ACHIEVING MORE WITH DATA:

THE CRITICAL ROLE OF BUSINESS ANALYSIS

IN BECOMING A DATA-DRIVEN ORGANIZATION
PART A: HOW BUSINESS DATA ANALYTICS IS TRANSFORMING INDUSTRY

RESEARCH PREVIEW

GLOBAL RESEARCH
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
Table of Contents
Executive Summary.......................... 3
Scope of Our Research..................... 5

G
This research is an IIBA Global Corporate
Program report focusing on business leadership
trends. The International Institute of Business
Analysis™ (IIBA®) Global Corporate Program
provides the support and resources organizations
need to build business analysis capabilities and
drive professional development and growth. IIBA
Global Research provides insight into the future
of business analysis and how business analysis
improves business outcomes.

For more information, visit

https://www.iiba.org/corporate

BU

GLOBAL RESEARCH
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
Executive Summary
Companies that can bridge the divide
through business analysis will have
a competitive advantage and be well
positioned to sustain it.
Achieving More with Data, Part A analyzes the
forces shaping the use of business data analytics
at companies and the strategies, including the use
of business analysis professionals for transforming
to a data-driven organization. The pace of
technology and the shifting balance of power
caused by disruption have combined to accelerate
the adoption of more complex analytics tools. In
terms of capability, today’s companies have not
kept up with the pace that data and analytics are
setting. This has created gaps in execution and
false starts and has led to a significant waste of
time and money. The results to date have been
underwhelming – close to 90%1 of initiatives do
not go beyond pilot. Of those that do, half of them
fall short of expectations, and 22%2 are considered
outright failures.
International Institute of Business Analysis
(IIBA®) spoke to a number of business leaders,
consultancies, and tech firms to better
understand the reasons behind these project
misfires. Many of the challenges center on the
missing piece of business analysis practices
– a measured approach to aligning solutions
with problems and ensuring a framework of
people, processes, and technologies designed
to optimize business results. Furthermore, our
study identified some causes leading to the gap
between expectations and reality:
Achieving More with Data: The Critical Role of Business Analysis in Becoming a Data-Driven Organization
• Misunderstanding the fundamental business
problem and expectations, leading to
solutions that don’t solve the problem.
• Poor data quality, management, and
governance, which results in analytics models
that are not technically sound and produce
questionable results. This also contributes
to a lack of buy-in to an organization’s data-
driven culture.
• Failure to rethink and the possibilities of
reimagining processes, which leads to
business data analytics initiatives realizing
only a fraction of their potential.
• Inability to manage the continuing tension
between societal needs, regulators, and
businesses. Companies are struggling over
tough questions of explainability, bias, and
equation of trust, value, and access rights.
It is simple to brush these off as rookie mistakes
and growing pains, but the stakes are too high.
Data and analytics are ushering in the largest
change in business that we have seen in over a
decade. Companies do not have the luxury of
time on their side, nor do they have a second shot
at it if they get any of the above factors wrong.
The business analysis professional is also
integral to the success of the data science
team by translating the organization’s
needs, prioritizing efforts, and assessing
which solutions are practical.
3
 Business analysis professionals, in companies
such as AB InBev and TD Bank, ensure that
analytics solutions meet business requirements
and keep decision makers data-informed so that
they can directly connect analytical insights to
actions and measurable results. The business
analysis professional is also integral to the
success of the data science team by translating
the organization’s needs, prioritizing efforts, and
assessing which solutions are practical. Best in
class firms have business analysis professionals Regardless of the urgency, it is
that connect business stakeholders to technical
and data solution teams. The lack of effective important to take a step back and
business analysis leads to many of the challenges
companies are experiencing and also contributes
prepare for change. Companies that
to analytics projects falling short of expectations. rush into business data analytics
IIBA’s research found a clear need for business without having all the pieces in place
analysis professionals to provide some of the
missing pieces in forging a data-driven culture. typically develop solutions that miss the
The business analysis discipline is at a crossroads. mark, have poor data quality, and rely on
To be effective, business analysis professionals
must deliver a specific set of capabilities, leverage intuition and gut over data. This won’t
certain techniques, and focus on unique layers of
value when they approach data initiatives.
cut it in the digital economy.
Data and analytics are shaping the future
of business. Part of the story is technology,
particularly around folding data with intuition and
redesigning processes that combine technology
and the human touch. However, the most
significant part of the change will involve people
and culture. The good news is that analytics holds
a lot of promise and potential, and we are still
early on. Companies that can bridge the divide
through business analysis will have a competitive
advantage and be well positioned to sustain it. 

4 Achieving More with Data: The Critical Role of Business Analysis in Becoming a Data-Driven Organization
Scope of Our Research
Achieving More with Data focuses on the forces Our subsequent research will include the
at work, the current state of analytics, and following:
demonstrating the value of business analysis • Over two dozen interviews with corporate
professionals. The first part of this report focuses leaders, business consultancies, academia,
on the current state of analytics and its role in and analytics tech firms.
creating data-driven organizations. The latter half • An expert panel of data science thought leaders.
of this study establishes the value of business
• A survey conducted with over 300 business
analysis in data-led initiatives.
analysis professionals, IT, and line of business
Achieving More with Data is part of International decision-makers.
Institute of Business Analysis’ strategic global
Figure 1 illustrates IIBA research inputs and
research for 2021. Along with a companion
deliverables for the research program.
piece on Agile business practices, IIBA’s
research assesses the role of a business analysis
professional in the data economy.

Hypothesis
Properly engaged, business analysis professionals add value to business
data analytics projects, and drive better results.

Deliverables Achieving More with Data: The Critical Role of Business Analysis in Becoming a Data-Driven Organization

How Business Analysis Measuring Executive Report

Improves Outcomes in
Data Analytics Projects
Part A: How Business Data Analytics is
Transforming Industry
Part B: Five Key Business Data
Analytics Capabilities
Business Gains
Part C: Data Analytics Survey. 300
surveys quantify capabilities leading to
project success and the impact of business
analysis in driving increased ROI or reduced
failure rates in data analytics projects.
Part D: Data Analytics Infographic
The Impact of Business Analysis
on Data Analytics Projects
Part E: A Strategic Approach to Analytics:
Driving Value through Business Analysis
The executive report presents seven
recommendations on key skills required to
improve performance on data analytics to
executive.

Three Dozen+ Existing

Expert Summer 2021
One-on-one IIBA Body of
Panel Survey
Interviews Knowledge
Research Inputs

Figure 1, IIBA Research Approach

Source – IIBA, 2021

Achieving More with Data: The Critical Role of Business Analysis in Becoming a Data-Driven Organization 5
UNLOCKING UPSKILLING

64%
OF RESPONDENTS SAID
THEIR ORGANIZATION
DOES NOT OFFER
A DEFINED
CAREER PATH

BUILD BUSINESS DATA ANALYTICS CAPABILITY

49%* OF COMPANIES ARE USING DATA ANALYTICS MORE.
IS YOUR ORGANIZATION READY 2 
IIBA® Global Corporate Program enables business, HR, and practice leaders to align training with business
needs to maximize potential within their organizations. It is committed to providing members with the
resources and professional development opportunities to enable them drive business success.

• Standardize methodologies and work with the industry best practices

• Gain access to tools and resources to increase consistency, efficiency, and effectiveness
• Accelerate career progression and align professional development with business needs
• Engage in a community of like-minded leaders and gain exclusive insights

Visit iiba.org/corporate-program to explore key benefits

Email corporatemembership@iiba.org for more information
Sources
1. IIBA 2020 Global Salary Survey Report
2. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/small-businesses-are-using-more-analytics-to-survive-covid-19/
 GLOBAL RESEARCH
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP

Trusted Insights for Challenging Business Problems

IIBA’s Global Research provides a broad view of the topical information, insights, and trends that
influence the global business analysis profession. Use these trends to support your organization in digital
transformation, data analytics, agile analysis, and more.

Bridging the Gap analyzes the forces shaping the use of data and analytics at companies and the strategies,
including the use of Business Analysis Professionals, for transforming to a data-driven organization. This
research includes over two dozen interviews with corporate leaders, business consultancies, academia,
and analytic tech firms, an expert panel of data science thought leaders, plus a survey of over 300 Business
Analyst Professionals, IT, and line of business decision-makers.

For more information visit IIBA.org

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