Day in the life: What does a business intelligence analyst do?

Organizations are embracing business intelligence (BI). According to a 360Suite Business Intelligence Survey, more than a quarter of all organizations worldwide have adopted BI practices. That number increases with size: more than 80% with at least 5,000 employees integrate BI into their strategy and planning. In short, the larger the organization, the more likely it is to adopt BI techniques and the more thoroughly integrated those techniques are across functions.

If you’re considering a career focused on helping organizations make data-driven decisions, a role in business intelligence analysis could be an excellent fit for you. What does a business intelligence analyst do? This article explores that question, emphasizing the skills and expertise required for success in the field. You can develop your BI acumen by earning a Master of Science in Information Management (MSIM) at the University of Washington. 

What is a business intelligence analyst?

BI analysts help organizations make better decisions. They use centralized company data combined with robust analytics tools to identify areas for improvement and recommend strategic action. 

BI analysts generally sit within a company’s BI, analytics or information technology (IT) team. They typically report to BI or data analytics leadership or executives, such as the Chief Information Officer (CIO).They often collaborate with product managers, data engineers and BI developers.

According to ONET data, BI analyst employment should grow by 9% through 2033, a significantly faster rate than for the job market as a whole. BI analysts work across industries; top employers include health care, technical services, finance and insurance, and manufacturing. 

Core projects and responsibilities of a business intelligence analyst 

The day-to-day responsibilities of BI analysts include: 

• Strategic collaboration: BI analysts work closely with different departments to understand their data needs and objectives. This collaboration ensures that the insights generated align with the organization’s overall goals. For example, a marketing or sales team might enlist a BI analyst to help segment customer data for targeted campaigns. Product teams may want to analyze the performance of new products or features. 
• Data collection and integration: After they identify business needs, BI analysts gather the data they need from various sources, such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platforms and data warehouses. Once they’ve collected the data, they clean and prepare their datasets for analysis. 
• Performance monitoring: BI analysts track and evaluate key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics, trends and targets to assess the effectiveness of business initiatives.
• Data analysis and insight generation: BI analysts use analytical tools and statistical techniques to uncover trends, patterns and valuable insights within the data. They consider historical trends and conduct root-cause analyses to identify patterns, anomalies and performance bottlenecks. They then use this information to build data models, forecast future outcomes and develop actionable recommendations based on these predictions. 
• Reporting and visualization: A key responsibility of BI analysts is to present their findings clearly and compellingly to drive strategic conversations. They develop dynamic dashboards and visualizations using tools like Tableau, Power BI or Looker. They also build data stories and reports tailored to the goals of specific audiences, such as executives, marketing teams and operations managers.
• Decision support: Based on their analyses, BI analysts provide recommendations to support various business functions, such as marketing strategies, product development and resource allocation. Their insights can significantly impact organizational performance and efficiency.
• Continuous improvement and automation: BI analysts constantly look for ways to improve and automate their organization’s data collection and reporting processes. They might work on projects dedicated to automating manual reporting processes using tools or scripts, such as Python and SQL, or initiatives to enhance data collection systems or analytics processes. 
• Quality assurance: BI analysts monitor processes and conduct validation checks to ensure their work is thorough and accurate.

The skills you need to thrive in business intelligence 

BI analysts need a combination of technical and professional skills to understand and interpret data and convey their findings to stakeholders. 

Technical skills BI analysts need

The technical competencies that business intelligence analysts need are closely related to the data science field. Critical skills include: 

• Proficiency in programming languages commonly used for data manipulation, like SQL and Python.
• Expertise in using tools like Tableau and Power BI to create dashboards, reports and data visualizations. 
• An understanding of business systems and data warehousing principles to understand how data is organized and accessed for reporting purposes.
• A grasp of emerging tools such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Professional skills needed for a successful BI career

BI analysts rely on interpersonal skills to succeed in the workforce. Key professional skills include: 

• Critical thinking and problem-solving: BI professionals must possess strong critical thinking and analytical skills to evaluate data, identify trends and discern actionable insights. They also often come across complex issues that require creative problem-solving to overcome. 
• Communication and storytelling: BI analysts utilize written and verbal communication skills to convey their findings and insights to business stakeholders. They also need storytelling skills to craft compelling narratives around data findings that drive action.  
• Collaboration and teamwork: BI analysts frequently work with cross-functional teams, including IT, marketing, finance and operations. Strong collaboration skills enable them to align data initiatives with broader business objectives and foster a cooperative work environment.
• Adaptability: BI analysts must be flexible in their approaches and open to adjusting to changing business needs and evolving project requirements.

How the UW’s MSIM program prepares aspiring BI analysts 

The UW’s MSIM program offers a Business Intelligence specialization designed to equip students with the skills and expertise for a career in BI analytics. The BI specialization is available in both residential and online modalities. 

Curriculum and skills development 

The MSIM BI specialization covers a comprehensive curriculum including data science principles, foundational BI concepts and techniques, and industry-relevant technical tools. Students also gain hands-on experience with BI platforms through assignments and internships and during their Capstone and Practicum projects, where they are challenged to solve real-world problems using business intelligence skills.

UW MSIM Class of ’22 alum Marquisha Hicks notes that she was able to pivot from a developer role to BI analytics due to the skills she learned in the program. “[Before enrolling in the MSIM program], I didn’t have a full understanding of what data can do. I was a developer; I was just using data to create applications. Now, I can use data to make decisions.” As a result, she says, she “was able to leverage the skills from my MSIM degree into a promotion at work. I got the job because of the questions I asked about their data warehouse, my knowledge of business intelligence and how I communicated the benefits of producing data visualizations for their stakeholders.” 

Career services

The UW also assists its online and residential students in finding employment in their chosen field. Students have access to one-on-one advising, help with general job search strategies, resume and cover letter workshops, interview advice and more. 

Throughout the MSIM program, students can connect with their peers and faculty members, enabling them to build a robust professional network. Professional networks serve as valuable resources for discovering new job opportunities and keeping informed about industry trends.  

Embarking on a career in business intelligence 

BI analysts work in a dynamic environment where they’re constantly challenged to help companies and departments optimize their performance and plan for future success. To thrive in this environment, individuals need the right mix of skills and specialized knowledge. 

If you want to advance your BI career or pivot into the field, consider how the UW’s MSIM program can help you achieve your goals. Contact an enrollment advisor today to learn more about the UW MSIM Business Intelligence specialization and your residential and online modality options.