THE JOB OF BUSINESS ANALYST -
SHOULD YOUR STUDENTS CONSIDER IT?
by Serona Elton

When I tell people that one of my earliest full-time jobs in the music business was that of a Business Analyst they often look at me blankly and smile, having never heard of such a position. I credit my position as a Business Analyst with providing the launching pad for the rest of my career.

What is a Business Analyst?
Simply put, a Business Analyst (BA) is a problem solver. Their job is to identify a problem and design a solution to it. Sometimes the problem is that a current way of doing something needs rethinking, or a new computer system needs to be built. According to wikipedia.com, “The Term Business Analyst (BA) is used to describe a person who practices the discipline of business analysis. A business analyst or "BA" is responsible for analyzing the business needs of their clients and stakeholders to help identify business problems and propose solutions”. The International Institute of Business Analysis has the following definition of the role: "A business analyst works as a liaison among stakeholders in order to elicit, analyze, communicate and validate requirements for changes to business processes, policies and information systems. The business analyst understands business problems and opportunities in the context of the requirements and recommends solutions that enable the organization to achieve its goals." The job of BA is often situated inside an Information Technology (IT) department, but not always. BAs are often used to resolve problems that have nothing to do with computer systems, such as procedures, policies or organization structures.

Who employs Business Analysts?
Most large companies employ BAs. Specifically, in the music business, each of the four major record companies, Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Music employ BAs as do most if not all of the major publishers. Other entertainment companies such as NBC Universal, Showtime Networks Inc., Disney and Random House all employ BAs. Simply typing the search phrase “business analyst” on www.hotjobs.com returns approximately 2,200 entries.

What general skills does a Business Analyst need to have?
• Analytical skills. Analyzing problems and coming up with solutions is the core of what a BA does.
• Communication skills. Writing skills are important as a BA will have to articulate problems and potential solutions. Verbal skills are also important as much of the information gathering is done face-to-face.
• Organization skills. A BA will have to gather different information from different places, organize it and summarize it.
• Good attention to detail. The expression “the devil is in the details” applies to many of the problems a BA will be working to solve.
• Ability to work well as part of a team. A BA does not work alone; resolving problems usually involves working closely with the individuals who encounter the problem on a regular basis and the rest of the team that will be involved in actually building the solution and putting it in place.
• Technical skills. Which ones specifically will depend on the area of the company the BA is focused on. If a BA is focused on solving problems involving a particular computer system and the business processes that use it, the BA may need to have technical knowledge of the software or type of software the system is written in. All BAs are expected to be well-versed in the standard Microsoft Office applications.

What sorts of things does a Business Analyst do on a daily basis?
For example, a BA assigned to a new royalty system project at a record company would do the following activities:
• Gather business / user requirements. This involves talking to the staff members in the royalty department (“users”) to find out how they need the system to operate in order to do their jobs. The gathering of information will usually be done face-to-face and then a document describing the needs will have to be written. For example, a BA would discuss with a royalty department user what sorts of questions they get from artists on a regular basis so that the BA can help design a computer system screen that displays all of the needed information in one place.
• Analyze and design. This involves taking what the users have said and turning the information into a design. In the case of a new system being developed, the design is that of a system that the computer programmers can build. BAs are said to be the liaison between the business “users” and the computer programmers when they work on IT-related projects. In another case, the design may be a new procedure that will eliminate or minimize a problem being encountered.
• Implement the solution. This involves making sure the solution that was built is successfully put in place. In the case of a new system, for example, it means being involved in user testing and training. It may include writing a manual.

Why should a music business and entertainment industry student be interested in a Business Analyst position?
Because it provides a great opportunity to use their knowledge in order to make the industry better. When problems involve how to do something in the music business and entertainment industry, someone with a solid foundation of knowledge on the topic is uniquely qualified to develop more comprehensive solutions faster. A good BA is able to come up with creative solutions to business problems. Many BAs employed by entertainment companies come in with a Computer Science/MIS degree, or in some cases a Business degree. They then are faced with the challenge of having to learn the area of the business in which they are working. Imagine having to quickly bring a BA with an MIS degree up to speed on the specific processes surrounding mechanical licensing. The individuals working in the area of the company that a BA may be focusing on are busy with their day-to-day jobs and do not generally have the time to educate the BA on the background and operating principles of the topic. BAs with a music business and entertainment industry education will already be ahead of curve and better able to “hit the ground running”.

Music business and entertainment industry students who have also studied computer science and business (as a minor or double major, for instance) are best suited to be a BA. However, any student that considers themselves to be analytically minded should consider the position. A BA position may be something a music business and entertainment industry student considers for their second job in the industry as employers sometimes require the applicant to have a year or more of business experience. The International Institute of Business Analysis offers certification as a Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP). Most BA job postings do not list this certification as a requirement; if it is listed as a requirement at all, it is on Senior BA level jobs. Many BAs go on to management positions within the Information Technology departments in which they often work; however, many go on to mid-level or senior management positions in the areas of the company they worked closest with as a BA. During their tenure as a BA, they often become so knowledgeable with respect to a particular area that moving into the area itself, once the solution is implemented, is a natural progression.

Much is written on the changes in the creative and marketing areas of the music business and entertainment industry, but little is said of the operational pressures companies in the industry face today. The companies must find ways to accomplish more with fewer people and less financial resources; must ensure the infrastructure needed to support new ways of commercializing intellectual property is working efficiently and can be quickly adapted to meet ever changing needs; and must constantly improve their processes and systems in order to remain competitive. They will look to their Business Analysts to help transform them into the companies of the future.

Serona Elton is an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, in the Music Business and Entertainment Industry Program. Previously, she was the Vice-President, Mechanical Licensing and Repertoire Data Services for EMI Recorded Music, North America. She is also a licensed attorney in New York and Florida.