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A
S IT MANAGERS are faced with more challenging
demands from stakeholders to bring products to market
faster, they also face a shortage of qualified applicants
and a number of positions to fill. The typical positions to top the
list are security, infrastructure, or developers. However, how often
should managers think about the role of a business analyst and
what value a person with this skill set might bring to the team? If
you haven't been thinking about a business analyst joining the
team, you should! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the
employment of management analysts (which is what the Bureau
calls business analysts) is expected to grow 19 percent from 2012
to 2022, placing the business analysis profession as one of the
fastest-growing occupations.
The business analysis profession is not one that is new to the IT
industry, but is often the least understood in terms of the role and value a business analyst can bring
to a team. While the business analysis profession has been around a long time, the formalization and
recognition of the role is directly linked to the creation of International Institute of Business Analysis™
(IIBA®) dating back to 2003. In 2003, IIBA formalized the profession and created the first industry-wide
standard and certification. Even with the formalization of the role, it still is unclear to IT managers how
to leverage a business analyst within their organization. So let's set the record straight as to what a
business analyst is and why IT managers need them on their team.
What Is a Business Analyst?
According to A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), the definition
of business analysis is "the practice of enabling change in an enterprise by defining needs and
recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders." A business analyst is a person who
performs business analysis work in an effort to uncover and analyze information from a variety of
sources to elicit and document the needs of stakeholders. A business analyst's goal is to be a liaison
between the business stakeholders and the IT team to help the IT team understand:
• Why the organization exists
• How an organization accomplishes its work
• What are the organization's goals and objectives
• How an organization needs to change to meet those goals and objectives
Why Does Your Team Need
Business Analysis Skills?
B U S I N E S S A N A LY S I S
