What does a systems analyst do?

Systems analysts are problem solvers - they work closely with other departments in a business to identify opportunities for improvement by implementing technical solutions. Unlike their systems administrator counterparts, systems analysts are not hands-on with technology. Rather, systems analysts provide a point of liaison between technicians and non-technical staff like project managers. A large portion of their work revolves around analysing and documenting current processes, formulating proposals for new systems and reviewing the new systems for areas of improvement. They also frequently assist with the development of training resources and documentation of new systems, as well as providing decision making and cost-analysis to project-oriented activities.

Tasks:

  • Reviewing and documenting business systems
  • Liaising with IT vendors and service providers
  • Advising on IT components within projects
  • Developing and testing new systems
  • Attending conferences to learn new available technologies

What skills do I need to be a systems analyst?

Systems analysts are often called upon to explain technical concepts to non-technical people, and therefore benefit greatly from good communications skills. They are often instrumental as advisors on ICT-related issues in both IT focussed and non-IT focussed projects. An understanding of project management can be helpful, but is not mandatory. Having specialised technical training can also help when dealing with other technicians during implementation and development of IT systems.

Skills/attributes
  • Decision making
  • Extensive knowledge of available business technologies
  • Ability to work individually or as a team member
  • Exceptional written and oral communication skills
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Specialisations

System analysts exist for almost every specialist area in ICT. As with any ICT role, technical support and helpdesk jobs are a great starting place where you can learn about the range of technologies used in business today. Many systems analysts advance from support roles to specialist positions such as network engineering or systems administration, before becoming analysts.

Network Analysts

Network Analysts use their extensive knowledge of communications and network technologies to advise on the best network configurations and hardware for a business to use. They are frequently called upon to help scale-up a company’s network capacity as the business grows.

Applications Systems Analyst

Applications Systems Analysts look closely at the ways in which users and external clients interact with software and applications. Using advanced data gathering and analysis techniques, they can provide extensive insights into efficiencies that may be gained by liaising with software development teams to create new business applications.

IT Security Analyst

IT security is a rapidly growing field, and security analysts are in high demand. These systems analysts often work closely with systems administrators to monitor security infrastructure within a company. They also analyse security logs and data to identify trends which help combat offensive actions against a company’s systems.

Study pathways for systems analysts

Industry certifications and professional memberships go a long to way to show that you are able to stay up-to-date with the latest technologies. Tertiary qualifications are favourable, however on-the-job experience is priceless in demonstrating capacity in both technology and business aspects of systems analysis.

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Getting Started

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Skill Building

Technology changes rapidly, it’s important to choose an up-to-date course to understand current IT problems

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Professional Development

Learn techniques and approaches to problem-solving within an ICT context.

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Industry Recognition

Formal registration to work as a systems analyst is not required, however having extensive training on industry leading equipment and software will greatly help you secure employment as well as establish your professional network.

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Getting a job after graduation

Put your training to good use and get the best professional head start in your information technology career. Emphasise your personal strengths and achievements in your resume and target your cover letter to the job description listed.

Job Prospects and Salaries

The number of jobs in systems analysis is expected to grow strongly over the next few years, with plenty of new opportunities to work in most regions around Australia, in a widening variety of industries.

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