User:Tjoektjoek10/Business analyst

A business analyst (BA) is a person who processes, interprets and documents business processes, products, services and software through analysis of data. The goal of a business analyst is to ensure an increase in business efficiency through their knowledge of both IT and business processes, in a project based way. A business analyst can be seen as bridging the gap between the customers and IT teams. Business analysts in the context of requirements engineering have had to adapt to evolving tasks, techniques, and challenges. One of these evolving techniques relevant for business analysts was the introduction of agile software development.

Some tasks of a business analyst include creating detailed business analyses, budgeting and forecasting, planning and monitoring, variance analysis, pricing, reporting and defining business requirements for stakeholders. The business analyst role is applicable to four key areas/levels of business functions – operational, project, enterprise and competitive focuses. Each of these areas of business analysis have a significant impact on business performance, and assist in enhancing profitability and efficiency in all stages of the business process, and across all business functions. Through the acquiring of certain certificates (ECBA, CCBA, etc.) or educational degrees (business analytics, data science, etc.) one can show competence for a career as a business analyst.

The past
When looking at Business analysis in a broad way, it could be argued that the characteristics of the Business Analyst role, along with the drive for improvement through innovative thinking, have been around since the onset of the Mesolithic era (Middle of Old Stone Age). In this scenario, one has to think about actions like finding better ways to keep ourselves safe, ensuring that there was never a lack of food or shelter, and making it easier to obtain those necessities of life. These are all examples of the urge for better, more efficient ways of maximizing results. However, the more modern Business Analyst role of IT professional started after the introduction of the first mass produced personal computers back in the 1940s. One limitation was that the computers of this era were not considered to be user-friendly, which resulted in a surging demand for IT professionals. This was the result of fragmented and inefficient communication between the programmers who worked on the technical program build and system rewrites, and the actual end users who did not understand the technical aspects of the work.

This communication mishap caused the rise of the first modern Business Analysts. However, in the beginning Business Analysts were known as Systems analyst, with their focus mostly on optimising software and computer processes and systems. Regardless, the ability to understand the language spoken by both the business side of organisations and the technology group offered value and clarity that was highly needed. These skills allowed Business Analysts to function as translators, being well known with the business-speak and technical jargon.

The next big change within the field of Business Analyst was the 2001 introduction of the Agile Manifesto, giving way for Agile software development. After its release, Agile has played an important role in business analysis. Within the Business Analyst community, it is widely agreed upon that every Business Analyst should familiarise themselves with the Agile mindset. Ever since the shift further into Agile contexts, BAs began to expand their skills and expertise into other areas of the business. This caused Business Analysts to take on more of a Product Ownership role. It also resulted in a growing collaboration between stakeholders, by being the facilitator of said collaboration. Business analysts evolved to be important at the initiation stage of projects, where defining the business requirements, along with outlining the current- and future state of the business related to the business problem and solution, are part of their tasks.

Present day and the future
Today, Business Analysts are coming from both the IT and business areas. Business Analysts are hence now expected to have a combination of IT and business skills. Expressed in actual tasks, BAs are able to make recommendations about procedural -, personnel -, and policy changes on top of recommending software. This shows that BAs are not merely focused on IT related tasks, but can be utilised on a larger organisational scale. As expressed by the International Institute of Business Analysis: “The Business Analyst can help improve the business system not just the business software”. This does not take away from the fact that a Business Analyst needs to be digital to be an adequate Business Analyst, as in today's there is no such thing as a “non-digital” Business Analyst nowadays. However the lines are blurred and open for interpretation about what is and is not digital.

Regardless, this shift to a more involved and central position within the business is expected to continue for the near future. Additionally, due to the rapid evolution of technology BAs will, among others, be expected to have knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. This will help the Business Analyst to create strategies for the business that support these upcoming technologies.

Role
Business analysis is defined by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) as the disciplined approach for introducing change to a organisation. This is done through management, processing, and interpretation of data in order to identify and define the solution that maximises the value delivered by that organisation to its stakeholders.

A business analyst's job description tends to include: creating detailed business analysis, outlining problems, opportunities and solutions, budgeting and forecasting, planning and monitoring, variance and analysis, pricing, reporting, and defining business requirements and reporting back to stakeholders. The job of business analysts is not to define the scope of a solution or to make sure that it is delivered. Instead, a business analyst should see that the business is using the solution in the most efficient way for solving its problems. In general, this cannot be done without the implementation of change within an organisation.

There are many business activities which the business analyst is involved in. Some areas in which business analysts can have an important role are in financial analysis, quality assurance, training, requirements engineering, business policy and procedures, organisational development and solution testing. More specifically, business analysts are required to use the data which is gathered for the purpose of analysis and interpret greater meaning for the business. This can then be used to improve business performance through identifying areas for potential growth, cost reduction, understanding customer behaviour, and observing economic trends and forecasts, and then reacting appropriately.

Successful business analysts should influence the business environment by providing reliable guidance in decision making for the future through observing data which reflects the behaviour of the business in the past. Business analysts are essential at all levels of a business, as both tactical and strategic planning require analysts who help with incrementally improving products, business processes, and application.

Business analysts have an increasing need to provide a business with sustainable solutions. The Business Analyst has a key role in making sustainable choices, providing direction to business and influencing demand for specific technologies. Business analysis practices have the opportunity to use business data in a positive way, which can lead to the transition of a sustainable world.

Focus areas
Due to the range of applications a business analyst can have, there are specific areas in which they can function. Kathleen B. Hass describes the requirement of business analysts in four areas of business – operations focus, project focus, enterprise focus, and competitive focus.

Related fields
With Business Analysis being a disciplined approach for introducing and managing change to organizations, the job title of “Business Analyst” is only one of many linked to this principle. Other job titles that are related to business analysis, as described by the IIBA, include the following:


 * Business analyst
 * Business systems analyst
 * Systems analyst
 * Requirements engineer
 * Process analyst
 * Product analyst
 * Product manager
 * Product owner
 * Enterprise analyst
 * Business architect
 * Management consultant
 * Business intelligence analyst
 * Data scientist

Business analysts can also work in areas relating to project management, product management, software development, quality assurance and interaction design, as they rely heavily on business analysis skills for success.

Basic skills, as defined by the IIBA
The BABOK (Business Analysis Body of Knowledge) is guide, issued by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), which lays out the main competences and basic skills for business analysis. According to the IIBA, a subset of the basic skills most important for a business analyst include: These skills are a combination of hard skills and soft skills. A business analyst should have knowledge in IT and/or business, but the combination of both of these fields is what makes a business analyst such a valuable asset to the business environment. As a minimum standard, a business analyst should have a basic understanding of the way that systems, products and tools work in the business environment. Some IT employees may transfer from the area of IT into a business analyst role, as their skills are often applicable in both.

Broader subset of business analysis skills
While the basic skills listed above give a general understanding of what is expected from business analysis, broader categorized skill sets can be defined. These subsets of skills more clearly define what is required from business analysts in the work place, and can be seen in the table below. The shift from a waterfall to agile software development workflows has impacted the peripheral competences of Business analysts. While the core competences and skillsets  of business analysts as stated above are accurate, the shift to agile has increased the importance of use cases as a tool to explain user interactions.

Qualifications
There are a number of qualifications that can lead to a career as a business analyst. For example, the 'BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis qualification' provides an internationally recognised qualification. The IIBA also identifies three other key certifications as an association:

The ECBis an entry-level certification for any and all professionals who wish to become a business analyst. This certification is mainly meant for those that do not yet have any experience as business analysts, but are interested in becoming one. Meanwhile, the CCB is a certification focused more on those with mid-level experience within the field of business analysis with the desire to improve their skill-set. It requires a minimum of 5,750 hours of business analytics work aligned with the BABOK guide in the last seven years. Lastly, as the name implies, the CBAP is for a professional business analyst, with an already good amount of experience in business analysis. Due to the difficulty of obtaining this certification, it is widely recognized and accepted, making it popular among business analysts.
 * Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA)
 * Certification of Capability in Business Analysis (CCBA)
 * Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)

Alternatives to certificates include:


 * Completing a bachelor's degree - this could be in information technology, business administration or economics.
 * Completing a master's degree - similar to the bachelor's degree, it helps an individual to acquire more skills and knowledge. Examples of masters degrees which are relevant to business analysts include business analytics, data science, management information systems or information technology.

The combination of all these skills and qualifications provides the business environment with deeper understanding into the behaviour of markets, products, competitors, economies, and operations within and around a business.

Challenges
A successful business analyst requires access to large amounts of data, and in the process of using this data they must be aware of challenges relating to data privacy, careful management of analytical resources, team success, and effective communication of results to external parties. Considering all these factors into their tasks reduces the risk of irregular and inaccurate conclusions being drawn.

Data privacy is an increasingly common issue, as social media and Big Data are becoming more prominent, and hence it is important for businesses to ensure that they handle and distribute only the necessary data to the appropriate employees.

Management of analytical resources is a task which is necessary for business analysts to indulge in. This is due to to there being many ways in which a business can implement high initial costs, when looking at the process of data analysis. It is for that reason that resources should be carefully managed so as to not lose business profits.

Team functionality and success is important in all areas of business, and business analytics is no different. Business analysts work best in environments where group dynamics are balanced and teamwork is maximised to ensure the best conclusions are drawn from the data.

Effectively communicating to external parties is an important challenge for business analysts. The language a business analyst uses in their every-day job is likely to be difficult for other groups within and beyond the business to understand. Hence, it is essential that the business considers how they communicate their conclusions to others.