Business Analyst
- Are you interested in a career in business, but you are also interested in technology?
- Or the opposite - Are you interested in a tech career but you’re also fascinated by business?
- Do you enjoy solving problems, puzzles and challenges?
- Are you a good communicator and do you enjoy working with people?
- Are you detail oriented and well organized?
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CLICK HEREBusiness Analyst could be your future career
Business Analysts perform an important function of “translating” between business and technology teams.
“Business” is any part of a company that deals with the operation of the organization, like finances, sales, marketing, legal, human resources departments. For example, in an airline, everything related to pilots, in-flight crew, aircraft maintenance, plane ticket sales, etc. are all “business operations”. And in a hospital, all the jobs associated with delivering patient care are “business operations.” In every case these business functions depend on technology. Every company also has an “Information Technology (IT)” department or team - some big and some small.
Does this sound interesting to you? Do you think you would enjoy a role that combines business and technology? In this Toolkit you’ll explore what Business Analysts do and how you can get started in this career field. There are activities for you to figure out whether you enjoy this kind of work. If you persist through the activities, you’ll realize that this may be a good career path for you. A career in Business Analysis could be your entry point to a tech career.
Want to get started?
Try this problem to see what the job of the Business Analyst is like.
Today you are going to be a Business Analyst working in a large city hospital called Washington Medical Center. It’s Monday morning and you log into your email to find this message.
Begin your assignment:
Take Step 1. Monday Morning at 9AM.
Study the email to see what information you can gather about this request. Start taking some notes outlining the basic requirements. Try to pull out as much detail as you can - at least 6 facts. For example:
- Radiologists work in shifts
- Someone on the team must be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - no breaks
- Schedule is shared with many people
Take Step 2. Monday Morning at 10AM.
Respond to Dr. Washington’s email by generating a list of at least 6 questions to gather more information. In the email, suggest that you meet on Tuesday morning at 9am to discuss the requirements. Here are some questions to get you
Want to try it out now?
Try this problem to see what the job of the Business Analyst is like.
Today you are going to be a Business Analyst working in a large city hospital called Washington Medical Center. It’s Monday morning and you log into your email to find this message.
Begin your assignment:
Take Step 1. Monday Morning at 9AM.
Study the email to see what information you can gather about this request. Start taking some notes outlining the basic requirements. Try to pull out as much detail as you can - at least 6 facts. For example:
- Radiologists work in shifts
- Someone on the team must be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - no breaks
- Schedule is shared with many people
Take Step 2. Monday Morning at 10AM.
Respond to Dr. Washington’s email by generating a list of at least 6 questions to gather more information. In the email, suggest that you meet on Tuesday morning at 9am to discuss the requirements. Here are some questions to get you started on drafting your email:
- How long is a shift?
- How many radiologists work each day?
- How do you currently keep track of shifts?
- Can I see a copy of the schedule?
Take Step 3. Tuesday Morning at 10AM. Review the Notes you took at the meeting with Dr Washington:
- 6 radiologists on the team
- Shifts are 8 hours beginning at 7am
- Need to create a consistent schedule in advance so that people know when they are working
- Some people work Monday - Friday, others work Tuesday - Saturday or Wednesday to Sunday
- 1 senior radiologist needs to be on call for questions at all times, does not need to be in the hospital
- 2 radiologists do not work on weekends
- Schedule needs to be shared with Physicians so they can see who is on call
- Dr Washington leads the team, does not work nights, has one day of administrative work
- (make up your own!)
You will present these Notes in a Requirements Document for the IT Department. You may recommend a technical solution that automates the schedule as follows:
- Automatically generated weekly
- Takes in account different people’s shift schedules
- Can be communicated electronically in a format that is easy to read and can be added to a Google or Microsoft calendar
- What else?
- 1 senior radiologist needs to be on call for questions at all times, does not need to be in the hospital
- 2 radiologists do not work on weekends
- Schedule needs to be shared with Physicians so they can see who is on call
- Dr Washington leads the team, does not work nights, has one day of administrative work
- (make up your own!)
Use this format for your Requirements Document:
Share your Requirements Document with your peers or a teacher. What did they include that you did not? Do you enjoy this kind of work? Which aspects are you good at?
Meet a few Professionals who work in the Field
Here are some ‘day in the life’ stories you can read about people in the Business Analyst field:
Understand the Business
Business Analysts work to “elicit,” extract and translate what business teams are looking for in technology. For example, a Marketing Analyst might say, “I need to communicate with my customers.” Business Analysts are responsible for asking lots of questions such as:
- How do you want to communicate with customers?
- Email, text message, phone?
- How often do you want to communicate?
- Is this a one time or ongoing communication?
- Is there a specific reason you are communicating?
- What do you want to communicate?
- What is the purpose of the communication?
- Where does the information you want to communicate come from?
Understand the Business
Business Analysts work to “elicit,” extract and translate, what business teams are looking for in technology. For example, a Marketing Analyst might say, “I need to communicate with my customers.” Business Analysts are responsible for asking lots of questions such as:
- How do you want to communicate with customers?
- Email, text message, phone?
- How often do you want to communicate?
- Is this a one time or ongoing communication?
- Is there a specific reason you are communicating?
- What do you want to communicate?
- What is the purpose of the communication?
- Where does the information you want to communicate come from?
A Business Analyst typically asks a lot of questions, in order to elicit what the user wants, while also keeping in mind how the technology teams might build or deliver the solution. The Business Analyst then documents the answers. All of the questions are being asked in the context of how the technology teams might develop or deliver solutions for the capabilities being requested. So, the Business Analyst has to understand what business teams want and have a general understanding of the methods and options for how IT will deliver the technology solutions, and how much effort is involved delivering the solution.
Once the Business Analyst understands the business problem and request, the “translation” of the request is usually documented in a business requirements document. Business requirements documents can take many forms and it’s the Business Analyst’s job to determine the best way to communicate with technical teams - the product owners, software developers and quality assurance or testing teams. Requirements can often be documented in a written or narrative description or more visually as flow charts, storyboards, wireframes, mind maps, “user stories,” pictures or prototypes - anything that will make it easy for the technical teams to understand what problem is trying to be solved, why it needs to be solved and what the business is expecting to be delivered. It’s the Business Analyst’s job to choose appropriate tools for clearly documenting and communicating requirements and managing end user expectations. If certain things can’t be done, Business Analysts often have to explain what can be done, how it will be done and the effort involved. Business Analysts also work with a Project Manager to create a plan for delivery that is agreed upon by all technical teams. The plan cannot be created without the detailed requirements document created by the Business Analyst, so you can see the importance of this role.
Watch this 8 minute video - Faizan breaks down what a Business Analyst does:
Watch this 8 minute video - Faizan breaks down what a Business Analyst does:
Every business needs IT Support, whether it’s a bank, a hospital, a school, a nonprofit or a government agency. Every business hires IT Support - sometimes full-time, and sometimes they contract with an IT service provider.
IT Support specialists can work full-time, or part-time and sometimes they provide after-hours support (depending on the hours the business operates). IT Support can be performed remotely or in person and sometimes a service provider will visit different clients each day. IT Support work is also performed as part-time or “gig work” where an individual performs these same services for a fixed price. Some IT Support specialists have dedicated private clients, while others work on a Support Desk serving lots of end-users in all different roles within an organization. The types of support required may also differ depending on the end-user’s role. For instance, a physician may need different IT support from a lab technician and an airplane mechanic may need different IT support from a receptionist. Law practices also need IT support and working for a law firm can require sensitive areas of technical support.
The jobs an IT Support technician performs include setting up desktops, laptops, printers and phones in a work setting. They also get users set up on their devices (such as mobile phones) - create user accounts and passwords, installing software needed. When employees are frustrated with technology, IT support technicians troubleshoot and get them going again.
Most organizations use a ticketing system for end users to make requests for fixes or assistance. Think of this like taking a ticket at a deli counter in a supermarket. After the ticket is submitted, an IT Support specialist is assigned to fix the problem. The support technician might need to have a conversation with the end user, visit the worksite or troubleshoot the issue remotely. All of the interactions, steps taken and work completed is documented in the request ticket and the ticket is closed once the issue is resolved to the end user’s satisfaction and is able to work again. Ticketing systems are vital to the smooth operation of an IT Support team and ensures that issues are resolved in a timely manner.
IT Support is a common entry-level position in the technology field and is a place to get familiar with many of the activities performed within an IT department. It’s on-the-job training that is a foundation for many other positions within the broader IT field. IT support specialists can become network engineers, cybersecurity specialists, data analysts and even managers within the IT support function.
“A typical day begins with setting up and logging in to all of my programs for the day. As an IT help desk specialist, I am responsible for the support of numerous systems. I always have at least 10 different applications open. Once I’m set up, I’m assigned to take either calls or chats. Both are set up in a way that I’m “on-call” for incoming calls or chats. The work I do daily is pretty broad and unpredictable. No two days are the same when you work in IT. Some examples of things that might come include password resets, how-to’s, break/fix, uninstall/reinstalls or escalations for larger issues as needed.”
Some people begin their career in IT as a Computer Support specialist, also known as an IT technician or Help Desk specialist. Larger companies will offer levels of support, beginning with Tier 1, which is basic troubleshooting and problem solving.
Starting out in the Help Desk
- Customers will call to report a problem. This creates a ticket.
- The problem is described in as much detail as possible, with screenshots if necessary, and recorded in a service management system or ticketing system such as Remedy or ServiceNow
- The IT technician will work to resolve the issue or refer it to a Level 2 specialist; a level 2 specialist might be more familiar with command line troubleshooting or would be more adept at disassembling a computer
- Level 3 might involve reaching out to the hardware or software provider such as Lenovo, Dell or Microsoft
Some people start out as gig workers, taking temporary jobs through a staffing agency. Staffing agencies act as intermediaries finding qualified professionals and connecting them to employers. In the IT field, a company that provides outsourced IT services is called a Managed Service Provider (MSP). Instead of a company creating its own IT department and hiring technicians, they will hire an outside company or an MSP to manage all IT issues and fixes for them. MSPs can manage the help-desk to provide in the moment support, manage projects like setting up office computers or provisioning hardware for employees, etc. As an IT support professional you might find a job with an MSP or be placed on a temporary assignment by a staffing agency.
An MSP will hire for IT Support roles. One advantage is exposure to a variety of technologies and systems, which is a way to gain experience for the next level job.
Working for a Managed Service Provider
Specializing in a role
The IT Technician role offers opportunities to specialize:
- Focus on Hardware & Software - deployment, installation, resets. This is the most hands-on physical aspect of the work.
- Focus on Networking - all organizations have computers that talk to one another internally and with the outside world. Network specialists understand network cabling, routers and switches and other forms of equipment that connects devices. This also includes remote connectivity such as Wi-Fi. Increasingly, networking is concerned with monitoring intruders attempting to enter an environment to do damage to a company. People who are interested in this area might consider moving towards cybersecurity.
- Executive Support - an option for more experienced IT Support professionals is to provide IT support for C-Suite Executives. The CEO of a large company or head of a government agency will require a special level of expertise and service. Personalized IT support will mean adding layers of security, facilitating easy mobile access for the company executive, and managing conferences. IT support at this level takes customer service to the next level.
- Sector specialization - IT Support can be transferred into specialized support in areas of business. For example:
- Within hospitals and medical centers, specialized knowledge of medical software is needed to support medical billing systems, medical record systems or clinical trials systems. IT Support in this sector requires specialized knowledge and training in support for surgical equipment or lab machines or the computers that interface with these devices. This training is often provided by the employer to IT Support technicians.
- Other locations could be providing support at the airport - most airlines hire full time IT support professionals to work at airports. Retail stores, doctor or lawyer offices, churches and religious organizations, other non-profits, etc, all require IT support.
- Within the travel related industry specialized knowledge of reservation software or mobile payment systems is needed, and employers will provide training.
The Job Outlook
The category of Business Analyst is a fast growing occupation that includes roles with job titles such as Business Analyst, Management Analyst, Product Analyst. All these are similar roles and the exact title and job description varies by company. The US Department of Labor predicts the job outlook over the next decade will be much faster than average - about 11% more jobs added each year.
Career Paths
There are many ways you can enter the field of business analysis. You could start as an accountant, business manager or in a role in financial services. Or you could start out as a Project Manager.
The other path is to enter from the tech side by gaining experience in IT or Computer Science.
Getting a foot in the door and advancing a career as a business analyst requires certifications - read more below - and you’ll likely need to get a degree in Business as well.
Once you gain some experience as a Business Analyst, the path to advancement can go in many directions:
- Operations - you can begin to specialize in a field such as financial analysis, health care analysis, or marketing analysis
Career Paths
There are many ways you can enter the field of business analysis. You could start as an accountant, business manager or in a role in financial services. Or you could start out as a Project Manager.
The other path is to enter from the tech side by gaining experience in IT or Computer Science.
Getting a foot in the door and advancing a career as a business analyst requires certifications - read more below - and you’ll likely need to get a degree in Business as well.
Once you gain some experience as a Business Analyst, the path to advancement can go in many directions:
- Operations - you can begin to specialize in a field such as financial analysis, health care analysis, or marketing analysis
- Data - you can hone in your data skills to become a business intelligence analyst and strategy analyst
- Project Management - as a Business Analyst you will learn to use project management techniques like Agile and Waterfall (see the Project Manager page in this Toolkit) and you can grow in this field to become a Scrum Master or Agile Team leader
- IT - with Business Analyst experience and the right certifications, you could pursue a path of information security analysis and cybersecurity
- Customer Success Manager - you can grow into a role where you use your skills to work more directly with customers.
One path to a career in cybersecurity is to take on more and more responsibility. Cybersecurity can also be a springboard to jobs in other fields like Data Science, Law Enforcement, Project Management, etc. To learn more, click around on the website of the National Initiative For Cybersecurity Careers And Studies.
Watch this 8 minute video - Karaleise gives advice on how to break into Business Analysis without much experience:
Watch this 8 minute video - Faizan breaks down what a Business Analyst does:
Skills to Pay the Bills
Skills that you bring to the table and will help you succeed in the role:
You have the ability to break down large tasks into smaller parts, and to see things from different points of view
You enjoy working with people and being an advocate for others, you can get your point across in different ways - speaking, writing, visually
You have an entrepreneurial mindset, you think about ways to make money and do things more efficiently; you like to read about people who started their own businesses
You sweat the small stuff and pay attention to the fine print, you don’t want to miss anything that could be important
Skills you will Learn
Your Passport to Business Analyst certification
Your passport to break into the Business Analyst field is through earning an industry certification. There are two standard certifications offered by professional organizations in the field:
- The International Institute for Business Analysis (IIBA) offers the Entry Certificate in Business Analysis. This covers the foundations of business analysis knowledge. Earning this certification demonstrates your competency to perform tasks and will be validated by a future employer. You can learn more here.
- Note that this is not a free certification
- IIBA produces resources - books and videos to prepare for the certificate. These are not free.
- The Project Management Institute offers a Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA) certification. This has value for people with less experience in business but more project management experience. The costs and process are similar. You can learn more here.
Review a Job Description
Job Descriptions are the way a company recruits and hires talent. You can learn a lot from a Job Description about the skills and qualifications you need to prepare for the job. Even if you are not ready to apply for a job now, learning to read the Job Description can help you prepare for what you need to learn after high school.
This company (name withheld) is hiring a Product Analyst intern. This is an entry level job that is very aligned to the role of a Business Analyst. Read the job description and take note of all the skills you need to apply for the job. As you read, look for the technical skills that you will need to learn, and the human behavior skills that you are already good at.
GET PREPARED
Make Your Plan
Be ready to apply to this job in a few years by writing a paragraph of less than 250 words explaining why you want the job and why you will be a good fit for the company.
- Why you want to pursue a career in IT and specifically what aspects of the job interest you
- What skills you bring that will be an asset for this kind of job
- What skills you need to learn after high school
- What is the career path you see for yourself in the future?
Keep this paragraph as part of your career plan.