From the course: Business Analyst and Project Manager Collaboration

Model partnership

From the course: Business Analyst and Project Manager Collaboration

Model partnership

- So what does the ideal partnership for a project manager and BA look like? Well, I've been on a lot of projects as a BA with great PM relationships. And here's what it looked and felt like. I'd typically touch base with the PM first thing in the morning to see what's on her mind as priorities for the day. We discussed the meetings we have scheduled, who the stakeholders are in those meetings and the meeting goals, and we make decisions on adjusting any meetings to make the stakeholder interactions positive. We also discussed the previous days stakeholder interactions and other updates from the last day or so. Throughout the day, we run into each other a few times and see how we can support one another with key messages to others, and being consistent in our actions and priorities. It's also quite common for me as the BA to have dialogue with stakeholders that could introduce scope creep. Scope creep is when items get added to the scope without the right governance around making sure that it's truly the right scope to add. It can easily happen in requirements discussions, and it's something I like to talk to the PM about as soon as I can. I want to give her a heads up on that dialogue while I investigate the value, risk and impact of any changes, as well as the feasibility. The PM can also help with discovering these critical things, and together, we can make sure the right decisions are made. I often grab coffee or lunch with the PM for more casual dialogue and time to reflect on risks and stakeholder relationships. This is where some really good insights come in as well as a deeper relationship between the PM and myself. I want her to know that I'm thinking about things like how I'm approaching my work and caring for the project as a whole. I want to build trust and transparency with the PM so we can focus on leading and influencing together as a team. Think about how this might be different from your PM-BA relationship. What can you do to improve your partnership? The partnership between the PM and BA is one that can literally be magical for the project. A great partnership can build trust in the team and stakeholders. And my favorite part is that it's rewarding and feels good to have a great partnership on the job.

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