My New Advanture from Tech Writer to Business Analyst

Hello from My New Adventure!

Hey there, lovely readers! It's been a little while since my last post, and for good reason! I've been completely focused on learning my new role and getting started on an exciting project.

Now, I'd like to share some of my experiences on this journey of transitioning into a Business Analyst (BA) role. My hope is that by sharing my story, I can offer some insights that might resonate with those of you who are contemplating a similar career shift or just looking for a little inspiration in your professional life.

More Context

To set the scene, let me give you a quick peek at my background.

For 6 years, I was a tech writer. My days were often spent diving deep into requirements derivation, making sure complex information was clear and accessible. Moreover, I had a chance of gathering insights from my amazing BA colleagues back then. I really enjoyed the meticulous nature of the work and the challenge of translating technical jargon into something everyone could understand.

So, when the opportunity arose to step into the business analysis field on a medical project, I didn't hesitate for a second. And and honestly, it's been more than six months now in my new role, and I haven't looked back!

Initially, I admit, I had a moment of "can I do this?". 'Cause after all, a complicated project affecting people's lives felt like a huge responsibility. But it quickly turned into something truly interesting 😊.

And that got me thinking: how can the skills one has as a tech writer actually be a superpower in the world of business analysis? So, let me share a few thoughts on this.

The Art of Asking Questions

One of the biggest takeaways from my years in tech writing was the absolute necessity of asking questions. Lots of them! Even the ones that might feel "stupid" at first. It's a crucial skill that can truly benefit your project and, ultimately, your company 100%.

And you know what? The same holds true, if not more so, for a BA. While in tech writing, the result of asking questions was translating the gained information into user-friendly language, as a BA, it's about translating business needs into clear and precise technical requirements. It's about helping everyone involved understand each other.

I simply can't overstate the value of this skill in both roles, and you can bet I'll be highlighting it at every turn.

From Detail-Oriented to Big Picture Vision

As a tech writer, you're often given a specific part of a project or a particular piece of information to work with. You become a specialist, diving deep into the nuances of that one area. Sometimes, this means you might not always see the entire picture.

For a Business Analyst, however, it's absolutely essential to see the dependencies and understand how different parts of a system affect each other. It's about making sure every piece of the project connects and helps reach the main business goal.

My experience in tech writing definitely helped me in understanding complex systems quickly, but now I'm actively working on broadening that perspective.

Negotiation

Negotiation is a skill I'm actively learning and developing in my new role. Interestingly, some tech writers I know actually play a project management role to some extent, which often involves a degree of negotiation.

Personally, I haven't had to negotiate on a daily basis in my previous role. Now, as a BA, I frequently find myself in discussions with people from different teams and with varying experiences. It's all about listening intently, understanding different perspectives, and finding common ground and solutions that work for everyone. So this often involves understanding technical constraints and team capacities.

It's a complex skill that takes a lot of effort to learn, and I'm certainly putting in the work.

Understanding the "Weird" and Wider Picture

This particular aspect of being a BA always makes me smile, or at least raises an eyebrow in recognition! In my previous role, I often heard colleagues (and sometimes even thought myself) that certain features or user requests seemed "weird," "pointless," or just plain "undefined" from a purely technical standpoint. And honestly, it's easy to see why – sometimes, on paper, a requirement can look truly abstract or unconventional.

As a tech writer, my job was to clarify these points, to make sense of them for documentation. But now, as a Business Analyst, my focus has shifted to truly understanding the bigger picture and, crucially, the business perspective behind every single decision. It's about digging deep into the "why" behind the "what," and surprisingly often, translating those seemingly odd requests into valuable functionalities.

Sometimes, what seems an overkill, often makes perfect sense.

Looking Ahead

While it's been less than a year in this new position, I'm excited to continue learning and growing on this journey. The world of business analysis is constantly evolving, and I'm eager to soak up as much as I can.

I still occasionally help out by creating architecture descriptions and other kinds of documents as a tech writer though. It's a nice way to ensure those crucial skills aren't forgotten, and it also allows me to offer support where my unique blend of experience can be most beneficial.

But most of all, I'm just so glad I took the leap and embraced this new challenge. It's incredibly rewarding to try new things, see the outcome, and contribute to projects in a different, yet equally impactful, way.

Thanks for reading, and I can't wait to share more of my adventures with you all soon 😊.