Top Business Analysis Trends 2022

The modern business world is being reshaped by digital transformation at an exponential pace, which has been further accelerated by the mass relocation of commerce and services to the online space as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.¹ Business analysts play an important role in helping organizations improve their processes, and should therefore pay careful attention to technological evolution as they consider the future of their jobs and the trends for business analysis in the age of digital.² And, just as the business landscape continues to change, so too can analysts expect their roles to evolve.

Digital transformation trends

In recent years, business has been influenced by numerous trends, from artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality, to blockchain, cryptocurrencies, the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data. These are feeding into – and in turn being influenced by – emerging trends such as natural language processing, quantum computing, biotech, Web 3.0, sustainable technology, and low- and no-code frameworks.³ On a practical level, contemporary societal changes brought about by COVID-19 and digitalization are driving developments like more personalized digital health care, optimized workplaces and workflows for hybrid work, increased workplace automation, and omnichannel customer support.⁴

Perhaps the most significant trend for businesses is that digital transformation is no longer the scope of just IT, marketing, or HR functions; it needs to begin at the top. With ownership of contemporary technology fast becoming necessary just to compete in the market, organizations need to integrate competitive and digital strategies in a way that is guided and understood by both executive and technology leaders.⁵

How business analysts need to adapt

As businesses become increasingly data-driven, the role of the business analyst is changing, and with it the skills required to remain relevant and valuable. These are some of the key adaptations needed.

Learn new analytical skills

Data management and analytics skills are in high demand among data-driven organizations that require a more comprehensive understanding of their business in order to make more informed decisions. Those that utilize appropriately skilled business analysis professionals are seeing an increased return on investment.⁶ Database querying, programming, data mining and visualization, business intelligence and reporting software, and database design are also growing in necessity.⁷

Drive the convergence of business and technology skills

With a foot in both technology deployment and end-user analysis, business analysts are uniquely positioned to help guide decision-making, mold organizational strategy, and manage technology implementations. Their role in strategic transformation is thus critical.⁸

Develop decision intelligence

Organizations are progressively working to improve the speed and accuracy of their data analysis using automation. As a result, there’s an increasing demand for professionals with the skills to decide how to address the issues drawn from data. This discipline, which combines elements of social and managerial science, is known as decision intelligence and it exists to help businesses make better, more informed choices.⁹

Improve remote facilitation and communication skills

With remote and hybrid work becoming normalized in many industries, business analysts must ensure inclusive, creative collaboration between colleagues and stakeholders. This means going beyond simply understanding communication and collaboration technology platforms; business analysts should be able to build trust in a contactless environment.¹⁰ They can also leverage data insights to tailor workplace strategy, streamline costs, transform company culture, and help facilitate a better overall remote working experience.¹¹

Adapt to a changing customer journey

The pandemic has accelerated the evolution of the customer journey, with more products and services being purchased online than ever before. Customer expectations have grown, necessitating robust analysis methods that reveal ways to create marketable, people-centered, data-rich digital experiences.¹²

The future of business analysis

While business analysis may previously have operated on the sidelines of many organizations, the rise of the data-driven economy has moved it firmly to the forefront. Today, business analysis combines skills, technologies, processes, and applications that yield insights from data, which – alongside statistics – is being used to understand consumer behavior, optimize revenue streams, and develop markets.¹³

Technology is only going to become more integrated with and ingrained in business practices, so a conduit between the strategic and technical implementation sides of an organization will remain essential. Even as AI comes to dominate data analysis, companies will need business analysts to translate requirements, and design and refine processes. Descriptive and interpretive skills will become increasingly important, as will the ability to coordinate between internal and external stakeholders.¹⁴

This growing need for soft skills among business analysts in a technologically advanced world mirrors trends uncovered in GetSmarter’s The Future of Work is Here report. Technical skills are needed to implement technologies like AI, but social, interpersonal, and leadership skills are required to make the most of these implementations. As more technical tasks become automated, a third of respondents rated analytical/critical thinking as the most valuable future skill, followed by leadership, technical skills, interpersonal skills, and digital capability.

Business analysts have the opportunity to advance as technology does. As the future of business is dependent on digital progression, analysts need to be keenly aware of developments and trends. The modern business analyst requires critical thinking, research, and documentation skills, coupled with technical knowledge, interpersonal, problem-solving, and negotiation skills.¹⁵ These skills, coupled with technological awareness and practicality, will see the business analyst role develop with the future of technology, rather than against it.

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