In the business-to-IT spectrum, the analyst is squarely in the center. Is it any wonder that people are confused by the role? Business analysts might be the least-known people in the IT workplace: Most
agree that their role is important, but few know what they actually door
should be expected to do.
Referring to research on the subject, "Executives didn't know whether
they were performing up to par or whether they should be expected to be order-takers
or change agents, though they knew that the best ones were," Carey
Schwaber, senior analyst with Forrester Research, told eWEEK.
Forrester Research defines the business analyst's role as a key liaison
between the business and the technology that supports it. According to IT
recruiting firm Robert Half Technology, a business analyst needs to have a
solid understanding of business functional areas and management issues, as well
as advanced computer skills and excellent communication skills.
Among business analysts themselves, few set out from the start to fill
the role. Yet, by and large, they are not looking for the next big thing
to move on to, Schwaber said.
"It's not clear whether a business analyst is a job that you would move
through or stay and season in. Executives think that most want to move through
but business analysts tend to like their jobs," Schwaber said, adding that
when she'd ask business analyst audiences what roles they saw themselves in
next, many were offended that it would be suggested that they didn't enjoy what
they were doing.
"What this sounds like to me is that CIOs need to build out business
analyst jobs so they can be career-long roles that grow in terms of salary and
title with experience," Schwaber said.
Most business analysts spend more than five years in each position, amassing
a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge, yet are only sometimes paid in
kind. According to Robert Half Technology, business systems analysts are
expected to make between $64,250 and $91,750 in 2008, up 5.6 percent from the
year before.
CIOs at smaller companies wear more hats for less pay than CIOs at large enterprises. Click here to read more about the differences.
Robert Half Technology Vice President John Estes said he has seen more
interest in the role lately than ever before, due to an increased focus on the
business side of IT since the dot-com bust.
"Back in the '90s it was all about technology infrastructure, but now
everything is about business outcomes and return on investment. They want to
know, What is this new application going to do for us? Will it increase
revenue, decrease percentages?" Estes said. "Demand for business
skills for all IT people has increased, but this liaison role has grown
especially in importance."
In a new report, Forrester said it found that though there have
traditionally been two main types of business analyststhose who are more
business-oriented and those who are more IT-orientedthese distinctions are
blurring.
While 57 percent of business analysts surveyed said they reported to IT and
43 percent to business management, a new breed is emerging who are expected to
implement changes to business policies directly within supporting software.
"There's been much more specialization in the last 10 years, as the
criticality of the role has increased by a long shot. As a business analyst,
you're as likely to do something outside your company as you are inside," Schwaber
said.
Estes argued that this is good news for business analysts, whose importance
to the business offers them some protection from outsourcing.
"A lot of these folks we're outsourcing ... are
just creating code. They're not thinking about the bottom line. This is an
opportunity for someone who wants to stay in IT but move into a
business-related role," he said.
IT Management 
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