One of the things I enjoy about being a BA is that there is often flexibility to mold the role into what it needs to be in a particular environment.

I really think versatility is an important attribute for a successful BA in that in some places the role will emphasize technical know-how, in others project management skills will be at the forefront. To be as marketable as possible, we need to be able to apply core BA skills and concepts while adapting to the different, particular needs of a given business/technical environment.

I’ll definitely take a look at your article, Rajeev.

First of all, you have raised an issue that probably is the most steaming in the BA community. What are the BAs and where do they add value.

I had written on the same topic a few months back and that article can be found at:
http://bizvalu.blogspot.com/2007/03/glorified-secretary-is-that-what-ba-is.html

There’s a link to a paper that Kathleen Hass wrote, which I think is a must-read for every wannabe BA.

A good website though.

Rajeev

This will probably always be a murky subject but I’m beginning to see some very distinct variations:
* Business Analyst – business focused
(this role/title currently exists in many organizations where it has nothing to do with technology – but simply performs analysis of the business to improve the processes and help the business make more money and reduce cost).

* IT Business Analyst – bridge between business & IT
(this role is more of the BA that helps the business solve problems using technology – identify and document the requirements for an information system)

* Systems Analyst – mostly IT/solution centric
(this is the analyst which, once requirements are Cleary defined, creates a functional solution by working with the IT Architect and with the technical team).

Of course – the reality is that most organizations just give the BA any title they can come up with in a jiffy while the actual expectations can indeed very from business only to very technical.

Any more thoughts?

- Adrian