The Role of the Business Analyst
The business analyst acts as a bridge between the business and IT, translating the business's requirements into a form that can be understood by the system developers, as well as explaining to the business how it can take advantage of the capabilities of IT.
The term 'business analyst' means different things in different organisations. To some, the business analyst's job is specifically limited to defining information, usually in terms of IT system requirements. For an increasing number of organisations, however, the business analyst has a wider role that examines the environment in which the IT system operates, to ensure that the identified requirements are justified. In the terms used in this article, the business process defines the context for the requirements definition. I believe it is preferable to think in wider rather than narrower terms - it is more and more difficult to separate the definition of the to-be process from the underlying IT support. This approach is supported by the definition of the business analyst's role in the latest version of the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA), which includes 'initiating and influencing enterprise-wide business process analysis'.
The term 'business analyst' means different things in different organisations. To some, the business analyst's job is specifically limited to defining information, usually in terms of IT system requirements. For an increasing number of organisations, however, the business analyst has a wider role that examines the environment in which the IT system operates, to ensure that the identified requirements are justified. In the terms used in this article, the business process defines the context for the requirements definition. I believe it is preferable to think in wider rather than narrower terms - it is more and more difficult to separate the definition of the to-be process from the underlying IT support. This approach is supported by the definition of the business analyst's role in the latest version of the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA), which includes 'initiating and influencing enterprise-wide business process analysis'.
There are very few projects involving IT alone. IT is now regarded as an enabler of business change rather than a provider of business benefits directly. It is the business change that is enabled by IT that results in the business benefits. As a consequence, the IT development work is seen as part of a larger business change programme. The focus of the business case shifts, therefore, from the IT development to the business change.
The business analyst needs a range of both business and technical competencies - communication skills, business knowledge and political savvy as well as an appreciation of IT capabilities and the discipline necessary to carry through change built around new technology.
|
|
