Being a Business Analyst?

**Ini draft tulisan Bundo buat bahan Motivation Letter** 

I once read a paper about Comparative Studies of Software Engineering Approaches and astonished by the quote,“Is software development an engineering discipline? Are software developer engineers or craftsmen?"

Software developers not only build software merely to fulfill the requirement with the lowest cost (just like craftsmen). Moreover, they need to adopt engineering approaches such as established methodologies, tools, standards, management methods as well as quality assurance. Furthermore, in the development of large-scale project, software developers seeking to result in high productivity, low cost, controllable quality and measureable development schedule. 

Currently, software development is evolving from the laboratory-oriented and all-round-programmer-based practice to an industry-oriented and process-based platform, and software developers are experiencing changes of roles from craftsmen to regulated professionals software engineers. The practices of the former are based on personal talents, tastes and art, while those of the latter are based on disciplined processes and repeatable professional activities. Talking about software engineering stages, we recognize some important phases; those are envisioning, analysis, design, build and development, testing, and maintenance. Analysis stage plays a very critical role in software development phases. It identifies business needs and determining solutions to business problems. Ideally, all of the IT project in any organization should be analyzed in depth by a competent business analyst before it goes to the design and development phases. 

Solutions by the business analysts not only include a system development component, but should also consist of process improvement, organizational change or strategic planning and policy development.  IT business analysts in any organization should generate, at least, 6 kinds of deliverables; those are technology analysis, information analysis, user analysis, risk analysis, cost analysis and the impact of product implementation to the business process in respective organizations. The successful performance of a business analyst depends on technical skills (such as sufficient programming skills, modeling skills to produce business object models, conceptual data models, process models etc) and large part of soft skills (such as analytical skills, observational skills, organizational and time management skills, negotiating skills). 

Fortunately, after completing my undergraduate study, I always work in software engineering related fields, which I found it challenging and fascinating. I have involved in many software engineering projects in current institution and in my previous company in Singapore, but not taking a great part in the analysis stage. I find the dynamics of the life and work in software engineering process and I have an ambition to be the part of IT business analyst team in current institution. In order to achieve that, I need to fill the gaps between what I have done and what in the future I want to become. I feel that I am still lack of the theories and practices I should have in this challenging field. One of the ways to fill the gap is by pursuing my education to the next degree. Master of Management and Information Systems is the best option for this condition and it is needed in this institution because of the following reasons:

1. Master of Management and Information Systems comprises of syllabus and course contents that address issues of technology-based innovation, organizational change and information systems management. This allows students to support their theoretical understanding with a strong practical experience of the pressures and difficulties of systems development today;
2. It will improve education and competencies in management and information system in this institution;
3. By pursuing my postgraduate degree in this field, I will fill the Masters of Management and Information Systems scarcity and strengthen the establishment of Information Technology in this institution;
4. I will strengthen the sustainable development of information system strategic planning in this institution.

Considering all factors above, I believe that the chosen study will benefit xxxxxxx in general. I consider myself to be a good candidate for many reasons. I am young, energetic, hardworking, visionary, and motivated person who believes that I can do something for the benefit of my office to which I have been working. I did my best with all maximum efforts I could give for my institution. But this is not enough. Frankly, I am not satisfied yet with what I did. I believe that I can do much better if I am trained and developed through a Master of Management and Information Systems.