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8/3/2011 11:46 PM

	amit
1 posts

Transition to a BA career

Hello everyone,

I have been in the developer role and operations incharge for quite some time now.I want to move towards a BA career in the field of IT preferrably.

I am looking forward for this transition.So,I need some sound guidance with respect to how to go about this.IIBA certifications seem to be out of my reach,as even the CCBA certification requires BA experience.Hence,please suggest me with some alternatives.

Also,how to search for entry level BA jobs worldwide.Currently,I am based in India.

Much Regards

Amit

8/5/2011 1:10 AM

	MarkRay
4 posts

Re: Transition to a BA career

Hi.

I hate to see developers as business analysts. Tell me if you eventually wanted to become a BA...why did u start off with development?

I have worked with developers-turned-BAs. They absolutely have no idea of the business side of things. They lack creativity, and have the worst communication skills.

I have found that tech writers are excellent for a BA role. I would prefer a tech writer with a background in technical education and management education. And then there are the QA people. Although QA people know the functional side of things, yet again they lack the articulation and communication to become a BA.

Developers are more suited for system analyst role.

8/5/2011 1:18 AM

	Kimbo
456 posts

Re: Transition to a BA career

Modified By Kimbo on 8/5/2011 2:19:18 AM)

Hi Mark,

What a stupid generalisation. I could point out why your comment is dumb and offensive but I can't be bothered.

Give the guy a break he's just trying to get ahead in life.

Kimbo

8/5/2011 2:33 AM

	MarkRay
4 posts

Re: Transition to a BA career

Modified By MarkRay on 8/5/2011 3:54:36 AM)

You are calling my advice as stupid and offensive! I am just trying to get him to be good in an area that is better than what he is looking into ....At 63 years of age, I don't need to stop anyone....

I have more than 20 years experience...right now I have my own firm in the emirates....we provide sea-bed engineering services....including automation (software)...EVEN I STARTED OFF AS A DEVELOPER DAMMIT!!

I have hired BAs ... I have fired them too!

I was accidentally pushed to BA ten years back ... I said ''OK'' without really knowing that it was going to evolve to what it is today

Somehow, I really don't understand why developers are inclined towards this ...they'd be better of making writing great code... sometimes I feel it is the name of the profession ''business analyst'' that draws them.

If it were called ''requirements gatherer'' ...''requirements facilitator'' ....or ''project co-ordinator''' i am sure many people would not have considered it..

Somehow ppl are drawn by ''titles'' of the profession

This is what I feel. I am not here trying to be nice to people. I'm just speaking my mind. YOU CAN TOO. SPEAK YOUR MIND. DONT SPEAK ABOUT MY OPINIONS!

And who said that becoming a BA from a developer is ''Getting ahead in life'''. I was a developer myself, I can vouch that development is far more superior than the lowly BA - which is suited for writers and testers.

I feel developers have a better chance if they stay as developers . They have more branches to climb. But a BA doesn't. Period.

8/6/2011 2:07 PM

	Chris Adams
323 posts

Re: Transition to a BA career

Amit,

Do what interests you. I wouldn't put too much emphasis on what Mark Ray has stated. I've seen developers who ca make good BAs. However, as Mark pointed out, many also don't due to poor communication skills.

If Mark would have taken the time to respond to you with a more positive tone, we might have noticed he raises some good points.

First, what do you really want to do. Business Analyst can mean a lot of things. Requirements Analyst, Business Process Analyst, Systems Analyst, Strategic Business Analyst, etc.

Business Analysts use to play a far more strategic role in the advancement and improvement of a business. Some still do, but most now are more of a specialized role with some involvement with systems. I have a feeling this is what you want though given you Dev background. You proably want to be a BA that focuses on systems development, am I right?

Chris Adams
Core Member – ModernAnalyst.com
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