Statistics: (2394 Views) (0 Comments) Print Posted: Thursday, May 01, 2008 Categories: Leadership & Management, Career as a Business Systems Analyst, Getting Started as a Business Systems Analyst

A new Forrester report sheds light on this little known, often misunderstood but critical liaison role that can unite the business and IT on enterprise projects, systems development and business strategy.

For two decades, the CIO has been viewed as the ultimate broker between the business and technology functions. But while that may be an accurate perception in the executive boardroom, down in the trenches, business analysts have been the ones tasked with developing business cases for IT application development, in the process smoothing relations among competing parties and moving projects along

According to a new Forrester report, however, the reality is less precise than this description. The business analyst position varies depending on the organization, and the line between pure business functions and IT functions has eroded.

What is clear: The most successful business analysts are the ones who blend the temperament and communications savvy of a diplomat with the analytical skills of an intelligence officer. And business analysts are a hot commodity.

Author: Thomas Wailgum