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Industry Knowledge
When working in an organisation, the business analyst must possess the knowledge of the practices and activities within the industry that the organisation belongs to. This knowledge can help better understand the competition in the field, trends, services, regulations, and all of the other aspects within the given field. Also, it provides the analyst with an awareness of the place a particular organisation holds within its industry and market.
Organisation Knowledge
Organisational knowledge helps the analyst understand the management and business structure of an organisation. It includes the knowledge of relationships between departments and stakeholders, how the organisation profits and accomplish its goals, communication channels, decision making.
Solution Knowledge
The solution knowledge helps analysts implement the knowledge of the organisation to develop the most efficient solutions. While working on a solution, the BAs often reuse the knowledge gained in previous similar processes. This speeds up elicitation and analysis needed for devising a new solution.
Methodology Knowledge
The knowledge of methodology helps the analyst determine the timeline of activities and identify the right approach, stakeholders’ roles, and potential risks. It also increases the ability to adapt and answer any changes in the environment, new needs, and potential changes.
Communication Skills
The project can hardly be successful without the proper communication between everyone involved. the communication can be verbal, non-verbal, physical, or written. When successful, communication provides all of the sides involved an equal level of understanding the matter communicated. Various processes and stakeholders may require different forms of communication, so the business analyst must be able to adapt and adjust the communication style to the recipients. Communication skills involve four core competencies.
Verbal Communication
The verbal communication implies the ability of a business analyst to verbally express to stakeholders their ideas, opinions, concepts, and information. A good part of communication during the project is done verbally during the informal sessions, workshops, or brainstorming. The spoken words must provide a clear understanding of the matter to the recipient. Verbal heavily relies on the sender’s style and tone, and it can influence the way the recipient absorbs the information and thus impact the result of the communication.
Non-Verbal Communication
The skills of non-verbal communication involve the ability to convey the message using mean other than verbal. This includes body movement, gestures, facial expression, or eye contact. Non-verbal communication can significantly add to the meaning of the message communicated. when mastered, it can also present the business analyst as a trustworthy and confident person. Also, it helps discover if the stakeholders’ attitude towards a certain matter is not aligned with their verbal message.
Written Communication
In the course of the project the ideas, concepts, and opinions are often communicated in written form. Mastering the written communication ensures that these messages are well and properly understood. The understanding often depends on the recipient, so the written communication should be adjusted accordingly. To do this, the business analyst must have a broad vocabulary, understanding which terms are appropriate for certain recipients, and a full grasp of grammar and style.
Listening
The business analysts are often on the receiving end of communication and to understand what is being said to them they must learn to understand the meaning of the conveyed message in a context. Also, active listening involves being able to discern the important aspects of communication from irrelevant.
Interaction Skills
To be able to relate, communicate, and collaborate with various stakeholders involved in a project, the business analyst must master the interaction skills. They are often required to facilitate communication and help understanding certain aspects of a project and that can not be done without the satisfying ability to interact. Interaction skills include five key competencies.
Facilitation
Being able to facilitate interaction helps the analysts assist the stakeholders in decision making, problem-solving, and exchanging ideas and opinions. Properly facilitated discussion ensures that all of the participants have a chance to clearly articulate the reviews and understand the opinion and points of view of others.
Leadership and Influencing
No matter if the people are formally reporting to business analysts, leadership and influencing skill are necessary for guiding stakeholders through the processes during the project. The business analyst is responsible for motivating people to work towards the common goal and for defining and communicating the business analysis information so the stakeholders can have a clear vision of the desired future state of the organisation.
Teamwork
Successful development and implementation of the solution requires joint, synchronised, and productive efforts of various team members, stakeholders, and other sides invested in the process. Often, the relationship with these people can make or break the project so it’s crucial that the business analyst has the understanding and skills to form the right team and enable it to function effectively.
Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
As the project moves on, the business analysts are often required to mediate negotiation between stakeholders or to take part in negotiation themselves. The goal of mediating negotiations is to ensure that the interested sides realise that there are differing views and to help them reach an agreement to the mutual benefit. The business analyst also needs to make sure that the outcome of the negotiation is aligned with the desired solutions.
Teaching
The possession of teaching skill enables business analysts to better communicate their ideas, concepts, requirements, and issues and to ensure their understanding by the stakeholders. The analysts need to be a good teacher and lead others in gaining knowledge while understanding the different learning capabilities of individuals. They need to select the most appropriate teaching approaches according to the material being taught.
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