The role of a business analyst is to evaluate an organization’s performance and work with it to enhance the business’s procedures. To find solutions to a plethora of challenges, multiple research and analysis are conducted. Afterward, the solutions are presented to the customers for satisfactory results.
But are business analysts that important to run a project? A client may, at times, question the necessity of a business analyst in technical projects. But in reality, it is one of the most important aspects for the successful outcome of a project. In this article, we’ll dive into the functions of a business analyst and examine whether they are an essential element in conducting a project.
Why is there a need for a business analyst in a project?
Along with engineering and design, establishing clear goals and objectives is a primary concern for any project. Tracking new business requirements and comprehending all dependencies is extremely necessary while creating a product. In other words, someone will perform business analysis work anyway, but the question is, how thoroughly? It’s always best to hand it over to someone who’s a professional and has experience in the field.
Roles and responsibilities of a business analyst
To develop the best solution, a business analyst must extract knowledge from the stakeholders and then consult with the development team about the various choices to finally come up with a decision.
There are many different definitions of a business analyst’s function since there are countless techniques and ways to carry out these tasks. To better address the issue, we purposefully employ the word “role” rather than “position.” You have probably seen that a set of business analyst duties varies based on the nation, business, and project characteristics. This job could even vary across projects carried out by the same organization.
Conducting user research and interviews is necessary for certain projects while hosting workshops with important stakeholders, creating logical data models, or displaying business processes using diagrams is necessary for others. To evaluate and accept requirements obtained from the product owner, business analysts may need to develop a low-quality prototype.
Projects that require a business analyst
Scenario 01: The client has many ideas for the project but is unable to give the team a detailed list of features and specifications.
To assist the product development team in providing the best solution in this situation, a business analyst must evaluate data and ask the appropriate questions to establish the foundation for the project.
Here is an easy illustration. Let’s say a client wants to develop a system that enables people to plan online events. He gives a brief description of the essential characteristics of the requested product.
The product owner must provide the team with as much information as possible before they begin to create the UX. For a fuller understanding of the situation, even the tiniest details are important. In this situation, the relevant questions need to be answered:
- Which user types could access each specific feature?
- Who is in charge of controlling user permissions?
- Should content be moderated before publication?
- Will it be carried out manually or automatically?
- If automatically, according to what standards?
- Do the reports need to be added?
- How quickly should they be produced?
The business analyst examines the user and business sides of the answers given by the client, predicts various options, exclusions, and regulations, then confirms them with the client. Once authorization is complete, the business analyst records the information and gives it to the design and production department.
Scenario 02: There is no agreement among the project’s various (3 or more) stakeholders.
Scenario 03: The project’s scale is enormous, with various difficulties and risks involved
For instance, certain industries have a high degree of legal regulation. It implies that even the smallest error might result in damages to the business. Here, the responsibility of the business analyst is to become familiar with the field, including technical jargon and particular procedures. Also to transform customers’ requests into operational and non-functional objectives that the team can comprehend.
Scenario 04: The project will last a while
Scenario 05: The project calls for thorough attestation
Projects that do not require a business analyst
Scenario 01: There is already a business analyst working for the client
Scenario 02: No difficult hierarchies are involved in the short-term project
Scenario 03: The project’s essential data has already been acquired.
Conclusion
Are you planning your own software project? Let us help!
