Business Analyst

The goal of a business analyst is to make sure that what gets built solves the right problem. Projects go wrong when the people who need a solution and the people who build it picture the task differently. The business analyst sits between them and keeps both sides aligned.

Most of the daily work involves talking to people, documenting how things currently work, and writing down what a new system or process needs to do. You run interviews and workshops with the teams who will use a solution, then turn what you hear into requirements a developer can act on. You also test whether the delivered solution meets those requirements.

The work relies less on programming than other data roles. Common tools are Excel, SQL for pulling supporting data, and BI tools like Power BI or Tableau for reporting. Business analysts also use diagramming tools to map processes and document requirements in tools like Jira or Confluence. Clear writing and explaining technical limits to non-technical people are the core skills.

The role is collaborative and involves many meetings with other teams. At a bank or insurer, the focus is often on regulatory or reporting systems. At a smaller company, the role overlaps with project management or product work. In the Netherlands, financial institutions, consultancies, and government bodies all employ business analysts. The role connects closely to the Data Analyst role, which does more hands-on data work, and to the Developer role that builds the systems it specifies.