Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Kathleen Barrett PMs and BAs Must Collaborate

Coming Together to Ensure Project Success - The joint collaboration between Project Management Institute (PMI) and International Institute of Business Analysts (IIBA).

Kathleen describes the PM & BA definition of roles:

  • Project Manager - person assigned by the performing organization to achieve the project objectives

  • Business Analyst - practitioner who works as a liaison among stakeholders in order to understand the structure, policies, and operations of an organization, and to recommend solutions that enable the organization to achieve its goals
"These are project role definitions, not job title or organizational role."

"We exist as PM/BA's to introduce change into organizations."

"The PM needs to be the critical liaison to the project sponsor."

Kathleen gave a very detailed but helpful talk about how Project Managers and Business analysts must work together. She outlined the PMBOK and the BABOK and how there was overlapping roles and "partnership collaboration" was essential for the success of PMs and BAs working together.

What Agile Scout liked about Kathleen Barret’s presentation:

Critical Success Factors for Effective Cooperation:

◦Clear, documented, and mutually agreed roles and responsibilities including: Project Management Plan, WBS, Project Schedule, Approach (PM/BA)
◦Constant and open communication
◦Active business sponsor engagement

Key Areas of Overlapping PM/BA Responsibilities:

◦Scope Management – Project and Product Scope (PM), Solution Scope (BA)
◦Risk Management – Risk (PM), Risk, Opportunity (BA)
◦Communication Management – Communication and Stakeholder Management (PM), Communication Plan (BA)
◦Requirements Management – Project and Product Requirements (PM), Solution Requirements (BA)
In Conclusion, Project Managers and Business Analysts must:

◦Understand key concepts in both disciplines
◦Define roles and responsibilities
◦Work through conflict with clear and frequent communications
◦Collaborate
◦Engage sponsor


[This article was originally published at AgileScout.com.]

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