Any Systems Analysts on here?

[fLum0x]

Originally posted by: FreshPrince
I thought all systems analysts are guru oracle database guys who can take raw data and make sense out of it all...and program reports to show such data?

job descriptions and wages from salary.com

Business Systems Analyst I
Reviews, analyzes, and evaluates business systems and user needs. Formulates systems to parallel overall business strategies. May require an associate's degree in a related area and 0-2 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Has knowledge of commonly-used concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field. Relies on instructions and pre-established guidelines to perform the functions of the job. Works under immediate supervision. Primary job functions do not typically require exercising independent judgment. Typically reports to a manager.
$40,192 $44,720 $49,968

Business Systems Analyst II
Reviews, analyzes, and evaluates business systems and user needs. Formulates systems to parallel overall business strategies. Writes detailed description of user needs, program functions, and steps required to develop or modify computer programs. May require an associate's degree in a related area and 2-4 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Familiar with relational database concepts, and client-server concepts. Relies on limited experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of tasks. Works under general supervision; typically reports to a project leader or manager. A certain degree of creativity and latitude is required.
$52,064 $58,766 $66,474

Business Systems Analyst III
Reviews, analyzes, and evaluates business systems and user needs. Formulates systems to parallel overall business strategies. Writes detailed description of user needs, program functions, and steps required to develop or modify computer programs. May require a bachelor's degree in a related area and 4-6 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Familiar with relational database concepts, and client-server concepts. Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of complicated tasks. May lead and direct the work of others. May report directly to a project lead or manager. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected.
$59,885 $68,051 $77,359

Business Systems Analyst IV
Reviews, analyzes, and evaluates business systems and user needs. Formulates systems to parallel overall business strategies. Writes detailed description of user needs, program functions, and steps required to develop or modify computer programs. Requires a bachelor's degree in area of specialty and 6-8 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Familiar with a variety of the field's concepts, practices, and procedures. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of tasks. Leads and directs the work of others. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected. Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department.
$75,294 $84,373 $94,733

GIS Analyst IV
Utilizes Geographic Information System techniques to provide a better understanding of certain variables in a given geographic location. Extracts data from GIS software and uses varying analysis methods to arrive at results. Recommends appropriate reactionary strategies in response to GIS analysis. Provides maps and data sets to clients to supplement analysis. Knowledgeable of GIS software and technology. Works in conjunction with CADD drafters and technicians. Requires a bachelor's degree in area of specialty, 7-10 years of experience in the field or in a related area, and may require additional certification. Familiar with a variety of the field's concepts, practices, and procedures. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of tasks. May lead and direct the work of others. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected. Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department.
$54,859 $60,157 $65,924

interesting...i have a four year degree and i am a product engineer around level 1 ;x

 

[Descartes]

I've worked with literally hundreds of them over the years, have operated effectively as an SA on many projects, etc. You have a lot of misconceptions, so I'll just quote your post and offer a reply.

Is there anyone on here who does this or knows about it? I chatted with a systems analyst (actually, "Business Systems Analyst") at work the other day and his job sounds really neat:

People like to inflate their jobs as though it's something exciting and romantic, so take it with a grain or two of salt.

know a little about everything related to IT

Emphasis on the important point here. Most SAs know very little about the actual technology. Granted, this is mostly the point; they're not there to articulate the how; rather, more about what.

keep up to date on the latest and greatest technology

This is an extension of the above. Again, the duty of an SA has very little to do with actual technology, especially the "latest and greatest." This is the realm of the architects and developers.

figure out the best way to meet business objectives

To some degree, yes; however, by "best way" you're again implying that they know how. What they do is find out the best way to articulate what's needed so those that know how can actually do it.

come up with ideas on how to solve a problem and then make the programmers and network guys actually do the grunt work, etc.

Now you're way off base. This is embellishing the role of an SA to sound as though they're above those that "do the grunt work." SAs are, at the absolute best, a supporting role in larger development processes. They are there to articulate the flow of information between those that actually do to those that need something actually done... the business. The SAs don't make anyone do anything. The SAs produce documents and other consumables that development and whoever else can use to figure out how to actually accomplish what's necessary.

Again, it's the business that drives this effort. The SAs just transpose this drive into a format consumable by others. In a lot of environments this means a lot of JAD sessions, hundreds of use cases and other supplementary specifications, etc.

The only thing that sounded kinda iffy to me is that the systems analysts have a lot of interaction with management.

Not management; the business. Management has no role here as they serve no real purpose in the process, and it's the process in which SAs participate.

They're the "translators" between the managers and the programmers..

Precisely. In larger projects the flow of information is incredibly overwhelming. I'm consulting on a project right now with ~100 people, and I think about 20-30 of them are SAs. I'm a lead of a subteam of 10 people, and sometimes I spend all day just trying to manage the flow of information, clarify information we get from SAs because they don't understand the technology, and otherwise trying to distill what's needed into proper actions that can actually be implemented. Your use of the term "grunt work" suggests that the thought stops with the SAs, but it actually begins after the SAs deliver their initial documents much of the time. SAs have the duty of capturing, clarifying, and rectifying live consumable documents to allow everyone else to get the work done.

they understand business as well as technology.

Most of the time they know very little about the business, but this is to be expected in most projects. Granted, if you have a team of in-house SAs they'll likely understand the business as well, but in larger projects you have teams of consultants, and the only in-house people you have are BAs... business analysts. These business analysts are domain experts; they know what needs to be done and why, and it's the collaborative effort between QA, SAs, and development to actually accomplish it. Again, it's largely development that dictates technology by providing validation of what can and can not be done within the specified timeframe.

I don't know, sounds very cool for the most part.... come up with ideas, make someone else implement them, read about new technology, jack of all trades and master of none (not married to any one specific technology), figure out the best way to streamline processes and increase productivity, etc. Oh yeah, and they make an ass-load of money... at least where I work they do.

Your company might be unique. You seem to have a lofty concept of what SAs are, and in your company they might very well be; step outside of that environment and you'll be in for a surprise. I think probably 90% of what you said about an SA is untrue, and the largest misconception is what you think SAs actually do; the reality is that they do very little, but it's not their doing that ultimately makes them valuable.

 

[AMCRambler]

My title is systems analyst and that sounds about what I do except for the making the IT people and programmers do the work part. By your definition, my position is that of the IT worker and the systems analyst. If a cable needs pulling, we do it. Server assembly and setup, we do that too. Maybe at a larger company they split these jobs up, but not where I work.

 

[FoBoT]

i agree with the part where they don't do any real work, like project managers

 

[jread]

Thanks for the clarifications. Here, the Systems Analysts are very much involved in the technology and development of ways to meet business objectives. We don't have a distinction between Systems Analysts and Business Analysts... they are one in the same (Business Systems Analysts). It then breaks down to IT Managers, Network Admins, Programmers, Database Admins. and System Support (help desk basically).

 

[FreshPrince]

Originally posted by: jread

Originally posted by: FreshPrince

Originally posted by: jread

Originally posted by: FreshPrince
GIS Analyst IV
Utilizes Geographic Information System techniques to provide a better understanding of certain variables in a given geographic location. Extracts data from GIS software and uses varying analysis methods to arrive at results. Recommends appropriate reactionary strategies in response to GIS analysis. Provides maps and data sets to clients to supplement analysis. Knowledgeable of GIS software and technology. Works in conjunction with CADD drafters and technicians. Requires a bachelor's degree in area of specialty, 7-10 years of experience in the field or in a related area, and may require additional certification. Familiar with a variety of the field's concepts, practices, and procedures. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of tasks. May lead and direct the work of others. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected. Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department.
$54,859 $60,157 $65,924

That's a load of crap! That's what our Senior Analysts do and they barely even make $40k per year.

then you're working for the wrong company?

Possibly. I work for local government in Texas, which isn't as high-paying as many other states, so that may explain the average being off. Still, that seems really high for any GIS profession other than management.

Still, systems analysis is more interesting to me overall considering the wide variety of technology that you get to work with.

note also that the tile is the 4th level GIS worker...

if you do all that, then you are working at the 4th level, but your company may be paying you a 2nd level GIS position...which happens in all companies. at which point, the only logical next step is to move on to a company that has a 4th level GIS opening, at which point, you can ask for that kind of money...otherwise, you're stuck at what you're being paid now.

I don't encourage jumping around myself because I have a degree of loyalty and to this date, my resume has NOT been updated since I took this job 5 years ago.

 

[jread]

Originally posted by: FreshPrince
I don't encourage jumping around myself because I have a degree of loyalty and to this date, my resume has NOT been updated since I took this job 5 years ago.

I'm the same way. I stayed at my first place of employment for 3-years and have been with my current one for 6-years.