What does a business analyst do for a project manager?

 BY: Pankaj Bansal, Founder at NewsPatrolling.com

 

A business analyst (BA) plays a critical role in supporting a project manager (PM) by acting as a bridge between the business stakeholders and the project team. Here’s how a business analyst helps a project manager:

1. Requirements Gathering and Analysis

• BA's Role: The business analyst gathers, documents, and analyzes the needs and requirements of the business and stakeholders.
• How it Helps the PM: This ensures that the PM has clear and accurate requirements to build a project plan, reducing the likelihood of scope changes or misalignment with business goals.

2. Stakeholder Communication

• BA's Role: The BA interacts with stakeholders to understand their needs and expectations and helps communicate these to the project team.
• How it Helps the PM: This relieves the PM from the burden of managing extensive stakeholder communication, ensuring that stakeholders are aligned and that the project addresses the right needs.

3. Scope Management

• BA's Role: The BA helps define and clarify the project scope, ensuring that any changes are thoroughly analyzed and documented.
• How it Helps the PM: The PM can rely on the BA to manage scope creep, ensuring that the project stays within the defined boundaries and objectives.

4. Risk Identification

• BA's Role: By understanding business processes and requirements, the BA can identify potential risks related to requirements, business needs, or process changes.
• How it Helps the PM: The PM can use this input to update the risk management plan and mitigate risks early.

5. Solution Validation

• BA's Role: The BA ensures that the solution developed meets the business requirements and adds value to the organization.
• How it Helps the PM: The PM can focus on delivering the project on time and within budget, knowing the BA is validating that the solution will be effective.

6. Documentation and Reporting

• BA's Role: The BA creates detailed business requirement documents, process flows, and functional specifications.
• How it Helps the PM: These documents help the PM track project progress and ensure that the project team understands the requirements and deliverables.

7. Support During Testing

• BA's Role: The BA helps in developing test plans and validating that the final product aligns with the requirements during testing.
• How it Helps the PM: The PM can ensure that quality control is maintained and that the deliverables meet the business expectations.

In summary, the business analyst helps the project manager by ensuring the project stays aligned with the business goals, managing stakeholder expectations, mitigating risks, and delivering a solution that meets the defined requirements.