Business analysts are change agents who drive the growth and evolution of their organizations. Their day-to-day work requires an understanding of core business operations and trends as well as the technology platforms and systems that support the business. It’s a dynamic role, and the business analyst career path often reflects the cross-functional nature of the position.

Our learners come from a wide range of professional backgrounds, including IT, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. Whether you are just now transitioning into a business analyst role or are a seasoned pro looking to hone a specific skill, our courses in business analysis and certification pathways are designed to help you advance your business analysis career.

What Does a Business Analyst do? The 3 TYPES OF BUSINESS ANALYSTS

While specific job titles and tasks may vary by organization, there are three business analyst archetypes that can help us better understand this essential and ever-evolving career.

The Technician

Their daily responsibilities focus on the functional, non-functional and technical requirements of a project or product development. A technology background and understanding of programming languages, databases and system architecture are keys to success in this role, as are writing skills.

Examples of work deliverables include:

• Written system specifications
• A technical design document
• Physical data models
• User interface prototypes
• IT implementation strategy

Job Titles associated with this business analyst archetype include: Systems Analyst, Technical Analyst, Requirements Engineer, Database Analyst and Enterprise Architect.

The Liaison

They are the stakeholder management experts whose focus is on translating stakeholder needs into actionable business rules and functional requirements that define the project outcomes. More than any specific professional background they combine communication, facilitation, collaboration and negotiation skills with the discipline of requirements elicitation and documentation to meet their deliverables. 

Examples of work deliverables include:

• Business requirements document
• Product backlog
• Functional requirement specifications
• Business process models

Job Titles associated with this business analyst archetype include: Business Analyst, Business Systems Analyst, Business Relationship Manager, Enterprise Analyst, and Process Analyst

The Strategist

They create opportunity for their organization by identifying market trends, creating new business models, transforming enterprise processes, and replacing outmoded products and services. Success as a strategist requires deep industry and organizational knowledge, combined with leadership and influencing skills.

Examples of work deliverables include:

• Enterprise wide vision document
• Business case making
• Product roadmap
• Strategy documents
• Business requirements documentation

Job Titles associated with this business analyst archetype include: Strategic Business Analyst, Business Architect, Product Owner, Management Consultant, and Business Relationship Manager

Is there a demand for BUSINESS ANALYSTS?

Organizations are increasingly driven by the need to innovate, improve, and expand. Few occupations are more well suited to directly impact these objectives than a Business Analyst, and the demand for them is high. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 14 percent growth in job opportunities for business analysts, which is three times greater than the average of other growing occupations. Accordingly, the average annual salary for business analysts is also above the national average at $83,600; with the middle 50 percent earning between $60,950 and $109,170.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; BA Times