Insights

At DVT, we run regular online events focused on the latest technology trends within the IT industry and invite guest speakers to share their knowledge and insights on various topics. The DVT Insights Events aim to enlighten you, educate you and often, provide a new view on a burning issue within the technology space.

Role of the business analyst set to grow in world of rapid change
Chris Visser
Head of Operations: Data & Analytics Solutions

Role of the business analyst set to grow in world of rapid change

Freitag, 07 September 2012 18:24

In this world of rapid change, it is clear that the winners will be those companies with the agility to respond to these market shifts fast. Within companies, the role most suited to spearheading that response is the Business Analyst.


Traditionally, Business Analysts have ensured that business requirements are effectively realised in a technology solution, so it’s no surprise that they should become increasingly pivotal: technology will remain a key mechanism through which companies achieve agility.


The growing importance of the Business Analyst’s role was highlighted at the Business Analysis Summit Southern Africa 2012, in Johannesburg. This was the first time the conference has been held in South Africa, and its theme was The professional Business Analyst as an enabler of effective business change. DVT was proud to be a Gold sponsor of this inaugural event because we believe so strongly that the role of the Business Analyst is rapidly becoming more strategic.


Whereas now Business Analysts often tend to be seen as adjuncts of the technology function, this perception is changing, driven by the growing dependence of business processes on IT networks and software. The Business Analyst will be the one to play the vital role of bringing technology and business closer together. This alignment will be supported by the emergence of next-generation development platforms that will allow business to perform some of the high-level development tasks themselves.


The current range of roles played by Business Analysts shows which way the profession is likely to develop. Current roles span the full spectrum, from purely business-focused at the one end and purely technology-focused at the other.


As companies realise their overwhelming need to become yet more flexible, they will play people to their strengths in order to achieve strategic business goals—Business Analysts will move from being generalists to specialists as the importance of their role becomes better recognised.


It’s this new generation of Business Analysts who will act as agents of change, using technology to help companies shift to new paradigms. Business Analysts will give them the ability to innovate that will distinguish the pace-setters from the also-rans.