Why is the role of a Business Analyst so important?

The advancement of technology has had a dramatic impact on how organisations utilise IT-based solutions to resolve various business issues, challenges and problems. Due to this, the need for qualified individuals with the knowledge of business analysis techniques has continued to be in high demand for many businesses around the world.    

Why study a Business Analyst Course?

There are numerous benefits to having these technical experts onboard as part of your business team; not only are they able to identify pertinent problems and present recommendations for business improvements, they can also help companies lower business risks, enhance business value as well as find ways to lower costs. 

What is Business Analysis?

Business Analysis is the practice of researching and identifying business needs and recommending solutions to business problems. This research discipline is used to manage and facilitate change in a range of different organisations, whether they be government, for-profit, or not-for-profit companies.     

The types of improvements that Business Analysis covers may be anything from organisational change, policy development, program requirements, strategic planning, process refinements, as well as technology and system enhancements. 

We have developed a training programme for those interested in a career in Business Analysis, with all the necessary training courses and recruitment support, for you to get started in this industry. Explore our Business Analysis Certification Programme with Career Academy today.   

What does a Business Analyst do and why is their role so important?

A Business Analyst acts as the bridge between business ideas and business capabilities. They play an incredibly important role as they help to decipher the future of businesses, by identifying, creating and scoping valuable changes and enhancements to business processes.

They do this by regularly appraising business performance, (typically driven by conducting performance capability assessments), in order to measure the impact a suggested change or new solution may have on a business. 

Study the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis  

Business Analysts use a variety of process models to analyse business problems and solutions including:

•    Activity diagrams – similar to a flowchart, activity diagrams display visual representations of actions or workflows in a system. 
•    Product roadmaps – these help to outline the vision, direction, progress and priorities of a product over time.     
•    Feature mind maps – many Business Analysts use this during the initial brainstorming phase of a project in order to help them organise ideas, requests and concerns.    
•    SWOT analysis – this is a strategic planning technique used to identify business Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. 
•    Process flow diagrams – these are usually used in chemical and process engineering to help indicate the general flow of plant processes and equipment.  
•    PESTLE analysis – this helps organisations evaluate external factors that could impact business performance that are Political, Economic, Technological, Environmental, Legal and Sociological.  
•    User interface wireframes – used by UX Designers, wireframes visually outline the design and layout of a website or software program to help define hierarchy based on user needs. 
•    Entity-relationship diagrams – these models are made up of entities, relationships and attributes and their function is to illustrate how entities relate to one another in a system. An entity may include concepts, people or objects. 
•    Organisational charts – these outline the structure of an organisation and the hierarchy of different departments or teams within the business.  

What makes Business Analyst’s so valuable is their ability to increase benefits within an organisation by determining and prioritising business needs in order to effectively reduce company costs. 

They identify the needs of a stakeholder and offer them recommended solutions for how to achieve their business goals through various business changes and enhancements. Business Analysts have the ability to explain complex change processes and business requirements with clarity and help business owners reach a better understanding of changes required and focus on what matters in order to help continue the success of their businesses.  

Get started with the BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis

Conclusion

Successful Business Analyst’s share certain qualities in common, as well as being analytically minded and have strong technical abilities, they must also demonstrate solid communication and listening skills, possess excellent time-management skills, and have the ability to solve problems.  

Moving into a Business Analyst role can also be incredibly rewarding as you’ll have highly valuable capabilities and skills many organisations are looking for to help their businesses succeed and because of this, Business Analysts often earn excellent salaries. Examples include:

•    Business Analysis - £43k
•    Business Architecture - £65k
•    Enterprise Architecture - £92k

(Source: Payscale)

If you believe becoming a Business Analyst is the right career move for you, why not have a look at our BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis virtual classroom course and start your new and exciting career journey today.

Call us on +44 (0) 20 3198 7700 to speak to one of our Career Consultants today, to discuss your career goals or get started.