Systems
Analyst - education and careers
Expand your horizons – start a
career as a Computer Systems Analyst
Systems analysts solve business
problems and utilize computer technology to meet
individual
requirements of an organization. They help an organization realize the
maximum benefit from its investment in equipment, personnel, and
business
processes. This may include planning and developing new
computer systems or
devising ways to enhance existing computer
applications.
Systems Analysts begin an assignment by discussing
the systems problem with
managers and users to determine the
business requirements. They define the goals
of the system and
divide the solutions into individual steps and separate
procedures. Analysts use techniques such as structured analysis, data
modeling,
information engineering, mathematical model building,
sampling, and cost
accounting to plan the system. They specify
the inputs to be accessed by the
system, design the processing
steps, and format the output to meet the users’
needs. They also
may prepare cost-benefit and return-on-investment analyses to
help management decide whether implementing the proposed system will
be
financially feasible.
When a system is accepted,
systems analysts determine what computer hardware
and software
will be needed for implementation. They coordinate testing and
observe initial use of the system to ensure it meets the business
requirements. They
prepare specifications, work diagrams, and
structure charts for computer
programmers to follow and then work
with them to "debug," or eliminate errors from
the
system.
A bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite for many Systems
Analyst jobs. Some positions
may require only a 2-year degree.
Relevant work experience also is very important.
For more
advanced positions, majors in Information Technology, Information
Systems or graduate degrees are preferred.
There are numerous
technical institutions offering specialized training for Systems
Analysts. Many of these schools partner with software vendors and
offer graduates
industry standard certifications such as MCSD - Microsoft
Certified Solution
Developer, and MCAD - Microsoft Certified
Application Developer.
Advance your career and turn your dreams
into reality as information technology
professional. Your future
starts today as a Systems Analyst.
