Business Analysts and Software Developers are the two most important roles in the software development lifecycle. They both play an important role in the whole development lifecycle. So here in this guide, we will compare both roles and understand the differences between them.
A Business Analyst work with data, interact with it, interpret it, and then document various requirements for the software product. On the other hand, Software developers and programmers code to build software, meeting all the requirements documented by Business Analysts.
Let’s understand each role based on their roles and responsibilities. Both jobs are related to Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). Then it’s essential to know the process outline. All the development process starts with idea generation. It could be an in-house idea or a client-generated idea. Once this idea is selected and chosen to work upon, it goes through several stages of development and refinement.
The entire SDLC could be broken down into 6 steps. And they are:
- Concepts/Planning Stage
- Requirement definitions
- Working upon Product Architecture
- Building product
- Testing product
- Deploying product
So let’s understand each of these steps in detail.
Concepts/Planning Stage:
Business Analysts work on this stage. They communicate with all the stakeholders to understand the requirements. Business Analysts understand the requirements and also the ultimate goal the client needs, not what he wants or believes. He must understand the whole process and the requirements to make software developers’ life easy. They must conduct meetings with clients and stakeholders to get to the bottom of the requirements. If you aim to become a Business Analyst, check out the Business Analyst certification course from a reputed organization like Intellipaat.
Requirement definitions:
It is the first step in the whole process wherein both Software Developers and Business Analysts work together. Once they interact with the clients and stakeholders, they will document all the requirements of the project and communicate the same to the Software Development team. Nevertheless, there are advantages to taking a structured approach in documenting all the requirements. The Agile methodology of having constant dialogues has transformed the whole process. This way discussion-based communication has taken the center stage.
Both Business Analysts and Software Developers sit together, document the requirements, and get them approved by the client before starting to work on the project. This step helps in clarifying requirements which avoid confusion in further stages.
Working upon Product Architecture
The next step is working on Product Architecture. The documented requirements are then worked upon. Designers and Software Developers sit together to create product architecture that forms the outline, which developers will follow to build the product. It could be considered as part of the refinement process wherein multiple designs will be proposed, and then the best one will be selected as the final design.
Building product
It is probably the easiest way to conceptualize but the most difficult to implement. Software Developers rely on different programming languages to create the product that meets the requirements documented. This step comes under the refinement process as at each stage the prepared product is sent to stakeholders for evaluation.
Testing product
Once Software Developers complete creating their product, the very next step is to test the built product. Quality Assurance Testers regularly test the product at each stage. Testing is necessary for any domain, without a doubt. It helps us identify the shortcomings in the software product and where the features are not meeting the required specifications.
Deploying product
It is another step wherein Business Analysts and Software Developers work together. Once the testers give a green signal post-testing, then only the software product is ready to go for deployment. Business Analysts will have one last control before handing over their control to Software Developers to take care of the deployment.
What to expect from a Business Analyst?
Business Analysts have to manage client and management expectations. They need to ensure that everyone on the team is on the same page. The management looks after the business operations and goals, and the stakeholder needs their requirements fulfilled. Business Analyst has to understand the expectations of both the parties and help them understand the project and the workflow.
What to expect from a Software Developer?
A Software Developer has to ensure that they understand all the requirements and specifications set by stakeholders or clients. Because only then can they design the best product possible under the constraints. Every detail matters when you are developing any product. The developed product must meet all the documented requirements. They have to sit through the lines of code and identify what’s missing and what’s out of place.
Conclusion:
If you prefer to be in charge, you are a good fit for the Business Analyst role. If you are a detail-oriented person, you are a good fit for a Software Development job.
