There are many names for Business Analysts or BAs, including Systems Engineer, Product Manager, and Requirements Engineer. While the duties vary slightly, the basic needs are same. Gather, analyze, and document features and requirements to ensure the right application is built. Most analysts, whatever they are called, have never been properly trained in these areas.  Few companies understand enough about the BA field to train their people adequately. While you can learn a great deal from experience, a strong grounding in proven methodologies will lead to better requirements and better projects.