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Career Definition of a Requirements Analyst
Requirements analysts form a bridge between clients and software developers. Their job is to fully understand the needs of the client who is ordering software. They must ensure they know exactly how the client needs the software to function and what kind of tasks they must be able to perform. This can involve interviewing professionals who work for the company ordering the software and assessing the current computer system that the company has.
Once they have a clear understanding of the client's needs they prepare a report. This is used to provide a framework to the software developers who will create the program. They create a set of guidelines for the product. As software developers begin to write the program code, requirements analysts stay involved to ensure that the work is meeting the identified needs of the client. They make sure that when the software is delivered that it will meet client expectations.
|Educational Requirements||Bachelor's degree|
|Job Skills||Communication skills, analytical skills, computer skills, investigative skills, organizational skills, customer service skills, interpersonal skills|
|Mean Salary (2017)*||$82,211|
|Job Outlook (2016-2026)**||9% (computer occupations, all other)|
Sources: *Glassdoor; **U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The minimum amount of education required to become a requirements analyst is a bachelor's degree. This career can be pursued following studies in a number of fields. Concentrating on a major in business can be one option. Since strong computer skills are an asset some individuals may opt to study computer science. It can also be beneficial to have a range of knowledge related to the software needs in different fields, so pursuing studies in accounting or healthcare management may also help prepare individuals for this career.
Requirements analysts must be able to communicate effectively with customers so they need to have strong customer service skills and communication skills. They also need strong written communication skills to produce project guidelines. Organizational skills are important because they need to be able to evaluate project progress and ensure that the project is progressing as expected. Analytical skills are needed to evaluate information, and requirements analysts also need to have research skills to ensure they have a complete picture of the client's software needs. Since they work with computer programming professionals they also need to have strong computer skills.
Career Outlook and Salary
Requirements analysts are part of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) listing titled 'computer occupations, all other'. From 2016 to 2026 this career field should see job growth of 9%, which is as fast as the average for all occupations during the same time period. Glassdoor indicates that in 2017, requirements analysts enjoyed an average annual income of $82,211.
There are many careers in information technology that may appeal to individuals who are interested in becoming a requirements analyst. Through the links provided here information about some career options that require comparable skills or involve some similar duties can be accessed.