Project Complexity is increasing…It’s a direct reflection of business as a whole in 2015. Multiple stakeholders spread out across multiple time zones, sometimes countries! Ambiguous direction, fragmented resource allocation, agile sprint cycles, communication issues. Pick a reason out of the hat and throw your best solution at it. Chances are it will rear its’ ugly head again sometime in the (near) future. One of the key relationships that can help dictate project success/failure is that of the Project Manager (PM) and the Business Analyst (BA). Understanding this relationship is often difficult and the waters can get muddy very quickly if not managed early in the project lifecycle.
Clearly there is some perception of commonality between the two roles. They are both responsible for managing key deliverables throughout the project. They both will need to facilitate, albeit in different ways. However, these are probably not roles that should be transformed into a hybrid “Do it all” performer within your organization. There is a clear division of labor between the two positions. Neither should feel the other is a subordinate, but rather an equal member of a project delivery team. This is truly a key tandem in helping defining success for business. The key to managing this relationship is consistent communication from the onset of a client engagement. These roles should be in agreement for all elements; risk management, resource constraint, communication responsibility, deliverable dates etc. This will help to ease pain points that arise in various phases of a project.
Another aspect of this partnership is projecting the likely strengths of each performer. A PM is likely to excel as a Convergent thinker, one who sees the whole picture and works to keep all teams engaged and on task through the project. A BA is more likely a Divergent Thinker, one who sees different angles and tries to ascertain the best way to solve a client need or problem. The BA is responsible for requirement definition and scope, at the same time estimating work effort. Poor requirement definition is the #1 reason for failure. This effort is monumental for success. They will most likely be involved throughout the project, mainly as a resource for Domain knowledge and possibly handling stakeholder change control. The PM manages the overarching project and is ultimately responsible for “Go-Live”. This effort is also crucial, as they will be managing the integration of multiple departments. They will drive toward this goal and rightfully so. So, it is imperative the PM & BA work together for best of the project staff and health. This dichotomy is certainly not 100% law; but a fair way to judge what is needed from these roles to excel in a team environment. Neither is right or wrong, and in fact the combination of both can create a very successful team. I see nothing wrong with taking a best guess at the likely skillset of the employees entrenched within these positions in your company.
When it comes to entry points, it is most likely the BA will meet with the client before the project begins. They will define the business case, understand client needs, wants, likes and dislikes. This will drive the scope of the plan and help the PM and client champion (if utilized in your organization) integrate and identify the team that will be responsible for execution of the plan (Dev, QA Design etc.) Again, not all projects will follow this model, but is prescribed best practice for success!
Project complexity has increased! One of the critical factors in managing that complexity is having a clear definition between PM & BA… And having them in unison (or somewhat close to it) throughout the lifecycle of the engagement.
Interested in learning more? Contact KnockMedia today at 800.889.9316 to learn more about the dynamic relationship between project management and business analysis.