Information technology professionals

How to become an iT business analyst, architect or systems designer

Official title: IT business analysts, architects and systems designers

Also called: Architect, Ai architect, Bi architect, It architect, Ux architect, Web architect, It strategist, Change analyst, System analyst, Data architect, Systems adviser, Product analyst

IT business analysts, architects and systems designers proviide advice on the effective utilisation of IT and design IT systems in order to meet the business objectives or to enhance the business effectiveness of the organisation.

Main tasks

Liaises with internal/external clients to analyse business procedure, clarify clients’ requirements and to define the scope of existing software, hardware and network provision
Undertakes feasibility studies for major IT developments incorporating costs and benefits, and presents proposals to clients
Communicates the impact of emerging technologies to clients and advises upon the potential introduction of such technology
Provides advice and assistance in the procurement, provision, delivery, installation, maintenance and use of IT systems and their environments
Examines existing business models and flows of data and designs functional specifications and test plans for new systems in order to meet clients’ needs
Researches, analyses, evaluates and monitors network infrastructure and performance
Works closely with clients to implement new systems

How to become one

Entrants usually possess a degree or equivalent qualification, although entry with other academic qualifications and/or significant relevant experience is possible. There is a variety of relevant vocational, professional and postgraduate qualifications available.

Ways in

Apprenticeship (England): Data analyst (level 4). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0118.
Apprenticeship (England): Data scientist (integrated degree) (level 6). England. Typically 36 months. Skills England standard ST0585.
Apprenticeship (England): Digital accessibility specialist (level 4). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0863.
Apprenticeship (England): Digital user experience (UX) professional (integrated degree) (level 6). England. Typically 48 months. Skills England standard ST0470.
University: Computing & IT degrees, Offered by 26 universities in the UK

Pay · Outlook

Median full-time pay: £60,288 a year The middle half earn £45,860 to £81,932.
About 148,900 people work in this job now, and about 165,500 are projected by 2035. (+11.1%)

Questions people ask

How do I become an iT business analyst, architect or systems designer?

How much does an iT business analyst, architect or systems designer earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £60,288 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £45,860 to £81,932.

Is an iT business analyst, architect or systems designer a growing career in the UK?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 11% by 2035, from about 148,900 to about 165,500 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become an iT business analyst, architect or systems designer?

Usually. 73% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Sources

Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.