In a very general sense, a Business Analyst (BA) is someone who analyses the operations and design of an organisation, in order to come up with solutions to the organisation's problems. The Business Analyst is the information technology worker who lives in two worlds, one being the business world and the other being the software development world. The BA will analyse the organisation's business model to determine how it integrates with technology. The idea is to determine the organisation's business needs or objectives, and then improve the effectiveness of IT in meeting those needs/objectives. They are able to elicit these business requirements using interviews, document analysis, requirements workshops, surveys, site visits, business process descriptions, use cases, scenarios, business analysis, task and workflow analysis.
There are no fixed paths as to how someone becomes a Business Analyst yet, but often the BA has a technical background, whether having worked as a programmer or engineer, or having completed a Computer Science degree. Some may move into the position from a business role utilising their subject matter expertise and their analytical skills to qualify themselves for the job requirements. Business Analysts may also overlap into roles such as project manager or consultant. A BA does not always work in IT-related projects, as BA skills are often required in marketing and financial roles as well.
The International Institute of Business Analysis provides a certification program for business analysts (Certified Business Analyst Professional or CBAP), as well as providing a body of knowledge for the field (Business Analysis Body of Knowledge or BABOK).
Data reports that in a junior position, the salary range per month is between RM2,500-3,500, and as one progresses up to a management level, a pay of more than RM7,000 is likely.
Compared to a computer programmer, BAs would spend less time on coding programmes, devoting more time to interacting with business users. Thus, there is a higher emphasis on interpersonal skills than technical computer programming skills.
The position would be ideal for IT graduates with a mind for business analysis, who also prefers a more social working environment.
