graph at the other end of this link.
(You’ll need to scroll down)
[...] Business Analyst Job Description [...]
Jonathan,
Thank you for a description of what a BA role is.
Personally I can see point three taken too literally:
“Proactively communicate and collaborate with external and internal customers to analyze information needs and functional requirements and deliver the following artifacts as needed: (Functional requirements (Business Requirements Document), iii. Use Cases, GUI, Screen and Interface designs)”
with BA’s thinking it is their responsibility to create the GUI and interface designs.
What I think is lacking in the definition is the distinction between finding out what is required and designing how that is implemented and which part of that is in the role/responsibilities of the BA and which is not.
Do you think the role of the BA is to design “HOW” a system will do what it does?
I find the “HOW” creeps in whenever the requirements take the form “The System shall…” rather than “It is required that …”.
What do you think ?
Rgs,James.
BTW- I posted this comment to Mike’s site too, since Im *very* interested in resposnes.
[...] Key job responsibilies include – (source: http://jonathanbabcock.com/2007/02/14/business-analyst-job-description/) [...]
Thanks, Jonathan! This helps a lot with a question I've been asking this week: what, if anything, is the difference between Business Analyst and Requirements Analyst. Your description makes them look a lot alike. I find that's one major subset of the answers I got. The other subset was that BA is whole business, while RA is software-specific. But Weigers (for one) says the terms are used synonymously most of the time.
I need to write up a job description for an analyst, and this is a huge help. Thanks!
Great post Jonathan. If you read a job description today for a business analyst, there will be much more requirements then you list. In fact, many companies are now looking for BAs to be able to code. I wonder if companies will still have such high expectations when the market turns around.
Jonathan the Job Description is very good, Though outdated. I am a BA, recently i went for an interview there i as asked to do social media service.
My recent post Finance Job Descriptions
Hello,
I am pursuing computer science engineering and currently in the third year.I have good communication skills.
Am interested to become a BA…..Is it possible to be one without MBA in hand i.e. directly after the B.Tech.?
Also if MBA is indispensable then which MBA stream would be the best?
Would be grateful for the advice.
Thanks
Your blog is so informative … keep up the good work!!!!
@ Schaffner, It was really great work.
@Jonathan, Schaffner, Can you please let me know what is the career scope of a BA? Will a BA play long game or his career graph becomes stagnant after some time?
dear,
just to check where I can study BA as per your recommendation.
I need some trustworthy institute or online training accredited and certified.
Not at all. While educational technologists may use information technology in their jobs, they have a very different purpose. I’ve worked at a couple of universities which used educational technologists heavily, and their job was to work with instructors to help them design and implement ways of teaching effectively. Yes, they taught the faculty about new hardware and software developments that they might be able to use to make their classes more effective (I remember when podcasting first became available, they helped some instructors use that to record their lectures), but they also help faculty design projects to assign to their students, or write exams to optimally test for how well students have met class objectives, etc. I also remember at one point going to our instructional technologist because I was teaching a lot of student athletes, and I noticed that they had a lot of kinetic energy and found it hard to sit still in class, even if they were interested. So we designed some class exercises which would allow students to move around more often so that I could keep their attention.
I am trying to switch my career to IT , starting as BA. I am a quick learner and have excellent communication skills. Lets see if i can make it….