What is Business Analysis?

Business Analysis is a field that focuses on enabling change within organisations by identifying their needs and proposing solutions that bring value to stakeholders. At its core, it involves understanding and articulating the need for change, and devising solutions that offer tangible benefits.

It seems that recognised sources define Business Analysis slightly differently.  At Millpond, we use our experience in the job and our understanding of people to promote success. 

As a professional discipline, Business Analysis is crucial to achieving sustainable change and delivering valuable and lasting benefits to organisations and relevant external stakeholders.

Organisations are constantly seeking ways to optimise operations, stay ahead of competition and drive innovation. The business landscape evolves rapidly with ever-changing needs and constantly emerging technologies. 

Millpond is committed to providing expert guidance, leveraging industry best practices and cultivating a collaborative approach. This is why here at Millpond we are growing our Business Analysis practice. 

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) defines Business Analysis as: “The practice of enabling change in an enterprise by defining needs and recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders.  Business Analysis enables an enterprise to articulate needs and the rationale for change, and to design and describe solutions that can deliver value.”

In an attempt to apply more focus on the delivery of value (rather than output), the Better Business Analysis Institute (BBAI) defines Business Analysis as: “A craft and skillset to identify, clarify and describe the change required to solve a business problem, ultimately with the goal of adding value to the business or organisation.”

It appears it is commonly understood that Business Analysis is a discipline whereby: 

• business needs are identified; 
• solutions are found; and 
• implementation of these solutions is supported. 

Millpond appreciates the importance of Business Analysts understanding the underlying business needs, identifying opportunities for improvement, and translating these insights into actionable requirements.

To achieve this, the Business Analyst may need to undertake a number of tasks/activities to: 

• Elicit and document business requirements; 
• Analyse and document existing business processes; and 
• Help develop and document new business processes; 

Whilst all Business Analysts are likely to face challenges associated with the above activities, these will differ depending on the type of Business Analysis required. A number of specialty areas of Business Analysis exist, including:

• Business Process/Systems (often IT related); 
• Financial Analysis; 
• Data Analysis; 
• Product Management; 
• Business Intelligence Analysis and 
• Strategic Analysis

Needless to say, in any piece of Business Analysis work, there is likely to be an overlap of types of analysis required (and relevant skillsets).  Check out our next blog where we discuss specific Business Analyst skills.

In the ever-evolving business world, a business analyst plays a pivotal role, in bridging IT and business objectives through data analysis and strategic insights. They are key to identifying improvements and driving growth, ensuring business operations align seamlessly with overarching goals.

Notwithstanding specialised differences, the Business Analyst acts as a change agent – the glue between stakeholders and those who are developing/delivering change.   

The Business Analyst should be involved with the change implementation from inception through to post-implementation assessment, constantly monitoring and assessing adherence to strategic goals of the organisation and relevant undertaking (e.g. Project). 

That being said, the role of the Business Analyst is not always easy to understand.  Even when the outcomes are easily measured (e.g. time, cost), they are not always tangible.  The BA Times has published an article by Nicola Myers which uses an analogy to better describe what a Business Analyst does. 

In this article, Ms Myers proposes that a customer wishes to build a house.  She identifies the Business Analyst as the architect, the developers are builders, the inspector is the quality assurance team and so on.  

She continues the analogy to explain in commonly understood terms, that the Business Analyst may fit into an IT Project in the same was as an architect contributes to a house build.  Business Analysis can be undertaken using many differing tasks. The Business Analyst may not build the building but they do propose direction. 

Note, however, that it is not necessarily the nuts and bolts of the house build that will determine the outcome.  Success is more likely where the customer experiences a relationship of trust, well-managed expectations and a healthy tone throughout the build. This is where a Business Analyst should excel.  

The Business Analyst acts as the bridge between business stakeholders and development teams.  Furthermore, by collaborating with and utilising strengths of other related practices (such as Project Management and Change Management), a powerful synergy can be created to drive effective change within organisations. 

Millpond agrees that the Business Analyst is the ambassador of user needs and so advocates for the user whilst ensuring organisational and business needs are met.

Collaborating with experienced business analysts or seeking mentorship can be valuable to your business analyst career. 

Understanding what type of Business Analysis interests you most is important.  It is also crucial to know where to look for information, support and answers. 

If you’re interested in finding a mentorship program in business analysis, we can also recommend checking out our Millpond mentoring.

Business Analysis in the technology industry means understanding the strength of processes, building bridges, maintaining the organisational course and asking questions.  Uncertainty is a good thing.  It is definitely NOT the business of the Business Analyst to know all the answers.  Quite the reverse – a good Business Analyst should be asking all the questions and making few assumptions. 

With you, Millpond can embrace the power of business analysis and propel our organisations towards a future of growth and prosperity. 

Millpond, based in Christchurch, stands as a valuable support system for business analysts. 

Millpond’s comprehensive selection of courses and services accommodates a diverse range of backgrounds and skill levels.