Learning at the Boundaries: An Action Agenda for Business Analysts

Abstract

The business analyst role was established in response to concerns about a 'gap' between technical IT staff and users. Such a 'gap' has been implicated in the failure of information systems to consistently deliver business value. However research suggests that while business analysts may facilitate the relationship between technical staff and business users, boundaries may still occur between business analysts and user groups on one hand, and business analysts and IT staff on the other. Nonetheless, these boundaries present opportunities for all the participant groups to learn by developing new understandings, knowledge and practices, thus enabling them to more effectively interact with their constituents. Through the adopted practice perspective, our research demonstrates that learning via socio-spatial and instrumental-developmental expansions at the boundaries can improve the practice of business analysts. Our findings make a contribution to the practice perspective literature by highlighting the importance of boundaries as opportunities for learning.