What Does a Business Analyst Do?

 

A Business Analyst (BA) is the person who understands business problems and helps find smart, data-driven solutions. They act as a bridge between the business team and the technical team.

Think of them as the problem-solvers of a company.

1. Understand Business Problems

The first job of a Business Analyst is to talk to different teams and understand:

  • What problems the company is facing

  • What goals they want to achieve

  • What improvements they need

Example:
Sales team says, “Our monthly conversions are dropping.”
The BA tries to understand why this is happening.

2. Analyze Data

A Business Analyst looks at available data to find patterns, trends, and insights.

Tools used:

  • Excel

  • Power BI / Tableau

  • SQL

  • Python (sometimes)

Example:
BA checks sales data to find which products have low demand or which region is performing poorly.

3. Gather Requirements

The Business Analyst talks to stakeholders (managers, customers, clients) and writes down what the company needs.

This is called Requirement Gathering.

Example:
The marketing team wants a dashboard to track monthly performance.
The BA writes down exactly what metrics should be shown.

4. Create Solutions (Not Coding!)

A Business Analyst does not code the solution—instead, they design how the solution should work.

They make:

  • Process maps

  • Wireframes

  • Flowcharts

  • Business requirement documents (BRD)

  • System requirement specifications (SRS)

Example:
Designing how a new mobile app screen should work for a bank.

5. Communicate Between Teams

The Business Analyst acts as a bridge:

Team   What they want
Business team                     Wants profits, customers, growth
Technical team                     Needs clear instructions for development

The Business Analyst explains business needs in a way developers understand.

6. Testing the Solution

Before the final product goes live, a Business Analyst checks if everything works correctly.

They perform:

  • User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

  • Functional testing

Example:
Checking if the “Add to Cart” button works properly when a new feature is added.

7. Improve Processes

A Business Analyst suggests better ways to do business using data and analytics.

Examples:

  • Reducing costs

  • Automating tasks

  • Improving customer experience

  • Increasing sales

Daily Tasks of a Business Analyst

A Business Analyst’s daily work looks like this:

  • Meeting with clients or teams

  • Analyzing reports and dashboards

  • Preparing requirement documents

  • Writing user stories

  • Coordinating with developers

  • Testing new features

  • Preparing presentations



Skills Required to Become a Business Analyst

Essential skills include:

  • Excel, SQL

  • Power BI/Tableau

  • Problem-solving

  • Communication

  • Documentation (BRD, SRS)

  • Critical thinking

  • Basic knowledge of business processes

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