Student discussion - 1.6 Class-wide discussion forum: How does a BSA's role differ?

How does a BSA’s role differ?

Please use this discussion to share your thoughts on the BSA’s role. To make your contribution, simply reply
to this post or any other post in this discussion. 

There is a lot of debate around the exact role of a business systems analyst (BSA) and how this role differs
from that of a business analyst (BA) or systems analyst (SA). Read this article about the differences
between a business analyst and a systems analyst as a starting point for conducting your own research.

Do you agree that there is a clear distinction between these three roles and the skills that they require? What
are the specific skills and knowledge areas of a BSA? Under what conditions might these three roles be
discrete, or overlap, or even identical?

Note: Try to focus on a single key point or theme and keep each post brief – shorter than 200 words.
8

8d ago

As I always suspected, a systems analyst identifies a problem in a system & is able to

write code that is required to update the system as required. A business analyst also
identifies system updates for business requirements, but is less likely to write the code
but coordinates the required business people, including the systems analyst to fix the
problem.

8d ago

I tend to think that the skills and knowledge areas of a BSA is a combination of that of a
BA & SA.

Where the BA focus more on business processes and looking at solving a problem from
a business perspective.  The SA focus on systems and looking at solving a problem form
a technical perspective.

Both roles require strong problem solving and analytical skills and the ability to focus,
with close attention to detail. 

A BA needs a broad base of business knowledge, while the SA’s skill set is more
technology specific.

"SA needs BA to determine what is needed for the code to work effectively, where the
BA needs the SA to make the code work effectively."

The BA act as a bridge between the business stakeholders and the project team. They
also make sure the project’s implementation as per the business expectation and
maintain communication throughout the project life cycle.
The SA also analysts, but have in-depth technical skills and are more involved in IT or
software related projects.

10

2d ago

A great answer Taschyana, the way I see the roles playing out in a mature
organization is the BA is that key project element whom workshops meets
and transforms a clients wishes from somewhat pe in the sky ideas to
business specific requirements with a key understanding of how the flow
fits together in order to achieve specific outputs. The SA whom also has
the ability to perform these funtions rather steps in at this point. Takes the
now well modeled process and requirements of business function and
relates this into more technical system specific information. Targeting the
technical systems solutions required to meet the business process and
requirement in a technically effective and efficient manner.

8d ago

To me there is a clear distinction between 2 of the 3 roles. The business systems analyst
and business analyst share many specific skills around the business engagement (BA)
but the BSA is involved in technology discovery and research as well. 

Generally there is no software development in these 2 role types but is required as a

systems analyst.

4d ago

Hi @Shaun Budd, I tend to agree that there is a lot of overlap for BA and
BSA, I actually believe that BSA is a more focused field within BA that
looks at solving problems and meeting objectives specifically by
implementing and improving systems. I think that System Analysts are
experts in multiple or specific systems, and have the technical ability to
enhance systems, but may lack the skills to elicit requirements from
business. 

8d ago

To me the BSA is more of the link of the other two , has understanding of both BA and
SA also has the knowledge and skillset of both, BSA  also assists to ensure that the
business requirements/ expectations and systems functionality are aligned.
BA is more on the identifying  systems requirements in order to achieve prescribes
business expectations BA does not get deep into the technical setup of systems such as
coding , that's where the SA come in  .

SA is more on the technical side of things such as setting up/ coding  the system to
achieve identified / prescribed  objectives .

8d ago

After going through a lot of articles I can agree that the is clear distinction between these
roles, BSA & SA requires one to be more technical skilled and a BA is someone who
performs business analysis they are experts in business processes and their focus is more
on the business side.      

In my understating BSA is responsible for the end to end implementation of a project,

which includes project planning, communication between business stakeholder and IT
on progress and developments, technical involvement on the actual building (code), and
change management up to a point where a project is live. 

8d ago

There is definitely some overlap between some of the responsibilities and skills of a
BA/SA but there is a differentiating factor when looking at the required qualifications
for each individual role. BA's tend to apply a business operational perspective when it
comes to business processes whereas a SA is more technical and tends to focus more on
the back-end processes to keep the engine running.

These roles can easily be merged/seen as identical but one can clearly see that it would
rather be beneficial to have both a BA & SA on your team to offer the best perspective
for your business. 

4d ago

@Jaques Hanekom , I definitely agree with you that there is an overlap in

responsibilities on both the BA/SA roles, even the proposed article
mentions that  in some organizations a BA or SA wear's a hat for both
roles. However, it is also quite evident there is a clear distinction that these
roles are different and each has its own discipline/focus.

In my view though a BSA is more of an all round in the 3 roles, with

posseing industry knowledge, technical and interpersonal skills in order to
assist the company find better and improved ways of doing business.

1
8d ago

While there is a clear distinction to me regarding a BA and a SA, it's less clear what
makes a BSA distinct from a BA. Unless the BSA is a combination of a BA and SA, but
it's not very obvious. As for the difference between a BA and SA: The focus of a BA is
on business requirements, while the focus of a SA is on business systems requirements.
There is some overlap no doubt, but the two roles wear different hats. The BA finds
solutions to business problems through a business lens. The SA looks at solving
problems from a technical perspective. The BA needs superior communication skills as
they engage with a wider network of stakeholders and acts as the liaison between
technical and non-technical stakeholders. SA communicate more with technically
inclined peers. 

8d ago

I think traditionally, The BA duties include analyzing and communicating with the
stakeholders and translating their business requirements. The SA duties include
analyzing and communicating with the development team and translating the system
requirements from the business. I always say that the SA is the interpreter, translating
from the business language to programming language. As most companies are moving
with time, the BSA role was born to kill two birds with one stone. The BSA possesses
skills of both the BA and SA, focusing on Business requirements and System
requirements. 

8d ago

There is a clear distinction between BA & SA as well as the skills required for each role. Where
BA is focused on the communication between the Stakeholder and technical team. SA is focused
on the actually coding of a system and can identify and rectify coding errors. BSA is therefore a
combination of both BA & SA.

The specific skills I have noted for BSA is to identify problems in current systems,
gather specific information from client, Design System/s to client’s specifications, liaise
with client and stakeholders to meet expected outcome.

These roles will be discrete when a company specifically employs a BA or a SA. The
roles are overlap if a company chooses to employ one person to fulfil both roles.

8d ago

I do agree that the difference is based on the role and the skills required.
BA can distinctly identify the system failures that has caused the issue and is capable of
engaging the the necessary stakeholders to conceptualize the desired outcome.

SA would be capable of identifying the error/discrepancy in the code and fix where
necessary, furthermore gather data and implement.

BSA in simply terms would be a combination of the above which make their role and
skill much more efficient for maximum productivity.

8d ago

I do agree , that there is a clear distinction between the 3 roles and the skills that is
required 

BSA & SA - Needs to be able to understand the business, and able to understand code
but not necessarily know how to code , as that is the developers job, but understand the
business logic of how things work from a back-end perspective. 

BA - Also needs to understand the business and be good at gathering requirements from
holistically point view so that SA can suggest a solution that would meet the business
needs. The BA doesn't need to be technical, as the solution design is not expected from
them. 

In terms of how they overlap it really depends on the company that hires you if it
decides to hire one person to fulfill both roles, as you can find that in some companies
the BA comes with the solution and still gathers the requirements and vise versa for the
SA.

8d ago

Most organizations use the terms interchangeably to describe the same role or Job. But
the two are different positions, with distinct descriptions and duties. 

Typically, Business analysts are defined as enablers of change in an organization. They

are responsible for gathering requirements, understanding business needs to help create a
solution, and adding value to the organization. A business analyst will analyze the
process and the system that will help improve or implement the process.

A system analyst role, on the other hand, focuses more on the technology or system
aspect of the solution. Business processes can change without necessarily changing the
system and usually, only a business analyst would be involved in this type of change.
System analysts only come in when there is a system change and focus more on the
technical aspect of the change or solution. 

Example ( Personal Experience) : 

As a system analyst, I was more involved technically when compared to my current role
as a business analyst. 
2

7d ago

What I picked up from the info graphic in unit 2 is that the specific knowledge areas of a
Business Systems Analyst would include :

- Business Analysis Body of Knowledge 

- Systems Development Life Cycles

- IT system interfaces and data systems, networks, and operating systems

- Human-system interface design

- A degree, diploma or certificate in business or information technology 

4d ago

I also looked back at this and there was no specific mention of coding
abilities for the Business Systems Analysts, which seems to be mentioned
a fair bit in System Analyst functions. 

1 reply

3d ago

Hey Leigh,

I was thinking that the reference to “the code” in the systems

analyst function was not directly saying that the systems analyst
need to be able to code but rather understand and develop “the
code” as in being able to address issues at the source, contributing
directly to developing the solution. This makes sense for me as
SAs do work in none IT or programming related roles. 

7d ago

Before reading the article, the first thing that would come to my mind would be a BSA is
a role that would do the work of both of a BA and an SA.
Although both BA and SA may share a couple of skills such as process modelling,
understanding of the organisational structure etc, as they work hand in hand, a BA is
more on gathering requirements from Business and interpreting them to an SA with
diagrams, While an SA translates those requirements by coding and building a system.

7d ago
After going through this article, I agree that there is indeed a clear distinction between a 
business analyst role and a systems analyst role even though these roles may somewhat
overlap in certain instances. One striking difference is that a business analyst does not
necessarily need to know how to code whereas a systems analyst on the other hand must
be able to code so that they are able to rewrite code in implementing new changes in the
the system. In essence, a business analyst focuses more on what the business needs and
facilitates change by devising solutions that will ensure that systems work optimally and
effectively. The systems analyst focuses heavily on the technical implementation of new
systems or making changes to the existing systems in an attempt to make them to
function better.

7d ago

a typical BA role is to be a middle role player between Business and IT. a BA is there to
assist Business in alleviating pain points in the Business process and/or system
inefficiencies. by applying different Requirement elicitation methods the BA is
generally liable for documenting the Business case, BRS's and FRS's. the SA usually
plays the technical role and is responsible for drafting the Technical Requirement
Specification and Technical solution design. the SA also reviews the technical
developed solution against the FRS. the BSA as per this Module seems to be applying a
system approach in resolving the Business pain points. from work experience a BA and
SA do overlap in certain instances, especially in process automation and system design.  

7d ago

Going through Unit 2 it becomes more clear that a BSA is a combination between an BA
and SA, it's almost like the all in one solution.

It's a complex role and you require the knowledge and skill sets of both BA and SA to a
degree.  You need to be able to understand the business requirements in such a way to
develop and present a business case, with strong emphasis on IT knowledge.

7d ago

In theory there is a very clear distinction between a BSA and BA and I agree with the
comments. Many organisations however do not have the luxury of having both. Some
don't have either, yet there are people fulfilling these roles. In practice, I see the
distinction between these two titles largely depend on the systems they are part of.  

I like to refer to a BSA as a "Jack of all trades". 

7d ago

I've also noticed that most Companies don't have both, where I work we
only have BAs, we cover both the responsibilities of BSA and BA because
they are more or less the same. The course is very interesting as I notice
these slight differences 

7d ago
 I think the Business Analyst is the catalyst to get things done between Business and the
Systems Analyst. The BA role has to know how to speak "Business" as well as "System"
to get the desired outcome understood by all involved and to get it to completion and
add value. The BA also has the insight to make meaningful suggestions knowing how
Business works and having an understanding of how the System works; can be
instrumental in getting the System to do what Business wants it to do in an even better
way then they thought possible.

The 3 roles overlap in that each should have an idea of how Business works and of how
Systems works but the primary focal area is Business for BA, System for SA and a
combination for BSA. You will however need a combination for effectiveness purely
because the high level BSA cannot accomplish all the work required for the more
refined BA and/or SA work especially in an Agile environment when there are
continuous conversations and deployments of finished work.

 like this

1 reply

7d ago

I totally agree with the part "Business Analyst is the catalyst to get things
done between Business and the Systems Analyst", in addition to that a
Systems Analyst would the catalyst between the BA and the dev team". Its
sort of like an interconnected chain.

6d ago

A chain, as you put it, an interconnected chain, is exactly the word

that came to mind whilst reading all the comments. 

7d ago

There are definitely a difference between a BSA and a BA. 

A BA usually looks at the 'What' and a BSA looks at the 'how'.

A BA looks at the at the problem, analyses the problem and unpacking the problem and
coming up with solutions by liaising with IT and Stakeholders.

Where a BSA looks at the problem and solutions and determines how to solve the
problem, realistically.

We can also state that a BA focuses on gathering requirements which is usually

documented in a Business requirement specification (BRS) and a BSA focuses on
providing a solution to the requirements by providing a Functional Requirement
specification (FRS) which shows that a BSA and a BA works closely together as they
are dependent on each other.

7d ago

For me, there is a big difference between an SA and an BA. I think of it almost like a
surgeon vs an oncologist. The surgeon removes the cancerous mass, and the oncologist
just 'mops' up after to ensure all masses are removed and doesn't spread by giving chemo
and doing scans etc. In this analogy, the masses are the technical problems which the
surgeon (SA) fixes/removes through being able to code and fix the technological issues.
The BA is the oncologist who identifies the issues and advises on the best way to correct
it and instructs the SA what to do or what is needed to fix the problem. Although there is
a difference, these two work hand-in-hand to make an entity function better or more
efficiently. BA's are more people's persons as they have to interact with stakeholders,
management and the IT department. SA's are rather more technical and fix the issues at
hand through coding and their technological knowledge.

7d ago

BA- Functional 

Here the personnel dives into business processes and Business requirements and  merge
them to present the business case which will be aligned to the entity’s mission/vision. 

BA are crucial in assisting stakeholders with translating their desired system changes &
outcomes through functional means. Gathering of requirements and drafting coherent
specifications that are clear pin points on program enhancement areas.

SA - Technical 

They understand the architecture of the entire system & they are able to write technical
program to achieve the enhancement/changes  as per requirements specifications
prepared by the BA. 

Conclusion 

 My end point is that (BA & SA) are discrete in their normal functions, but with the
course title ‘BSA’ there seems to be fusion between the two and With the rising demand
of technical skills BA’s are now also expectant to have a developed technical knowledge
by understanding the technical program or even been able to debug the program at an
immediate level.

2d ago
 I like the presentation of your answer and layout and agree with the
conclusion with regards to the course and the fusion of skills required in
the role of a BSA.

7d ago

The difference between a Business Analyst (BA) and a System Analysis (SA) is
definitely evident. As we know the prime focus of the BA is to analyze the business ito
its current processes and systems and elicit requirements from the business to address
operational business challenges. They wear different hats (project
manager, negotiator, customer relationship manager and many more).  

The system analyst makes the "dream" come true by translating the business system
requirements into a technical specification through system improvement design and
implementation.   

In other words, the BA highlights the key areas of system improvement and comes up
with a realistic plan to improve business operational success. The SA then comes up
with a realistic system implementation contributing to such improvement. 

In my opinion, to have a Business Systems Analyst fuses the capability/responsibility of

both BA and SA roles into one making for an ideal, more valuable and cost effective
asset to any business. I see the BSA role as a more in-demand and challenging role in
the future.

There is a definite identical and/overlapping aspect between a BA and SA in that they

both need to have an analytical mindset and also the fact that they have the same
objective in mind which is to solve problems, but where there is also a clear difference
in skills requirements. 

BA needs business, presentation and people skills to identify the business system
challenges and elicit requirements for improvement. The SA needs technical,
development skills to code/built system solutions that address identified business system
challenges and contribute to improvement. 

In my opinion, BSAs fuse the skills, capability and responsibility of both the BA and SA
roles into one making for an ideal, more valuable and cost effective asset to any
business. I see the BSA role evolving into a more in-demand and challenging role in
future.  

6d ago

I think the BA is more like the word says " Business Focussed" ( Looking more into
Business Processes, Strategy, Policies, Plans ect) Where the SA Focusses more on
SYSTEM processes from a Technical viewpoint?

6d ago

I think a BA and a SA work hand in hand, they both need each other to make a process
work.

I say this because a Business Analyst talk the people's language as they engage with the
stakeholders, they would ideally know what works and what doesn't for an end user and
to be able to deliver this they need a System Analyst to do the coding and technical work
to produce a system that works for all end-users/stakeholders.

6d ago

To me it is evident that there are clear differences between  the technical

abilities/requirements of SA and BA. Some companies are very specific on what they
require and also identify the position as such. For example a Business Analyst needed
for Financial processes called a Financial Business Systems/Process Analyst. This where
I thought of creating a niche for myself to move in to. I work in the Food and Beverage
Industry and is involved to some agree in Health and Safety, Food Safety, Process
Engineering and production processes. Some of these systems involve IT solutions and
some not. BA work does not always have to involve some expensive IT solution. It can
be as simple as a spreadsheet. 

6d ago

Do you agree that there is a clear distinction between these three roles and the skills that
they require?

   • I do agree that there is a clear distinction between these 3 roles and the skills they
require

   • The Systems Analyst not only needs to understand the technical terms but have the
skill-set to actually look at existing SQL code and update it to ensure changes are made
accordingly, or be able to write new code from scratch according to requirements

   • Even though the Systems Analyst is able to get a change done, they are not
necessarily able to communicate changes to stakeholders in a way that is easily
understood, the Business      Analyst needs to understand necessary IT jargon but be able
to communicate this information to stakeholders effectively. They also work with teams
of a project pull them all together

What are the specific skills and knowledge areas of a BSA?

   • Process Mapping

   • SQL

   • Project Management

Under what conditions might these three roles be discrete, or overlap, or even identical?

   • In general I would say that all three would require sound know as to the Systems
works and functions as well as knowledge of good Business practices

6d ago

In my company a BSA is able to speak the technical jargon to the developers or SA in

order for them to understand what the business requirements are. They are also able to
pin point exactly what needs to change, even though they are not able to make the
changes themselves in the code. They have more knowledge of the systems than the BA
but not as much as the SA. They are the bridge between the business and IT systems.

6d ago

I believe that there definitely is a difference in roles between a Business analyst and the
Systems analyst but even though their roles differentiate I do believe they work hand in
hand. The system analyst is more technical and deals more with the software/IT system.
The Business Analyst whilst they can not code, they also find faults and solutions within
the software but at the same time they also deal with the people side of the business. The
Business Systems Analyst is a combination of the two roles.

5d ago

After doing some research my understanding of the differences between a Business

Systems Analyst (BSA), Business Analyst (BA) and Systems Analyst (SA) is as
follows:

In my understanding the roles are related to some extent but there is also clear
distinction between the roles. A BA will be more focussed on the processes of a business
and how to improve them, adjust them to resolve problems and all together to meet the
objectives of the business. Whereas, a BSA will be more focussed on the systems of the
business and need the technical knowledge to improve the systems. A SA has more to do
with coding of the software and can identify errors, make adjustments and improve the
software. In my view there will be times where the roles of a BA, BSA and SA will
overlap and I think they all work together to make sure all the systems and process are in
place, up to standard, and working effectively so that the business objectives will be
reached.

5d ago

There is a clear difference between the SA and the BA. The SA is required to have the
technical skills required to tackle  the "how" to achieve functional and non-functional
requirements. The BA may not have the technical skills, but is able to understand
business process and how these systems can/should be improved to meet the needs of of
 the organization. The BSA's function overlaps with both the BA and SA's roles, and it is
important to have at least one of these analysts (selected according to the needs of the
organization and the nature of the project) part of a project to ensure that the
organizations needs are met.

5d ago

I agree that there is a distinct difference specifically in the technical requirements of a

BSA as compared to a BA. BSAs generally require the technical background and
understanding of code and how it works - sometimes even how to improve/correct code.
BSAs are generally able to engage with IT/software SMEs on a technical level. BAs
generally do not require an in-depth technical understanding of code/software.

However, there is overlap in terms of skill and knowledge requirements. An

understanding of business objectives, organisational structures, business processes is
similar between the two roles. BAs and BSAs would also have similar project
stakeholders. 

Ultimately, both need to have a systems view of the organisation in which they operate
within in order to successfully drive change and improvement for the business.

I share the same sentiments as my class mates when it comes to there being a clear
distinction between BA and SA, with the former being more business requirements
inclined and the latter more technically inclined (to business systems). I am not so sure if
BSA can clearly be distinguished from the two as its scope overlaps that of BA and SA,
and therefore BSA comes across more as a combination of the two.

1 reply

3d ago

After reading through the Kabeljou case study, I'm getting more convinced
that a BSA might actually be a combination of BA and SA, especially
because both roles have an interdependency.

5d ago

I have found, in my past experience, that the main difference between a BA and an SA is
the language used. The technical jargon used by SA's can be quite confusing at times as
it deals with a very specific problem within the operation of a system. They tend to go
very granular on the 'nuts and bolts' and often times loose you in the technicality of the
solution. They are more often than not internal facing and lack the soft skills required to
deal with stakeholders outside of their immediate environment. The BA on the other
hand has to always have the bigger picture in mind and keep the language high level.
Often speaking to the philosophical issues and solutions rather than the code used to
provide the solution. They need to be able to translate the technical jargon into a way
that external stakeholders can understand and vise verse. I have found that the best way
for BA's and SA's to communicate with each other is through diagrams (as far as
possible). There is no way for misinterpretation and each stakeholder can then draw their
own conclusions.

5d ago

BA identifies a business problem, relating it to a business requirement that will be

aligned with the business objectives of the organization. In order to do so various factors
must be considered and documented like the organizational structure, the business
processes, current environment, stakeholders to provide context and the requirements
(functional, non-functional) to solve the problem or utilize the opportunity.

If the problem/opportunity requires an IT system solution, the SA will translate the

business requirement into a technical solution specification, followed by a technical
design specification to develop the system.

The BSA encompasses what is said about BA but bridges the gap by understanding the
business or organization as a business system, both the from the internal and external
environment perspective. Must be able to liaise on this level with all stakeholders and
taking the business requirement to the level of a recommended solution. Bridging the
gap further means that the BSA also has the technical knowledge to interpret and
improve on technical solution specification as well as the technical design specification
during the development of an ICT system. The BSA remains involved until the solution
has successfully been implemented.

Reply from Itumeleng Koshane

5d ago

I think depending on the project the role of a BA & BSA roles can overlap.

Both roles require similar skills such as facilitation skills, translating technical
specifications.

BA & BSA - is a liaison between business and the IT developers. A Business Analyst
can be sometimes seen a project manager because they have to co-ordinate everyone to
focus on the project.

A BA & BSA should be able to translate business requirements to IT jargon and vice
versa.

In some projects I think it would be advantageous to have SQL skills as BA. They don't
have to write code, but they must understand what the code is supposed to do. It is also
possible not to work on an IT project as a BA.

In my personal experience I think having SQL and some minor C# skills will help me
communicate more effectively with the IT team.

SA I see more of a technical role, which may include more dev work than the actual
process. They analyse, design, and write code.
I do believe there is a distinction between a BSA and a SA with regards to the skills they
require.

4d ago

To BSA is combination of both BA and SA . The systems analyst and the business
analyst are two different roles. The systems analyst is a technical role that focuses on the
software required to run a business. The systems analyst designs, builds, and tests
software systems. They work closely with engineers and other technical team members
to define requirements and implement solutions. The systems analyst is often required to
have a strong background in programming. Business analysts are change agents; they
are experts who examine an organization by recording its systems and procedures,
analyzing its business model, spotting weaknesses, and coming up with remedies.

4d ago

 I believe there is a clear distinction between a Business Analyst and a Business

Systems Analyst. A Business Analyst serves as a bridge between the business and
IT as they collect the business requirements and translate them into workable
technology while the Business System Analyst focuses on the technology aspect
of the solution( writing code).