Evolution of Business Analyst (BA) Profession in the Industry

During the initial days of IT evolution, the main administrative objective of the organization was to automate the recurring tasks related to data using computers so as to reduce the cost of employing personnel, along with the other objective such as converting the paper work to the electronic data for easy storage and retrieval. To make this happen, the technical experts then would spent long hours in documenting the work and implementing them using the computerized systems.

In later stage, the organizations wanted to utilize IT to achieve better results. However, since industry didn’t have very good experience of planning tasks ahead carefully the results of automation were not as per the expectations and were with uncertain goals. For example, the systems then were developed considering the latest technology but without reconsidering the necessity to develop it, their relevant use and target people. As a result of it the customers were unsatisfied and sometimes even get frustrated by these systems as it would limit their ability to use these systems for the required purpose. Waking at this alarming situation, the organizations began to get their required systems developed by hiring a group of technical experts who knew how to design for systems i.e. designing applications that would nicely translate requirements into lines of codes. These technical experts were called as ‘System Analyst’. These system analysts then helped in developing systems for each process as per they requirements. However, even with this approach the systems were getting developed in an un-organized way. Though the System Analysts had the technical outlook for the applications to be developed they were lacking in business acumen that would make these systems more productive. There was a great need for someone who would analyze the need for the system, its requirement and then the objective required to develop the system. This was the time when the need of a Business Analyst had been felt in the IT industry.

Today, you would see there is need for a Business Analyst in each organization from technical area as well as business areas irrespective of the domains. To be a Business Analyst (BA) it is required that the person should possess strong logical and analytical skills, adequate technical skills, strong business acumen, problem solving skills, strong interpersonal skills and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities of a BA

The tasks of the Business Analyst may differ as per the need of the domain but the main objective is to provide the solutions for the challenges that their businesses face every day.

The general responsibilities of the Business Analyst considering the different domains are as follows:

• Evaluating the business objectives and developing appropriate solutions for the problems faced by the organization. Thus act as a Consultant
• Understanding the problems of the client for which they are looking the solution for by getting the requirements from the client, analyzing the requirements, getting them verified from the client by documenting it and getting it developed into a required system
• During the development of the project, monitoring the project is also the responsibility of the Business Analyst
• Examining the business or system processes, analyzing them and giving suggestions to improve the system or business processes as per the blockages or problems faced in it, or to enhance the system performance
• Providing the required reports to the management

Evolving the Business Analyst skills

Knowing the importance of Business Analysts in today’s industry, institutes have got established for training the individuals on business analysis skills so as to evolve the world of Business Analysis. International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is one of such Institutes that is an independent non-profit professional association serving the growing field of business analysis.