Ask A Business Analyst

[Shell B]

What sort of education does such a thing require? Do you have a background in finance, business or both?

[Brian37]

What does a business analyst do?

Bet. No offense to the OP, while there are CERTAINLY decent businesses it is still a crap shoot. Half of all startups fail in the first 2 years. It is really no different than evolution when you say most attempts at life fail. Just like sperm, only one gets to the egg and the other millions die.

No, that is not to say don't try, certainly try if that is what you want. But when a business fails it can also simply be the market and competition and not always the owners fault. 

It is still ultimately risk taking and a bet. But if you choose to start one, it isn't as simple as "just do it", if you do it, you do have to educate yourself as to the startup cost, model and the market you wish to start it in.

[Court Jester]

There's a number of liberal McDonald's workers here that hate big business and “The Man”.

I'll help; A business analyst can focus on IT or business solutions or jump back and forth between the two. Business analysts typically work with businesses to pinpoint areas for improvement in operations and processes, gather a boat load of info and data from whatever form is available, work with business managers and experts to identify issues and needs for the business and/or the customer(s), help in the design or changing of business systems, builds documents for the function and design of those systems, solve problems, identify technical solutions, ensures new systems are set up and function as intended, And/or can help with system testing and user manuals and work instructions.

In a nut shell; they make stuff work more profitably and more efficiently.

[Brian37]

IRL I'm a Business Analyst specialising in Financial Services but my subject knowledge is broad. Anyone got any business related question?

There's a number of liberal McDonald's workers here that hate big business and “The Man”.

Business analysts can focus on IT or business solutions or back and forth between the two. Business analysts typically work with businesses to pinpoint areas for improvement in operations and processes, gather a boat load of info from whatever form is available, work with business managers and experts to identify issues and needs for the business and the customer, help in the design or changing of business systems, builds documents for the function and design of those systems, solve problems, identify technical solutions, ensures new systems are set up and function as intended, And/or can help with system testing and user manuals and work instructions.

In a nut shell; they make stuff work more profitably and more efficiently.

I have never worked at McDonalds. And it is a myth that liberals hate all wealth. That is a bullshit lie. I do hate monopolies of power. I do hate that worker pay is not meeting the cost of living. Now if you think that means for me "end the private sector completely", you are an idiot and a fool.

[Court Jester]

Hey. I said that "There's a number...." here. Not "all". Don't start throwing absolutes out there.

[Aegon]

Hey. I said that "There's a number...." here. Not "all". Don't start throwing absolutes out there.

Come on now. Admit it was directed at Brian. I don't see any other posts that would've led you to make that comment...

[Ben Davis]

Still confused. What's on your resume? Describe some of the issues/problems you encounter please.

Sure. My current assignment is to help an organisation meet its obligations under data legislation more effectively. It's included helping the organisation understand how, where and why it's capturing, using (or not) and storing data, describing the relationships between data assets and the associated data journeys across the landscape, contextualising regulator interpretations of data legislation, identifying where improvements can be made and consulting on the suitability of potential solutions, generating risk assessments, structuring improvements to the organisational models to better embed enduring controls, provide the business with a defensible position for regulatory assessment and structure delivery of IT and business processes. It's a large scale programme across many business units and IT landscapes.

Non-specifically, the type of problems I typically encounter are businesses with no inspiring vision/mission for their direction, misalignment between corporate objectives and what they think their mission is, operational structures which fail to provide the types of strategy required to deliver their objectives, a lack of understanding of the businesses strengths and weaknesses which cause it to miss opportunities and fail to identify threats, misunderstanding of the political, economic, sociocultural, technological, legislative and/or environmental context in which their business operates and of the competitive forces that effect them. Any of that work can generate programmes or projects to deliver innovations or improvements.

Does that answer your question more fully?

[brewer]

Still confused. What's on your resume? Describe some of the issues/problems you encounter please.

Sure. My current assignment is to help an organisation meet its obligations under data legislation more effectively. It's included helping the organisation understand how, where and why it's capturing, using (or not) and storing data, describing the relationships between data assets and the associated data journeys across the landscape, contextualising regulator interpretations of data legislation, identifying where improvements can be made and consulting on the suitability of potential solutions, generating risk assessments, structuring improvements to the organisational models to better embed enduring controls, provide the business with a defensible position for regulatory assessment and structure delivery of IT and business processes. It's a large scale programme across many business units and IT landscapes.

Non-specifically, the type of problems I typically encounter are businesses with no inspiring vision/mission for their direction, misalignment between corporate objectives and what they think their mission is, operational structures which fail to provide the types of strategy required to deliver their objectives, a lack of understanding of the businesses strengths and weaknesses which cause it to miss opportunities and fail to identify threats, misunderstanding of the political, economic, sociocultural, technological, legislative and/or environmental context in which their business operates and of the competitive forces that effect them. Any of that work can generate programmes or projects to deliver innovations or improvements.

Does that answer your question more fully?

Yes, in quite eloquent corporate speak. (no offense, I use to live there also)

[Ben Davis]

Do you help companies in financial distress?

I can but I haven't. I have rescued programmes and projects that were failing to deliver value or meet their business constraints

[Minimalist]

Why can't Trump run a casino without bankrupting it?