The Business Analyst as Doctor You go to the doctor. You complain about a problem. She asks you questions and performs tests to gather information. She observes your behavior under certain circumstances. She checks the records to see what your normal state of health is and where there are differences so she can track the conditions that cause the complaint. She creates diagrams, some from automated means, to assist her with her analysis. Then she proclaims the problem, or diagnoses it, and comes up with a treatment plan or cure. She then may turn you over to a specialist for treatment or send you to a pharmacy for pills.
Similarly a business analyst can assume the role of physician. The business analyst hears the complaints about business problems just as a doctor hears complaints about physical problems. The business analyst asks questions, conducts tests, and takes measurements to determine the real problem confronting the business and the best solution to that problem. The business analyst turns the implementation of the solution over to the specialists, the development team, to complete the cure. And like the doctor, the business analyst documents the findings, the problem and the cure  ¶ 3:09 PM