Do you know the difference between a data analyst and a business analyst? If you're not sure, don't worry - you're not alone.
Many people use the terms interchangeably, but there are some key differences between the two roles. Understanding what those differences are is essential. If you're an employer, you need to know which position you need to hire for, or which apprenticeship programme to sign your work colleagues and employees onto.
Defining the roles
It can be confusing to understand the differences between data analysts and business analysts, as there is overlap in their job roles. While a data analyst is an expert at understanding complex datasets, business analysts are focused more on process optimisation and improving system efficiencies. Specifically, a data analyst uses big data and predictive analytics to create insights, while a business analyst specialises in identifying potential opportunities, or challenges, based on changing market conditions or customer feedback.
At the same time, both professionals routinely use the insights they develop to drive decision-making and guide strategic initiatives — it's just that their approach may differ based on their areas of expertise. To take full advantage of today's technology-driven business environment, organisations must cultivate each specialist's specific capabilities to ensure that clarity of strategy can turn into successful execution.
The skills and responsibilities for each position
While data analysts and business analysts may operate in the same realm, they are two distinct roles that each require a specialised skill set to excel. Data analysts mainly deal with numbers, analysing data to identify trends or areas of improvement. They must be adept at crunching numbers and understanding how data sets are structured and pulled together.
The daily duties of a data analyst may include:
- Collecting, analysing and interpreting data
- Identifying trends and patterns
- Developing models to forecast future outcomes
- Reporting findings to stakeholders.
Business analysts require a different type of skill set, one that utilises problem-solving and critical thinking skills even more than data analysts. They need an inquisitive mindset to look for ways to improve workflows and processes. Communication skills are also extremely important for business analysts as they need to effectively convey their insights and findings to their teams.
The daily responsibilities of a business analyst may include:
- Identifying customer needs and wants
- Model business processes
- Business process analysis
- Redesign business processes
- Stakeholder management
- Gap and impact analysis
- Recommending and managing business change
- Analysing data to provide insights.
On the whole, both data analysts and business analysts need the ability to think critically and strategically, analyse large amounts of data, and communicate clearly with their teams.
The future of these roles
Data analysts and business analysts have an exciting future - in the next few years, they can look forward to leveraging advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence, which will only further bolster their ability to access actionable insights from datasets.
Data analysts know that interacting with data is an ever-evolving science, so no matter what the next few years bring, these roles are sure to take on new challenges and opportunities that can help businesses grow and provide meaningful information. Data analysts and business analysts will continue gaining importance within organisations around the world as more companies recognise how valuable their skills can be, so there couldn’t be a better time to get involved.
What's next?
If you’re looking to upskill your workplace, or even considering a career in data analytics or business analysis yourself, it’s important to understand the different roles these positions play within an organisation. While data analysts and business analysts share some common skill sets, they each have their own unique strengths that they bring to the table.
Likewise, the work environment for each role can vary significantly. Data analysts tend to work more with numbers and complex datasets while business analysts focus on understanding customer needs and identifying market opportunities. With the ever-growing popularity of data analytics, both of these roles are expected to see significant growth in the coming years.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in either field, consider our apprenticeship programmes which will provide exposure to real-world scenarios, allowing the development of the skills necessary for success.