Competencies are referred to as the ability to do a particular activity to prescribed standard.
The competencies can be classified into three categories
1. Behaviour Skill and private Qualities
1.1 Balanced behaviour
1.2 Leadership
1.3 Problem Solving
1.4 Attention to Details
1.5 Critical Thinking and Analytical Skill
1.6 Flexibility to Manage Situation
1.7 Team working
1.8 Influencing
1.9 Communication
1.10 Relationship-Building
2. Business Knowledge
2.1 Finance and Economy
2.2 Business Case Development
2.3 Domain Knowledge
2.4 Subject Matter Expert
2.5 Principle of IT
2.6 Organization Structure and Design
2.7 Procurement
3. Techniques
3.1 Requirements Engineering
3.2 Stakeholders analysis and management
3.3 Facilitation Techniques
3.4 Business System Modeling
3.5 Business Process Modeling
3.6 Managing Business change
3.7 Data Modeling
3.8 Investigation Technique
3.9 Project management
3.10 Strategy Analysis
1. Behaviour Skill and private Qualities
1.1 Balanced Behaviour
It is really an capability to work out what’s and what is not commercially acceptable within an organization. Having commercial and political awareness incidentally emphatically does not mean accepting statue qua. It does mean using resourcefulness and being astute to get results, even just in the face of opposition. Balanced behaviour means forcing a issue but moderately, firm although not arrogant.
1.2 Leadership
There is a never one solution for all problems .Leader must have the ability to understand the context of the problem and provide an effective solution.
1.3 Problem solving
A company analyst needs to approach an issue with the outlook this problem could be solved. An alternative about this is the fact that whether or not the optimal solution can’t be implemented for financial, technical or political reasons, then your business analyst must be pragmatic and be prepared to find other solutions that will yield at least some benefit.
1.4 Focus on Details
Many business cases fail because there is no sufficient detailed evidence for that proposed change. Whenever a project is paid into it specialists, they frequently find many important issues if the detail have not been addressed. Having an eye for the details is also an important attribute of the good business analyst.
1.5Critical Thinking and Analytical Skill
Business analyst possess a common sense to ascertain what data are relevant and what exactly are irrelevant and separate vital factors from less important many critical thinking is achieve by experience and differentiate what factor to concentrate and things to leave.
1.6 Flexibility to manage situation
It is really an extremely important quality. Business analyst should have sufficient self confidence in himself, within the quality of his analysis and the correctness in his solution, be able to withstand pressure and sustain his perspective
1.7 Team dealing with data’s
Business analyst often operate in teams, A nature of knowledge of the role within the team and what needs to be done and appreciation of the working style of others are, therefore important to ensure that the project objectives are achieved.
1.8 Influencing
Influencing needs careful consideration and prior planning. Business analysts have to develop an awareness of where the other party stands on their proposal, the likely resistance and influencing style required to approach the individual or even the group. For instance, some managers might defer all of the decisions to another group require information at a very detailed level or ask only for higher level summary. Some may be thinking about technicalities, others just vision or big picture. Tailoring the approach is essential for a successful outcome. The business analysts are often influenced to consider or suggest another strategy. This may involve another round of influencing, facilitating a roundtable discussion and looking the support of senior colleagues in the best course of action.
1.9 Communication
Communication is an essential skill that human possess. It encompasses building rapport, listening, influencing and creating empathy. Most analysis work involves collecting and analyzing data and presenting back information which brings new perspective around the project in order to propose a strategy. When the communication is not good between your staffs, it leads to frustration if you find failing to complete obvious thing. Communication between business colleagues must be inside a language and elegance that they’re confident with and steer clear of the things they perceive as techno-babble. Business analyst must adjust their communication to align with the people they’re talking to.
1.10 Relationship Building
This is an extension of communication skill and concerns the ability to access it well with individuals at a working otherwise social level. Some people possess this ability naturally yet others need to work on it. Business analyst must arrive at the people to impart information and share opinions and listen to ideas for change.
2. Business Knowledge
2.1 Finance and Economy
The universal language of economic is finance. A business analyst will need a good working understanding of the economy and of the fundamentals of business finance. It offers an over-all understanding of financial statements for example balance sheet, profit-and -loss account, financial analysis tools such as ratio analysis and principles of costing.
2.2 Business Case Development
A lot of analyst’s work is to assess the costs and advantages of delivering a project towards the organization .When communicating analysis findings; you need to ensure that you possess a look at the financial effect on the project. It’s an enabling tool for the business benefits to be performed. Business analysis projects involve other specialist like management accountants to know and model the business activities and determine how IT can deliver financial benefit. To develop business case, a basic knowledge of finance is needed together with financial workings business area. Business analysts involved in business case preparation needs to understand basic investment appraisal techniques and cooperate with finance department.
2.3 Domain Knowledge
It gives general understanding of a company domain. Apart from general domain, specific domain knowledge is required for an additional reasons;
? It allows you to talk sensibly with the business people active in the project, in a language that they can understand.
? It will help you to know very well what would and wouldn’t acceptable or beneficial in the business domain.
? It might enable you take ideas.
2.4 Subject material Expert
It requires domain knowledge to a lower degree of detail. The level of expertise depends upon the type of work being done. Business analysts may be specialist in particular domain ,having a strong and detailed knowledge of the topic area, can pinpoint areas for improvement , development and identify what needs to change, to investigate using existing knowledge and contact. The key point is to assess how well competencies meet the requirements of the current situation and to recognize where competencies needs some improvements.
2.5 Principle from it
Many business analysts don’t have an IT background. However, many business analysis projects increase the risk for use of IT in certain or the other way. General understanding of the field is essential for any business analyst to ensure that he is able to communicate meaningfully with IT professionals .The important thing requirement is that business analyst must understand the terminology utilized by IT specialist. Since IT solutions in many cases are investigated by business analyst, the second should have an understanding from it fundamentals, including areas for example
? How computers work, including operating systems, software, hardware and networks.
? System -development lifecycle
? System – development approaches
? The Relative benefits and drawbacks of developing systems and buying system “off the shelf’;
? Trends and new opportunities it brings, for example ecommerce, grid computing and mobile technologies and how these impact systems development.
2.6 Organization Structure and Design
Business analysis projects involve restructuring organization to a greater or a lesser degree, to improve the client service. It is necessary for business analysts to possess a good understanding of the various organization structures which may be encountered – function, project, and matrix and so on – and of their relative strength and weakness.
2.7 Procurement
Most organization use external suppliers to provide their IT systems. Selecting a suitable sourcing strategy involves assessing the job and deciding the best way to take the project forward on sound commercial term. Once the analyst did out the type that is required , they have to assess the most suitable supplier – internal and external- to take work forward and what commercial terms has to employed. A business analyst needs a broad knowledge of contractual arrangements that’s shown below:
Some time and Materials: where the contracted party is paid based on time worked.
Fixed -price delivery: in which the contracted party is paid the price that originally agreed for the delivery of a piece of work according to the precise specification.
Risk and reward: in which the contracted party has decided to bear some or all the chance of the project ,for instance by investing resources such as staff time , materials or work place, but where potential rewards are greater than under other contractual arrangements.
3. Techniques
3.1 Requirements Engineering
This is the group of practices and processes contributing to the growth and development of the set of the well-informed business and system requirements, that IT along with other solutions are developed.
3.2 Stakeholders analysis and management
Including understandings who are the stake holders in a business analysis project and working out how their interests would be best managed.
3.3 Facilitation Techniques
The interpersonal skills required for effective facilitation is usually exhibited inside the context of a workshop. Effective facilitation usually is a result of a mix of the best qualities within the facilitator and the choice of the best strategies to match the job and also the cultural context from the organization in which it is being used.
3.4 Business System Modeling
Business System Modeling is an method of understand business systems through the creation of the conceptual types of those systems.
3.5 Business Process Modeling
A company system model looks at the entire business system in overview, more detailed process models are utilized to map and analyze how business process really works helping to recognize opportunities for process improvement.
3.6 Managing Business change
This covers the strategy needed to implement changes within the organization and also to make sure they are ‘stick’.
3.7 Data Modeling
Analyzing the data held and used inside a business system affords valuable insights into how a business operates .For e.g. what are the data items that are held concerning the customers? What’s the relationship between customers, products and suppliers?
3.8 Investigation Technique
To get at the main of the business issue the analyst will have to undertake detailed analysis of the area.
3.9 Project management
The list of project management software context and process: scope management, integration management, time management, cost management, quality management, resource management, human management, risk management and procurement management. Business analyst might not necessarily exhibit his skills in most these areas, but if the project team is small the company analyst are usually necesary to undertake the role of project manager.There’s some project skill that the analyst should have.
For e.g. understanding project initiation is vital as it allows the analyst to know define the terms of reference for that project .It is important that the analyst should understand project management planning approaches -he or she’ll have to work within a plan – and is conscious of particularly relevant aspects , such as quality and risk management
3.10 Strategy Analysis
This covers a variety of techniques you can use to know the business direction and the strengths and weakness of the organization, or part of a business.
How can I develop my competency?
The initial step in developing like a business analyst would be to comprehend the competency required of the business analyst inside your organization. This should have an assessment both current and also the future competencies required .The HR department offers an outline meaning of the competencies required from the business analyst in the organization. Future competencies are more hard to assess and depends upon the factors such as projects that may develop later on, business issues and technological developments. The organizations may curently have a framework in the place or could use the existing framework for example Skill framework for Information Age (SFIA).
There are 3 ways by which business analysts can develop competencies:
? Training
? Self-study
? Work experience
Training
Class room-based training allows skills to be learned and practiced inside a relatively safe environment, having a trainer available to support, guidance and encouragement. Computer -based training is also good if the skills to be practiced are primarily technical in nature.
Self-study
Self-study is an excellent way for analysts to develop their business knowledge. Apart from reading textbooks, browsing publications like the Financial Times, The Economist, the Harvard Business Review and other technical publications and professional journals will broaden and deepen the analyst’s understanding of the business world.
Self-study is an excellent way for analysts to grow their business knowledge. Apart from reading textbooks, browsing publications such as the Financial Times, The Economist, the Harvard Business Review along with other technical publications and professional journals will broaden and deepen the analyst’s understanding of the business world.
Work experience
This provides a chance to use and improve techniques and also to deepen the data .It is best way a company analyst can develop their behaviour skills and personal qualities The performance on most analysts improves overtime his or her experience grows ,but this can be heightened and accelerated if our if the organization operates an effective coaching or mentoring programme.
The Skills Framework for the Information Age
SFIA and SFIAplus are the two major standard frameworks for meaning of skills and competencies within the information system field. Both frame works include definition for the expertise of business analysis, define various levels of competency for each skill, and may be utilized for building blocks for just about any job role that needs these skills
SFIA
The description of overall skill set provided in SFIA framework for business analysis is really as follows:
The methodical investigation, analysis, review and documentation of or a part of a business when it comes to business functions and processes, and the information they will use. The phrase requirements for improving any aspect of the processes and systems. The roll-out of viable specifications in the preparation for construction of knowledge and communication systems.
In each level defined for business analysis, SFIA supplies a more detailed definition of the abilities required, for e.g. for level 4 is states:
The analysis, design, creation, testing and documentation of recent and amended programs from supplied specifications in accordance with agreed standards.
Creates requirements specification and business case for development of ICT solutions by investigating business process and small business.
SFIA plus offers the sane description for business analysis skill set as SFIA, but additionally
provides details of the following:
Related expertise (in this instance, data analysis business process improvement and system design)
Technical Overview, including typical tools and methods ;
Summary of training, development and qualification ;
Careers and jobs ;
Professional bodies;
Standard and codes of practice;
Communities and events ;
Publication and resource.
For each applicable level in this expertise (3-6 when it comes to business analysis), detail will also be provided underneath the following heading:
Background;
Work activities ;
Knowledge /skills
Training activities
Professional development activities
Qualifications.
Although SFIAplus provides more detail than SFIA, you should realize that the two frameworks should be implemented in different ways.
SFIAplus ought to be treated like a standard and isn’t designed to be customized, while SFIA is intended to be used as a grounds for tailoring for an organization.
SFIAplus enables organizations to classify and benchmark their IT skills and also to train and develop their teams to meet the defined skill requirements .Like a business analyst, this provides a basis for you to definitely gauge where you are from the skills and corresponding level of competence defined in the framework.
The final step is to identify a collection if actions that can help your development.
Look for assignments that provide you opportunities to develop.
Identify a role model who demonstrates your desired competencies.
Ask them what is required or keep these things mentor your development or arrange to dedicate yourself them direct.
Use training providers to focus on specifically those areas that need development.
Consider a secondment for an organization that excels within the required competencies.
Seek information into specific competencies
Ask for a regular feedback from your boss or experts.
Join an industry specialist group.
Develop as you go and gain from experience. Record what you’ve learned so you don’t forget.