IT Business Analysts are knowledgeable in the areas of both Business Administration and Information Technology and are responsible for bringing the two fields together. Let’s take a closer look at how they do this!
The Business Analyst Role
Business analysis refers to the study of businesses, their needs, requirements, processes, and developing solutions that help solve these issues. These solutions can range from process and policy improvement, organizational change, to strategic development and planning.
In recent years, there has been a tumultuous explosion of careers for Business Analysts within the IT Industry. This has given rise to a new role: that of an IT Business Analyst
IT Business Analysts (also known as IT BAs) are people who are knowledgeable in the areas of Business Administration and Information Technology. They are responsible for bringing the two fields together by maintaining communication between the two branches of a company. They ensure the quality of IT services whilst analyzing business requirements using data analytics.
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Responsibilities for an IT Business Analyst
An IT Business Analyst shares a similar job profile as that of a Business Analyst who just focuses on the organizational and business part of the company but with additional IT responsibilities.
They work with a business to identify opportunities for improvement in existing business operations and processes. They then develop design modifications for existing business systems.
On the business end of things, analysts interact with stakeholders, business leaders and users in order to understand their requirements and needs.
Some of the day to day responsibilities of a Business Analyst include:
- Running analysis projects
- Assess processes based on data analytics
- Identifying the current – and future- business processes
- Helping the business stakeholders envision the future and how their work will need to change to support the future
- Maintaining the quality of IT products and services
- Delivering elements of systems design, including data migration rules, business rules, wireframes, or other detailed deliverables
- Helping develop training material and literature to speed processes
- Document requirements to deliver data-driven recommendations
- Facilitating the negotiation of requirements amongst multiple stakeholders.
- Assistance with acceptance testing and integration
- Budgeting
- Project management and development of project plans
- Reporting to stakeholders and business leaders
IT Business Analyst skills
In order to propel your career as an IT Business Analyst, it is essential to develop skills in both Business and IT Knowledge. They need knowledge in data analysis and data trends and must have an understanding of how systems and the product work.
Business Analyst requirements and skills:
- Ability to understand and determine objectives
- Strong perception skills to see the whole picture in relation to business processes and systems.
- Good knowledge of presentation tools and software to present your findings and plans.
- Documentation and technical writing skills
- Experience with Business Analytics tools – Microsoft Access, Tableau, Google Analytics
- Knowledge of SQL – not crucial but can greatly benefit you
- Excellent at time management
- Comprehensive communication skills
- Good team player
- Strong leadership skills
- Analytical thinking and problem solving
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Background
Most employers look for a bachelor’s degree when filling entry-level roles. For more senior positions, some employers may require candidates with a Master’s degree in Business Administration or IT with a Business minor. Knowledge and interest in statistics would be always a must.
Depending on the role, some business might look for a business analyst with SQL skills as this language is very often used for managing data in relational database systems.
Another great way to increase your marketability as an analyst is to become certified. This is a great way to increase your knowledge and develop your skills. Certification also shows potential employers that you enjoy learning and evolving – 2 crucial traits in the IT-Business field.
While IT-Business Analysis is a somewhat new industry, there are a few certifications available to candidates. These include:
- IIBA Certified Business Analyst Professional
- IQBBA Certified Foundation Level Business Analyst
- BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis
- PMI Professional in Business Analysis
Salary
While individual salaries can vary depending on the size and location of the company, IT Business Analysts generally begin their careers at an annual salary of around $54,000. Senior analysts can earn up to $94,000 annually while on average, they earn around $72,000 a year.
How much does an IT Business Analyst make?
Junior | $54,000 |
Average | $72,000 |
Senior | $94,000 |
How much do Freelance Business Analysts charge?
IT Business Analysts on freelancermap charge on average:
Rates in this field range between $33 and $106/hour for most freelancers.
The daily rate for IT Business Analysts (8 working hours) would be around: