IT Business Analyst Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

IT Business Analyst Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information of the job description of IT business analysts, including key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they perform, to help you prepare for the career as a job seeker or create a good description for the position if you are a recruiter. Read on:

What Does an IT Business Analyst Do?

The IT business analyst helps to translate business needs into technical requirements. They serve as a point of contact and bridge between the customer and the technical team (service provider) applying their knowledge of the optimal solution to business problems to help clients select the best solution out of the set of proposed solutions.

The IT business analyst job description entails developing a detailed understanding of business process and functional needs, conducting industry-based research and data analysis, and determining options and alternatives for technology solutions to meet those business needs.

It also involves acting as an advocate for the best user experience design possible for all technology solutions proposed for meeting those business needs.

IT business analysts conduct analysis of business and user needs, document the requirements, and translate them into functional system requirements.

Their role also entails performing market, data, technical, and technology option analysis and recommendations.

It also involves creating relevant documentation, including: user stories/use cases, wireframes, screen mockups, process flow documents, and data flow diagrams etc.

The analyst also serves as an interface to ensure that all the parties to the transaction are in agreement with the functional and user design of the systems before and during development; and coordinates with Application Development team members, vendors and Project Managers, to review the proposed solution and design to ensure that the requirements are met.

They also help to develop, define, and build technology business cases that will enable business and technology change.

They help to improve business decision-making by evaluating research and recommending technology solutions/processes, with a focus on the firm’s core systems, technology strategies, and standards.

To become an IT business analyst requires a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Computer Science, or Information Systems, or in a related field.

Strong analytical and problem solving skills; documentation, interpersonal, and organizational skills, as well as time management and leadership skills are also required to succeed in the career.

IT Business Analyst Job Description Example/Sample/Template

The IT business analyst functions as the link between the customer and the technical team.

They help to translate their needs into technical requirements for the technical team to proffer solutions to.

They also partner with both business functional specialists such as accounting, marketing, etc. and the technical development teams to create practical requirements and specifications.

The major tasks, duties, and responsibilities of the IT business analyst are presented in the job description example below:

• Applies expertise with business process to formulate systems/process scope and objectives relative to the organization’s business plan and user requirements, process flow definitions, business process mapping, and functional specifications
• Evaluates business initiatives and develops the most efficient, cost effective solution alongside the business and internal/external technical staff
• Responsible for gathering complex business needs and requirements
• Compiles and accurately documents complex business needs for systems design and development
• Responsible for formulating design testing strategies, creating test plans, and executing testing of new systems and enhancements
• Responsible for developing support documentation and training material for supported systems
• Ensures that appropriate testing, change management, and communication are planned on new systems and enhancements with minimal rework before implementing them
• Proactively identifies, researches, and resolves system issues and suggests recommendations to management, customers, and peers
• Partners with the QA group to review test plans and ensure requirements are covered
• Undertakes assessment on solutions to ensure they have high scores on usability and user experience design
• Responsible for business process reengineering (BPR) support
• Responsible for developing framework, documenting and mapping existing and new processes
• Presides over process improvement workshops and meetings
• Responsible for establishing internal controls and providing process improvement expertise and recommendations
• Develops and presents documentation related to process improvement projects, program, or requirements analyses, or organizational studies
• Provides support for business and IT alignment
• Provides support for the implementation of business process management (BPM) workflow tool
• Undertakes the review, analysis, and evaluation of business systems and user needs
• Responsible for formulating systems that parallels with overall business strategy
• Writes and provides detailed description of user needs, program functions, and steps required to develop or modify computer program
• Provides assistance with business development activities, including: proposals, capture, account teams, whitepapers, conferences, and/or other thought leadership materials.

IT Business Analyst Requirements – Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for a Successful Career

If you are seeking to work as an IT business analyst with any organization, you will be expected to show proof of being able to meet the objectives, purpose, and obligations of the role by meeting certain requirements set by the employer.

Given below are major skills, knowledge, abilities, etc. that most recruiters for the position of IT business analyst may require applicants to meet to be hired for the job:

• Education/ experience: IT business analysts require a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Information Systems, or Computer Science, or in a similar discipline. They also require a minimum of 2 years of experience in business analysis/requirements management for a product or system. However, the length of experience required will vary depending on the needs of the recruiter
• Knowledge: They are required to possess extensive knowledge in principles of analysis and development of business requirements along with demonstrated abilities in problem identification, research for solutions, evaluation, and presentation of alternative deliverables. They must be proficient in mapping of business processes to user and functional needs
• They also require a working knowledge of business processes, system development, process improvements, and change management. They may require experience with the full software development life cycle, knowledge Management systems, and background in Project Management, and User Experience Design, depending on the needs of the organization
• Documentation skills: They require a clear and concise writing skills and the ability to consistently provide a high level of documentation on requirements, specifications, status, issues, and changes to requirements
• Leadership skills: IT business analysts must possess and demonstrate the ability to lead and facilitate meetings and interviews with management, business owners, and users to define, establish, and document business requirements and objectives; and to aid communications with team members and business users
• Time management skills: It is vital that they possess the ability to provide reasonable time estimates and complete assigned tasks in a timely manner with a high level of quality
• Communication skills: They must be able to communicate effectively and tactfully with management, business users, and team members in a professional manner
• Strong organizational skills: They must be highly organized individuals with the ability to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines and priorities
• Strong attention to detail: They must be meticulously detailed individuals because even the tiniest information misrepresented from the client’s needs can alter the requirement and fault the technology solution provided
• Sound judgment: They must be able to critically evaluate information gathered from multiple sources and distinguish user requests from the underlying true needs
• Interpersonal Skills: The analyst requires the ability to work harmoniously and effectively with others
• Analytical and problem solving skills: They require strong analytical skills to thoroughly understand how to interpret customer business needs and translate them into application and operational requirements, as well as utilize design thinking skills to help the business arrive at their desired requirements
• Stress management skills: They require the ability to work under pressure and yet make rational decisions.

Advancing your IT Business Analyst Career

If you are seeking an IT business analyst job, you will be expected to meet the skills and knowledge requirements of the role to be hired.

You can acquire the required IT business analyst skills and knowledge by taking the right training courses.

If you are in the IT business analyst career looking to gain a higher role, you will need to take relevant training courses to acquire the skills and knowledge to meet the recruiter’s requirement and succeed on the new job.

If you are in a different career and desire to change to the higher paying IT business analyst position, you can achieve it by completing he right training courses that will give you the skills and knowledge to gain the required certifications and be hired.

If you are a student or fresh graduate desiring to build your career in the IT business analysis field, you can achieve it by completing the right training courses that will help you gain the skills and knowledge to succeed in your career.

Here are the right training courses to help you succeed in the IT business analysis career:

Business Analytics Certification Training with Excel
Business Analytics Expert Program

Conclusion

This post is useful to HR managers, employers, or recruiters in the process of hiring for the IT business analyst position, to be able to make a detailed and effective description of the role.

It is a fact that by posting a detailed description of the position, that captures all the major duties and responsibilities the successful candidate will perform as an IT business analyst in your company, you will be increasing your chances of attracting the best people to your offer.

You can apply the sample IT business analyst job description provided above in creating such descriptions for your company.

This post is also beneficial to individuals interested in the IT business analyst career to learn about what the role entails and the common requirements to be met for hiring.

Did this article increase your knowledge of the duties and responsibilities IT business analysts typically perform? Please, leave a comment in the box below. You may also discuss your job description if you work as a business analyst in an IT setting.