What does a business analyst actually do?

A business analyst's daily "job duties" can vary greatly, depending on the nature of the current organization and project. However, there are some activities that the business analyst will commonly do in the course of every project. They include: investigating goals and issues, analyzing information, communicating with a wide variety of people, documenting findings, and evaluating solutions. For a given project, the business analyst will usually try to define and oversee a series of carefully structured tasks aimed at achieving the general goals of analysis, synthesis, planning, and evaluation. Of course, these tasks are bound to require a flexible approach matching the circumstances.

Let's look at how business analysts spend their day.

Investigating: Business analysts spend a good deal of time asking questions. In order to expand their knowledge, they might conduct interviews, read, and observe the operations of a functional business area they've been assigned to. They'll do research and look for solutions options, both within and outside the organization.

Analyzing: Business analysts spend a great deal of time analyzing the information they acquire—studying it for patterns and trends; continually reviewing it to ensure that it is current, thorough, and accurate; and probing deeply for the sources of a problem and potential solutions. Many problems suggest multiple solutions, so the business analyst may have to spend lots of time analyzing and comparing solutions and weighing them against the actual needs.

Communicating: Business analysts spend many hours actively communicating. More than simply talking, this means listening to verbal and non-verbal messages, establishing open dialogue, confirming that they've understood what they've heard, and communicating what they learn to those who'll build the actual solution.

Documenting: Business analysts spend a fair amount of time documenting what they learn and observe, and the results of their analyses. The business analysts must reflect on the best ways to document specific types of information, whether as text or visual form (charts, graphs, illustrations, etc.).

Evaluating: A business analyst must also spend time identifying options for solving specific problems, then help select the best one, and then evaluate the chosen solution through its design and construction to ensure that it continues to meet the business needs and that the team chooses the best process for putting it in place.