Business analysts are highly sought after across a variety of sectors, but what does a business analyst actually do and what does it take to break into the business analysis profession? Here we explore the role of a business analyst and consider why a career as a BA can be so fulfilling.
What does a business analyst do?
The job of a business analyst (BA) is multi-faceted, but at its core the role is one of ‘solutions provider’.
When a business has a problem to solve, it’s the BA’s job to investigate and define the business needs and capture the requirements for delivering results. They do this by collaborating with stakeholders, gathering the business’ required conditions and capabilities, and then documenting them in a clear, consistent way that everyone understands.
Whether the solution is a new product, system or service, the BA then works with decision makers and development teams to ensure the solution developed aligns with both current and future goals.
Typical tasks of a business analyst
Given a business analyst’s remit, no two days are the same. Tasks, activities and responsibilities are always changing, and in a given day could include some or all of the following:
- Analysing business needs
- Eliciting information from stakeholders
- Gathering and analysing data and trends
- Modelling requirements/epics and user stories
- Identifying additional/missing details
- Assessing and improving business processes
- Outlining opportunities for improvement
- Offering guidance and advice on potential solutions
- Interpreting tech jargon to business stakeholders
- Translating business stakeholders’ needs for tech teams
- Considering impacts and challenges to the solution
- Performing quality testing.
What a business analyst actually does also varies depending on the industry, business type, stakeholders involved and the project at hand. Regardless, however, business analysts help facilitate successful change in an organisational context; they play a vital role in ensuring customer needs are met and the final product delivers value.
Challenges faced by business analysts
Just like any position responsible for the success or failure of an initiative, the business analyst role comes with its fair share of challenges. There are a few in particular that are worth pointing out:
Managing stakeholders – from managers to developers and end-users, business analysts have to work with a wide and varied range of stakeholders. Ensuring that everyone is on the same page and aligned to project goals and objectives takes skill and perseverance.
Adapting to change – projects are increasingly complex and dynamic, and requirements can change throughout the lifecycle. As a business analyst you will need to be able to adapt and make sure the rest of the team is across any changes.
Balancing priorities – BAs are typically dealing with competing priorities such as budget constraints, deadlines, and different stakeholder expectations. To keep things on track BAs need to balance these priorities and make decisions that are in the best interest of the project/initiative.
It’s well worth keeping these and other key challenges in mind to deliver the best results.
Essential traits of a business analyst
To perform effectively and step up to the challenges of the job, business analysts need a good mix of both hard and soft skills. Given the cross section of people you need to work with, excellent communication and interpersonal skills are up there in the non-negotiables. Other core competencies, such as being detail orientated, an analytical thinker and problem solver, will also help you get your foot in the door.
As you climb the BA career ladder, specific attributes that will all serve you well include:
- Active listening skills.
- Ability to ask the right questions of the right people.
- Effective facilitation skills.
- The art of negotiation and influence.
- Understanding context and ability to translate that to your team.
- Consultative expertise.
- Organisational skills.
- Robust understanding of business structure.
- Ability to build relationships with stakeholders.
- Conflict management.
With the continuing uptake of agile and hybrid methodologies, today’s BA also needs to expand their knowledge and skillset so they can traverse and adapt to the different environments they’re operating in.
Career prospects for business analysts
Business analysts are required across almost every industry you can think of and are becoming particularly vital for organisations keen to transform. Demand is on the rise in sectors including finance, healthcare, IT, government, and education, and is predicted to continue. According to Seek, projected job growth stands at 23.2 per cent over five years from 2021.
It’s important to note when looking for a job that business analysts may be referred to by other titles like systems analyst, business intelligence analyst and change analyst, often depending on the industry sector. There’s also crossover with professions like data analyst and it’s fairly common for people to transition from one to the other.
Like all professions, salaries vary according to experience. Based on data from Glassdoor, those new to the role in Australia can expect to earn around $75,000, while senior business analysts command average salaries of $140,000 and above.
How to become a business analyst
A mix of formal education and on-the-job experience is typically required to work as a business analyst. Most employers want to see a tertiary-level qualification, with degrees in business, analytics, IT or similar fields all steppingstones to a BA career. Following this with an entry-level position that provides you with good exposure to data and analytics should provide you with a solid foundation.
It’s also important to have relevant industry certifications and accreditations, to enhance your skills and understanding and prove your domain knowledge to potential employers. The following are all credible options to consider.
Recognised business analysis training and certifications
When starting your career as a BA professional, the Business Analysis Fundamentals (Level 1 – ECBA™ Certification Preparation Course) will provide you with the necessary toolkit to help deliver solutions that satisfy stakeholder requirements and deliver expected benefits to the organisation.
For those with some experience, the Business Analysis in Practice (Level 2 – CCBA® Certification Preparation Course) offers an in-depth opportunity to develop and evaluate solution requirements that encompass organisational and environment factors, such as business processes, systems and organisational culture.
These courses are aligned with A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK® Guide), the globally recognised standard for the practice of business analysis. And if you’re interested in completing both, the Business Analysis Professional Development course combines the key learnings and outcomes from the Level 1 and Level 2 courses into one 6-day program.
If you’re looking to improve your understanding of agile methods as a BA and learn how to move between different ways of working, courses like PM-Partners’ Agile Business Analysis (AgileBA®) certification are a good choice. This course not only equips you with the skills, tools and techniques to function effectively in both agile and hybrid environments but will enhance your professional credibility.
Where a business analyst career can take you
There’s no doubt that embarking on a BA career opens the door to an interesting and varied work life. Given the breadth of demand for business analysts, there’s ample opportunity to sample working in a variety of sectors. You can also use your skills to branch out and transition into, for example, the world of agile, or the project management or change management space.
PM-Partners’ Senior Consultant, Facilitator and Business Analysis Practice Lead, Stephen Howard, is living proof of just how diverse this field can be. To date, his 30-year, award-winning career has taken him from the military to Microsoft, and from there, to the likes of Bovis Lendlease, NSW Health and BOC Gas, not to mention a stint in Riyadh as Advisor to the Saudi Arabian and Qatari governments. He’s also volunteered in Laos and Cambodia providing project management coaching to students and teachers rolling out new education programmes.
“My story is similar to many of the people I work with at PM-Partners. We may appear to specialise in business analysis, agile, project and programme management, however the experience and important core skills we’ve acquired along the way are highly transferable to any sector, and any industry, in almost any country around the world,” he says.
Handy resources for becoming a business analyst
Blogs
- PM-Partners Insights blog
- How business analysts can thrive in agile and hybrid environments
- The business analyst: The real change enabler?
- How to move from business analyst to product owner
- The evolution of business analysts in agile teams
- Business analysis tool kit
- The business analysts guide to stakeholder engagement
Podcasts
- Mastering Business Analysis
- Business Analysts on the Ground
- Business Analysis Live!
- Real World Business Analysis
- Business Analytics and Analysis
- The Better Business Analyst
Books
- Business Analysis Fourth edition
- Business Analysis: Careers in Business Analysis
- Business Analyst’s Mentor Book
- The Business Analyst As Strategist: Translating Business Strategies into Valuable Solutions
- The Business Analysis Handbook
- Agile and Business Analysis
Associations
- The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA®) is the independent non-profit professional association serving the growing field of Business Analysis.
- IIBA Australia Chapter is the community of professionals building business analysis capability to influence change and deliver value for all Australians.
Becoming a business analyst takes a good combination of hard and soft skills as well as the relevant qualifications and ongoing professional development. However, what you put into your career can pay big dividends by providing you with role flexibility, the potential to work across multiple sectors, and in-demand skills for the foreseeable future.
If a career as a BA sounds like a path you’re interested in pursuing, one thing’s certain: you can expect an interesting ride. Stephen Howard sums it up eloquently when he says, “Business analysis is definitely not a destination. It’s an exciting journey of learning, evolving and building valuable experience both personally and professionally.”
To find out more about a career as a business analyst or the best training course to get ahead in your profession, speak with one of our professional development consultants. You can contact them online or by calling 1300 70 13 14, or take our Learning Pathways guided tour.
This article was updated on 11th Sept, 2023.