Reflective Paper

In October 2013 I was very excited to get an internship offer from one of the biggest world manufacturing companies that I had a huge respect and passion for-E.I Du Pont De Nemours And Company. As I was informed of my internship assignment, which happened to be in Business Analysis Division, I had a vague idea of what that position would entail. A future role of business analyst seemed to be both very challenging yet rather exciting. Going into my first day I wasn’t sure as to what is expected of me as an intern and how I would add value. Right before the start of my internship term, I was recommended to read a book “Business Analysis: Best Practices for Success” by Steven P. Blais. My intention was to get familiar with the mindset of a business analyst and how this role fits into an overall organizational structure. The book, however, exceeded my expectations and really prepared me for my new unknown position. Although I did not find answers to all my questions, I got a straightforward explanation of roles and responsibilities of a business analyst, as well as learned a lot about key skills and requirements that business analysts possess. In this paper I will try to, first, reveal the mystery behind the newly formed business analyst position; second, outline the main characteristics and functions business analyst needs to develop and possess; and, lastly, walk through a challenging process of creating a valuable business solution and the way the information form the book helped me in my internship assignments. Steven Blais starts his book with an introduction of how business analyst fits into a corporate environment and what the context of the job is. Turned out I was not the only one wondering at what business analysis truly represents. Many companies and their stakeholders still do not have a clear uniform understanding of what business analyst role is. “Is the business analyst simply a middleman between technologists and the business people, acting as a go-between, translator, and conduit? Or is there… more important role being played in the center of organization?” (Blais, p. 3). Since according to the author this role is a relatively new one in any major organization, this question raises much debate and controversy. It was no different in the place where I arrived for my summer internship. I joined business finance analysis team in a currently spinning off Performance Chemicals Business in Du Pont in efforts to drive overall company’s business effectiveness and promote smooth transition to a new company. People who I was assigned to work with were new to their roles some as Global, some as Regional business analysts for different product lines. And as I asked my numerous questions as to what exactly they did on a day to day basis, I failed to get a straightforward answer. As I started immersing myself into my colleagues’ everyday routine I came to realize that their roles encompassed all the features that I have recently learned about in the book. In a current workplace business analyst combines IT knowledge in developing business processes and systems with the pure business acumen on how to increase revenues, reduce costs and make all the business processes and operations efficient and effective. His role is most valuable in the times of change, like the one my team was going through in establishing a new standalone company and preparing for a successful separation from Du Pont. Just like the author notes in the book: “Creating positive change for the organization is the essence of the business analyst. Problem solver, communicator, facilitator, analyst-the business analyst works in the center of the organization improving processes, clarifying communications, investigating problems, producing solutions, and adding value to the organization.” (Blais, p.10) To be able to perform successfully on all the above mentioned levels business analysts, according to Steven Blais, possess a wide

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