In the software development life cycle, which of the following best describes the main tasks of a Business Analyst working with a development team?

Introduction / Context:
In modern software projects, the Business Analyst plays a central role in understanding what the business needs and ensuring that the technical solution matches those needs. This role is especially important in structured software development life cycle models, where clear requirements and communication are critical. The question asks which option best summarizes the main tasks of a Business Analyst in this context.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• A software development life cycle usually includes phases such as requirements, design, development, testing, and deployment.
• Business stakeholders, such as product owners or users, may not speak technical language.
• Developers and testers need clear, structured requirements to build and validate the system.
• The Business Analyst works closely with both sides.

Concept / Approach:
The primary responsibility of a Business Analyst is to gather, analyze, and document business requirements and to communicate them in a form that both business and technical stakeholders can understand. This includes running workshops, interviews, and analysis sessions; writing requirement specifications, use cases, or user stories; clarifying priorities; and supporting acceptance criteria. The Business Analyst does not typically write production code or configure hardware, but instead focuses on understanding the problem domain and helping the team build the right solution.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Look for an option that mentions requirement gathering, documentation, and communication between stakeholders and developers. Step 2: Option a states that the Business Analyst elicits and documents business requirements, translates them into functional specifications, and acts as a bridge between stakeholders and the technical team. This aligns with standard role descriptions. Step 3: Option b describes tasks usually done by software developers and testers rather than Business Analysts. Step 4: Option c involves configuring network equipment, which belongs to network administrators or infrastructure engineers. Step 5: Option d focuses only on user interface visuals, which is more related to UX and UI design. Step 6: Option e describes administrative office work, not a Business Analyst role.

Verification / Alternative check:
Job descriptions, frameworks such as BABOK, and project management practices all emphasize that Business Analysts identify business problems and opportunities, document requirements, and help align solutions with business goals. They often create artifacts such as requirement specifications, process models, and acceptance criteria. This confirms that option a correctly reflects how Business Analysts contribute to the software development life cycle.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b confuses the Business Analyst role with that of a developer. Option c is about network operations rather than analysis. Option d narrows the role to visual design and ignores requirement work. Option e describes administrative tasks that are unrelated to business analysis.

Common Pitfalls:
A common misunderstanding is to treat Business Analysts as documentation staff only, without involving them in discovery and decision making. Another pitfall is to expect them to perform full development tasks. Recognizing that their real value lies in bridging the gap between business and technology helps teams use this role effectively.

Final Answer:
The main tasks of a Business Analyst are to elicit and document business requirements, translate them into functional specifications, and act as a bridge between stakeholders and the technical team.