Editing Business analyst (section)

{{Short description|Person who analyses and documents business processes}}
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[[File:Business Analyst (BA).jpg|thumb|436x436px|Business analyst word cloud indicating some aspects of the business analyst profession (Flickr)]]

A '''business analyst''' ('''BA''') is a person who processes, interprets and documents [[business process]]es, products, services and [[software]] through analysis of [[data]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=What is Business Analysis? {{!}} IIBA® |url=https://www.iiba.org/professional-development/career-centre/what-is-business-analysis/ |access-date=2022-04-14 |website=www.iiba.org |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=What is a business analyst? A key role for business-IT efficiency |url=https://www.cio.com/article/276798/project-management-what-do-business-analysts-actually-do-for-software-implementation-projects.html |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=CIO |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":21">{{Cite web |title=How to become a Business Analyst? |url=https://techcanvass.com/blogs/how-to-become-a-business-analyst.aspx |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=Techcanvass |language=en-US}}</ref> The [[role]] of a business analyst is to ensure business [[efficiency]] increases through their knowledge of both [[Information technology|IT]] and [[business function]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=B. |first=Hass, Kathleen |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/819807719 |title=The Enterprise Business Analyst : DEVELOPING CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO COMPLEX BUSINESS PROBLEMS |year=2011 |publisher=Berrett-Koehler Publishers |isbn=978-1-56726-349-7 |oclc=819807719}}</ref>

Some tasks of a business analyst include creating detailed [[business analysis]], [[budgeting]] and [[forecasting]], business strategising, planning and monitoring, [[variance analysis]], pricing, reporting and defining business requirements for [[Stakeholder (corporate)|stakeholders]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=What is a BA |url=https://businessanalystsolutions.com/what-is-ba/ |access-date=2022-04-14 |website=Business Analyst Solutions |language=en-GB}}</ref> The business analyst role is applicable to four key areas/levels of business functions – operational, project, enterprise and competitive focuses.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last1=Fleigher |first1=Craig S. |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/824734026 |title=Business and Competitive Analysis : Effective Application of New and Classic Methods |last2=Bensoussan |first2=Babette E. |year=2015 |publisher=Pearson Education |isbn=978-0-13-308640-9 |oclc=824734026}}</ref> Each of these areas of business analysis have a significant impact on [[Business performance management|business performance]], and assist in enhancing [[profitability]] and efficiency in all stages of the business process, and across all business functions.<ref name=":4" />