The project scope is the core of an individual project. Without a project scope the project will just float. Proper needs assessments and other intricate details will be overlooked. Each project is designed to resolve issues the stakeholders are experiencing in their company. These well meaning individuals will dump data and information charts, lists and figures presumptuously on the desk expecting it to all make sense. The "here's the problem, fix it" attitude can be frustrating. There are numerous feature requirements which must be met. It is unclear as to what to prioritize where. Cost estimates may not be accurate. Delivery dates are tentative. It is enough to make someone through up their hands in desperation and say "I QUIT!". The trained business analyst will just grin and dive in. He or she will know what is needed is a project scope.
Author: Tony de Bree
In today's market the customer should always come first. This has been the bread and butter of many industries throughout the ages. A satisfied customer is one who will keep coming back. The customer is the one who helps the bottom line. This is true in the field of business analysis. It is the customer's needs which the business analyst is fulfilling. The business analyst should help to strengthen customer relations. Time put into this is time well spent. Finding the customer to be unhappy is never a good thing. Ask any good business manager what their number one priority is and they will answer customer relations. Sometimes it does not always show.
Small business owners may not think they need a business analyst. Small businesses are sometimes caught up in trying to survive and overlook a key element in their success. The business analyst can actually come in and determine what the small business owner can do to expand his or her business. The small business owner can benefit just as much from a business analyst as a large corporation. There may be times when the business analyst sees the big picture when the small business owner can only see the bottom line. The new small business may not feel the added expense of a business analyst is worth justifying. In fact this is just the case.
The job description of a business analyst is rather extensive. He or she must first determine the needs for a company by using many tools. The business analyst may conduct interviews with management and other department leaders. He or she must analyze documentation, facts and figures. The analyst should incorporate a site survey to determine applications being used and what may be needed for superior quality performance. He or she will consider business applications currently being used which may or may not be working. The business analyst will do a business analysis and a work flow analysis to assess difficulties in reaching goals and to determine a better strategy.
Sometimes the business analyst can be so caught up in a project he or she forgets tried and true methods do not always work. The analysis team is trying to get done what the customer has scoped out and sets up a plan of action. The plan of action requires certain fundamentals. There are times when these rudimentary ideas just do not work for the client. The client can not understand why these steps may be so important. This is when the business analyst needs to step back and ask the same questions as the client. It is all in communication.
It does not matter what project you are going to undertake. It is not important what industry you are going to be assessing. What is important is you know what you are going to do. You must as questions. You must find what it is the client wants. Presented is a list of obvious questions every good business analyst should know the answer to when starting a project.
Today the term Business Analyst is synonymous with a career in the IT industry but the most successful and valuable analysts are those who understand the 'business' rather than those who understand IT. So what exactly is a Business Analyst? What is the Business Analyst’s role? What is the best background for this job? What skill set is required? What type of person is the best fit? What training is required and available? Each organisation seems to have its own ideas about the role, skills, responsibilities and expectations of the Business Analyst. Given the importance of the job, a common definition would assist both practitioners and employers. We explore some of the issues here. Written by Derrick Brown, IRM's Director and instructional designer, it shares first hand observations and experience gained from training thousands of Business Analysts since 1980, first in the UK and since 1984 in Australia.
Author: Derrick Brown
People come to the job of Business Analyst in many different ways. Some people graduate from college and immediately start to work as a junior Analyst for a major corporation. Often a Business Analyst has some years of work experience in some related field before starting to work as an analyst.
You may choose to work for a company in the role of Business Analyst, or you may be a consultant and some of what you do is work as a Business Analyst.
Once you are working as a Business Analyst, what can you expect in terms of career growth?
Author: Geri Schneider Winters
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