IBM

IBM Systems Analyst Professional Certificate

IBM

IBM Systems Analyst Professional Certificate

Prepare for a career as a systems analyst. Build in-demand skills & hands-on experience employers want. No prior experience or degree required

John Rofrano
IBM Skills Network Team
Daniel C. Yeomans

Instructors: John Rofrano

Top Instructor

5,157 already enrolled

Included with Coursera Plus

Earn a career credential that demonstrates your expertise

(80 reviews)

Beginner level

Recommended experience

4 months to complete
at 8 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Earn a career credential that demonstrates your expertise

(80 reviews)

Beginner level

Recommended experience

4 months to complete
at 8 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Build the job-ready skills systems analysts use, including process modeling, requirements gathering, and stakeholder management in just 4 months.

  • Learn how to create data visualizations and dashboards using tools like Excel and Cognos to support business decision-making.

  • Develop working knowledge of IT systems design, analysis, software testing, deployment, and maintenance strategies.

  • Apply generative AI techniques to solve complex systems analysis problems.

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Taught in English
Recently updated!

December 2025

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

 logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

Advance your career with in-demand skills

  • Receive professional-level training from IBM
  • Demonstrate your technical proficiency
  • Earn an employer-recognized certificate from IBM

Professional Certificate - 9 course series

What you'll learn

  • Understand the role of a Systems Analyst in Business Information Systems (BIS) and their impact on organizational success

  • Develop foundational knowledge of Systems Analysis and its importance in identifying business needs

  • Identify system issues and articulate their implications for business processes

  • Recognize the basics of the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and its phases

Skills you'll gain

Category: Communication
Category: Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs)
Category: Product Lifecycle Management
Category: Software Design
Category: Business Process Modeling
Category: Software Development Methodologies
Category: Stakeholder Communications
Category: Business Analysis
Category: Systems Development
Category: Business Communication
Category: Feasibility Studies

What you'll learn

  • Ideal for non-project management professionals to help develop key project management skills and be more successful in their business or IT roles

  • Job-ready skills in project, stakeholder, and requirements management, including key tools such as user stories, RACI charts, and Agile frameworks

  • Identify stakeholders, analyze them, and apply effective communication and stakeholder engagement strategies; Elicit, document, & manage requirements

  • Leverage generative AI tools to support project management, stakeholder engagement and requirements gathering

Skills you'll gain

Category: Stakeholder Engagement
Category: Business Analysis
Category: Kanban Principles
Category: Prioritization
Category: AI Enablement
Category: Communication
Category: Requirements Analysis
Category: Product Lifecycle Management
Category: Risk Management
Category: Project Coordination
Category: Communication Planning
Category: Waterfall Methodology
Category: Stakeholder Communications

What you'll learn

  • Build job-ready skills in business process modeling, Lean, Six Sigma, and systems thinking to excel in business analysis and process management roles

  • Develop and interpret process models and maps that represent current and desired states, enabling better communication and decision making

  • Analyze processes to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities using mapping, narratives, and analytical frameworks

  • Integrate systems thinking, Lean, Six Sigma, and AI-enabled methods to design, implement, and sustain optimized processes with measurable impact

Skills you'll gain

Category: Business Process Modeling
Category: Systems Thinking
Category: Process Mapping
Category: Six Sigma Methodology
Category: Lean Methodologies
Category: Process Analysis
Category: Process Improvement
Category: Dataflow
Category: Process Design
Category: Generative AI
Category: Lean Six Sigma
Category: Agile Methodology
Category: Business Process Management
Category: Matrix Management
Category: Quality Improvement
Category: Change Management
Category: Stakeholder Analysis
Category: Process Flow Diagrams
Category: Prioritization
Category: Business Process Improvement

What you'll learn

  • Create basic visualizations such as line graphs, bar graphs, and pie charts using Excel spreadsheets.

  • Explain the important role charts play in telling a data-driven story. 

  • Construct advanced charts and visualizations such as Treemaps, Sparklines, Histogram, Scatter Plots, and Filled Map Charts.

  • Build and share interactive dashboards using Excel and Cognos Analytics.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Microsoft Excel
Category: Pivot Tables And Charts
Category: Dashboard
Category: Histogram
Category: IBM Cognos Analytics
Category: Tree Maps
Category: Data Visualization Software
Category: Data Visualization
Category: Data Presentation
Category: Looker (Software)
Category: Data Storytelling
Category: Interactive Data Visualization
Category: Scatter Plots
Category: Data Analysis

What you'll learn

  • Define operating systems, computer components, programming concepts, databases, and explain the differences between commercial and open software

  • Summarize the importance of computer networks, including wired and wireless connections; explore network resources and storage types in MS Windows

  • Describe how to protect against security threats, address public browsing security concerns, and list password management best practices

  • List the benefits of cloud computing, describe the cloud infrastructure layer, virtual machines, and summarize features of ticketing systems

Skills you'll gain

Category: Cloud Computing
Category: Cybersecurity
Category: Operating Systems
Category: Computer Hardware
Category: Computer Networking
Category: Computer Security Awareness Training
Category: Cloud Infrastructure
Category: Data Storage
Category: Software Installation
Category: Technical Support and Services
Category: Network Troubleshooting
Category: Database Software
Category: Information Technology
Category: Virtual Private Networks (VPN)
Category: Project Management
Category: Hardware Troubleshooting
Category: Computer Programming

What you'll learn

  • Create data flow diagrams, entity-relationship diagrams, and unified modeling language diagrams to visualize data, system architecture, and workflows

  • Evaluate existing IT systems by assessing system architecture, features, performance, and UI/UX to identify inefficiencies and propose improvements

  • Conduct cost-benefit analyses, operational feasibility studies, and risk assessments to compare IT solution alternatives and recommend solutions

  • Integrate system analysis, modeling, and evaluation techniques in a project to propose a digital transformation strategy for a business

Skills you'll gain

Category: Systems Analysis
Category: Risk Management
Category: Systems Design
Category: Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs)
Category: Enterprise Resource Planning
Category: Business Process Modeling
Category: Computer Science
Category: Business Process
Category: Systems Architecture
Category: Workflow Management
Category: Solution Design
Category: Information Technology
Category: Process Flow Diagrams
Category: Agile Methodology
Category: Data Modeling
Category: Product Lifecycle Management
Category: Business Communication
Category: Digital Transformation
Category: Business Analysis
Category: Prototyping

What you'll learn

  • Create test plans and traceability matrices linking business needs to outcomes, and coordinate testing among QA teams, developers, and stakeholders

  • Build deployment checklists with clear launch steps, go/no-go criteria, rollback plans, and data validation techniques

  • Define key system metrics to support post-launch tracking, organize response plans, and guide improvement through retrospectives

  • Create a Testing and Release Kit with test strategy, validation checklist, and support plans for post-launch success

Skills you'll gain

Category: Release Management
Category: Data Validation
Category: Application Deployment
Category: Process Flow Diagrams
Category: Systems Thinking
Category: Data Modeling
Category: Software Testing
Category: Behavior-Driven Development
Category: CI/CD
Category: System Testing
Category: Test Planning
Category: Digital Transformation
Category: Software Development Life Cycle
Category: Product Lifecycle Management
Category: Business Continuity Planning
Category: Systems Analysis
Category: Risk Management
Category: Software Quality Assurance
Category: Business Process Automation
Category: Test Driven Development (TDD)

What you'll learn

  • Demonstrate job-ready systems analysis skills to design IT solutions that enhance business operations and data management

  • Create process models, entity-relationship diagrams, and dashboards to visualize and optimize business workflows

  • Implement data quality, security, and compliance measures aligned with industry standards and best practices

  • Design comprehensive IT solutions that address stakeholder needs and support data-driven business decisions

Skills you'll gain

Category: Requirements Analysis
Category: Database Design
Category: Stakeholder Engagement
Category: Data Visualization
Category: Requirements Elicitation
Category: Business Process Modeling
Category: Functional Requirement
Category: Process Mapping
Category: Systems Analysis
Category: Application Deployment
Category: System Testing
Category: System Design and Implementation
Category: Process Flow Diagrams
Category: Stakeholder Management
Category: Software Design Documents
Category: Process Analysis
Category: Business Analysis
Category: Project Management
Category: Data Management
Category: Development Testing

What you'll learn

  • Apply prompt engineering and generative AI tools to gather business requirements, produce documentation, and create systems architecture diagrams

  • Create structured systems analysis, solutions architectures, optimized processes, interactive dashboards, and improved stakeholder communications

  • Generate and improve workflows by producing Business Process Model and Notation diagrams, process flowcharts, and journey maps using generative AI

  • Integrate gen AI with business analysis platforms, such as Jira, Confluence, Miro, and Power BI, to improve deliverable quality and efficiency

Skills you'll gain

Category: Generative AI
Category: Business Process Modeling
Category: Systems Analysis
Category: Systems Architecture
Category: Stakeholder Communications
Category: Consulting
Category: Software Architecture
Category: Business Communication
Category: ChatGPT
Category: Business Analysis
Category: Business Process Automation
Category: Systems Thinking
Category: Technical Consulting
Category: Solution Architecture
Category: Stakeholder Analysis
Category: AI Workflows

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructors

IBM Skills Network Team
90 Courses 1,761,585 learners
Daniel C. Yeomans
SkillUp
31 Courses 178,134 learners
SkillUp
SkillUp
120 Courses 413,356 learners

Offered by

IBM
SkillUp

You might also like

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."

Larry W.

Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."
Coursera Plus

Open new doors with Coursera Plus

Unlimited access to 10,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription

Advance your career with an online degree

Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online

Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy

Frequently asked questions

¹Based on Coursera learner outcome survey responses, United States, 2021.