Business Analyst and Agile

Though the Agile Methodology is used heavily in software development domains, it has since spread into different sectors. With Agile comes a growing emphasis on equipping the development team, e.g. your software developers, content writers, engineers, designers, etc, with the information, tools, and direction they need to produce a tangible output within a fixed period of time, that is, sprints of typically 2 weeks. 

A Perfect Scrum Is NOT A Perfect Product 

What if you develop a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that no one in the world wants? How will you discover unsung problems in need of a solution you can produce? Who will take accountability for ensuring you don’t walk into a space that’s saturated with competitors? 

These are but a few questions that an agile business analyst will help answer to help the development team work through every sprint.

Determine What Users Need & Want

Be it software for internal purposes, a consumer-facing product, or a deliverable for a client, the business analyst will be in constant tune with the end users’ needs and wants. This translates into the scrum in multiple ways.

The business analyst can help to ensure that the development team delivers on the insights of the client. The analyst must ensure that the client receives value. This could involve altering the scope of the work so as to get more accurate and relevant insights.

In terms of software development, the business analyst may also own the responsibility of examining user analytics data, end-user surveys, and other data sources to ensure the new UI/UX delivers on expectations, especially if a UX professional is not part of the development team.

Champion the Product in the Organization

By understanding the product’s value to the organization, be it in terms of tapping into a growing market segment or in cutting operational costs, the business analyst can champion the product. Your development team members are occupied with actually designing and delivering the product, so they lack the bandwidth to defend or promote it across the organization. 

On the other hand, a higher level executive, while possessing clout, will not be able to champion it without access to the proof of its value.

The business analyst can produce proof and communicate the value of the product throughout the organization. In some cases, they can also network with major influencers, including upper management, to further the cause. By successfully championing the project, the analyst could help the project/product gain the organizational support/recognition it needs.