Let’s start with an illustration of how tough business analysis work maybe when you don’t know where to start. Business analysts might begin their careers in a variety of ways. In the past, it was not uncommon for young software engineers to migrate into the business side of a company, when their boss summoned them into their office and said, “We are short-staffed, and I need you to find out what the users need this new software application to perform,” The inexperienced business analyst needed to figure out who to talk to, what questions to ask, how to ask them, and how to document what they learned in a way that made sense to the development team and the company.
In this case, completing the fundamental business analysis tasks took far longer than it appeared to. These unprepared rookie business analysts had a hard time figuring out where to begin. There was no system in place to lead them, and no one to direct them in the correct way. They found themselves wishing to return to their desks and continue programming. Fortunately, business analysts no longer have to feel this way. Standards, books, websites, blogs, and a plethora of experienced individuals are all available to advise and guide business analysts in completing their tasks correctly.
Business analysis is the glue that holds successful companies together. It’s a unique discipline that focuses on recognizing company requirements, issues, and opportunities, as well as for deciding the best ways to handle them. Systems development, process improvement, organizational transformation, or a mix of the three may be the emphasis of the projects and initiatives that arise. Strategic, tactical, and operational aspects of a company are all touched by business analysis. Business analysts work on all areas of an organization’s enterprise architecture, stakeholder demands, business processes, software, and hardware across the project and product life cycles.
The BABOK® (Business Analysis Book of Knowledge) Guide from the international institute of business analysis (IIBA) focuses on developing the foundational skills needed to be a successful business analyst on today’s projects and initiatives. Business analysis, according to the BABOK® Guide, is “the activity of enabling change in an organization by defining needs and offering solutions that provide value to stakeholders.” Simply said, a business analyst is someone who does these business analysis tasks.
When it comes to business analysis in an organization, it’s important to understand how the company sees its analysts. First and foremost, what is a business analyst’s role? Second, what is the intended working relationship between the project manager and the business analyst? Third, who are the stakeholders with whom the business analyst will be dealing as the project progresses?
