What is the difference between Business Analyst & System Analyst?

System Analyst and Business Analyst have " Analysis" common which relates to specific to the following,

- System : Dealing with IT Network/ Infrastructure, Technical aspect of business applications

- Business : Its purely dealing with business stake holders /departments area to customise, configure, develop business application by gathering requirements [Process, workflow n functional requirements], more focus on functional aspect of business applications.

In general, I’ve seen systems analyst roles that require a stronger technical skill set and often involve systems design responsibilities. Systems analysts tend to dig into the details of how a requirement might actually be implemented in code. This is still “bridging the gap” but it is bridging the gap at a different level of detail. They tend to start “bridging” with a set of good business requirements and stop when they’ve spec’d out a system design plan.

What Does a Business Analyst Do?

On the other hand, a business analyst might start “bridging” further up the stream in terms of business needs and problems and stop “bridging” at the functional requirements specification or at what the system will do and leave it to a systems analyst or a senior developer to determine how to do it.

How are the Business Analyst and Systems Analyst Job Titles Used?

But then job postings with requirements and qualifications that don’t meet the professional guidelines come along and skew the answer.  For example, early in my career, I held a “Systems Analyst” position that was really mostly a business analyst position with a few light systems analyst responsibilities. Last time I checked, that team was still made up of “systems analysts” even though they hold many BA responsibilities. I’m sure this is not an isolated instance.  . Then there is also the “BSA” or “Business Systems Analyst” role, which blends both professions into one role.

 

The business analyst must understand IT and also has to understand the stakeholder’s needs. A systems analyst has the ability to look at a program or utility and see the code. They can go in and pinpoint where changes need to be made.