In order for a project to be successful, it is necessary to identify and embody what the client wants to achieve and clearly define the requirements.
It is also essential to convey these requirements properly to the development team. If this does not work, the project can run into a snag, with no clear goals or path to aim for.
Business Analysts mediate communication to prevent such situations and ensure smooth project execution.
For example, when constructing an IT system, the client's business is analyzed, and a system that fulfills the request is designed and structured.
It is the role of the business Analyst to convey this clearly to the programmer and development team who actually implement the system.
A Business Analyst coordinates with internal and external stakeholders, summarizes requirements, and ensures the project moves in the right direction.
Although the word "business Analyst" may sound like a new occupation from abroad, in reality, this role has existed for a long time within projects and organizations.
Knowledge of different industries is essential to correctly understand and hear the client's requests.
Business Analysts must have a minimum understanding of business flows across industries such as retail, manufacturing, logistics, and food & drink.
In addition, IT knowledge is also required, covering a wide range of areas from system design to programming and operations.
Without this, it becomes difficult to mediate between departments or guide the project based on real opinions from the field.
Business Analysts also benefit greatly from having actual programming ability.
Business Analysts need six key competencies. Competencies are behavioral characteristics commonly found in people who achieve excellent results.
These six competencies are divided into four soft skills and two technical skills.
Soft skills determine whether you can take appropriate actions depending on the situation. These skills cannot be fully learned in advance and are enhanced mainly through practical experience in the field.
Technical skills can be improved by consciously absorbing knowledge. Business Analysts are often asked how well they understand the company, industry, and organization.
They must also handle tools such as basic office applications and modeling tools used to describe business flows and processes.
These technical skills can be improved quickly depending on effort, so focusing on tools and technology is important for growth.
To work effectively as a Data Analyst, basic knowledge of statistics is essential.
For example, you cannot correctly understand data without knowing statistical concepts such as mean, median, variance, and correlation coefficients.
These indicators describe the nature of data and are known as descriptive statistics, which form the foundation of analytics.
In addition to descriptive statistics, knowledge of inference statistics is needed to make predictions based on data.
By studying inference statistics, you can learn the theory behind basic analysis methods such as regression analysis.
As a learning method, it is recommended to read books explaining statistics or obtain qualifications related to analytics and data science.