An Application Analyst is a professional who plays a crucial role in analyzing, implementing, and maintaining software applications within an organization. They bridge the gap between technical systems and end-users, ensuring that applications meet business requirements and function effectively. In this blog post, we will explore the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for Application Analysts.

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Main Responsibilities of an Application Analyst

The following list describes the typical responsibilities of an Application Analyst:

Achieve

Achieve your personal goals outside of the office and make an impact on your community.

Adhere

• Adhere to appropriate UHS Project Management standards.

• Adhere to Bayshore Policies and Procedures.

Administer

• Administer and resolve applications issues, provide updates and perform root cause analysis.

• Administer, monitor, and maintain one or more IT systems.

• Administer the portfolio of warehouse applications and support day-to-day issues in a timely manner.

Analyze

• Analyze and estimate feasibility, cost, time and scope.

• Analyze and merge regional code base with the global code base.

• Analyze current systems through review of documentation and interviews with IT clients.

Apply

Apply agreed standards and tools, to achieve a well-engineered result.

Assist in

• Assist department staff in efficient use of computer based tools.

• Assist in managing overall scheduling and timeline across projects.

• Assist in the design and deployment of internal control policies.

• Assist in the development of disaster recovery and business continuity plans for applications.

• Assist with configuration, statement processes and other assigned tasks as needed.

Build

• Build effective relationships with internal / external stakeholders.

• Build performance reports based on multiple KPI.

Collaborate with

• Collaborate and build strong relationships with team members.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate applications with other systems.

• Collaborate with stakeholders to identify business needs and translate them into technical specifications.

• Collaborate with user groups to further develop IS solutions with a global proactive approach.

• Collaborate with vendors and service providers to resolve application-related issues.

Communicate

• Communicate and develop acceptable resolutions to such obstacles.

• Communicate effectively, both oral and written, with customers, peers and senior leadership.

Compile

Compile code into programs and correct errors detected in compile process.

Conduct

• Conduct regular audits and assessments to ensure application performance and stability.

• Conduct system testing and troubleshoot issues to ensure application functionality.

• Conduct training sessions to educate end-users on application usage and best practices.

Configure

Configure and install software products, patches, vendor releases in multiple environments.

Contribute to

• Contribute to defining timetables, project plans and product roadmaps.

• Contribute to the bug fix process with documenting the issue to support testing reviews.

• Contribute to the design of components of larger software systems.

Convert

Convert designs and specifications into computer code.

Cooperate

Cooperate with relevant stakeholders across the IGT organization and the central Philips team.

Coordinate

• Coordinate and manage meetings within all stakeholders for in depth change and impact analysis.

• Coordinate and perform the installation activities of systems and application packages with vendors.

• Coordinate and prioritize multiple initiatives.

• Coordinate change requests requiring re-configuration or development.

Create

• Create and maintain technical documentation and artifacts for supported systems.

• Create and maintain technical documentation for supported applications.

• Create and update required documentation to support the system and users.

• Create problem tickets based on recurring incidents.

• Create test transactions and run tests to find errors and confirm programs meet specifications.

• Create unit tests and provides input into regression testing.

• Create, update and review standard operating procedures and perform regular document reviews.

Debug

Debug technical issues, provide root cause analysis and resolve defects.

Deliver

• Deliver onsite customer training and knowledge transfer throughout the implementation.

• Deliver work within established timeframes.

Design

• Design and maintain expertise in flow of application process and systems related to company.

• Design, configure, and customize applications based on user requirements.

• Design solutions for applications and prepares the appropriate documentation.

Develop

• Develop action plans and decides how to resolve complex issues.

• Develop and deploy queries, reports, and visual displays (dashboards).

• Develop and document project visions and approach.

• Develop and execute implementation plans for test and production environments.

• Develop and maintain a solid understanding of company products and services.

• Develop and maintain system documentation, including user manuals and technical guides.

• Develop and operate in-line with best practices.

• Develop and / or deliver training.

• Develop effective tools and aids for systems training.

• Develop sales analytics, customer segmentation.

• Develop secure, reliable, resilient, performant and scalable integration solutions.

• Develop system testing scenarios and test scripts related to oncology treatment worflow.

• Develop, utilize, and enhance technical documentation, knowledge bases, and DR plans.

Document

• Document, analyze, and manage business requirements.

• Document application configurations, processes, and procedures.

• Document changes in user processes, assists with business process redesign.

Drive

Drive problem resolution and document root cause.

Enhance

Enhance the development tools you use, suggest quality, scalability and productivity improvements.

Ensure

• Ensure all production updates are completed as scheduled.

• Ensure all service levels are being met or exceeded.

• Ensure appropriate support documentation exists for supported application.

• Ensure compliance with IT policies and standards.

• Ensure compliance with security and data protection policies.

• Ensure solutions adhere to enterprise standards.

• Ensure that proposed system changes are supported by application vendor.

• Ensure that the application is updated routinely and functioning at an acceptable performance level.

• Ensure the integrity of the BMO Financial Corp (BFC) financial, management and regulatory data.

Escalate

• Escalate issues as needed.

• Escalate issues where required to ensure appropriate resolution is achieved.

Establish

Establish IT policies, procedures and security requirements.

Evaluate

Evaluate, coordinate and / or apply vendor package and software tool upgrades and patches.

Execute

• Execute and support software build deployments to staging and production environments.

• Execute complex operations and maintenance support activities.

Facilitate

Facilitate requirements gathering and validation workshops.

Follow-up

Follow-up with corrective actions.

Formulate

Formulate and executes remediation plans.

Gather

• Gather and analyze user requirements for new or existing applications.

• Gather business requirements and analyze the impact on the implemented solution.

Identify

• Identify additional product / services opportunities in customer organization.

• Identify and address application performance bottlenecks.

• Identify and communicate opportunities to optimize the applications and BI solutions.

• Identify and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

• Identify and participate in system renewal, stability, upgrade, and business continuity projects.

• Identify and recommend workflow enhancements, process improvement, automation.

• Identify emerging issues and trends to inform decision-making.

• Identify obstacles encountered during the build process.

Implement

Implement solutions for incidents, problems and small projects.

Inform

Inform the organization about progress and improvement opportunities.

Install

Install selected vendor software and evaluate new packages.

Integrate

• Integrate the broader organizational context into advice and solutions within own area.

• Integrate world-class third party asset management and search solutions.

Interact

• Interact with R&D team for product features.

• Interact with REST API's using the Azure Logic App tools.

Investigate

• Investigate and analyzes complex business requirements.

• Investigate and analyze these issues and resolve in a timely manner.

Keep

Keep management well informed of activities, needs, problems.

Lead

• Lead and support continuous improvement in the agile SDLC.

• Lead smaller projects or coordinate with other staff as required.

• Lead specialized business application management activities for a functional area.

• Lead the data reconciliation processes between core General Ledger and management reporting systems.

• Lead work on maintenance activities required to keep applications strong and healthy.

Learn

Learn all elements of SCE Technical Support components.

Leverage

• Leverage IT governance processes to ensure proper project definition, socialization and control.

• Leverage SQL Server to solve technical issues or perform advanced configuration.

• Leverage strong analytical and problem-solving skills to efficiently resolve incidents.

Maintain

• Maintain and update documentation for end users.

• Maintain historical records by documenting program development and revisions.

• Maintain, monitor and report on status of system configuration and health.

• Maintain personal growth through work assignments, and advanced training.

• Maintain programming guidelines by writing and updating policies and procedures.

• Maintain Service Excellence principles.

Manage

• Manage application deployments, upgrades, and migrations.

• Manage change requests and coordinate application enhancements.

• Manage data for production and test environments.

• Manage data loads, performs data integrity checks.

• Manage deliveries and solve technical operational issues.

• Manage the customer relationship.

• Manage the upkeep of the application.

Mange

Mange communication between client staff and the EMR team.

Monitor

• Monitor and control the use of these applications, actively take corrective actions if applicable.

• Monitor and maintain application environments to system compliance standards.

• Monitor application performance and proactively identify areas for improvement.

Optimize

Optimize processes and improve the efficiency of the technology.

Order

Order set build / maintenance.

Own

• Own and drive complex / critical incidents with vendors and ensure timely solution.

• Own and drive integration solutions from backend to the presentation layer.

Participate in

• Participate in business process design modeling and re-engineering.

• Participate in design discussions and produce design / functional artifacts as required.

• Participate in group meetings with regard to system configuration and design.

• Participate in ongoing internal and / or external continuing education activities.

• Participate in Release Entry Framework activities to help ensure quality deployments into production.

• Participate in technical designs and test planning.

• Participate in the discovery and evaluation of new technologies.

• Participate in the evaluation and selection of new software applications.

Perform

• Perform data analysis and generate reports to support business decision-making.

• Perform desktop deposits including GL transactions and allocations.

• Perform duties under minimal direction and supervision on assignments and tasks of high complexity.

• Perform end‐to‐end system testing, resolution, and optimization.

• Perform Q / A on application functionality.

• Perform root cause analysis.

• Perform support and troubleshooting tasks for multiple business applications.

• Perform user maintenance and application maintenance for assigned applications.

Plan

Plan and organize project assignments of substantial variety and complexity.

Prepare

• Prepare and execute tasks in accordance with a defined project plan.

• Prepare monthly AP / AR reconciliation statements.

• Prepare weekly Cash Collection report.

Prioritize

Prioritize and resolve issues identified as barriers to efficient clinical workings.

Process

Process credit card transactions and reporting.

Produce

• Produce and maintain documentation and records in compliance with the SDLC requirements.

• Produce deliverables specific to each phase of the systems development process.

• Produce software builds from software source code.

Promote

• Promote positive customer relationships and mentors others to ensure customer satisfaction.

• Promote system security and patient confidentiality and helps ensure compliance.

Provide

• Provide coaching and mentoring to the development team.

• Provide complex detailed specifications, and data mapping.

• Provide consultative service, training and validation support to quality assurance / testing teams.

• Provide day-to-day functional support to hygienists and health practitioners on the use of Cority.

• Provide desk-side assistance and triage issues before they are raised with central / corporate IT.

• Provide feedback into various projects'.

• Provide functional business application management program support within an area of specialty.

• Provide guidance to other team members in researching product issues and complex system queries.

• Provide impact analysis and recommend appropriate solutions.

• Provide internal and external training support on the assigned Dataphile products.

• Provide Level 3 support to the end users on cloud-based and on-premise enterprise applications.

• Provide meaningful metric on performance / use.

• Provide ongoing support to the operations team, on-call, problem analysis, resolution and escalation.

• Provide recommendations, alternatives and deliver solutions on system enhancements.

• Provide specialized consulting, analytical and technical support.

• Provide standardization direction for the product aligning with current technologies.

• Provide technical support and guidance to end-users.

• Provide technical support and guidance to other team members as required.

• Provide technical support to customers participating in SCE's Managed Services Support Program.

• Provide training on financial processes in relation to the system.

• Provide training to the application users.

• Provide weekly / monthly updates on all open incidents using reporting functionality.

• Provide white-glove technical support physicians who require IT assistance.

Raise

Raise issues, provide feedback and keep team informed and up to date about project status.

Receive

Receive and respond to customer inquiries and support incidents via email and phone.

Recommend

• Recommend and implement solutions based on analysis of issues and implications for the business.

• Recommend and implement technical solutions understanding and adhering to standards.

Reproduce

Reproduce and meticulously document software defects.

Request

Request additional information required to evaluate applications.

Research

• Research, analyzes, architects, develops, implements and configures technological solutions.

• Research and evaluate software and hardware to assist in programming or to use as a program platform.

• Research and investigate new and innovative tools and technologies.

• Research and resolve Customer Support Center Tickets including major application upgrades.

• Research and resolve implementation-related Customer Support Center Tickets.

• Research complex business issues requiring advanced knowledge of business principles and theories.

Resolve

Resolve payment discrepancies.

Respond to

• Respond to issues from the user community.

• Respond to production support issues and independently handles moderately complex issues.

Review

Review and analyze configuration requests.

Seek

Seek to identify and resolve root causes of problems.

Stay updated with

Stay updated with industry trends and emerging technologies related to application development and management.

Support

• Support end users who have questions, problems, enhancements and ad-hoc training requests.

• Support incidents, enhancements, and projects for proprietary Care Services Applications.

• Support process mapping and SOP building for business processes.

• Support SAP profiles that will interface with security group systems.

• Support Team operates with high quality standards and strong commitment to excellence and efficiency.

• Support Team responsible for providing world class application support for the Dayforce HCM solution.

• Support the communication with the customers.

• Support the production of financial, regulatory, and management reporting.

• Support the Supervisor in managing operations and help improve working methods.

Take

Take complete ownership of work assignments and ensure the successful completion of assigned tasks.

Translate

Translate customer needs in solutions and provide clear work instructions and process overviews.

Troubleshoot

Troubleshoot productions systems.

Understand

• Understand company business processes as required to provide support.

• Understand data flows, business processes, and financial products.

• Understand the business operations in detail.

Use

Use application management software and tools to collect agreed performance statistics.

Utilize

Utilize project management methodologies and tools as required.

Verify

• Verify all supported applications are free of security vulnerabilities on a regular basis.

• Verify corporate licensee information to assess unreasonable risk.

Work with

• Work in a fast-paced environment, meeting commitments and writing bug free code.

• Work on projects involving 3rd party and off-shore teams.

• Work toward the objective of defect free software.

• Work with and implement bug fixes as part of a durable team that supports what it creates.

• Work with clients and provide leadership on ITSM best practices.

• Work within their team to provide recommendations and assist in decision making as a team.

• Work with IT clients to analyze, plan, organize and develop computer applications.

• Work with the IT Security team to assure enterprise applications adhere to BDO IT security standards.

Write

• Write and execute SQL statements for data collection / review.

• Write test plans and automated tests of your software.

Most In-demand Hard Skills

The following list describes the most required technical skills of an Application Analyst:

1. Proficiency in programming languages such as Java, C#, or Python.

2. Knowledge of relational databases and SQL.

3. Experience with application development frameworks and technologies (e.g., .NET, Spring, Angular).

4. Familiarity with web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).

5. Understanding of software development methodologies, such as Agile or Waterfall.

6. Ability to write and execute complex SQL queries.

7. Knowledge of data integration and ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes.

8. Experience with application server administration (e.g., Apache Tomcat, Microsoft IIS).

9. Understanding of network protocols and infrastructure.

10. Proficiency in using version control systems (e.g., Git, SVN).

11. Knowledge of cloud platforms and services (e.g., AWS, Azure).

12. Experience with API integration and web services.

13. Familiarity with data modeling and database design principles.

14. Ability to troubleshoot and debug software applications.

15. Proficiency in using software testing tools and frameworks.

16. Knowledge of system and application security best practices.

17. Experience with performance tuning and optimization of applications.

18. Understanding of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) principles.

19. Knowledge of IT project management methodologies and tools.

20. Familiarity with mobile application development frameworks (e.g., React Native, Flutter).

Most In-demand Soft Skills

The following list describes the most required soft skills of an Application Analyst:

1. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

2. Effective communication skills, both verbal and written.

3. Active listening skills to understand user needs and requirements.

4. Excellent interpersonal skills to collaborate with cross-functional teams.

5. Ability to work independently and in a team environment.

6. Attention to detail and commitment to delivering high-quality work.

7. Time management and organizational skills to handle multiple tasks and prioritize effectively.

8. Adaptability and flexibility to navigate changing project requirements and technologies.

9. Strong customer service orientation to provide exceptional support to end-users.

10. Proactive and self-motivated mindset to stay ahead of application trends and advancements.

11. Problem-solving skills to identify and resolve issues efficiently.

12. Collaboration and teamwork abilities to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.

13. Strong documentation and presentation skills to communicate technical concepts clearly.

14. Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.

15. Continuous learning mindset to stay updated with evolving technologies and best practices.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an Application Analyst is a vital role within organizations, responsible for analyzing, implementing, and maintaining software applications. They possess a combination of technical skills, such as programming languages, database management, and software development methodologies, as well as essential soft skills like communication, problem-solving, and collaboration. By understanding the primary responsibilities and the in-demand hard and soft skills for Application Analysts, professionals in this field can enhance their expertise and contribute effectively to the successful implementation and management of applications in today's dynamic business landscape.