In business analysis, what is the difference between the role of a Business Analyst and the role of a System Analyst in an information systems project?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests understanding of two very common roles in information systems projects, namely the Business Analyst and the System Analyst. In practice, titles sometimes overlap, but conceptually they focus on different aspects of the same change initiative. Knowing how they differ helps exam candidates and professionals understand who does what in the requirements and solution design phases.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The context is an information systems or software development project.
• A Business Analyst is concerned with business problems, stakeholders, and value.
• A System Analyst is concerned with technical systems and solution details.
• Both roles collaborate during requirements and design phases.

Concept / Approach:
The Business Analyst is primarily a bridge between business stakeholders and the delivery team. This role focuses on understanding business goals, processes, policies, and pain points, and then defining clear, testable business requirements. The System Analyst, on the other hand, interprets these business requirements and converts them into structured technical artefacts such as system use cases, interface specifications, database requirements, and integration diagrams. The Business Analyst speaks the language of the business, while the System Analyst translates that language into the language of systems and technology.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the core responsibility of a Business Analyst as understanding and articulating the business problem and desired outcomes.Step 2: Note that the Business Analyst works heavily with stakeholders, workshops, process models, and business rules.Step 3: Identify the core responsibility of a System Analyst as documenting how the information system must behave to meet those business requirements.Step 4: Recognise that the System Analyst turns high level business needs into technical deliverables such as field level specifications, interface contracts, and logic descriptions.Step 5: Compare the options and select the one that correctly states this relationship, which is option A.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard business analysis frameworks and many job descriptions describe the Business Analyst as focusing on requirements from a business perspective, while System Analysts and solution designers focus on technical detail. Even when one person plays both roles, the conceptual split still exists, which confirms the correctness of the chosen option.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B incorrectly reverses the nature of the work and presents unrealistic responsibilities. Option C is wrong because neither role is limited to testing or marketing. Option D is incorrect because, although some organisations blend the titles, the underlying responsibilities are not identical and are clearly differentiated in theory and in many companies.

Common Pitfalls:
A common misconception is that a Business Analyst must always be non technical and that a System Analyst has no contact with business stakeholders. In reality, both may have overlapping skills, but their focus and deliverables are different. Another pitfall is assuming that every project needs completely separate people in each role; in small teams, one person may wear both hats but still needs to understand the distinction in order to work effectively.

Final Answer:
A Business Analyst focuses on understanding business needs and processes, while a System Analyst translates those requirements into detailed technical system specifications and designs.