The role of the business analyst varies from enterprise to enterprise.

Ideally, time is split between the technical and business units. At the business unit, the business analyst is often the first level support for existing technology. More important is the time spent in with users and in management meetings. There, the business analyst is listening for opportunities to improve the role of technology. These get presented to the technical units as business requirements in terms that are relevant to the technical staff.

Information from the technical units on what can or cannot be done, or changes necessary (whether for maintenance of existing systems or to provide new services), as well as new technical possibilities, are brought back and presented to the business units in their own terms.

In short, the business analyst is the translator between the business and technical units.

In an outsource situation, the business analyst function and time varies a bit depending on whether the client or outsource employee. This variance is a natural occurrence based on who provides the paycheck and hence defines what defines a successful exchange.

On major projects it is important to reconsider the business objectives and business requirements. A business analyst associated with a particular business unit sometimes loses the objectivity to consider the enterprise business objectives. This is why an infrastructure architect will sometimes step in. 

Private Reply to Ken Hilving (new win)