The 3 Types of Business Analysts

One of the most important decisions you have to make is about what type of business analyst you want to become. This is a pivotal decision that can stay with you for the rest of your career.

That’s what I cover in this video.

You can also read the related article that provides examples of the BA, BSA, and BPA.

What Are The 3 Types of Business Analysts?

The three Business Analyst archetypes are:

  1. Business Process Analyst (BPA): focuses on the business side of things rather than on the I.T. side.
  2. Business Systems Analyst (BSA): focuses on the system side of things, typically on the polar opposite side of a BPA.
  3. Generalist Business Analyst (GBA): started off as a BPA or BSA and has grown their skill set into the area they didn’t start off in.

What Type of BA Are You?

Let’s talk about the most important thing that you have to consider when you’re trying to make a decision. What is the right fit for you? My advice to you is to choose your BA Type based on wherever your existing strengths lie.

Type 1: Business Process Analyst

Chances are you’re going to be a much better fit for the business process analyst role when you’re starting out if:

  • you like bringing people along with you to certain conclusions about how things should work
  • you like to work a lot more with people than with software
  • you like to negotiate

If your natural instinct and aptitude is to work more with people than with software then you want to go for the BPA role.

Type 2: Business Systems Analyst

The flip side of the BPA role is that if you like tinkering around with data. If you’re the type of person who:

  • Enjoys trying to figure out how the software works or how devices work in general, or,
  • If you’re an engineer then you want to aim for the business systems analyst type of role.

Developers interested in moving into an analysis role go for the systems analyst role. They can carry over a lot of the skills that they have as a developer.

Type 3: Generalist Business Analyst

The Generalist BA is what I like to call a well-rounded business analyst. I cover the benefits and drawbacks of becoming a generalist business analyst. As someone who has become a GBA, it’s not a role that anyone fits in.

Casandra started off as a QA Analyst. Casandra transitioned into a BSA role performing technical systems analysis. Casandra was put on a project where she learned how to work a lot more with the business. She learned how to do a lot of process design work. She also learned a lot of the softer skills like objection handling.

Career Strategy Perspective: Understand from a career strategy perspective if you want to become an analyst. The type of business analyst you choose really sets the stage for your BA Career. There are many paths to getting into the business analysis profession. If you’re a new graduate or have been a BA for a couple of years, you’ve already started thinking about the future of your career.

How Much Does Each BA Type Earn?

The business systems analyst typically earns more than the business process analysts. The main reason being systems analysis work tends to be a lot more grueling. System analyst roles are more difficult to learn than process analysis work.

The pressure that a systems analyst has to deal with in most companies is a lot higher than that of a business process analyst. But that doesn’t mean that the Business Process Analyst job is easy; it involves helping the company figure out how they’re going to function.

Job Difficulty Level For Each BA Type

The Business Systems Analyst (BSA) role is more difficult, which is why the compensation for BSA roles tends to be a little bit higher.

Technical Skill: In the business systems analyst role, you’re going to have to learn some harder technical skills like SQL. SQL allows systems analysts to troubleshoot issues or solve problems using databases.

Difficulty Level: The business systems analyst role is a lot more difficult, part of the reason for higher compensation. Understanding these key points will help you immensely in choosing the right path for your business analysis career.

Look At Job Postings

Looking at a company’s job postings is like a treasure trove of information about what kind of business analyst that company hires and gives an idea of what are their biggest needs.

Start to review some job postings to decode what this employee or hiring manager is actually looking for. Even if you have no intention of applying for the job, scanning job postings available on recruiter websites will provide insights into the expectations companies have for business analysts.