What does a business analyst do? What are his core tasks?
In a nutshell: Analyse and understand business processes and structures in detail and develop solution proposals and improvements for processes, IT systems and structures. Through appropriate communication, the business analyst establishes a result that works for all parties involved.
Thus he plays an important role in the (further) development process of companies.
What exactly a business analyst is, what his tasks are and why he is so important for companies, I will explain in this article.
In more detail: What is a business analyst?
A business analyst works his way into corporate structures. He creates a comprehensive analysis of business and communication structures, the IT landscape, products and services. Or, depending on requirements, of a sub-area of the company.
The goal: to determine the current state and develop solutions for optimisation, e.g. in IT or work processes.
The complex tasks place high demands on the experience and competence of a business analyst:
- very good social and communication skills
- analytical way of thinking
- company and industry knowledge
- technical knowledge and understanding of technical components
- knowledge of business processes and planning
- leadership skills.
After all, the business analyst and the results of his or her work play an important role in the efficiency and productivity of a company. And thus for its economic success.
These are the tasks and activities of a business analyst
Business analysts can work for a company as a whole or for specific sub-areas or departments. This results in more specific designations such as IT Business Analyst or Business Process Analyst, and some more.
Even though their specific job differs depending on the category, the tasks of a business analyst are basically these:
- communicate
- determine requirements
- find solutions.
Communication between departments and stakeholders
Proper communication should not be underestimated in any company, both internally and externally. Many conflicts arise from a lack of communication and could actually be avoided. The example of communication between IT and specialist departments illustrates this.
Business analysts are indispensable links between business departments and IT. There is often potential for conflict in communication between them and due to different requirements.
Business departments, for example, develop ideas for new products and processes to increase business success and win new customers. These innovations are often IT-based or direct IT solutions. IT, on the other hand, relies on stable technical systems – changes are always prone to disruptions or errors. Different departments also often speak different technical languages, which leads to further communication difficulties.
This is where the business analyst comes in. He understands all parties involved and speaks both technical languages. He mediates between the business department as the creator of the requirements and the IT department as the implementer of the requirements. In this way, he can avoid conflicts before they arise or defuse and resolve existing conflicts.
Determine requirements
By communicating with and understanding all stakeholders, the business analyst can analyse and define the requirements for change or improvement and, last but not least, communicate them in a way that everyone can understand.
At this point the role of the business analyst overlaps with that of the requirements engineer. The transitions can be fluid anyway and in some companies one person takes on both roles at the same time.
Basically, however, the tasks of the business analyst go beyond those of the requirements engineer. While the business analyst additionally carries out important strategic, business analyses with appropriate methods, the requirements engineer concentrates on the elicitation and management of requirements.
Developing solutions
Based on the communication with all parties involved and the identified requirements, the business analyst can develop new solutions and support companies in their implementation. These can be improved business processes and structures, new workflows or improvements in the IT landscape. Depending on the objective, the focus is on increased efficiency or productivity, customer acquisition, increased turnover, etc.
At the same time, the business analyst will always keep the needs of all stakeholders in mind to achieve a result that works well for everyone.
Summary: Business Analyst and Business Analysis in a nutshell
A business analyst uses detailed analyses to determine the current state of a company or a subdivision with regard to products, work processes, systems and services. Based on this, he develops concrete proposals for optimisation. He achieves this through:
- communication and mediation between specialised departments and different interest groups
- determining requirements
- recommending and implementing solutions.
The advantages of a professional business analyst
Business analysts play an important role in the corporate context. Hardly any successful company does without them these days. The measures, decisions and solutions that a business analyst recommends and implements have a significant influence on the economic prospects of a company. In a positive sense, of course, as long as a competent and experienced person is entrusted with this role.
We not only work in project management, but also have many years of experience in business analysis, especially as a link between the business department and IT. If you do not (yet) have a business analyst or need additional external support, we should definitely talk. We will support you with our expertise and find solutions that work for everyone.
You can contact us here. We look forward to hearing from you!