the project manager as business analyst

The Project Manager as Business Analyst

Dan Stober

© 2014 Global Knowledge Training LLC. All rights reserved. 04/10/2023

Today’s Objectives

After this webinar, you will have a more complete understanding of:• How the project manager (PM) and business

analyst (BA) competencies align• What is in the domain of the PM and of the BA• Why the PM and BA should work together• The importance of basic BA training for the PM

1-2


What We’ll Cover

Organizational structure as a driverAlignment of competenciesRequirements charter vs. project charterProduct vision and scope vs. project scopeHow traceability helps the PM and the BALeadership roles of the PM and BASuggested training for the PM on BA


Organizational Structure and Its Influence (PMI®)

FunctionalWeak Matrix

Balanced Matrix

Strong Matrix

Projectized

Project Manager’s Authority

Little or none Low Low to

moderateModerate to

highHigh to

almost total

Resource Availability

Little or none Low Low to

moderateModerate to

highHigh to

almost total

Who Manages the Project Budget

Functional manager

Functional manager Mixed Project

managerProject

manager

Project Manager’s Role

Part-time Part-time Full-time Full-time Full-time

Project Management Administrative Staff

Part-time Part-time Part-time Full-time Full-time

Organization Structure

Project Aspect

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) — Fifth Edition, Project Management Institute, Inc., 2013, Figure 2-1, 22.

Matrix


Project Stakeholders (PMI)

It is important to identify stakeholdersWho is or should be

involved?Who is external to the

organization?Who has “bought in”

and who has not? Who can influence the

projects performance or outcome?


Stakeholders and Requirements

For projects (PMI)

A stakeholder is anyone who has a vested interest in the project or product

For requirements elicitation (IIBA)

There is specific interest in any stakeholder who can provide requirements directly or knows where to get the requirements


Executive/Management Stakeholders (IIBA®)

Executives provide:Business requirementsDirection the enterprise is heading

Managers and department leaders:May have insight into problems and ideas for potential

solutions within their sphere of influenceKnow the “why” but not the “how”Can create requirements conflictsMay provide key NFRs such as look and feel,

performance, cultural, and legalAre familiar with key business documents containing

policies and business rules


Technical Stakeholders

Can include SMEs or managers Understand the needs of the design team Can provide many NFRs (reliability, availability, etc.) Can provide functional requirements for technical

functions Can translate business functional requirements into

technical terms Can provide technical constraints and implementation

requirements Are familiar with key technical standards documents

and system interfaces May have insight into problems and ideas for potential

solutions within their work environment


Secondary Sources

Technical standardsBusiness documents

Policies and proceduresProcess documentationBusiness rules

Websites and knowledge databasesSystem interface documentationLegacy systems


Stakeholder Management Plan (PMI)

Stakeholder communication requirements

Information to be communicated (format, content, level of detail, etc.)

Interrelationships among stakeholders

Expected impact of engagement

Scope and impact of change to stakeholders

Desired and current levels of engagement

Includes:


Elicitation Plan (IIBA, BABOK®)

PurposeOrganizes elicitation eventsKey schedule for elicitation team

ContentsDocumentation of all planned and executed

elicitation eventsPart of requirements communication planFor each event

Event type Event description Participants Logistics

Schedule and status Questions to be answered Archive file name


Collect Requirements Process (PMI)

Scope management plan

Requirements management plan (output from Define Scope)

Stakeholder management plan

Project charter

Stakeholder register

Interviews

Focus groups

Facilitated workshops

Group creativity techniques

Group decision-making techniques

Questionnaires and surveys

Observations

Prototypes

Benchmarking

Context diagrams

Document analysis

Requirements documentation

Requirements traceability matrix

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) — Fifth Edition, Project Management Institute, Inc., 2013, Figure 5-4, 111.


Purpose of a Requirements Charter

Defines the work and deliverables of the requirements team

Provides focus for the requirements team Is a communications tool for stakeholders and

executivesProvides a common understanding between the BA

and the PMContains a record of requirements efforts for the

BA


Contents of a Requirements Charter

Business needProduct descriptionProduct: in scope/out of scopeRequirements development scope: work of the teamRequirements development deliverablesRequirements development resourcesRequirements development milestonesRequirements riskBAPM


Outputs

Project Charter: Components

Project purpose or justification

Measurable objectives or goals

High-level requirements

High-level project description

High-level project boundaries

Summary milestone schedule

Summary budget

Initial assumptions and constraints

Project manager’s name, responsibility, and authority level

Project approval requirements (signatures and acceptance)


Why Is the Charter Important?

Gives the project manager authority

Formally recognizes the projectStates project goals and

objectivesCommits the organization’s

resources to the project Is signed by the sponsor


Characteristics of Well-Written Requirements

AllocatableAttainableCompleteConsistentCorrectNot a solutionFeasible

TestableNecessaryPrioritizedTraceableUnambiguousUnderstandableVerifiable


Requirements Analysis Activities and Techniques

Activities include:Solution decomposition: goals, features, functionsAnalysis of stakeholder requirementsAnalysis of functional requirementsAnalysis of nonfunctional requirementsDetermination of assumptions and constraints

Techniques include:Business process analysisProcess and data modeling


Requirements Communication Activities (IIBA)

Create a requirements communication planManage requirements conflictsDetermine appropriate requirement package for:

Stakeholder requirementsSolution requirements

Present requirementsHold meetings for

reviewing requirements Obtain signoff for the

requirements


Communications Management Plan (PMI)

Stakeholder communication requirements

Information to be communicated (format, content, level of detail, etc.)

Reason for communication

Time frame and frequency

Person responsible for communication

Person responsible for authorizing communication

Who will be the receivers

Includes:


Communications Management Plan (PMI)

Methods/technology

Escalation process

Methods of updating

Glossary of common terms

Flow chart

Constraints

Guidelines for project status/team meetings, emails, and e-meetings

Includes:


Scope Definition Activities

1. Identify business requirements or goals

2. Elicit information from key stakeholders about: Current environment What needs to be changed

3. Document the current environment with a business use case diagram

4. Highlight the proposed scope on the business use case diagram

5. Develop and present the business case

6. Make the decision to proceed


Overview of Project Scope Management

Product Scope vs. Project Scope

Project scope

Work needed to deliver the product

Work measured against project management plan

Product scope

Features making up the product:

Conditions Capabilities

Features measured against predefined requirements


Define Scope Process

Project Scope Statement

Product scope description

Project deliverables

Project boundaries (inclusions and exclusions)

Product acceptance criteria

Project constraints

Project assumptions


Why Trace?

Links back to business needsReduces risk of dropping requirements Reduces risk of adding unnecessary requirements Helps evaluation of potential impact of proposed

changesTraces test cases or scenarios to requirements Ensures that requirements are met


Interaction Skills

Facilitation Negotiation Leadership Influencing Motivating


Takeaways for PMs

Work with your BA (if you have one or more)Know your limitations if you are not trainedSet expectations and shape perceptions

(stakeholder management)


Learn More

Recommended Global Knowledge Courses

Business Analysis Essentials Business Process Analysis Requirements Development,

Documentation and Management

Request an On-Site Delivery We can tailor our courses to

meet your needs We can deliver them in a

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