I’ve been an IT Business Analyst for more years than I care to remember, working in a variety of industries including Telecoms, Utilities, Financial, Online Gaming and Healthcare sectors.
For a full breakdown of my career, see my LinkedIn profile.
The role of an Business Analyst (BA) is varied and interesting. A BA will liaise between the business operation and Information Technology teams, to help communicate, clarify and focus the needs for IT services and products.
The BA has the unique advantage of being able to build a comprehensive overview of an organisation, through the involvement in projects across different divisions. This overview enables the BA to take a holistic approach to defining problems and solutions, and enables a good understanding of how business rules and processes interplay with each other.
My own experience is that communication is one of the most vital skills a BA should have. Being able to converse with both technical and non-technical people, in terms they understand, is essential in sharing ideas and concepts effectively – and being the communication bridge between the business and developers.