Computer Systems Analysts

Software & Systems Engineering

Level 3355 of 1200 points

Job description

Computer Systems Analysts

Job purpose

To analyse an organisation's information processing needs and the capability, workflow and scheduling limits of its existing systems, to design, test and implement improvements, and to support the staff who use them, so that systems are compatible, information can be shared and business problems are resolved.

Skills

Knowledge of computers and electronics across hardware, software, applications and their development, applied through structured analysis, data modelling and information engineering, and object-oriented and client-server development methods. Supported by customer service and needs assessment, by enough business administration to understand the operations a system serves, and by applied mathematics. An associate's or other two-year degree is the most common qualification, closely followed by a bachelor's, with several years of related experience and on-the-job training.
Confers with clients on the information processing and computation needs a system is to address and consults management to secure agreement on system principles, translating between what the business wants and what can be built. Interviews or surveys workers and observes job performance to establish how information is actually processed. Trains staff and users and assists them with malfunctions and application faults.
Two kinds of problem run together. Diagnostic work restores normal functioning: troubleshooting malfunctions, locating faults from system output and performance indicators, and correcting them, largely against precedent and while users are waiting. Design work is more open — analysing processing needs, defining system goals, devising flow charts of the logical operational steps, and judging whether a pre-developed application package can be adapted to the user environment.
Coordinates the installation of applications and systems, and develops, documents and revises design procedures, test procedures and quality standards. Determines own tasks, priorities and goals, balancing continuing user support against project work under time pressure.
Sustained keyboard and input-device work involving repetitive hand and finger movement, with some handling and connection of equipment when coordinating installations.

Responsibilities

No line management as a rule, though may supervise other analysts or developers, or act as project leader on particular systems projects. Trains staff and users, coordinates others through installation and testing, and carries responsibility for the work outcomes of the departments that depend on the systems delivered.
No budget is held. Prepares cost-benefit and return-on-investment analyses to inform decisions on system implementation, and recommends new equipment or software packages; the decision to buy, and the funds to do so, rest elsewhere.
Ordinary care of a workstation, with responsibility for the applications and systems tested, maintained and monitored, and for coordinating installation of new ones. Determines the software or hardware needed to set up or alter a system, and inspects equipment to locate the source of faults.
Determines how information moves through the organisation: specifies the inputs a system accesses, plans the distribution and use of the results, and links systems so that information can be shared between them. Devises the flow charts and diagrams describing logical operational steps. Departments across the organisation act on the outputs, so a design fault reproduces itself in every use.

Effort required

Exacting accuracy is central, since a fault is usually one wrong element in a large structure, and the work is carried out under steady time pressure. Requires switching between repetitive diagnostic and testing routines and open-ended design thinking, and taking frequent decisions whose consequences extend to co-workers and company results.
Users approach the role when something has failed and their own work is held up, so support is given to people already under pressure, and involves handling complaints and reconciling differences over what a system should do. Requires patience and the composure to hold to a diagnostic method while others wait. No exposure to hostility or distress.
Predominantly seated, with sustained repetitive hand and finger movement at the keyboard and in handling controls. No lifting or exertion.

Working conditions

Indoor, environmentally controlled work throughout, with no hazard, noise or weather exposure and no contact with aggressive or distressed people. The salient demand is the volume of contact — heavy electronic mail and telephone traffic alongside face-to-face discussion — with the requirement to be exact.
Almost all posts follow a regular established schedule, with no shift, seasonal or on-call obligation evidenced, though more than half of incumbents work beyond forty hours a week. Time pressure is a constant feature. Autonomy is substantial — the postholder largely determines tasks, priorities and goals — and decisions are frequent, with consequences reaching co-workers and the results others achieve.

Skills

40% · 197 points▾

KnowledgeLevel 4 of 8
72 of 144 points
Factual and theoretical knowledge in broad contexts within a field of work. The job requires a range of thinking and practical knowledge to find solutions to specific problems in the job or study area.
Interpersonal and communication skillsLevel 2 of 5
38 of 96 points
Standard communication and interaction with others. The job holder is required to communicate with colleagues or customers in structured settings. Tact, empathy and basic relationship building are required.
Problem-solving skillsLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Variable problems. The job involves dealing with different kinds of problems that require careful thinking, research into different options or adjusting existing ways of doing things. Guidance and resources may be limited.
Planning and organisational skillsLevel 2 of 5
29 of 72 points
Basic organisational skills required. The job involves planning and organising one's own work within set deadlines. Some input into scheduling and prioritisation of tasks.
Physical skillsLevel 0 of 5
0 of 72 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any particular physical skills (although there is likely to be some physical activity).

Responsibility

35% · 84 points▾

PeopleLevel 1 of 5
29 of 144 points
Very limited. Not required to supervise or perform a caregiving role. The job may involve providing basic guidance to or orientation for others, such as helping new colleagues settle in.
Goods and equipmentLevel 1 of 5
17 of 84 points
Limited responsibility for goods or equipment. The job involves the care and proper use of low-value tools or materials, with minimal responsibility for their maintenance or security.
InformationLevel 2 of 5
38 of 96 points
Limited responsibility for information. The job requires the individual to gather, process or share information in a controlled way, following guidelines or predefined procedures.
Financial resourcesLevel 0 of 5
0 of 96 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any responsibility for financial resources.

Effort

15% · 50 points▾

Mental effortLevel 3 of 5
36 of 60 points
High level of mental effort. The job involves frequent concentration on complex tasks that require considerable mental effort, such as interpreting complex data.
Psychosocial and emotional effortLevel 1 of 5
14 of 72 points
Minimal psychosocial and emotional effort. There is little to no need to manage emotional responses. The job involves minimal exposure to emotionally demanding situations.
Physical effortLevel 0 of 5
0 of 48 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any physical effort.

Working Conditions

10% · 24 points▾

Environment (physical, psychological or emotional)Level 1 of 5
17 of 84 points
Minimal exposure to hazards or stress. The job involves little or no exposure to physical hazards (e.g. chemicals, moving equipment, noise) and minimal emotional or psychological risks (e.g. occasional routine tasks with no emotional burden). There is minor exposure to dust, dirt, fumes, noise, waste, poor lighting, etc.
Organisational environmentLevel 1 of 5
7 of 36 points
Minimal organisational demands. The job requires standard working hours with no night shifts or irregular schedules. There is little or no need for travel or digital connectivity beyond typical working hours.