What is Business Analysis?
Business Analysis is the process of examining and evaluating business needs/demands to identify solutions to problems or challenges. Business Analysts (BAs) play a crucial role in any project or change initiative because they define the needs and recommend solutions.
Business Analysis is crucial for the success of a project because it means:
- Project requirements are well-defined and understood by all stakeholders, which reduces the risk of false information and/or scope creep
- Stakeholders’ needs and expectations are met, which will lead to greater support and buy-in for the project
- Potential risks can be identified early, reducing the chance of project failure
- The project will have a greater chance of aligning with organizational goals
- There is improved communication among project team members and stakeholders, so everyone is on the same page
- Opportunities for process improvements and innovation are identified
Why do you need a good Business Analyst on your project?
A Business Analyst (BA) plays a crucial role in a project by bridging the gap between business needs and technical solutions. The BA brings their experience with problem-solving and critical thinking. Overall, a business analyst is likely to significantly contribute to the success of a project by aligning business objectives with technical implementations, fostering collaboration between stakeholders, and ensuring the final product meets business needs efficiently.
BAs can assist with many and varied tasks, including:
- Planning stakeholder engagement
- Identifying performance and process improvements
- Eliciting and documenting business requirements
- Analysing and designing requirements
- Analysing strategy
- Evaluating solutions
Are there different types of BAs?
Yes. BAs tend to branch into either generalist BA roles, or specialize in being a Technical Analyst and/or Data Analyst.
- Generalist BAs use ‘systems’ or ‘business-oriented’ skills, which may include requirements gathering, process mapping, general stakeholder management, holding workshops and training.
- Technical BAs focus on understanding business processes, identifying areas for improvement, and then translating those requirements into technical specifications for the development team. Their skills may include technical solutions (i.e. coding or similar), although also likely to include requirements gathering, documenting, general stakeholder management, holding workshops, training, etc.
- Data Analysts create technical solutions in ad-hoc analysis, business intelligence, report and dashboard management (e.g. data manipulation, statistical analysis, data integration and data visualization), and coupled with tasks like data collection, documentation, effective stakeholder management, facilitation of workshops, provision of training, and effective communication of findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Want to know more?
Here’s a few blog articles we’ve written to help you learn more about Business Analysis:
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