Charles Mbadingua
Senior business analyst
Implementing a WMS (Warehouse Management System) is not just about technology. It’s a transformation project that touches operations, processes, tools, and people. In this journey, the business analyst plays a key role. Often perceived as someone who simply writes down requirements, the business analyst is in fact a strategist, facilitator, communicator, and coherence builder.
Their work begins well before any system is selected. From the very start of the project, the analyst helps set the foundation: What tools will support collaboration? What working methods should be adopted? How should governance, roles, committees, and meeting cadences be structured? The analyst brings order, sets the tone, and ensures everyone starts with a clear framework.
Next comes the listening phase. The analyst meets with stakeholders from operations, finance, transport, and IT, to understand the current context, processes, and daily frustrations. Why is a new system needed? What are we trying to improve? Instead of passively gathering notes, the analyst leads workshops, asks probing questions, reframes ideas, and uncovers the real needs behind surface-level requests.
Requirements are then sorted, grouped, and prioritized. The analyst categorizes them by theme, builds a priority grid (Must-Have, Should-Have…), and documents everything in a traceability matrix. This structured approach sets the stage for the next step: selecting the right solution.
When it’s time to launch an RFP, the analyst is at the helm. They draft the requirements document, structure expectations, suggest evaluation criteria, and support supplier targeting. They coordinate submissions and assess the responses carefully. Every answer is cross-checked against the matrix; every criterion is evaluated with perspective.
Vendor demos — often decisive — are also orchestrated by the analyst. They design realistic use cases, prepare scripts, organize meetings, and record the sessions. Acting as a filter between vendors and the client, they focus attention on what truly matters. They gather feedback, facilitate discussions, and continuously update the traceability matrix.
After the demos, the analyst delivers a comparative analysis — not just a scorecard, but a well-supported recommendation outlining strengths, weaknesses, risks, costs, and gaps. They help the client make an informed, strategic choice.
And the work doesn’t stop there. During the design phase, the analyst drafts specifications, coordinates validation workshops, collaborates with IT, and anticipates testing. They ensure the solution truly addresses business needs — without creating new blind spots.
When go-live approaches, the analyst is still present: creating documentation, organizing tests, supporting training, tracking KPIs, and guiding change management. They help ensure a smooth transition, equipping everyone with the right tools, information, and timing.
In short, the business analyst in a WMS project is the behind-the-scenes conductor — connecting the dots, maintaining direction, and making sure the final solution truly works in the field. Not just a translator of needs, but a cornerstone of the project’s success.
