The demand for the role of a business analyst has witnessed a significant increase over the years. In fact, Harvard University has described business analysts as the ‘Hottest Profile for the Coming Decades’.
Today’s age of digitization thrives on data. It helps organizations understand the effectiveness of strategic plans. Therefore it comes as no surprise that a profession that solely revolves around data and its analysis will also be in huge demand in the future.
According to a study conducted by BARC, two-thirds of the responding organizations have agreed that data and analysis are the base of most of the decision-making processes.
On that note, here is a detailed guide on some of the best business analyst courses and certifications to help you navigate your way through this dynamic domain!
Who Is A Business Analyst?
A business analyst is responsible for overseeing the entire process of analyzing an organization’s products, services, and systems. The entity is also required to help organizations make profitable decisions through insightful data analysis. The documentation of business processes through assessment of the business model, and its integration into technology, also falls under the responsibility of a business analyst.
One of the most common misconceptions about business analysts is that they are only responsible for an organization to make more money. While this may be true to some extent, a few major factors are also at play. The actions and decisions taken by a business analyst leave a huge impact on the financial prospect of an organization.
Roles And Responsibilities Of A Business Analyst
Before delving into the list of the best business analyst certification courses currently available, let’s take a look at some of the important characteristics of the duties bestowed upon a business analyst.
Role Of A Business Analyst
One of the key roles of a business analyst is requirement management. As the modern business world is constantly evolving, the responsibility of maintaining requirements through constant change by using innovation falls on the shoulder of a business analyst.
The role of a business analyst differs from industry to industry. Some of the various categories include –
- Business Analyst
- IT Business Analyst
- System Analyst
- Data Analyst
- Functional Architect
- UX Analyst
Responsibilities Of A Business Analyst
The following list highlights some of the most common responsibilities of a business analyst. Please note that the same might differ from company to company, depending on their individual policies and requirements.
- Discerning company data to redeem valuable insights, discovering market trends, and aligning strategies towards improvement following the same. operations.
- Working as a bridge between a company’s IT processes and business aspects by staying at par with the latest IT innovations and researching and reviewing the business approaches accordingly.
- Collaborating with stakeholders
- Maintaining a smooth flow of communication with partners, senior management, clients, and technicians.
- Creation of essential documentation such as BRD and PRD, that are crucial to successfully completing a project. BRD or business requirement document comprises a formal compilation of specifications and strategies required to push a project towards its successful delivery. On the other hand, PRD refers to a product requirement document that contains product-related details to guide the product development team toward achieving their goals.
Advantages of Business Analyst Certification
A business analyst certification comes with a series of important advantages that can boost your career. A few of them have been highlighted in the list below.
Promotions and Increased Salary
Researchers indicate that as much as 13% of business analyst certification holders receive a promotion, and almost 24% have received an increased salary on completion of their course. Thus, it can be safe to say that earning a business analyst certification is the best possible way to advance your career and meet all your professional goals.
Increased Credibility
Receiving a certificate from a well-known institute not only enhances your profile but also increases your credibility in the eyes of your employers. Global certifications are the best way to highlight all the time and effort you have put in to enhance your skill set and knowledge of the business domain.
Increased Confidence
Lastly, another major advantage of a BA certificate is that it increases your confidence level in a work environment. A recent study conducted by IIBA revealed that as much as 57% of the respondents have agreed that ‘higher confidence at work’ is one of the significant benefits of certification.
Best Business Analyst Certification Courses
A business analyst course helps candidates increase their potential and gives them that much-required edge over other competitors. On that note, here are some of the best business analyst courses currently available.
International Institute Of Business Analysis
IIBA is a non-profit organization that offers competency-based certification to its students. Some of them include
- Academic Business Analysis Certificate- This entry-level certificate can be availed from any institute or college associated with IIBA.
- Entry Certificate In Business Analysis- It is specifically designed for entry-level business analysts or those with less experience. To be eligible, aspirants must complete 21 hours of professional training credits within the relevant concentration.
- Certification of Competency in Business Analysis- Candidates must have 3,750 hours of business analyst experience, 21 hours of professional development training, and two professional references to qualify for this certification.
International Qualification Board For Business Analysts (IQBBA)
IQBBA offers two main certifications, namely,
Certified Foundation Level Business Analyst- This certificate is designed for individuals who have just ventured into the fields of modeling business and analyzing business processes.
Certified Advanced Level Business Analyst- It focuses more on business analysis process management skills. To qualify for the same, candidates must pass the above-mentioned entry-level exam.
Professional In Business Analysis (PBA) Certification
The PBA certification course is specifically designed for those candidates who deal with programs or projects or have some experience in analytics. In order to qualify for the same, aspirants need to have a minimum of 3 years of experience, alongside a Bachelor’s degree in any relevant field.
Agile Analysis Certification (AAC)
Agile Analysis Certification comprises 12 sections, divided into 58 lectures specifically designed for aspiring analysts. It offers an overview of business agility and the role of business analysis in an agile organization. It also provides an in-depth explanation of the Agile Manifesto and the various principle of agile analysis.
Certification In Business Data Analysis (CBDA)
The CBDA course curriculum consists of 9 sections divided into 78 lectures. It covers important topics of business analysis, such as the business analytics cycle, business data analytics, and business decision-making, among others. Although no previous work experience is required, it is advisable to have a basic understanding of data analysis or business analysis beforehand.
Business Analytics Practitioner Certification
Business Analytics Practitioner certification is considered to be the best business analyst course in India. It provides hands-on training to individuals and consists of 32 hours of training sessions alongside 50 hours of e-learning. The business analyst course fees is nearly INR 15,000.
Master’s In Business Analytics
Earning a Master’s Degree in Business Analytics can also be a great way to advance your career and reach your professional goals and aspirations. It allows passionate analysts to thrive in the business world. On that note, Golden Gate University, in collaboration with upGrad, brings you the Master of Business Administration program.
With 120+ years of experience, Golden Gate University is regarded as one of the oldest private universities in California. Its 15 months duration program is specifically targeted towards working professionals who wish to advance their career into managerial and leadership roles. Aspirants have the flexibility to choose any one or a combination of topics from the five options provided by the university, namely, Marketing, Finance, Business Analytics, Adaptive Leadership, and General.
Other advantages of this program include –
- 24*7 student support
- Global case study discussions
- Live and interactive faculty
- Optional on-campus immersion
Upon completing the program, graduates are also offered a professional certificate highlighting their hard work and efforts.
Conclusion
With this, we come to the end of our list containing the best business analyst certification courses currently available in the market. Hopefully, this has answered all your doubts and queries regarding the same. In today’s competitive market, there is a constant need for professionals with core business analytical skills who can improve business processes. Therefore, investing in a business analyst certification program can turn out to be quite a fruitful decision!
FAQs
Q1: Is business analyst a good career?
Yes, the demand for the role of a business analyst has increased manifold over the years. In fact, reports estimate that between the period of 2020-2030, it will witness a growth of 7%.
Q2: How to become a business analyst?
In order to emerge as a successful business analyst, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in relevant discipline. Following this, you should apply for online certification courses for business analysts, where you can work on real-time projects, thus enhancing your practice knowledge of the business world. upGrad’s business analytics program is currently regarded as one of the best courses to apply for, both in terms of affordability and quality education.
Q3: Is a business analyst an IT job?
No, business analytics is not an IT job in its strictest sense. However, aspirants can choose to specialize in the information technology industry, wherein they will be given the title of an IT business analyst.
Sources- https://bi-survey.com/role-of-data
https://thebadoc.com/ba-articles/f/benefits-of-business-analysis-certifications https://www.henryharvin.com/blog/business-analyst-certification-top-10-institutes-in-india/
