Information Systems College of Business Administration University of Missouri - St. Louis

Information Systems Analysis
Important Analyst Skills

Abla Al-Habsi

- Computer skills

- Comunication skills

- Skills of how to manage working in a team

Scott Ballard

-ability to communicate

-a self motivated employee

-the documentation skills to do the job right.

Nimesh Bhakta

-good oral and written communications

-Ability to work in a team environment

-Experience in Computers, and the ability to program in many languages such as C++, Cobol, Java, etc,. is a plus

Jennifer Blum

-both verbal and written communication skills

-the ability to work as an individual and in groups

-the ability to integrate computing systems with the business aspects of the company

Robert Bull

-communication skills

-technical skills

-ability to manage less experienced individuals

Mark Donnelly

-After charting the information in the want ads, the results show that excellent verbal and written communication skills are a must for anyone wishing to pursue a career as a systems analyst. He or she also needs to be able to cooperate and get along with others while thriving in a team-oriented environment. A systems analyst needs to analyze and solve problems in an efficient manner so as to achieve results and meet deadlines. He or she should be able to mentally handle having several projects to monitor simultaneously, while possessing the ability to organize, prioritize, and show initiative in attacking the problem at hand. Technical expertise and attention to detail are also critical.

-The skills desired in these ads are consistent with those mentioned in the book:

-1. Analytical

-2. Technical

-3. Management

-4. Interpersonal

-The authors deem interpersonal skills as most important, but they include effective written and oral communication under that category.

-The following chart is not as neat as my excel version, but I think it can still be followed:

TYPE OF SKILL(S)	# of "HITS"
verbal & written communication / prepare documentation / train others in lay terms	44
interpersonal / ability to get along with others & work well in a team	28
results oriented / meet deadlines / maintain calm approach with multiple tasks	17
ability to solve problems creatively / strong analysis skills	17
attention to detail	13
ability to work independently / self-starter	11
technical aptitude	10
organization skills	7
leadership / sense of professionalism	6
flexible / able to adapt to change	5
ability to "sell" concepts and ideas / negotiate	5
motivated / an eager and quick learner	5
customer oriented	4
positive attitude / ability to build morale in others	3
ability to interview and listen to others	3
presentation skills	3
good judgment	3
facilitation approach toward management	3
participative style of management	2

Carmen Douglas

-Analytical Skills; able to understand the function, and problem

-Management Skills; manage projects, and resources

-Interpersonal Skills; help work with end users as well as with others

Michael Fague

-Interpersonal Skills. "Excellent written and verbal communication skills."

-Analytical Skills.  "Creative problem solving abilities."

-Management Skills.  "Strong organizational skills.  ...the ability to handle multiple responsibilities and to adapt quickly to shifting priorities.  Demonstrate leadership and professionalism."

John Gong

-Communicate well with others. To explain and present problems and solutions clear and to the point.

-Open mind (creativity). To see problems from different angles and find different ways to solve them.

-Ability to coordinate team projects. As most of the system analysis require team work, so it's very important to work well with others.

Jason Grover

-Good Communication Skills

-Ability to work independently

-Knowledge in the technical applications being used.

Matthew Hanlon

-I feel the three most important skills a systems analyst must posses would be interpersonal communication, problem solving capabilities, and experience with past systems.  A systems analyst must posses good interpersonal communication skills because they must be able to converse back and forth with the client over what the problem is and how to go about finding the best solution.  This is the point where good problem solving skills come into play.  In order to find the best possible solution, the systems analyst will have to define the problem and come up with a way to solve it that is most beneficial to everyone.  Experience with past systems further reinforces the ability to find the best possible solution.  One can look at what they have done in the past and compare it to what they have to do currently.  This skill is obviously recieved the longer one works as a systems analyst, but you can not start at the top.

Jamie Hoag

-The three most important skills that a system analysis should have are the same for any company. They should first and foremost have people skills. You have to be able to work with a variety of people and be able to work in teams. You should be an assertive person also. A good systems analysis should be able to take initiative and do things without being told. Also this person should have good reasoning and problem solving skills. These are all things that should be within the person naturally along with the actual computer skills necessary to analyze systems for a client.

Ben Joseph

-are ability to work well with others,

-good communication skills,

-the ability to ask the right questions

Michael Knittel

-communication,

-people skills,

-a good knowledge base, to make it easier to learn new systems

Miwa Kubota

-Strong problem analyzing and solving skills

-Familiarity with a wide range of technology

-Excellent verbal and written communication skills.  

Michael Kushins

-good people/communication skills

-self motivated

-able to work in groups

Shawn Lamper

-a degree

-a strong interpersonal skills / communication skills,

-understanding of the business world or problem at hand.

Qiongjin Lin

- Communication skill: Ability to communicate with clients and coworkers is a very important step for a systems analysis to success on the job.

-Work independently: Most of the time, systems analysis need to work at home or outside of office to finish up the projects. Strong independent worker will ensure the completion and quality of the projects.

-Knowledge of technology: Technology changes so quickly that there is almost a major improvement in technology every month. Ability to follow up new technology is also one of the most important skills that a system analysis must have

Penny Littlefield

-ability to keep track of multiple projects,

-ability to journal detailed progress notes,

-being able to maintain good communication with other team members.

Scott Moore

-Communication, one must be able to communicate to his fellow workers and especially with the cliental. Communication also works with teamwork.

-The ability to work alone is a trait I have noticed a lot of employers are suddenly looking for in a person. Self guidance is important so you don't have to ask a question every 20 seconds, although asking questions is important.

-Knowledge, without knowledge one doesn't have a direction on where to go. The more you know the more dangerous and more valuable you are to everybody.

Erica Mueller

-Judging by various ads as well as class discussion, it seems that the most important skill for a systems analyst to have would be the ability to communicate effectively; this includes good "people skills." The old stereotype of IT professionals being recluses who rarely interact with others obviously does not apply the to reality. Many other professions also need to have people who can work well with others including social workers, nurses, and salespersons; obviously this is not just a systems analysis skill. Another very important skill would have to be knowledge or at very least familiarity with the systems to be analyzed; often job ads ask for many years experience in specific types of data knowledge. The third most important skill for a systems analyst relates to the second skill; a systems analyst would have to keep up with the technology he or she is analyzing, so he or she would have to be a quick learner and have the willingness to learn. These three skills among others would be essential to anyone desiring to go into the field of information technology, not just systems analysis.

Stacy Peters

-good analytical, interpersonal and communication skills.

-responsive and proactive to solution management and issue resolution.

-Excellent written and verbal communication and one who works well in a team enivronment.

Christine Pinkerton

-Team Player: ability to coordinate activities and work in a team environment; acts as a team member by providing information and support to team efforts

-Strong Communication: verbal and written communication skills

-Attention To Detail: analyzing

Katie Pitlyk

-Be able to work in a team;

-Communication (both written and verbal) skills;

-Problem-Solving skills

Gregory Prost

-experience with team building and intrapersonal skills,

-strong technical skills and implementation,

-knowledge of the systems that you'll be working with

Dominic Puleo

-Everyone is looking for someone with a BA or better in a computer-related field, strong communication and coordination skills, and at least 2 to 4 years experience of applications software development

Kathryn Rebe

-strong interpersonal skills (able to work well with others)

-good communication skills (able to give presentations and write documentation)

-able to ask the questions needed to understand the entire scope of the project.

Richard Reeder

-Communication - both analytical and interpersonal skills

-The skill of being proficient in at least one program language such as, SQL, UNIX, C, C++.

-Leadership qualities.

Michael Robb

-communication skills,

-group skills,

-expertise of the product or industry you are analyzing.

Priti Singh

-the ability to communicate well in a team-like setting

-being able to have excellent interpersonal skills,

-having a great amount of knowledge of the field/business.

Christopher Staggs

-Written and oral communication skills.

-Being able to work efficiently with others as a group (interpersonal skills).

-Leadership skills.

Brian Sundberg

-Be able to identify  problems;

-Have good communication skills;

-Be able to work independent of others

David Tanner

- experience or exposure to a wide range of software and hardware;

-excellent people and communication skills;

-self discipline to work without supervision.

Gregory Vest

-communication skills (verbal and written),

-independently motivated,

-knowledge of information systems and systems analysis

Jason Witte

-being able to communicate

-work independently

-be a good evaluator.

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