Just who or what is a Business Analyst?
This can be a perplexing question as the role often varies between, and even within, organizations.
The term Business Analyst can be interchangeable with the Strategic Analyst or Systems Analyst, and I have seen Analysts expected to continue as Project Managers when a development gets underway!
Such confusion is hardly surprising as the Business Analyst must be able to take a view from both the business and systems perspectives.
Although primarily an early contributor in the project lifecycle, the Business Analyst may also be called upon to review progress and provide support as part of a project's Change Control process.
Once a strategy is agreed, the Business Analyst will investigate how an organization's objectives can be effectively delivered. This will often drive the requirements for a systems development project; but not always. The Business Analyst must examine the whole business picture to ensure, firstly, that a new system is actually what's needed.
This view should encompass the entire business, it's structure, it's people and processes. Only when this model is complete, can we conclude that a new or enhanced system is required.