More on your future in business analysis

I was asked how long a business analyst should be a business analyst before he moves on to a “real” profession like project manager.   Here is my response:

I will mark my 50th anniversary in the IT business in September.  I am still a business analyst and as it turns out have probably been a BA for the whole time. I don't intend to "change " jobs.  Why?  Because business analysis is a role, not a position.  The CEO and CIO of major companies still perform business analysis activities; they still play the business analysis role.  There is always a demand for someone to determine the real problem, analyze the situation, and define alternate solutions to the problem.  there will always be a need for someone to analyze other businesses for acquisition or merger or analyze the competition and marketplace to help management decide on strategic direction for the organization.  You may choose to leave the position of business analyst, but likely once you are working in business analysis you will always work in business analysis.

The business analyst “career ladder”

I have answered the question of where the business analyst goes after a successful business analysis career, other than retirement, several times in the past, but the question becomes relevant again over time as the profession evolves.  The "ladder" still leads directly to the executive suites in any number of positions. Considering the business analyst is the corporate problem solver and generally is quite versed in both the business processes and practices and the application of IT to support or drive those business processes and practices, the Business Analyst is in a prime position to help the company move forward, make decisions, and lay out strategies for the future.   Intermediate steps on the ladder include senior positions in an organization's PMO (or equivalent), product manager, and director positions.

Quality business analysis

A writer recently posed a question on one of the blog sites. He asked if there were any quality business analysts around, and by that he meant people doing “quality business analysis”. He specifically referred to business transformation and process improvement as areas where quality business analysis was needed, but was not being provided.  I would say that the issue is not limited to business transformation and process improvement. In general there is not enough quality business analysis done in business period.  Business decisions at all levels are being made without eliciting and analyzing the appropriate information.  And that is business analysis.  Too much "business analysis" is focused solely on defining requirements for software development when the real business analysis is needed for strategic decision making and overall business operations.  Simply put, many of the business failures of the past decade could have been avoided with solid business analysis.

Advancing the career ladder as a business analyst

Since we business analysts are expert communicators, communication central in the organization, we naturally build relationships and those relationships will be valuable to our future career choices.  Some relationships will be mentor-like and others will be networking assists. 

When choosing a path to follow, use the relationships you have built while building solutions.  You will have demonstrated your ability to solve problems and now you can parlay that ability into the career path you wish to follow.

Curiosity

You may not believe the client or some stakeholder when they tell you something. What they are saying might contradict what another stakeholder had to say.  But let curiosity outweigh judgment.  Why is this person saying what they are saying?  Even if it isn’t right there must be a reason for it. As my friend Karl Weigers says, “The customer may not always be right, but he always has a point.”  Do you know what the point is? Be curious, ask questions.  As George Nathan Miller says in what is now called “Miller’s Law”: “If you truly want to understand what another person is saying, first assume that it is true, then find out what it is true of.”  Value curiosity over judgment.

BA without IT knowledge

A recent posting on LinkedIn was by a training company looking to attract prospective business analysts to their classroom to learn how to gain IT knowledge in order to become a business analyst.  The pitch was based on some idea that all business analysts are IT based and need IT experience and knowledge, and this training company could provide those elements and make you a business analyst.

We have to remember that there were business analysts (and there still are) who do not work with IT.  They do not prepare requirements for software development.  There are business analysts who analyze the business for purposes of merger, acquisition, divestiture or other organizational change. There are business analysts who analyze the market for new products potential, or the competition for weaknesses that can be exploited or the business climate to identify new investment or market potential.  There are business analysts who assist executives in making strategic decisions.  All of these business analysts existed long before computers were used for business, long before software developers needed requirements. 

If you are coming from a business based background do not be concerned about getting into business analysis.  There is a wide range and big need for people who can communicate, analyze, understand the business, and solve business problems, with or without computers, IT or software development.