The Systems Analyst

A Systems Analyst is a person who uses analysis and design techniques to solve business problems using informatino techology. Systems Analyst may serve as change agents who identify the organizational improvements needed, design systems to implement these changes and train and motivate others to use the system.

Roles of a Systems Analyst

Act as a middleman and an architect.
System analysts liaise between customers, IT persons, and stakeholders to develop information systems capable of delivering business requirements. The integration of technology into business requirements has to be futuristic. It means systems analysts have to develop information systems that are easy to upgrade in the future if the need arises. They have to design an information system architecture according to the user’s requirements which acts as a blueprint for the programmers. For that, they need to know exactly what users want and also have to build good relationships and rapport with them to understand their requirements as well as convey correct and complete information to the development team.

Agent of Change
System analysts are also known as an agent of change since they use different approaches to bring changes in the information system that can facilitate business operations. The biggest hurdle for the role of system analysts is the skepticism of people about accepting the change. So, they prefer users' participation for easy exchange of information. When stakeholders, management, and clients are ready for the technological changes, a final system is made.

Investigator and Monitor
In defining a problem or finding reasons for the failure in a system, system analysts play a role of an investigator. They gather information to determine or investigate why an existing system is not working well and is facing problems and what changes should be implemented to solve these issues. After creating alternative solutions for problems, system analysts monitor the information system regularly and take steps to avoid increased costs, and the waste of resources and time.

Motivator and Sales Person
Effective user participation and training with proper motivation to use the system are important factors to achieve system acceptance. Another important role that system analysts play is of a salesperson, which involves selling a system to the users. This process takes place at each stage of system life cycle. To play the role of a motivator and sales person, system analysts have to hold good communication, sales, and persuasion skills.

Responsibilities of System Analysts:

Defining User Requirements
The basic and most important step for system analysts is to understand user’s requirements clearly. To get the hang, they have to interview users and prepare questionnaires, observe the current system, and plan system configuration. This phase is important to understand how the current system functions and what users want from the new systems. Participation of users is needed so that their views related to the system are taken into consideration to build the new one.

Prioritizing Requirements
Large systems do have various requirements which are not equal and are, therefore, not possible for the team to implement all of them at the same time. Also, various types of users in the organization have different types of information needs that cannot be satisfied due to various constraints such as limited resources, budgetary constraints, time sensitivity, feasibility, etc. Therefore, system analysts have to prioritize users’ requirements using their social and analytical skills.

Gathering Data and Facts
System analysts act as researchers and gather various facts and data with the active cooperation from the users of the system. They consult users from time to time to obtain necessary information related to the system, and whether there is any last-minute requirement. This process is important because analysts have to organize and document information into functional specification to solve to develop a system.

Analyzing the Problem
After gathering data and facts, system analysts analyze various problems, their causes, and effects on business operations. They analyze and identify the requirements to be fulfilled through technological means. They remove unnecessary data, focus on the important ones, and change or modify the working system accordingly to make it more user-friendly.

Solving Problems
System analysts help IT users to solve information problems by using different approaches in which one good source of solutions is to take suggestions from others. With this approach, analysts develop and evaluate a set of possible alternative solutions and then compare and choose the best one to implement. They have to compare the alternative solutions on the basis of cost, benefits, risk factors, etc. and decide the best with management's help.

Drawing Specifications
System analysts are responsible for drawing precise and clear specifications for programmers and managers to understand easily. That includes text, documents, and flow charts for visual understanding of computer programmers. These are presented in a detailed form as they lay the foundations for optimal functioning of the system.

Designing and Evaluating Systems
At last, when the analysts are done with the preparation of the system's specifications, they design and implement the system along with the development team so that the management’s goal is achieved. With the knowledge of advanced programming tools, they act as an architect and develop new systems. After the system is developed, they test the performance and recommend necessary modifications.

Due to the various roles and responsibilities of a system analyst, he/she has to be a multifaceted personality who is able to manage and coordinate with various people.

Skills of a Systems Analyst

Interpersonal skills
- Communication - is not just reports, telephone conversations and interviews or one's command of the English language. It is also people talking, listening, feeling and reacting to one another, their experiences and reactions
- Understanding - identifying problems and assessing their ramifications, having a grasp of company goals and objectives and showing sensitivity to the impact of the system on people at work
- Teaching - educating people in use of computer systems. He has to teach about the new system and also about the proper use of the new system.
- Selling - selling ideas and promoting innovations in problem solving using computers. The system analyst must have not only the ability of creating ideas but also to sell his ideas.

Technical Skills

Performance Tuning
Computers, routers, programs and networks are configured to provide the best working conditions for employees. Analysts need to understand how everything at the site works together and be able to fine-tune and enhance areas that require attention. Monitoring bottlenecks that slow down company productivity and then adjusting system programs to alleviate the problems are all in a day's work.

Programming Languages
Knowledge and familiarity with common programming languages  are useful in the workplace. Systems analysts don’t necessarily need to do the coding, but they should be able to read it. That way they can discuss it with the programmers who are responsible for modifying it.

Computer Platforms
Familiarity with operating systems such as AIX, Windows, Mac and Linux is useful in environments that use many technologies or if a job requires lots of travel.

Hardware Capabilities
In-depth knowledge of the types of hardware in use at each job site is necessary for the systems analyst to ascertain the extent of computer problems and possible equipment damage. Knowledge of the storage and computing capacity of computers, routing equipment, printers and external and Bluetooth devices can help employees continue to work while repairs are made.

Network Structure and Function
Analysts deal with computers on networks, so it is only logical that they are familiar with network topologies, or structures, and also how to administer a network. Skills of this sort are generally gained on the job and also through classes taught by companies that produce networking software.

Data Structures
Data is everywhere in the workplace, and databases are common at all companies, big and small. Proprietary company databases and more common ones such as Oracle and Foxpro used across industry are based on similar data structures.

Computer Security
Security breaches are more common than ever, and analysts help keep computers free of viruses and other invasive nuisances. They help develop strategies to ensure on-site data integrity. Analysts help define company policies regarding computer security such as not allowing employees to download software onto networks.