Overview- Business Analyst vs Project Manager
To begin with, many question me whether the roles of a business analyst and that of the project manager are one and the same or not. The distinction between the project manager and a business analyst is far fetched. Between each of them and each of these roles are very distinct and different from one another.
Moreover, although in companies where the scope and budget are limited as well as the resources that fulfill or supplement these roles are limited in number. In such cases these roles can be performed by one and the same person. We are going to clear out the air and discuss what a business analyst does and how it is different from that of a project manager role.
Particularly, in many companies where the resources are limited. It often happens that these two roles are played by the same person. And this depends on the number of resources that each of these roles has. How they can make an impact on the overall project coordination and execution.
Which is better?
The project manager and the Business analyst roles are although similar in nature, there are vast differences between the roles and responsibilities of these specific profiles. Therefore, these profiles dictates what are the roles and responsibilities of these job profiles and how can the person contribute towards the successful execution of the same. Subsequently, these roles define the job responsibilities of these profiles and how they go about performing their day to day tasks in their companies.
Similarities and Differences
Firstly, each of these roles is often distinguished as a full-time effort. The merger of these two roles means that there can be an increased risk. The project quality can be compromised and the end product may not always be able to satisfy the client.
Secondly, the business analyst role is very different and not mergeable with the project manager role in some situations. However, if the project permits and the scope is well defined. These two roles can be performed by the same person in some situations. This entirely depends on the situation that is at hand and how the risk factor affects the project.
Roles and Responsibilities
The PM dictates what the vital stats of the project being executed. And what are the milestones that were achieved. How the project is going for the successful execution of the same. This defines the different kind of parameters set and achieved for the milestones. Tasks successfully completed for the project under execution and implementation.
One source of contention between that exists between business analysts and project managers is often the issue of change. It’s not unusual or uncommon for the project managers to strongly advise against changing the project scope by adding functions or features to a product (as this could significantly impact project schedule and costs), while many different business analysts often recognize that changes to the project scope are necessary in order to effectively meet their stakeholders’ requirements.
Business analysts vs project manager- Objectives
While it’s very common for a single individual or a person to perform both roles, especially in smaller organizations with limited budgets, most experts and professionals will agree that the best case scenario or work structure is that it is defined for a project with an effective project manager and an effective business analyst. Assuming the rest of the project team or staff members is indeed capable, the project or the milestones task at hand will strike the perfect balance between thorough requirements gathering and project progress.
Commonalities
When a project manager and a business analyst are both present on the same project team, then the project manager can focus their efforts and provide attention to the project schedule, cost, and resource management, and the business analyst can spotlight their time, efforts and energy on ensuring accurate requirements management — all critical components of a successful project.
Let’s have a side by side comparison of the two roles: Business Analyst VS Project Manager.
Direct Comparison
Business Analyst | Project Manager |
| A business analyst is a person who is responsible for discovering, analyzing and synthesizing information from a variety of sources within the enterprise. | A project manager has complete responsibility to ensuring the project completed on time. This is within the budget and the scope and at the desired performance level. |
| A business analyst is those who analyze the business process and suggest products and solutions to further strengthen the business. | A project manager is a person who deals with the proper execution of the project. The PM ensures the project delivered to the client within the stipulated budget and time constraints. |
| A business analyst always interacts with clients and thus this is an open role. | The project manager may or may not interact with the client. This depends on the scope and the type of the project hence this is a closed role. |
| A business analyst can ensure that the customers actually use the product once it has been implemented. | Project managers ensure the project delivered on time within the limited budget. |
| A business analyst may or may not handle a team and this depends on the requirements. | A project manager always handles a team and makes sure the project resources assignment does the right tasks at hand. |
| The Business Analysts handles the business aspects of the project, this can include the business process to improve and may include coordination with the Project Manager | The Project manager handles the execution of the project and this involves, assigning the development tasks and resources for the timely completion of the project. |
| The business analyst defines the business process scope and suggests improvements and corrections boost business growth | The project manager deals with the proper execution of the business project for development purposes. |
| The business analyst handles the business scope of the project and deals with the implementation of the end product for the business. | The project manager deals with the overall development of the end project. The PM deals with changes done to the project to satisfy the business model. |
Hire a Business Analyst
Benefits of hiring Business Analysts
However the advantages of business investigation might appear glaringly evident, actually most organizations don’t completely see the value in how their organizations might benefit from some intervention by examination and the enhancements that can emerge thus.
In the genuine sense, executing business investigation is one of the basic drives that can keep a business intact. Generally, the advantages conveyed through business investigation include:
- Ensuring suggestions introduced by specialized specialists adjust with the requirements of partners
- Ensuring that any arrangements took on really address appropriate business issues by bringing down business dangers and reproducing business esteem.
By directing successful business examination, the business examiner builds the conceivable advantages from any suggested arrangement.
In rundown, business examination should cover the accompanying regions:
1) Efficient application and execution of new arrangements by the association:
The Business Analyst gives arrangement and clearness all through a change cycle particularly as far as characterizing clear business necessities that fall inside the extent of the venture.
2) Discovery of hierarchical necessities:
A business investigator can find new authoritative requirements through examination and thus, can assist the business with arriving at a superior comprehension of the progressions that should be set up for proceeded with progress.
3) Prioritization of business necessities:
A business examiner executes prerequisites prioritization strategies at various stages in the necessities life cycle consequently, ensuring that investor endeavors center around what makes a difference.
4) Business Analysts show esteem in business terms
At a business level, picking a business investigation procedure with elite execution measurements regularly has endless benefits; If legitimacy depicted in business terms, the arrangement offered to outperform prerequisites or at last off-base. Experienced business analysts use arrangement situation yet rather issue situated and accordingly, they decipher the allure of a recommended arrangement concerning its capacities to address business issues or meet business prerequisites.
Examples
The business case is the fundamental business investigation deliverable that directs how doable a suggested arrangement is; and diagrams the hierarchical advantages of the suggested arrangement, for example, diminished inventories, diminished functional expenses, brought down hazard of carrying on with work, and worked on working abilities, to specify a couple.
Above all, business examiners are change specialists that follow up for the benefit of the business. Larger part of experts in this discipline consent to the way that the business investigator’s essential obligation lies in tending to business issues in however much they go about as contacts between project investors. One more significant advantage of business investigation among a large group of others, is bringing down the adverse consequence of pointless change.
Conclusion:
So you see the roles for the Project manager and that of a Business Analyst. They (Business Analyst vs Project Manager) are very different from each other. One concentrates on the project aspects of the business and the other the client satisfaction part for the business. To sum up, there are instances that depend on the project scope. However, this approach increases the risk factor and can cause a decrease in project execution quality.
Whatever your organizational roles are, the situation depends on the demands of the project for managerial purposes.
