Business Analyst

Business Analyst who analyses the current situation of the Business and comes up with
strategies and roadmaps to help the organization reach its goal. Business analysts have become
a key part of successful organizations, helping companies put data research, strategy, and
analysis into action. They find the root causes of business challenges, identify business
opportunities and make recommendations on how to achieve business goals and stay
competitive. Business Analysts have emerged to have a key role in recent business scenarios.
Some people think that the role of a Business Analyst is to make money for the organization,
which may not be true in direct context. But indirectly, the action and decision taken by
Business Analysts do leave an impact on the financial prospects of the organization.

Requirments
Communication

Business Analyst

Different Business Analyst Role-

Business Analyst can be from any sector, and the role differs based on the sector. Business
Analyst are classified into various categories like-

 Business Analyst
 Business Process Analyst
 IT Business Analyst
  Business System Analyst
 System Analyst
 Data Analyst
 Functional Architect
 Usability or UX Analyst

Business Analyst duties and responsibilities of the job-

Business Analysts conduct market analyses, analyzing both product lines and the overall
profitability of the business. In addition, they develop and monitor data quality metrics and
ensure business data and reporting needs are met. Strong technology, analytical and
communication skills are must-have traits.
 Understanding the Business Requirements

Various Business Possibilities

Presentation

Team Building

Market Research

Data Gathering

Data Analysis

Communication

Project Proposal

Documentation

Evaluation

Investigating Goals and Issues-Business Analysts spend a great deal of time asking questions.
To explain the project and feasible clarifications, a BA might conduct interviews, read, and
observe work in progress. Business Analysts do analysis and look for solution alternatives, both
inside and outside the organization.

Analyzing Information-The analysis phase is the phase during which the Business Analyst
explains the elements in detail, affirming clearly and unambiguously what the business needs to
do in order solve its issue. During this stage the BA will also interact with the development team
and, if appropriate, an architect, to design the layout and define accurately what the solution
should look like.
Communicating with A Broad Range of People-Good Business Analysts contribute countless
hours actively communicating. More than only speaking, this means hearing and recognizing
verbal and non-verbal information, building an open conversation, verifying you've understood
what you heard, and communicating what you learn to those who will create the actual
solution.

Documenting Findings-Business Analysts spend a decent amount of time recording what they
learn and observe, and recording the results of their analysis.

During this phase, the Business Analyst should consider the best ways to record particular kinds
of information, either in text or visual form, i.e., charts, graphs, illustrations, etc.

Evaluating Solutions-A Business Analyst must also spend time identifying options for solving
particular difficulties, then help choose the best one. The preferred solution is then estimated
throughout the layout and planning to assure that it meets the business requirements.

Implementation-The implementation phase is not the conclusion for the Business Analyst. It's
the riskiest time for things to go amiss and for objectives to be missed. It's during this stage a
BA should be aware of how clients are utilizing the framework.

A Business Analyst job description typically includes:

 Creating a detailed business analysis, outlining problems, opportunities and solutions for
a business
 Budgeting and forecasting
 Planning and monitoring
 Financial modelling
 Variance Analysis
 Pricing
 Reporting
 Defining business requirements and reporting them back to stakeholders

In addition to performing financial and operational modelling, a Business Analyst is expected to

develop new models that underpin sound business decisions. A Business Analyst job description
should recognize the streamlining and improving of internal and external reporting. The role
should also call for a strong understanding of regulatory and reporting requirements as well as
plenty of experience in forecasting, budgeting and financial analysis combined with
understanding of key performance indicators.

Business Analyst job qualifications and requirements-

Typically, Business Analysts require a Bachelor degree minimum. Whilst any degree is
advantageous, the following subjects are useful as they’re in a similar field:
  Business Studies
 Business Administration
 Management
 Information Technology

There are also a number of industry-recognized certificates aspiring Business Analysts can
acquire too. The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) offers such accreditation.

The core skills of a Business Analyst job description should also include:

 Experience working with senior decision makers

 Strong communication/interpersonal skills
 Proven analytical background
 Advanced Excel skills

Skills of a Good Business Analyst-Basically, a good business analyst is judged on these four
attributes

Business
Analytical Leadership Technical
process and
skills skills planning skill

 Analytical skills- An outstanding analytical skill will separate out a good business analyst.
A good part of BA role includes analyzing data, workflow, user or stakeholders’ inputs,
documents, etc.
 Leadership skills- directing team members, forecasting budget, helping team members
with the problem, etc.
 Business process and planning- Planning the project scope, understanding and
implementing requirement of project, identifying resources required for the project and
so on
 Technical skill- If a business analyst is in the IT sector, few technical aspects are
expected to know like operating systems, hardware capabilities, database concepts,
networking, SDLC methodology, etc.
Certifications-As per the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), CBAP (Certified
Business Analysis Professional) certification is a recognized certificate for a professional
Business Analyst. They provide two types of certifications. The certification exam is computer
based and consists of multiple-choice questions.

 Certification of Competency in Business Analysis: Pre-requisite for this certification is at

least 3750 hours of work experience
 Certified Business Analysis Profession (senior level): Pre-requisite for this certification is
at least 7500 hours of work experience.

Work experience/internships-

Internships are a great way to get your foot in the door for Business Analyst roles. Companies
usually have internship opportunities that are publicized through campus boards or company
websites etc. The idea behind offering these internships is that companies can assess the
candidate’s performance while she is working for the company in some capacity. This tends to
be far superior to what can be achieved in a written test, an interview or even through
references. It also allows the candidate to check if she fits in the work environment and likes
the role.

Good BA roles might require some prior work experience. Fortune 500 companies will either
look for 2-5 years of prior work experience or pick candidates from top colleges and evaluable
them via an internship program. Candidates looking for such roles would do well by spending a
few years to learn as much as possible about these roles working with smaller companies or
exploring internship opportunities in larger ones.
Business analysis in a project-

Project Manager

Project Sponsor

Business User
Scope &
Status

Business User
Requirments Requirments

Business
Analyst

Software DeveloperFunctionals Expectations

& Non-
&
Functional
Constraints
Requirments
Functionals Other Stockholders
& Non-
Functional
Requirments

Testing

Typical challenges that business analysts face-

 Misconception of BA’s scope of work.

 Created specifications do not satisfy the needs of the development team.
  Changing requirements or business needs.
 Conflicts with stakeholders.
 Undocumented processes.

In essence, a Business Analyst is a navigator, responsible for reaching the end destination,
which means a satisfying resolution of a business problem. The BA always knows what the end
destination is, how to get there and is capable of handling course adjustments as they arise.The
business analyst role is promising and has to deal with different layers of an organization.
Business analyst are classified into various categories like Business Process Analyst, IT Business
Analyst and so on.