The crucial role of Business Analyst in Project Management
In today’s rapidly changing and competitive business environment, the business analyst plays a vital role in finding the gap between business needs and technical solutions, understanding business requirements, stakeholder communication, facilitating requirements management and enhancing solution design. The business analyst takes the responsibility for finding and solving problems affecting the business environment or organisation and will work closely with the project manager to analyse the given data and make recommendations from the analysed data.
Contents
- The crucial role of Business Analyst in Project Management
- Key Takeaways
- Skills and Qualifications required to be a Business Analyst
- Key Responsibilities of a Business Analyst
- Business Analytics Tools
- What are the Job opportunities in Business Analytics?
- What are the Career Prospects and scope of Business Analytics job in UAE?
- How can Westford assist in developing Business Analytics skills?
- Conclusion
Key Takeaways
- A Business Analyst works with internal stakeholders and brings attention to the issue that might have an impact on the company’s functionality and profitability. Business Analysts conduct product line market analysis which will help to implement strategic plans for the improved efficiency and overall profitability of business.
- With Dubai’s emphasis on the 2040 urban master plan and sustainable development, the need for skilled Business Analyst to support the project plans, data-driven strategies, model designing, validation, automation and analytics is increasing.
- Westford University College offers specialised programs including an MBA in Business Analytics, an MBA in Marketing Intelligence and Big Data, an Executive MBA in Information Technology Leadership, a BA (Hons) in Business Management with Business Analytics and a Diploma in Business Analytics to develop analytic and programming skills, strategic management and technical knowledge.
- Westford University College provides both online and onsite courses, ensuring flexibility and self-paced learning for working professionals.
Skills and Qualifications required to be a Business Analyst
To become a business analyst, you just need a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Business or Computer Science. It is also possible to enter the field with a professional certification course or with relevant experience. The skills required for a business analyst role are problem-solving, decision-making, effective communication, data understanding and proficiency in tools like Microsoft Excel, Power BI, Tableau, R programming and Python programming. Knowledge of business strategies, business methodologies, use of updated technologies and managing business information can be beneficial, as well as familiarity with the data management concept and the selection of appropriate tools.
Key Responsibilities of a Business Analyst
Data Analysis
They analyse both qualitative and quantitative data which includes understanding the data, data cleaning, transforming and data modelling to identify the patterns and trends that can support decision-making and conclusions.Stakeholder Communication
This can act as a system support team or a point of contact for the software team and the stakeholders, facilitating the effective communication of the technical solutions and the project methodologies according to the needs and expectations.Analysing Business Operations
The role of a business analyst is to analyse the business operations of a company including analysing marketing research, financial reports, and operational data for strategizing ideas to improve business operations.Solution Design and Quality Assurance
Based on the business data, design a business intelligence model and work on the appropriate tool to address business needs. After training and testing the business model, validate the model to ensure that the implemented model meets the stakeholder’s requirements.Documentation and Continuous Improvement
Business analysts create detailed documentation to monitor the performance of the implemented intelligence model which will help to communicate the solutions to the stakeholders and to enhance the effectiveness of the business.
Business Analytics Tools
An analyst uses various platforms or software to understand the qualitative and quantitative data and incorporate it into a newly created dashboard. Analysts will work on the available data from the dashboard to make smarter decisions. These software applications are designed to transform, process, visualise and analyse a huge amount of data. Below are the most widely used business analytics tools designed for modern enterprises.
Tableau
A pioneer in Business Analytics, is used for transforming, analysing and visualising business data which has user-friendly dashboards and interactive carts for easy understanding. The advantage of Tableau is the sharing via Tableau online or server which is ideal for the data experts to improve the organisational performance.
Microsoft Power BI
Power BI is well known for its powerful features and offers a flexible platform for users to perform analytics on a server or in the cloud. The integrated Copilot in the software supports all the AI queries, the stable library functions, compatibility with the programming languages and customised dashboards are the key features.
Sisense
One of the best analytics tools for handling complicated data. It is a cloud-based API technology and has a parallel chip-in technology for processing a large amount of data. Sisense is also an AI-integrated tool which makes it an attractive choice for analytics.
What are the Job opportunities in Business Analytics?
A career in business analytics varies significantly depending on the proposed project, organizational needs and knowledge of various tools. Here are some business analytics job profiles.
Financial Analyst
Focuses on financial decision-making, analysing financial data, forecasts future revenue of the organization and determining the budget for the organizational project.Quality Assurance Analyst
They are responsible for training, testing, validating, use of appropriate analytics tools and ensuring the quality of the product.Risk Analyst
Determine and predict the potential risks and consequences that could affect the performance of a business’s actions or operations.Business Intelligence or Process analyst
A specialist who handles business intelligence tools and programming software to optimise, and create dashboards and visualisation that helps the organisation in making wise decisionsRequirements Analyst
Works on the documentation from the dashboards or from the model outputs for managing the organisational project requirements and ensuring that it meets the solution for the stakeholder’s problem.
What are the Career Prospects and scope of a Business Analytics job in UAE?
The scope and career prospects of business analysts are broad and promising in UAE, reflecting Dubai’s status as a Business Hub and with a strong demand for data analytics in various organisations. The high demand for business analytics in Marketing, Finance, Software industries, Real Estate, Logistics, Supply Chain, Dubai’s Infrastructure Management and the stable economy will create numerous opportunities in the analytics field. With the UAE’s smart city project, the need for skilled Business analysts and data scientists to back the analytics and automation is increasing. The analytics job profile in UAE will start from the junior data analyst/ business analyst, leadership positions like Chief Finance Officer, Chief Project Officer and Chief Information Officer, and higher positions like Business Project Manager, Business Analytics Manager and Senior Business Analyst. The business Analyst role offers strong career prospects with a potential growth and evolving business landscape in the UAE.
How can Westford assist in developing Business Analytics skills?
If you are looking to take up the Business Analyst job profile, then it’s the right time to make your move. Westford University College is at the forefront of bringing up Business analyst or data analyst professionals to excel in the Business Domain. Westford will help you to get started with Postgraduate, bachelor’s degree and Diploma courses. These programs will help you to gain knowledge in Business Analytics using Microsoft Excel, Power BI, Tableau, Python Programming and R Programming. With a focus on the cutting-edge education system, Westford offers various programs for individuals aiming at Business Analytics and Business Intelligence.
MBA with Business Analytics (Awarded by Abertay University, UK)
This program is designed for working professionals looking to gain knowledge in business analytics and data-driven decision-making to optimise their business performance. The curriculum integrates analytical methods, technologies and business knowledge to make strategic business decisions based on the processed data. The triple-certified program provides an opportunity for working professionals to get an MBA qualification in Business Analytics.
MBA with Marketing Intelligence and Big Data (Awarded by Abertay University, UK)
This program focuses on understanding data for effective marketing strategies, and sustainable growth and to make well-informed decisions in today’s competitive business landscape. The curriculum integrates Marketing Business, Big Data, Business Intelligence, application of Business Analytics, Strategic Management and Sustainable Development.
Executive MBA in Information Technology Leadership (Awarded by UCAM, Spain)
This program is designed to provide management and IT professionals with the knowledge they need to succeed in the competitive business environment. The curriculum integrates Data Analytics in business processes, Strategic Management, Operational Management and Information security management systems.
BA (Hons) in Business Management with Business Analytics (Awarded by Abertay University, UK)
The terms ‘Big Data’ and ‘Intelligence’ have dominated the field of analytics, and now it is mandated for the future workforce to be equipped with analytics and programming skills. This program integrates with the major domains like Business Analytics, Predictive Analytics, Perspective Analytics, Computational Analytics and Computational research.
Diploma in Business Analytics (Awarded by Scottish Qualifications Authority, UK)
The Diploma in Business Analytics is designed to empower the skills required to perform business analytics in the business environment. The program places a strong emphasis on Statistical methods, visualisation, Data Management, Data Analytics, principles of Business Analytics and Critical Analysis, thereby equipping students to make data-driven insights to drive organisational success.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) What skills do I need to kickstart a career as a Business Analyst?
To thrive as a Business Analyst, you’ll need a mix of technical know-how and soft skills. Having a knack for understanding business strategies and staying updated on the latest technologies will set you apart too!
2) What kind of jobs can I land with skills in Business Analytics, especially in the UAE?
The UAE’s dynamic market opens doors to a variety of roles for analytics professionals, including financial analysts, risk analysts, and business intelligence specialists. There’s also room to grow into leadership roles like Chief Information Officer or Senior Business Analyst, especially with the UAE’s focus on smart city projects and data-driven innovations.
Conclusion
Firms looking for aspiring professionals need to have the skill set of business analytics to optimise operations. Business Analytics programs like MBA, BA and Diploma will provide the education, and hands-on training will help to excel in the emerging trends in Analytics. The above Westford University College programs ignite strategic excellence with knowledge, skills and international networks in the field of Business Analytics.
To sum it up, the MBA in Business Analytics, BA (Hons) in Business Management with Business Analytics and Diploma in Business Analytics are not just a degree, it’s a journey that transforms a passionate individual into an analyst of the Business landscape. The programs like MBA in Marketing Intelligence and Big Data and Executive MBA in Information Technology Leadership are designed to give the students a mix of IT expertise and Business Intelligence knowledge, helping them to evolve in the Business environment.
