Computer systems analyst

Also called: Applications Analyst, Applications Systems Analyst, Automatic Data Processing Planner, Business Systems Analyst, Computer Analyst

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Computer systems analyst analyzes science, engineering, business, and other data processing problems to develop and implement solutions to complex application problems, system administration issues, or network concerns. Perform systems management and integration functions, improve existing computer systems, and review computer system capabilities, workflow, and schedule limitations. May analyze or recommend commercially available software.

Test, maintain, and monitor computer programs and systems, including coordinating the installation of computer programs and systems.
Troubleshoot program and system malfunctions to restore normal functioning.
Expand or modify system to serve new purposes or improve work flow.
Use the computer in the analysis and solution of business problems, such as development of integrated production and inventory control and cost analysis systems.
Consult with management to ensure agreement on system principles.
Confer with clients regarding the nature of the information processing or computation needs a computer program is to address.
Develop, document, and revise system design procedures, test procedures, and quality standards.
Train staff and users to work with computer systems and programs.
Coordinate and link the computer systems within an organization to increase compatibility so that information can be shared.
Assess the usefulness of pre-developed application packages and adapt them to a user environment.
Define the goals of the system and devise flow charts and diagrams describing logical operational steps of programs.
Provide staff and users with assistance solving computer-related problems, such as malfunctions and program problems.
Use object-oriented programming languages, as well as client and server applications development processes and multimedia and Internet technology.
Review and analyze computer printouts and performance indicators to locate code problems, and correct errors by correcting codes.
Supervise computer programmers or other systems analysts or serve as project leaders for particular systems projects.
Read manuals, periodicals, and technical reports to learn how to develop programs that meet staff and user requirements.
Determine computer software or hardware needed to set up or alter system.
Analyze information processing or computation needs and plan and design computer systems, using techniques such as structured analysis, data modeling, and information engineering.
Interview or survey workers, observe job performance, or perform the job to determine what information is processed and how it is processed.
Specify inputs accessed by the system and plan the distribution and use of the results.
Prepare cost-benefit and return-on-investment analyses to aid in decisions on system implementation.
Recommend new equipment or software packages.

Work Context

Electronic Mail — 100% responded "Every day".
Telephone — 90% responded "Every day".
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 94% responded "Every day".
Work With Work Group or Team — 62% responded "Extremely important".
Spend Time Sitting — 51% responded "Continually or almost continually".
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 60% responded "Extremely important".
Face-to-Face Discussions — 78% responded "Every day".

Work Activities

Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Detailed Work Activities

Troubleshoot issues with computer applications or systems.
Provide technical support for software maintenance or use.
Monitor computer system performance to ensure proper operation.
Test software performance.
Coordinate software or hardware installation.
Write computer programming code.

Collaborate with others to determine design specifications or details.

Configure computer networks.

Collaborate with others to determine design specifications or details.

Modify software programs to improve performance.

Collect data about customer needs.

Identify information technology project resource requirements.

Train others in computer interface or software use.

Analyze project data to determine specifications or requirements.

Design integrated computer systems.

Evaluate utility of software or hardware technologies.

Modify software programs to improve performance.

Develop diagrams or flow charts of system operation.

Develop testing routines or procedures.

Document design or development procedures.

Analyze data to identify or resolve operational problems.

Provide recommendations to others about computer hardware.

Read documents to gather technical information.

Supervise information technology personnel.

Manage information technology projects or system activities.

Apply information technology to solve business or other applied problems.

Estimate time or monetary resources needed to complete projects.

Computers and Electronics

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

English Language

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Customer and Personal Service

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Mathematics

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Systems Analysis

Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Active Learning

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Complex Problem Solving

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Systems Evaluation

Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Time Management

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Monitoring

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Programming

Writing computer programs for various purposes.

Operation Monitoring

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Operations Analysis

Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

Troubleshooting

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Learning Strategies

Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Mathematics

Using mathematics to solve problems.

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Problem Sensitivity

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Inductive Reasoning

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Information Ordering

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Fluency of Ideas

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Speech Clarity

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Written Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Category Flexibility

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Visualization

The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Flexibility of Closure

The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

Speed of Closure

The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.

Number Facility

The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.

Mathematical Reasoning

The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.

Perceptual Speed

The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.

Selective Attention

The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Originality

The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

They do well at jobs that need:

Achievement/Effort

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self Control

You might use software like this on the job:

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Oracle Hyperion
Oracle Fusion Applications
NetSuite ERP
Microsoft Dynamics GP
Microsoft Dynamics
SAP Business Objects
SAP
Oracle PeopleSoft Financials
Oracle PeopleSoft
Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne

Operating system software

Microsoft Windows Server
Microsoft Windows
Linux
Shell script
UNIX Shell
UNIX
Oracle Solaris
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Bash
Apple macOS
Ubuntu
KornShell
Job control language JCL
Hewlett Packard HP-UX

Development environment software

Microsoft Visual Studio
Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition VBScript
Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA
Microsoft Visual Basic
National Instruments LabVIEW
Microsoft PowerShell
Integrated development environment IDE software
Microsoft .NET Framework
Microsoft Azure
Ruby
Eclipse IDE
Apache Kafka
Common business oriented language COBOL
Apache Ant
Go
Ada
Adobe Systems Adobe ActionScript
Apache Maven
Verilog
Symantec Visual Cafe
Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
Embarcadero JBuilder
IBM Rational ClearQuest
IBM Rational Rose XDE Developer
J
Oracle Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition J2EE
C

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Computer systems analyst

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