Business analyst

Business analyst is someone who analyzes an organization or business domain (real or hypothetical) and documents its business or processes or systems, assessing the business model or its integration with technology.

The role of a systems analyst can also be defined as a bridge between the business problems and the technology solutions. Here business problems can be anything about business systems, for example the model, process, or method. The technology solutions can be the use of technology architecture, tools, or software application. System analysts are required to analyze, transform and ultimately resolve the business problems with the help of technology.

Areas of business analysis

There are at least four types of business analysis:

1. Strategic planning – to identify the organization's business needs
2. Business model analysis – to define the organization's policies and market approaches
3. Process design – to standardize the organization’s workflows
4. Systems analysis – the interpretation of business rules and requirements for technical systems (generally within IT)

Typical deliverables

1. Business requirements, i.e. business plan, key performance indicator, project plan...
2. Functional requirements, i.e. logical data models, use case scenarios, work instructions, reports...
3. Non-functional requirements
4. As-is processes, e.g. dataflow diagrams, flowcharts
5. To-be processes, e.g. dataflow diagrams, flowcharts
6. Data models, i.e. data requirements expressed as a documented data model of some sort
7. Business case, a strategic plan containing shareholders risk and return

Related coursework

• Business Analysis Quarter.