Everyone Wants to Be Batman: Let an Ironworks Business Analyst be your Alfred

 My role as an Ironworks Business Analyst is just like being Batman’s Butler, Alfred Pennyworth. While the business analyst role is not universally understood across companies, I believe the character of Alfred captures the essence of the Business Analyst role at Ironworks.   

In many ways, Alfred’s relationship with Batman is the perfect analogy for the Ironworks BA and the client.  When the batmobile needs a tune-up, when the suit needs cleaning, when the batarangs need re-stocking, when Bruce Wayne needs to file his taxes you’ll find Alfred there making it all happen. 

Your Ironworks Business Analyst will be there to keep track of the details and drive for the success of your project. 

 Depending on the project, an Ironworks Business Analyst can be found doing things like:

• Capturing Requirements – We work to define and document requirements for your projects using methods that make them readable and easy to understand.  This helps you have a more thorough understanding of what we are building for you.     
• Listening – Sometimes you just need to talk.  Your Analyst will listen and field your questions helping translate your thoughts into actions.
• Advocating – We strive to keep your Business Analyst with you throughout the whole project.  This allows them to use their knowledge from listening and capturing requirements to anticipate and represent your needs throughout the project.  The Business Analyst becomes your advocate inside the project team helping clarify details and gather your input during the development phase.
• Testing - The Business Analyst will lead and perform testing on your project, carrying the knowledge from the initial requirements through to the finished product and even helping you with acceptance testing. 
• Training – And to ensure a smooth transition, the Ironworks Business Analyst is there to train your end users in new processes and support them as they adjust to the new processes, systems, and ways of doing things.  This may extend into production support for the users after the project has been completed. 

Like Alfred, your Ironworks Business Analyst is there, faithfully working out the details for you, our Batman, from the beginning to the end so you can keep saving the day at your organization.

Comments

[Mojoguzzi]

How does UX fit in? It should be the user experience team that researches who the actual users are, discovers (not gathers) user requirements, then designs interactions, architects information, and designs visual assets to help those user accomplish their goals.

I would see BAs as the folks who advocate for the business, and UXers as the folks who advocate for the users...and they all work together ;)

[Amy B. Rosenthal]

I like that idea! The UXers advocate for the users, and the BAs advocate for the business with everyone collaborating together to make successful projects.

[Elizabeth Georgel]

I'm curious. Do most companies have UX (besides consulting firms) as a separate role from BA? Does it generally go hand in hand with web analytics? Should Alfred look over analytic data and provide feedback to the UX and business or is that a separate role all together?

[Amy B. Rosenthal]

Looks like we aren't the only people disucssing BA and UX roles. http://www.modernanalyst.com/Resources/Articles/tabid/115/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1892/Business-Analysis-and-User-Experience.aspx