Many people thought and have a great expectations on the performance of a business analyst. When a project is charged a business analyst then the expected outcome is a success. When the project was running but failed, many people will pout. A business analyst is paid expensively to do its job. But a business analysts is not an angel who will always be perfect in doing his job. The success of a project is the success of the team and the company as a collective, not individual success of a business analyst. This is what often become the root of misunderstanding in laying the function of a business analyst.
A business analyst needs to know in detail all the ins and outs of the company both internally and externally. A business analyst needs to understand what the vision and mission of the company wants to achieve. A business analyst needs all the facts and figures to do the job. If the facts or data provided to business analysts is not an actual, on which the project executed likely will fail.
Any form of projects undertaken by the company is a joint effort of business and initially. When a business analyst get in or plunge in the project then the problems will begin to be mapped and determining what steps should be done. Perhaps management has a commitment to resolve problems. Perhaps the IT team is committed to providing the necessary infrastructure. But in fact the project still failed. So what happened? Such failure is due to reluctance to disclose and provide all information required making it very difficult for a business analyst to make an appropriate assessment to the situation. If the difficulty of each department is to submit data or facts, at least a good business analyst will always be willing to listen to ideas. A business analyst will try to find a feasible solution to every aspect of the complexity and the overall project. A business analyst can judge whether the idea good or bad, and he will seek an appropriate solution for each. The bottom line is a good communication. Because communication is the main reason that cause a project failure.
So whether a business analyst could fail in their duties? There is a possibility for that. Please be remembered that failure was not a failure of an individual of the business analyst. But it is a collective failure of all existing departments within the company. Do not put a heavy burden on the business analyst shoulders, because this is something that must be recognized and worked together to achieve success as well.