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'''What Makes A Real Good Business Analyst?'''

Although the responsibility of a business analyst varies by project or company, any IT recognizes a good or bad business analyst in an instant.

Project managers and software developers who work on new applications know that a business analyst has a major impact on the good or bad outcome of a software project. We have seen several projects where a poor business analyst was the major failure factor.

While top management support is also extremely important, a CEO or CIO are not active in the trenches every day. Hence the need for a good business analyst who understands their role very well is very important. For more details [http://www.certificationforprofessionals.com/what-is-a-business-analyst/ Read This].

As a guide to a better understanding of what is a business analyst, here are six critical business characteristics and skills a good BA should have.

1.      A good BA recognizes the core problem in the right perspective. People often try to solve the wrong problem, so they get caught up in irrelevant details or find a solution unrelated to the core problem. The ones who do it right fall back on the six key questions that journalists use: Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. Recognizing these questions at the beginning of a software project leads to a greater chance of success. A good business analyst knows the problem structure. They got sufficient skills, some common sense and knowledge of the subject (in case of technical problems).

2.      They find points of agreement objectively and understand the often divergent demands of managers and IT professionals. Knowing where each party comes from is essential. Good BA's is a translator for both parties to make clear what is meant. You need someone who can make the translation between the technical staff of IT and business men. They often do not speak the same language. They each have their own jargon.

3.      The best business analysts can see a problem in detail as remote viewing. They see how the various processes in a company interact as communicating vessels. They keep the project focused on the bigger picture and the long-term benefits. Moreover, they are so accessible that they, as a kind of first aid, answer questions from people after the implementation of the new software. Questions like: "how do I perform this task with this software and why does this not work this way.

4.      The best business analyst understands the limit of IT. IT cannot be anything you want, at least not always cost effective. The right analyst can explain this so that both the IT and management understand. That means he must be able to cope with terms such as TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) and ROI (Return on Investment), and also descriptions of the IT challenge. A business analyst knows that IT is not just converting legacy applications to a new web application. They will know the limitations (if the application can change, they know how quickly it can change) and they help all parties involved in a software project understand the impact of these restrictions.

5.      A business analyst with an IT background has less credibility with line management than a colleague with a business background. The best business analysts have a background in accounting, planning and procurement, and develop an interest in IT later. They are often called BA's "Business Technology Analysts". They are the owner of certain business functions or processes and implement real change, for example by BPM (business process management) tools. They must know how the business works and how changes in the associated processes, information and experience can be implemented in the new software.

6.      The best business analysts do not isolate themselves, but work with people in a project. The ability to communicate and collaborate is crucial to success as a business analyst. Good BAs help other members of project teams to analyze their own business better. BA's who managed to bring it on is very valuable."

But finding the right person that perfectly fits the answers of what is a business analyst remains difficult. Many people who had graduated in computer science could not communicate, and people who had graduated in English language and a project that could explain exactly what had to happen have the same problem. It is almost impossible to predict who the right people for a particular job are and how you can use them successfully. Eventually you'll get there anyway mostly by trial and error. For more details [http://wiki.fis.edu/groups/leadershipasnowshowchallenge/weblog/b4e23/What_is_a_Business_Analyst.html Read This].