- Joanna Izydor
- Read in 3 min.
Sometimes a UX designer is like a divine hand for everything related to a project – from creating an idea with the client, to implementing it into a prototype, and then testing it with users. You can imagine how big the scope of work is from having a blank sheet of paper to filling it with a real product. But what if there is someone who can assist the designer and shorten the process significantly? This is where the Business Analyst steps in.
Why is a Business Analyst so important?
The Business Analyst is a strong persona on the team that all UX designers should learn to work with. For a designer in IT industry, the Analyst is an additional bond with the client, as well as with the developers. The scope of help that we, designers can get from BA is really valuable and makes working on the product much easier and clearer. Understanding the needs and reasons of the business side is especially important to deliver a complete product. So what can a business analyst do for UX?
Business Analyst starts by gathering the requirements, creating a fruitful workshop with the client, where he will take the first steps to prepare the skeleton of the project. However, UX should remember that the Analyst will not do all the work for us. The data that will be collected is only a support. Deepening the topic and bringing the client to the big picture is the designer’s job. It is important to try to work with the Analyst on any ground that includes business aspects.
UX and BA responsibilities in projects
Both parties – the Analyst and UX – should participate in meetings. Mutual knowledge sharing is the key to a successful project that will satisfy the client, but also the end user! UX and the Analyst can work together to create solid documentation that will be helpful not only for the first draft of the product, but also for its development in the future, even if the whole team changes. All paths, every button action and so on – this is what the documentation will contain. So dear designer, if you are reading this – keep an eye on that heavy paper! But what are differences between UX and BA?
Business Analyst focuses on requiments discovery and collecting documentation to evaluate business needs.
UX desigenr however is responsible for Information architecture, visual outcomes, usability of the digital product and its intuitive intrface. This is accomplished through preparation of the wireframes, making improvements and conducting usability tests.
What happens when a company does not have a Business Anlayst? All responsibilities go to one person or, in the best situation, to the design team. This lengthens the design process, but a good UX/UI designer can handle it. You can read more about the role of a product designer in our article here:
Why should you invest in UX design service?
Summary
To sum up this article – the UX analyst and the designer should work closely together. They both need each other. As a designer, I can recommend to all fellow UX designers – if you can get support from the Analyst, just use it. Everything will become faster and clearer, what’s more – you can focus all your efforts on designing and working with users when someone brings you valuable business data literally on a plate.
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