Legacy systems can become company security blankets. They may be worn and somewhat dysfunctional but they're familiar.

Digital transformations can upgrade a company's capabilities — and in some cases, they can increase its market share. These projects, however, are thorny by design: Plenty of stakeholders and teams are involved, and timelines can be tight.

A business analyst can step in to lead these critical legacy system updates. A BA’s background in data analysis, combined with expertise in defining needs and recommending solutions, makes these professionals both ready and willing to tackle the work. 

Analysis Starts the Process

Legacy systems are often defined as ancient and crumbling. But legacies come in many shapes and sizes, writes D.J. Wardynski, president of software development consulting firm Brainspire Solutions. When a system is no longer supported or maintained by its developer and can't be updated, it's part of a legacy. Some are only a year old.

A business analyst's background in research can be critical in drawing a transformation roadmap.

What Are Competitors Doing?

Companies that remain committed to older systems may be outpaced by their core competitors. Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, chatbots and augmented reality are some of the advanced technologies legacy systems may not support, according to the team at European IT solutions delivery center ScaleFocus.

Business analysts are adept at market research. Their insights can help the team determine those innovations required to stay relevant. BAs may also help company leaders spot technologies that seem promising but don't actually support core company functions. That perspective could keep executives from wasting money on ineffective solutions.

What New Markets Are Available?

Digital transformations often seem like projects made to help a company do the same thing in a new way. But a digital transformation can also help companies both recognize and enter new markets, writes business analyst Jamie Champagne.

A BA could identify a new use for a technology the company needs to complete a core function. For example, when a bank moves to online-only forms for security purposes, could consumers open accounts via their phones? Analysis could also help companies spot new potential customers. If banks offer mobile accounts, could they reach a younger clientele?

What Level of Transformation is Appropriate?

There are many ways to tackle a digital transformation. For some companies, a quick fix is crucial. They accomplish this by patching smaller problems with processes, applications or new code, writes RTS Labs. Others just aren't satisfied until the system works in a completely different way on a new platform.

Problem-solving is a core strength of a BA, and that skill can be put to good use at the start of transformation projects.

"They must be able to observe a problem from different angles within the business, including a target user and that of a technical expert. In such circumstances, an ability to work in a collaborative environment with an ongoing discussion with developers is obligatory. This is where technically viable solutions are discovered," writes the team at technology and solution consulting company Altexsoft.

For example, collaboration with the IT team could help a BA discover that a patch would lead to a catastrophic shutdown in a year or two. An examination of the company's marketing plans could highlight an expansion to a new market, planned for that same moment. In a situation like this, the benefits of a total transformation become clear.

Set the Schedule for Transformation

With the scope of the project defined, BAs can turn to matters of scheduling. The work they do here can ensure the team is aware of deadlines and deliverables. The project management framework defines how teams collaborate and communicate with one another.

Most transformations involve a slow process in which each system is replaced in a sort of mirror version of the current, and then everything is replaced with the flip of a switch. That can lead to disaster if the flip doesn't go well, writes agile software developer and consultant Nick McKenna.

If the project isn't time-sensitive, a BA could build a waterfall schedule with plenty of stakeholder feedback, testing phases and quality assurance steps. That could, in theory, ensure that the move from one system to another goes as smoothly as possible.

Business analysts can also draw on their knowledge of other project management frameworks to find a solution that suits a company a bit better.

In their discussion paper for the International Institute of Business Analysis, Kevin Brennan and Jas Phul suggest agile concepts can be critical in a digital transformation. Teams work quickly, with plenty of feedback from real users, and innovate based on that data. For projects that include a tight turnaround, this could be an ideal approach.

Several Stakeholders Play a Part

On paper, a business analyst may have only one supervisor. But in a massive project like a digital transformation, plenty of stakeholders are involved. And a BA is adept at communicating with all of them.

According to front-end engineer Max Holland and Olga Veretskaya at software development company Anadea, the business analyst works as the chief organizer of a digital transformation project. When team members need to know how something can or should work, they head to the BA for answers.

IT Teams

Mary K. Pratt and Sarah K. White at CIO define the business analyst role this way: "Business analysts (BAs) are responsible for bridging the gap between IT and the business using data analytics to assess processes, determine requirements and deliver data-driven recommendations and reports to executives and stakeholders."

A BA doesn't always need coding skills, but can and should communicate freely with their dev teams to ensure core business needs are met as the project moves forward. A BA can also step in when the dev team makes a decision based on technology.

"Usually, the business needs will dictate which set of tasks take priority over the others, although there comes a point where you have to tell them what you can focus on," explains senior software engineer Milecia McGregor.

In digital teams, developers often work in teams. They could collaborate to set core functions and determine critical tasks. But developers often aren't qualified or ready to collect input from stakeholders, writes Vitaly Plitchenko at software product engineering services provider Apriorit.

The dev team benefits from someone that can accept their suggestions, head out for feedback, and bring it back. The business analyst is exceptionally qualified for this role.

Current and Potential Customers

While internal teams have their own ideas about how the transformation should work and what should be included, customer input is critical, says senior business analyst Bhairav Bhavsar. A BA should ensure that the solution is functional, accurate and complete. They might also need to conduct periodic testing with potential customers to ensure that the solution in development will make those consumers happy.

In legacy system upgrades, a "customer" might be defined as a company's current employees. If those important people don't believe in the process or the solution, the project just won't be successful. "One of the reasons your company may be lagging behind is that you haven’t found a technology your team feels comfortable using," writes Daniel Newman, principal analyst at Futurum Research.

A successful BA has the ability to both explain how the solution works and can sell the vision of long-term improvements to supporters and detractors, says Ravi Jackson, public sector business consultant. Someone in this role might hold testing sessions to look for deployment problems. But they might also provide subtle encouragement so detractors feel more comfortable with the expertise and data that drives the project forward.

"The business analyst has become the person who is well informed, but not an expert, on business processes, technological architecture and platforms and has the best interest of stakeholders at heart, while maintaining an unbiased relationship with all project stakeholders," explains senior business analyst Deidre Forbay. This insider/outsider status helps the team to focus on the goal, while keeping the business analyst from getting swept up in a vision.

Wrapping Up a Successful Project

It's easy to think of a simple start/finish to a digital transformation project. The work starts with an idea, and it ends with deployment. The reality is a little more complex.

A software system moves to legacy due to a lack of support. When companies can't tackle routine maintenance or updating tasks, they're forced to make big decisions. Documentation can help a company cope, and a business analyst plays a key role.

At the end of a legacy system modification project, teams must craft documents that support future upgrades, according to Altexsoft. The cleaner these documents are, the better. They should contain both coding standards and notes about company processes.

A business analyst with a technical background could help draft these documents with the assistance of IT coders. But even a BA who can't code can ensure that this critical part of the project is complete before the project is deemed a success.