Alternate title: A Systems Analyst is NOT the same thing as a Business Analyst
As a professional business analyst and the world’s most active job hunter (I receive over 2,500 recruiter contacts a year), I see all kinds of job “reqs” (requirements, or requisitions). In today’s IT world, the virtues of technological contribution are highly extolled. In many circumstances it is deserved and well-earned. But in too many cases, the IT department is the tail wagging the dog.
Many job requirements for Business Analysts are really reqs for Systems Analysts in disguise. SA’s (systems analysts) are not BA’s (business analysts). Now hear me. SA’s are not BA’s. Both SA’s and BA’s are valuable to the IT groups and the business units they serve. Better said, they can be valuable if understood and aligned properly.
What is the difference?
The distinction in my mind is pretty simple. But due to the confusion on the part of many hiring managers and recruiters, it is worth spending a little time to clarify. I have put together the little table below to help.
|
Qualities |
Business Analyst |
Systems Analyst |
| Business Acumen | Highly important | Not highly important |
| Technical understanding | Important | Highly important |
| Problem solving | Highly important | Highly important |
| Written communications | Highly important for refined writing skills. | Refined writing skills not required. |
| Verbal communications | Advanced verbal communication skills needed for both one-on-one and to groups. | Basic verbal communication desired but not always required. |
| Computer Programming Experience | Not required. | Typically always required. |
| Duties and Responsibilities | - Documenting business processes. - Leading RGS and JAD meetings. - Liaises between the business and IT programmers/SAs. |
- Attending meetings and supporting the BA. - Liaises between the programmers and the BAs/business. - Running database queries. |
| Excel Spreadsheet Skills | Basic | Advanced |
| SQL Query Skills | Basic if at all | Advanced |
| Mindset | Business first, then ask “how can technology help serve and improve the business?” | Technology first, then ask “how can we assist in serving the requests of the business?” |
Of course these are just rules of thumb and there might be some variance among scenarios and individuals. But in general, BAs and SAs have different functional experience and different mindsets. Same goes for QAs (Quality assurance Analysts).
My advice to the professionals who hire BAs, SAs, and QAs, is understand what your organization’s needs are, and then clearly articulate and represent them. Having the right person in the right job is important for both effectiveness and efficiency, as well as for job satisfaction. If improperly implemented, misalignment can bring down morale and increase turnover and errors. Expecting SAs to create beautiful and articulate documentation could instead produce confusing and incomplete wordage. And asking a BA to perform detailed data-mapping might cause insanity.
Understand that my contention is not with the Analyst by any means, but instead with the manager who does not know the difference amongst types or does not care enough to accurately call the position what it is. I mean this sincerely. In fact on one occasion, though I was hired in as a Business Analyst, my group management decided to staff up with Systems Analysts. This meant I was no longer a fit, and my contract was not renewed. Don’t be surprised when I say that I am OK with that; management and I agreed. My client boss recognized it and proactively provided his advocacy in my getting a position on the business side.
Hats off to all the wonderful Business Analysts, Systems Analysts, Quality Analysts, Programmer Analysts, and other IT Analysts – and to the hiring managers who care enough to put the right person into the right position with a commitment for success.
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Tru-dat!