Steven ZacharyDirector| Alberta Health ServicesCalgary, Alberta, Canada
I hear this question frequently. In fact I just watched a presentation on it last week.
The thinking goes something like this. The roles are close enough that "exceptional" people can do both roles inside the same project.
Another line of thinking goes the roles should be merged.
It makes zero sense in my humble opinion. There's simply too much work for either role to be done well as a combo. It's not that someone can't succeed in a combination role. I think they can, we've all been there once in our careers.
It's just that I don't think one could EXCEL in that type of combination role without offsetting roles or some delegation structure. What are your thoughts and ramblings about the PM and BA relationship? Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
As many highlighted, it would depend on the size of the project. Small to medium will do better with a combined PM/BA role but this is obviously not feasible for big project. BUT this does not negate the fact that a PM with BA skills/experience will be a better PM and vice versa. I would also say that a skilled BA will make a better PM than a skilled PM will a BA, but that is personal opinion. Saving Changes...
Laura PatonFounder and CEO| BA AcademyWindermere, Fl, United States
I agree that smaller organizations combine the role for economic reasons, but many times its ‘perceived savings’. When we short cut either competency, important work is overlooked and money then spent on clean-up or supporting a less than optimal solution. Another observation is that smaller organizations often have less mature business analysis practices and simply don’t understand that the role stretches beyond requirements management. With a narrow viewpoint it appears as if combo roles are the best structure which is not always the case. Saving Changes...
I have never seen someone perform more than one role consistently. One role that the best part of the time or the concentration. The other role is neglected.
To be knowledgeable in many field is a plus, in a project one should be wearing a single hat.
Unless they have two head! :-)
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1 reply by Rolf Dieter Zschau
Apr 06, 2017 5:01 AM
Rolf Dieter Zschau
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Oh, I have seen some, but only in small projects - and only wearing one hat at a specific point in time, sometimes changing hats within a meeting or discussion. It was very confusing for other people involved. So it's not only a matter of the person wearing more than one hat, but also of the stakeholders to know what role is played at the very moment.
I have never seen someone perform more than one role consistently. One role that the best part of the time or the concentration. The other role is neglected.
To be knowledgeable in many field is a plus, in a project one should be wearing a single hat.
Unless they have two head! :-)
Oh, I have seen some, but only in small projects - and only wearing one hat at a specific point in time, sometimes changing hats within a meeting or discussion. It was very confusing for other people involved. So it's not only a matter of the person wearing more than one hat, but also of the stakeholders to know what role is played at the very moment. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Here I am again. First let me encourage people to read the PMI`s Guide for Business Analysis (mainly the Collaboration Points) AND (sorry about the capital letter) do no forget to read the new standard that the PMI is going to publish. Is a great piece of work. Second, please let me say that as far as I understood in great comments published here we are missing something: skills and abilities. Both roles has totally different skills. People like me that has been working with buisness analysis from the genesis have performed both roles most of the time. But in those times business analysis was tied to system analysis so business analyst naturally have the needed skills develped. Time after, when business analysis totally changed you could see (and sometimes you can see it today) that project managers think that they are performing the role but they are not doing that. That is the point and I think is what Laura have pointed out above. Believe me, is not a matter of size or budged. Is a matter that organizations must understand the focus of both roles and the needed skills and abilities.
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2 replies by David Bieg and Rolf Dieter Zschau
Apr 06, 2017 8:06 AM
Rolf Dieter Zschau
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I agree, that the skill sets needed are different. But there are people that have the skills for both roles - not many, but there are some.
It's not that easy to develop such a broad skill set nowadays, so most people with skills for both roles are long experienced staff.
Apr 06, 2017 9:22 AM
David Bieg
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Sergio, Many thanks for the kind words on "PMI's Guide to Business Analysis (Includes the Standard for Business Analysis" the development team has done an exceptional job producing this global standard and guide. I sincerely appreciate the recognition you provided. We'll be publishing before year end so stay tuned!
Here I am again. First let me encourage people to read the PMI`s Guide for Business Analysis (mainly the Collaboration Points) AND (sorry about the capital letter) do no forget to read the new standard that the PMI is going to publish. Is a great piece of work. Second, please let me say that as far as I understood in great comments published here we are missing something: skills and abilities. Both roles has totally different skills. People like me that has been working with buisness analysis from the genesis have performed both roles most of the time. But in those times business analysis was tied to system analysis so business analyst naturally have the needed skills develped. Time after, when business analysis totally changed you could see (and sometimes you can see it today) that project managers think that they are performing the role but they are not doing that. That is the point and I think is what Laura have pointed out above. Believe me, is not a matter of size or budged. Is a matter that organizations must understand the focus of both roles and the needed skills and abilities.
I agree, that the skill sets needed are different. But there are people that have the skills for both roles - not many, but there are some.
It's not that easy to develop such a broad skill set nowadays, so most people with skills for both roles are long experienced staff.
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1 reply by Sergio Luis Conte
Apr 06, 2017 10:28 AM
Sergio Luis Conte
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Because the organization where I worked on I was part of the "genesis" of the business analyst role working with the IIBA in defining the role, creating standards and so on. I have to perform the role in the field too. Other people like me performed both roles in the begining. At this time, because business analysis belongs to IT/software people like me that worked as system analyst have the needed skills developt. When business analyst roled changed few yers after then a break came. Most of us continue to perform both roles. The problem is that lot of people that are working in both roles think they are performed business analyst but is not real. That is because I agree with Laura comment above. And after working lot of years on that, after helping organizations in both roles implementations around the world let me say that is not a matter of organization size or budged. It is a matter of missunderstanding. But is logical. You will surprise when you ask organizations what a project manager is.
Saving Changes...
David BiegBusiness Analysis & Requirements Program Manager (Consultant)| Project Management InstitutePittsford, Vt, United States
Apr 06, 2017 7:15 AM
Replying to Sergio Luis Conte
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Here I am again. First let me encourage people to read the PMI`s Guide for Business Analysis (mainly the Collaboration Points) AND (sorry about the capital letter) do no forget to read the new standard that the PMI is going to publish. Is a great piece of work. Second, please let me say that as far as I understood in great comments published here we are missing something: skills and abilities. Both roles has totally different skills. People like me that has been working with buisness analysis from the genesis have performed both roles most of the time. But in those times business analysis was tied to system analysis so business analyst naturally have the needed skills develped. Time after, when business analysis totally changed you could see (and sometimes you can see it today) that project managers think that they are performing the role but they are not doing that. That is the point and I think is what Laura have pointed out above. Believe me, is not a matter of size or budged. Is a matter that organizations must understand the focus of both roles and the needed skills and abilities.
Sergio, Many thanks for the kind words on "PMI's Guide to Business Analysis (Includes the Standard for Business Analysis" the development team has done an exceptional job producing this global standard and guide. I sincerely appreciate the recognition you provided. We'll be publishing before year end so stay tuned!
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1 reply by Sergio Luis Conte
Apr 06, 2017 10:39 AM
Sergio Luis Conte
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You are welcome. I have the opportunity to work on all related to business analysis with the PMI as a reviewer. To be honest, while a read and comment lot of post that people inside the team posted I have a little doubt about the final result. But when I read the standard and the guide when I reviewed both I really feel happy because the essence of business analysis, the essence of business analysis and project management boundaries and interactions and the definition of critical terms have been fully addressed. For people like me that are working in both field are invaluable. Thank you very much.
Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Apr 06, 2017 8:06 AM
Replying to Rolf Dieter Zschau
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I agree, that the skill sets needed are different. But there are people that have the skills for both roles - not many, but there are some.
It's not that easy to develop such a broad skill set nowadays, so most people with skills for both roles are long experienced staff.
Because the organization where I worked on I was part of the "genesis" of the business analyst role working with the IIBA in defining the role, creating standards and so on. I have to perform the role in the field too. Other people like me performed both roles in the begining. At this time, because business analysis belongs to IT/software people like me that worked as system analyst have the needed skills developt. When business analyst roled changed few yers after then a break came. Most of us continue to perform both roles. The problem is that lot of people that are working in both roles think they are performed business analyst but is not real. That is because I agree with Laura comment above. And after working lot of years on that, after helping organizations in both roles implementations around the world let me say that is not a matter of organization size or budged. It is a matter of missunderstanding. But is logical. You will surprise when you ask organizations what a project manager is. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Apr 06, 2017 9:22 AM
Replying to David Bieg
...
Sergio, Many thanks for the kind words on "PMI's Guide to Business Analysis (Includes the Standard for Business Analysis" the development team has done an exceptional job producing this global standard and guide. I sincerely appreciate the recognition you provided. We'll be publishing before year end so stay tuned!
You are welcome. I have the opportunity to work on all related to business analysis with the PMI as a reviewer. To be honest, while a read and comment lot of post that people inside the team posted I have a little doubt about the final result. But when I read the standard and the guide when I reviewed both I really feel happy because the essence of business analysis, the essence of business analysis and project management boundaries and interactions and the definition of critical terms have been fully addressed. For people like me that are working in both field are invaluable. Thank you very much. Saving Changes...
John TiesoAuthor, Lecturer in Business Management| The Catholic University of America, Busch School of Business & EconomicsArlington, Va, United States
In my view, the two roles can indeed by complementary. In small organizations, they are often combined, with the PM also serving as at least the integrator, and more usually as the BA as well. Even in a larger, more diverse project team, the PM has to know the principles of BA to evaluate the success of the effort, and the meaningful opportunities for integration.
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1 reply by Naomi Caietti
Apr 06, 2017 12:09 PM
Naomi Caietti
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True, it's an invaluable for PM to perform and know many of these skill sets as they move up their career ladder.
