The Big Q: How to move from Software Development to Business Analysis

Q: I’m a software developer who has become more interested in the ‘business side of my company than the technical side. How easy is it to transition from being a software developer into a Business Analyst?

A: It’s not uncommon for software developers to move into business analyst roles.

Their technical know-how and familiarity with software development work well with their people-orientated approach.

The biggest transferable skills software developers bring into business analyst roles is that they can see the possibilities technology presents. They’re able to disseminate business needs and offer a rounded technical response.

The journey from software developer to business analyst can be tricky. Here are three tips to make the transition easier:

1. Be proactive with business stakeholders and end-users. This will help you understand the big picture process and how software can solve problems and suit business needs.
2. Learn the lingo – the language of business is different from the techie side of things, so put the technical jargon away unless you’re speaking with other software developers.
3. Keep asking questions to discover what your business wants and needs software to do. Making assumptions is one of the worst things a business analyst could do. Developers tend to favour finding solutions, but you need a broad sense of business issues first.

If you’re thinking of making the move from software developer to business analyst, talk to one of our recruitment consultants today.