Discuss the Importance of Teamwork for the Systems Analyst A systems analyst is in charge of the operating system and associated subsystems. In addition, he is responsible for identifying alternatives for optimizing computer resources. This necessitates a joint action with other persons, whether they are internal clients or external. If the system analyst carries out efficient teamwork, and harmonizes the contributions of all clients towards an agreed objective, his efficiency will be far greater than individual accomplishment. Teamwork refers to the mutual effort by a group of persons for achieving a common goal.
On the other hand the system analyst designs new IT systems to ameliorate business efficiency and productivity. The systems analyst need to present their designs to clients and once the design is approved; they work closely with the user team to launch the solution. To achieve this, the systems analyst needs to work closely with the customers, examine the business model being currently used by the business and the flow of information in the organization. His findings are discussed again with the customer team and he devises an apposite improved IT based solution.
During his work, the system analyst also draws up the outline of the new system, finds out and estimates the cost and specifies how the client will use the information. At each of these steps the systems analyst is required to team up with the potential users and use such a teamwork behavior that will lead to better performance (U. S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006). The systems analyst usually has to evaluate and study the organizational culture of the client, he has to assess and understand the preferences of the team members of the client and review the current circumstances of the client organization.
This is important for the systems analyst to liaison widely with the external or internal clients. For example, the systems analyst may have to liaison with the systems dealers to get the cost estimate correct and he has to liaison with the company managers to assess their needs correctly. The systems analyst has to translate client requirements into highly complex and detailed project briefs. This effort would not be possible unless he collaborated extensively with the users. This requires teamwork. Teamwork is also important because the systems analyst is often required to draw up proposals for modified or replacement systems.
In addition, he is required to create logical and innovative solutions to complex problems. What the systems analyst is required to do is to identify options for potential solutions and evaluating them for both technical and business suitability. To draw up proposals for modified or replacement systems, teamwork is required to ascertain the preferences of the user team members. Further, to come up with logical and innovative solutions, the systems analyst must be able to get feedback from people outside the team.
In short the systems analyst must be able to join forces with outside and inside people to successfully complete his project. While dealing with the client, the systems analyst must be able to get a wide range of views from the staff, peer groups, customers and senior management of the client organization, He must be able to take a wide outlook when he is setting behavioral goals for themselves. The systems analyst should improve the quality of these goals by joining forces the users and developers so that there is technical compatibility as well as client satisfaction.
This co-ordination role of the systems analyst requires a high degree of teamwork. It is the responsibility of the systems analyst to ensure that the budgets are not exceeded and the deadlines are adhered to. In order to achieve these goals the systems analyst needs to identify and manage conflicting expectations of different person and even groups. For instance, he must be able to manage the conflict between the user requirements and budgetary constraints. In addition, he must be able to initiate and harmonize the dialogues between different groups, for example the client management and developers (U. S.
Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006). In practice the systems analyst needs to research, plan, maintain, troubleshoot, configure, install and upgrade operating systems. In addition, in several organizations he is required to troubleshoot, maintain, install, plan and upgrade hardware and software interfaces with the operating system. For this he needs to analyze and interpret the current or planned business procedures or problems. The system analyst needs to work independently as well as work towards the team goals of maintaining the operating systems as well as the systems in excellent condition.
Moreover, he needs to understand the goals of the system users and meet their expectation. The users of the system should feel a sense of ownership towards the systems that they are using. They should feel committed to the systems that they have helped to create. This feeling can only be created if there is teamwork between the systems analyst and the users. The users of the system should collaborate with the systems analyst to use their abilities and knowledge to contribute to the success of the system. There are a number of routine tasks that a systems analyst needs to perform in the due course of his work.
For example, he has to work with technical staff, such as networking to put into operation connectivity and compatibility among systems. Even for these tasks teamwork is very important. Moreover, teamwork is required of the systems analyst for assisting personnel of other departments in matters related to information technology, training new recruits in the use of computer resources and providing information technology orientation to new recruits. The systems analyst must gain the trust of all the users he is dealing with; only then will they express their opinion, conflicting views and enquiries.
A systems analyst must make a sincere effort to be upright, truthful and honest. He should have active listening skills. He should aim towards participative decision-making and resolve problems constructively. Teamwork has become an important part of the job specification of a systems analyst and many organizations evaluate the teamwork skills when recruiting a systems analyst. Most systems analysts realize that teamwork is important because either the system is sufficiently complex that it takes a team with multiple skills to design, and a better system will result when a team approach is adopted.
In short it is important that systems analysts learn to work in a team environment so that they will have teamwork skills so important for their jobs. To sum teamwork is very important for the systems analyst. He is required to regularly collect information, examine and evaluate current or planned systems. Each of these actions requires interaction with individuals and teaming up with diverse individuals. Even in his regular and mechanical responsibilities he needs to meet with people and get them involved in the IT process. Finally, even in case of multifarious support duties that are assigned to him, collaboration is essential.
