Being Flexible as a Business Analyst

Being Flexible as a Business AnalystSometimes the business analyst can be so caughtup in a project he or she forgets tried and truemethods do not always work. The analysis team istrying to get done what the customer has scopedout and sets up a plan of action. The plan ofaction requires certain fundamentals. There aretimes when these rudimentary ideas just do notwork for the client. The client can notunderstand why these steps may be so important.This is when the business analyst needs to stepback and ask the same questions as the client. Itis all in communication.

The professional business analyst mustunderstand success of the project is not onlyabout requirements documentations it is about howthose requirements are handled. The businessanalyst is the acting liaison between the clientand IT. The documentation may be required forthe IT team to do their job. Certainexplanations may be necessary for everyone tounderstand what is needed. Yet the client maynot understand the documentation or have no needfor it to begin with. Communication skills arewhat is required.The business analyst may get further and movefaster with just a simple meeting to explain themethods and procedures being used. The clientcan ask questions and the business analyst canexplain. The case studies and otherdocumentation would not in any way assure theclient of progress. There are those who need tohear it because to them it may look good on paper,

but how is it supposed to work? A good businessanalyst can explain the intricacies of what istaking place. The client can sign off. The workcan continue. The goal is being met.This is where the business analyst must beflexible. Just because he or she has done thisa thousand times with other clients does not meanthis client is like the other thousand. The jobof the business analyst is to determine what theclient wants. Paperwork may be a burden to theclient. The business analyst should comprehendhow information is delivered. He or she must beflexible enough to deliver what the customer isrequesting. The business analyst must ensurethe client is comfortable with how information isdelivered. Not the other way around.There will be times the business analyst mustlearn to be flexible when it comes to dealing withinformation. Not everyone can do the job of abusiness analyst. This is why he or she was hired

in the first place. However, there may be nodocumentation for certain things the analyst isnormally made privy to. The business analystmust be flexible in knowing how to work aroundthis barrier. He or she must know how to gatherthe information needed to perform the task.Flexibility comes in handy at this point. Thebusiness analyst may have to do what he or she canat present and wait for statistics to be gathered.Instead of getting a concise written report fromthe team, the analyst may have to interview eachmember to gather what he or she needs.The key is to work within the boundaries of theclient. Do what the client feels comfortablewith. The business analyst may not be ascomfortable. Being flexible in any situationwill do away with this unease. The task at handcan be accomplished.