Hi everybody,
I am a new member of Modern Analyst. My question is very simple and straight - Does a BA should be Domain specific OR can be Generalist? Expecting your active participation. Regards, Rajee
Hi Rajee,
Simple answer is both are possible. BA techniques are domain independent and allow us to be a generalist. Plus a BA with good techniques may choose to specialise in a particular vertical market. Often the latter person may command a higher rate depending on the vertical market, their depth of experience and the market forces (supply / demand) at the time.
There is also another group claiming to be BAs who are really just subject matter experts in their vertical market but lack basic BA skills. Not really BAs but for lack of another title they are called that.
Kimbo
As Kimbo noted, a BA can be either. A BA needs to have sufficient (but not necessarily expert-level) domain knowledge to do their job, and good BAs can pick up the necessary level of domain knowledge in a relatively short amount of time. If you focus on one or two domains and gain expert level knowledge your ramp-up period is certainly quicker on new projects and typically you can engage stakeholders more effectively since you itimately understand their environment.
However, you also run the risk of becoming less impartial during your tasks due to your inherent knowledge on the topics at hand. I like BAs who can bring fresh ideas from other industries and experiences, although if you continually have an open mind to new opportunities and are a career student of the world, you can be a creative and dynamic asset to your organization even if it's the one you've worked for your whole life.
Your question spawned a related one in my mind that makes for good discussion as well: if you have a collection of BAs within an organization should they be shared across the business, or become experts within a specific domain of the organization (e.g. HR, procurement, etc.) and dedicated to that business unit?
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