“Excellent” systems analysts: key audience perceptions

Within the context of the desire to address the concerns of the software crisis, a research project was initiated to identify the skills and personal characteristics of "excellent" systems analysts. The project included 53 participants from 2 companies representing 5 groups or Audiences of individuals who interact with systems analysts. The data, gathered using Kelly's RepGrid technique, represent Audience perceptions of what constitutes an "excellent" systems analyst. Overall, the more important aspects, or Themes, which emerged from the data include communicate, attitude, knowledge, investigate, and experience. These common themes are referred to as "universals". The detailed interpretations of these aspects, as determined from the research data, varied amongst the Audiences and seem to reflect Audience objectives. For instance, User Audiences emphasized content related aspects, such as knowledge. Systems analyst and their supervisors, however, tended to differentiate on process related aspects, such as investigate. Each Audience and each corporation involved in this project had its own interpretation of the relative importance of what constitutes an "excellent" systems analyst. Thus, the importance of each "universal" has a "local" relative value.