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In our data-driven world, business analysts are the heroes behind the scenes, transforming complex data into clear strategies and paving the way for innovation. If you have an analytical mindset, understand technical contexts and love solving problems, then the role of Business Analyst could be just right for you.
In this article, we take a deep dive into the world of business analysis and show you what tasks await you as a business analyst, which business analyst skills are essential and how you can start your career in this exciting field. Whether you are at the beginning of your career or want to break new ground as a career changer - let's find out together how you can get started as a business analyst.
By the way: Thanks to Education voucher you can even get further training as a business analyst free of charge under certain conditions.
Business Analyst tasks: What does a Business Analyst do?
A business analyst is responsible for the holistic analysis and optimization of business processes.
While data analysts primarily focus on collecting, analyzing and interpreting data to support business decisions, the role of the business analyst goes beyond this.
Business analysts use data analytics to identify problems, uncover opportunities for improvement and develop effective solutions that are viable from both a technical and business perspective.
Business analysts act as bridge builders between the business units and IT teams. They must therefore not only have strong analytical skills, but also a deep understanding of the business strategy and objectives as well as technological knowledge.
Her skills include the analysis of business models, the creation of requirements specifications and the management of stakeholder expectations.
They are also often involved in the planning and implementation of projects to ensure that the solutions developed meet business requirements and offer added value.
In their quest to improve business performance, business analysts work closely with various departments to collect and interpret data, evaluate business processes and make recommendations for improvement.
This role therefore requires not only technical skills, but also a high level of communication skills to make complex information understandable and promote effective collaboration.
Business Analyst tasks at a glance
- Requirements analysis: Business analysts record and analyze the needs of the specialist departments and translate these into technical requirements for IT.
- Process optimization: They identify weaknesses in existing business processes and develop concepts for their improvement.
- Project management: Business analysts can also take over the planning, management and control of IT projects.
- Communication: They act as a link between business and IT and ensure smooth communication between the various stakeholders.
Business analyst skills: What do I need to be able to do to become a business analyst?
A business analyst needs a broad range of skills. These include:
Business Analyst Skills: Analytical skills
The ability to understand and analyze data is crucial. Successful business analysts demonstrate convincing work samples in the field of data analytics and data science.
Why is this important?
Analytical skills help business analysts to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement. They enable them to process large amounts of data, identify trends or anomalies and establish correlations within complex systems.
This critical thinking allows them to pinpoint areas for optimization or improvement, leading to more effective problem solving and decision making.
Business Analyst Skills: Communication skills
Clear communication with various stakeholders, both in technical and business terms.
Why is this important?
One of the key tasks of business analysts is communication between specialist departments and technical teams. Effective communication is crucial, as business analysts must present the requirements, findings and recommendations from their analyses in a way that is understandable to both non-technical and technical stakeholders.
There are several reasons why this is important:
1. to ensure that solutions meet actual business requirements. Without effective communication, there is a risk of misunderstandings about the scope, prioritization or details of the requirements.
2. to build support and acceptance for recommended changes, e.g. when introducing new systems. Good communication creates clarity and helps to reduce resistance.
3. to ensure that solutions are delivered on time and on budget. Communication problems are a common cause of delayed or over-budgeted projects.
4. to build trust between business and IT departments. Effective collaboration is based on a mutual understanding of priorities, goals and limitations on both sides.
Business Analyst Skills: Problem solving
Based on their analysis, business analysts develop potential solutions to business problems. Problem-solving skills and critical thinking are therefore essential.
Why is this important?
Business analysts design solution options because they have analyzed the business and system requirements in detail to identify the root causes of problems and opportunities for improvement.
The design of potential solutions enables them to translate these findings into concrete recommendations for process changes, system implementations or other measures.
These recommendations can then be considered by the company to address the business problems identified. It is therefore a central task of business analysts to turn analysis into action.
Business Analyst Skills: Technical understanding
Business analysts need technical expertise to understand business requirements and design technically feasible solutions.
Why is this important?
You need to be able to speak the language of the stakeholders on the business side and the developers on the technical side.
Business analysts must therefore have a basic understanding of data collection, database systems and data analysis in order to be able to analyze and interpret data effectively.
They must be able to create process diagrams and system specifications that the technical teams need to develop and implement solutions.
Business analysts also need to know which technological options are available for solving business problems.
They need to understand technical concepts such as cloud computing, AI and automation in order to make informed recommendations on the best solutions.
Without sufficient technical understanding, business analysts cannot properly assess the feasibility of solutions or communicate effectively with technical teams to find the optimal solution to a business problem.
Technical expertise is therefore essential for the success of business analysts.
A business analyst should know these tools:
- Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
- Data analysis tools (Power BI, Tableau, Qlik)
- Process modeling tools (Visio, BPMN)
- Requirements management tools (Jira, Confluence)
- Project management tools (Asana, Trello)
- Communication tools (Zoom, Slack, Teams)
Business Analyst Skills: Project management
Business analysts often work in project environments and therefore need to master the basics of project management.
Why is this important?
By understanding project management fundamentals, business analysts can work more effectively with project teams, track progress and ensure that requirements are implemented within the project plan.
Solid project management skills enable a business analyst to keep track of complex projects, set priorities and use resources efficiently. This is crucial to ensure that projects are completed on time and on budget.
In addition, project management skills can help a business analyst to identify, assess and manage risks to ensure that potential issues are identified and addressed at an early stage. This helps to increase the chances of project success and minimize the potential impact on the business.
How do I become a Business Analyst?
Here are some of the most important steps to becoming a Business Analyst:
- Education: You typically need a Bachelor's or Master's degree. Particularly useful courses are economics, computer science or a similar subject.
- Gain professional experience: You can gain experience through internships, trainee programs or junior positions in related areas such as data analysis, financial analysis or project management.
- Certification: A business analyst certification such as the Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP) can improve your career opportunities.
- Further trainingDevelop skills in areas such as data analysis, requirements management, process modeling and communication. These are important for business analysts. Familiarity with business analysis tools (e.g. UML, BPMN) and techniques (e.g. SWOT analysis, stakeholder analysis) is required.
StackFuel is one of Germany's leading providers of online training in the field of data skills. Our practical and customized training courses give you the key skills you need to be successful as a business analyst.
In our course "test", for example, you will learn how to prepare and visualize data.
This communicative competence gives you the confidence to convey your analyses to both technical and non-technical stakeholders without hindrance - one of the most important skills of a business analyst.
Can I also become a Business Analyst as a career changer?
It's a challenge, but not impossible. You will definitely need a degree, and further training in data analytics or data science won't hurt either.
With convincing work samples, you will stand out even more to potential companies and demonstrate your broad range of knowledge.
In our course "Data Analytics and Data Science Portfolio Projects" you will work on projects for your application portfolio and learn which areas are suitable for you.
With an education voucher, this course is even free of charge.
Jobs & career opportunities as a Business Analyst
Business analysts are in demand in all sectors and company sizes. The job opportunities are therefore excellent.
The career ladder for business analysts ranges from junior and senior positions to team leadership and management roles.
You can also specialize in different directions: Business analysts can even be career changers for other areas such as project management, IT management or management consultancy.
As a Business Analyst, your skills and knowledge will make you a valuable employee in a wide range of industries and areas.
Here are some typical jobs and career opportunities for business analysts:
- Requirements Analyst: Analyzes and documents the business requirements of customers and stakeholders. This is often the entry-level position for business analysts.
- IT Business Analyst: Analysis and improvement of IT systems and processes.
- Financial Business Analyst: Analysis and improvement of financial processes and systems.
- HR Business Analyst: Analysis and improvement of HR processes and systems.
- Business Architect: Develops the overarching business architecture and strategy of a company.
- Senior Business Analyst: Leading teams of business analysts and taking on more complex projects.
- Business Analysis Manager: Managing business analysis departments and ensuring compliance with standards and best practices.
- Chief Information Officer (CIO): Managing the IT department of a company and ensuring that the IT strategy is aligned with the business objectives.
Business Analyst Salary
The Starting salary of business analysts in Germany varies depending on the industry, company size and location. On average, career starters can expect a gross salary of around 40,000 to 50,000 euros per year.
With a few years of professional experience, the Salary. In Germany, business analysts earn on average between 50,000 and 70,000 euros gross per year. In some cases, and particularly in well-paying sectors such as the financial industry or management consultancy, salaries can be higher.
It is worth looking at the development opportunities: In managerial positions or as a senior business analyst, you can Salaries of up to 80,000 euros can be achieved. In top positions or for employers with exceptionally good salary packages, business analysts can also earn an annual salary in the six-figure range.
You can also find more information on salary in our article "Business analyst salary: What does a business analyst earn?"
Business Analyst tasks and skills 2024: Conclusion
You have now gained a comprehensive insight into the varied and dynamic role of the Business Analyst. You understand that this position requires not only analytical skills and technical understanding, but also communication and problem-solving skills. If you are in a position where you are looking for a change and want to advance your career, now is the perfect time to take the next step.
To start or develop your career as a business analyst, you should deepen your skills through targeted further training. Whether you are a recent graduate or a career changer looking to improve your career prospects, it is essential that you familiarize yourself with the latest tools and methods. A course like "Analytics & Reporting - Focus Power BI" can help you sharpen your data visualization skills and strengthen your communication skills.
Your professional life can change rapidly once you start out as a business analyst. With the right training and skills, you can not only increase your salary, but also play a key role in shaping and optimizing business processes. You will be able to lead projects, inspire teams and make a real difference in your company. Investing in your training is not only a step towards a fulfilling career, but also the starting signal for a new chapter of success and recognition.
Sources
Salary.de (2024) "Salary range: Business Analyst in Germany“ [19.04.2024]
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