As the world advances towards increased digitization, the role of the business analyst also grows complex and diverse. Traditionally, business analysts played the role of intermediaries between business strategies and the IT department by translating business needs into technical specifications that IT departments could understand and implement within their projects.
However, with the coming of age of automation, big data, machine learning and other technologies the role of BAs has broadened in terms of their skills.
One of the priority skills that can be rather useful for a contemporary business analyst is coding. Coding is now a core competency for BAs to analyze data, design and implement process automation across the organization, as well as liaise with other technical staff.
Business analysts should be open to handling large volumes of data, which is always the case, especially with modern-day business. Knowledge of coding, especially languages like Python, SQL, or R enables BAs to manage and analyze data themselves, so they are not as dependent on special data experts, or IT professionals. When BA possesses coding skills, they can code to gather data, refine, and analyze that information to get trends and patterns to support a decision-making process.
For example, while analyzing the data, a BA who knows SQL can get the necessary information from the database instead of waiting for IT or data engineer to prepare reports. In addition, the basic code writing allows BAs to do ad-hoc analysis, build data visualization and generate reports independently.
Another field where coding skills are becoming more and more critical for a business analyst is automation. Automating repetitive tasks such as data entry, report generation, or simple calculations can significantly improve operational efficiency. With programming knowledge, BAs can write automation scripts or work alongside developers to build tools that automate these tasks, reducing the risk of human error and freeing up valuable time for more strategic work.
For instance, a BA working in an e-commerce organization may decide to write a script in Python that updates inventory data on multiple systems or develop a script that captures customer behaviours and feeds it into the organization’s system without the need for any human intervention at all. These efficiencies not only enhance the organizational and economic effectiveness of business operations but also free up the BA to focus on the analysis and interpretation of information and the generation of proposals for the relevant stakeholders.
Working with technical teams as business analysts makes it helpful to have some coding skills no matter how basic it is. Knowledgeable BAs who can code or have a programming background are therefore more likely to understand the language used by developers and IT workers, and vice versa. This shared understanding reduces the likelihood of miscommunication and ensures that technical solutions align with business objectives.
For instance, if the BA involved knows basics of coding, then he or she will be able to understand the technological problems and propose solutions that can be implemented. With this knowledge, BAs can write more reliably and in detail down the requirements that constitute the final product hence coming up with better overall paperwork. In addition, coding skills enable BAs to diagnose a problem, do the first level of testing and define the existent technical pitfalls in a solution that makes BAs much more efficient at their jobs.
With the global business environment integrating into technology the market for specialist employees that can bridge the business and technology divide will continue to be a viable one. Working as a BA with coding skills helps outperform competitors in the growing technical world in the job market. Employers are seeking individuals who not only understand business processes but can also leverage technology to solve complex problems and drive innovation.
Furthermore, with the advancement of automation and AI, along with machine learning, the work of the business analyst will remain progressively associated with some of these features. Those BAs who have coding skills will be in a better position to leverage these technologies and turn them into value-adding tools for driving business growth.
With the technology being incorporated into businesses, coding is now a desirable trait for business analysts from analyzing and interpreting data to automating processes and improving communication with IT teams, coding enhances a BA's ability to deliver meaningful insights and create business value. With the role of the business analyst growing and adapting, the ability for information technology professionals with coding experience will be better positioned to understand and deal with issues arising from the digital world and remain valuable members within their organizations.