business intelligence developer
- Angle Sam Warta
- 2023 February 19T12:26
- Business Intelligence

A business intelligence developer is responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining business intelligence solutions for their organization. Business intelligence solutions can include reports, dashboards, and other data visualization tools that help business users make informed decisions based on data insights. In this article, we'll take a closer look at what a business intelligence developer does, the skills and qualifications needed for the role, and the career prospects for those interested in pursuing this field.
What Does a Business Intelligence Developer Do?
Business intelligence developers work closely with business users to understand their data needs and design solutions that provide insights into business operations. They use data visualization tools such as charts, graphs, and tables to make complex data more easily understandable to non-technical stakeholders. Business intelligence developers may also be responsible for maintaining and troubleshooting existing BI solutions, as well as implementing new ones.
Some of the specific tasks that a business intelligence developer might perform include:
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Designing data models: Business intelligence developers are responsible for designing data models that can be used to extract insights from large datasets. They use tools such as ER diagrams and UML to visualize the relationships between different data elements.
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Developing reports and dashboards: Business intelligence developers use tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or Qlik to develop reports and dashboards that provide insights into business operations. These reports and dashboards can be used by business users to make informed decisions based on data insights.
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Writing SQL queries: Business intelligence developers write SQL queries to extract data from databases and transform it into a format that can be used for analysis.
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Collaborating with business users: Business intelligence developers work closely with business users to understand their data needs and develop solutions that meet those needs.
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Troubleshooting: Business intelligence developers are responsible for troubleshooting issues with BI solutions, including performance issues, data quality issues, and system integration issues.
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Maintaining BI solutions: Business intelligence developers are responsible for maintaining and updating existing BI solutions as business needs change.
Skills and Qualifications
To become a business intelligence developer, you typically need a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field. However, some employers may accept candidates with equivalent experience or relevant certifications. In addition to a degree or equivalent experience, business intelligence developers typically need the following skills and qualifications:
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Strong programming skills: Business intelligence developers need strong programming skills in languages such as SQL, Python, or R. They should also be familiar with data warehousing concepts and technologies.
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Experience with BI software: Business intelligence developers should have experience with BI software such as Power BI, Tableau, or Qlik. They should also be familiar with ETL tools such as Informatica or DataStage.
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Knowledge of data modeling: Business intelligence developers should have a strong understanding of data modeling concepts and tools such as ER diagrams and UML.
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Analytical skills: Business intelligence developers should have strong analytical skills and be able to interpret data insights to provide meaningful insights to business users.
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Communication skills: Business intelligence developers should have strong communication skills and be able to work collaboratively with business users to understand their data needs and develop solutions that meet those needs.
Career Prospects
The demand for business intelligence developers is growing rapidly, as businesses increasingly rely on data insights to make informed decisions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of computer and information technology occupations, which includes business intelligence developers, is projected to grow 11 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Business intelligence developers can work in a range of industries, including healthcare, finance, retail, and more. As businesses increasingly adopt data-driven decision-making strategies, the demand for skilled business intelligence developers is likely to continue to grow.