Roles of Business Analyst in different industries
The role of a business analyst is crucial in any industry as he/she is expected to utilize the available data to ensure that the business processes are running smoothly. The key job roles of a business analyst remain the same irrespective of the industry he/she is serving in. However, the responsibilities vary as per the projects and teams they work with.
Analysing different possibilities of business, gathering data, suggesting various management ways to optimize a process, documentation, building a strong team, etc. are some of the primary roles of a business analyst. Today we will look at the roles and responsibilities that are assigned to a business analyst in different industries.
Roles in the manufacturing industry
The primary role of a BA in the manufacturing industry is understanding the requirements and potential of a business. Apart from that, a business analyst is held responsible for the following roles in the manufacturing industry:
- Preparing a prototype that can resolve the issues of the stakeholders.
- Explaining the solutions to the stakeholders for making them understand the prototype and for getting their approval as well.
- Creating documents related to functional design and setting up the rationale to satiate the requirements of a business.
- Assisting the testing team to create test cases and plans.
- Designing cutover plans and validating production units for testing accuracy after the deployment of the products.
Role of a BA in IT industry
A business analyst i.e. a BA analyses the processes, technologies, and entire structure of the projects while working in an IT industry. They have to collaborate with system analysts to understand the issues in technology and business challenges faced by their software company.
The other activities in which a BA participates are as follows:
- Gathering data related to the project and analyzing them to judge whether the project is worth funding or not.
- Evaluating the requirements of the business, explain the terminologies and principles, suggesting alternatives, and ensuring that the team understands all the necessary information that is required to complete the project successfully.
- The BA also has to prepare a document that contains the requirement specification. Not only that but he also has to explain them to various stakeholders associated with the project and get it approved by them.
- Once the work on the project commences, the developers who are working on it might seek guidance from the BA. Also, the BA needs to establish strong communication with the stakeholders to negotiate any conflicts or changes in requirements.
- The BA is also held responsible for arranging team meetings to discuss and solve issues related to risks, technology constraints, and other problems.
- A business analyst might also participate in user acceptance tests to determine whether the software or product is ready to be launched or not. Therefore, we can say that a business analyst is involved in various stages from project planning, execution, development, and final testing while working in an IT company.
Roles of a BA in the travel industry
A business analyst must understand the policies and processes of the travel firm he is working with. He must also possess deep knowledge of the travel industry that might come handy while tapping the new and existing opportunities in the sector.
A BA might be involved in these activities while working in the travel industry:
- Guiding the team in providing solutions to the issues and queries of the customers in a time-bound manner.
- Teaching the support staff to deal with the wrath and aggression of the customers in sensitive situations.
- Implementing various procedures and tools to ensure operational excellence.
- Preparing management reports from the data and reports generated by the systems.
- Auditing expense reports and ensuring data accuracy through classification, filing, and effective database management.
- A business analyst needs to organize team meetings to discuss the issues and challenges faced by their firm. He must also be able to provide accurate solutions to resolve these issues and challenges.
- A business analyst needs to manage different processes and priorities promptly.
- He is also held responsible for resolving system issues and has to collaborate with vendors and support staff to find the bugs in the system.
- A BA should be well-versed in Agile methodologies to improve the overall efficiency of the projects.
Roles of a business analyst in the pharmaceutical industry
The primary role of a BA in a pharmaceutical company is to analyze complex business issues and determine solutions to satisfy the business requirements. Apart from that, a BA might also be involved in the following activities:
- Management of essential processes such as inventory management, onboarding of the transporters, managing relationships with the suppliers, etc.
- Communicating with the different stakeholders of the company to implement key initiatives easily and quickly.
- Suggesting inputs to assist in the decision making process. Moreover, the inputs can be both quantitative and qualitative.
- Ensuring that the products or projects are launched in the stipulated period.
- Leading projects from start to finish.
- Ability to work in a technology-based system and utilizing the latest tools and methodologies to optimize the business processes.
These were the roles and responsibilities that a business analyst performs in various industries. However, these are not the only industries in which they work as a BA can work in various other fields like marketing companies, food, and agro-based firms, or any other service-based industry.
The key to working in these respective fields is proper exposure to the related markets and sufficient knowledge and academic background. Required certification along with the guidance of a reputed institution can prepare you for working in the above-mentioned industries seamlessly!
