You’ve found a company to handle the software development services for your business, and they suggest hiring a business analyst. If at this moment you’re thinking something like, “I don’t need another business analyst in the software development process; I can analyze my business myself,” you’re on the verge of extending development by 2-3 times and making it much more complex, which will, of course, affect the cost. In this JetSoftPro blog post, we explore the functions of a business analyst and the situations where it’s worth involving one.
Spoiler: that’s every situation except tasks like “we need to change the button color.” Let’s delve into the key responsibilities and contributions that make a BA essential to the success of any tech project.
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1. Bridging the Gap Between Stakeholders and Development Teams
One of the primary responsibilities of a Business Analyst is to act as a liaison between stakeholders (such as clients, users, and management) and the development team. They ensure that the needs and expectations of the stakeholders are clearly understood by the developers. This involves gathering and analyzing business requirements, translating them into technical specifications, and ensuring that the final product aligns with the stakeholders’ vision.
A simple example: the CEO wants a pop-up in your mobile app that says, “Rate our app in the stores.” If there’s no business analyst, the developer creates a pop-up that appears every 5 minutes in the app, regardless of the user experience, and covers half of the functionality, with the user unable to close the pop-up until they rate the app — even if they’ve already done so.
If a business analyst is involved in the process, they ask clarifying questions and formulate the task like this:
- Use a specific design for the pop-up.
- Trigger the pop-up only after certain actions in the app (e.g., successful experiences like a completed purchase that took less than 20 seconds).
- Extend the clickable area for closing the pop-up to 160% of the size of the “X” button.
- Before showing the pop-up, check if the user has already provided a rating. If they have, do not display the pop-up.
- Ensure the pop-up does not cover certain key areas on the screens.
- Return the user to the screen they were on before rating, and additionally show a “Thank you” pop-up.
- Set a specific duration for the pop-up to remain on the screen without user action.
And many other important details.
You need a business analyst because understanding the business, its tasks, functions, and challenges is not within the programmer’s expertise. Programmers find creative solutions for technical tasks. To work effectively, they need precise tasks that are formulated with the business’s benefits in mind.
2. Requirement Gathering and Analysis
Before a single line of code is written, it’s crucial to understand what the software needs to achieve. BAs are responsible for gathering all the necessary requirements from stakeholders. This process often includes conducting interviews, workshops, and surveys to collect detailed information. The BA then analyzes this data to identify the project’s goals, constraints, and potential risks, ensuring that the development team has a clear roadmap to follow.
3. Creating Functional Specifications
Once the requirements are gathered, the BA translates them into functional specifications — a detailed document that outlines how the software should behave. This document serves as a blueprint for developers, providing them with a clear understanding of what needs to be built. It includes information on the software’s features, user interface design, and data requirements, ensuring that the development team can create a product that meets the stakeholders’ needs.
4. Facilitating Communication and Collaboration
Effective communication is key to the success of any software development project. BAs facilitate regular meetings between stakeholders and developers, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. They also help to resolve any misunderstandings or conflicts that may arise during the development process. By keeping the lines of communication open, BAs help to prevent costly delays and ensure that the project stays on track.
5. Assisting with User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
Once the software is developed, it needs to be tested to ensure it meets the business requirements. BAs play a crucial role in User Acceptance Testing (UAT), where they work with stakeholders to validate that the software functions as intended. They help to design test cases, oversee the testing process, and gather feedback from users. If any issues are identified, the BA works with the development team to address them before the software is deployed.
6. Continuous Improvement and Post-Launch Support
The role of a BA doesn’t end once the software is launched. They continue to monitor the software’s performance and gather feedback from users to identify areas for improvement. This ongoing involvement helps to ensure that the software continues to meet the evolving needs of the business. Additionally, BAs often participate in post-launch support, helping to troubleshoot any issues that arise and working with developers to implement updates and enhancements.
7. Ensuring Project Success
Ultimately, the goal of a Business Analyst in software development is to ensure the success of the project. By thoroughly understanding the business needs, clearly communicating them to the development team, and continuously monitoring the project’s progress, BAs help to deliver software that meets the stakeholders’ expectations and adds value to the business.
A business analyst in software development is the unsung hero who ensures that the project stays aligned with the business goals. Their role is multifaceted, involving everything from requirement gathering to post-launch support. By bridging the gap between stakeholders and developers, BAs play a critical role in delivering successful software projects that drive business growth.
