The most common difference between the roles of a Business Analyst and a Project Manager is that a Business Analyst is responsible for the project from gathering the required elements to evaluating the project; whereas, a Project Manager is responsible for managing the project as a whole.
In this blog, we will walk you through the major difference between the roles of a Business Analyst and a Product Manager within a project.
Who is a Business Analyst?
The Business Analyst job requires the professional to evaluate a business model and its integration with technology by analyzing and documenting business processes and systems. A Business Analyst assists companies in achieving high market productivity.
Who is a Project Manager?
The Project Manager job mainly involves project management. Project Managers are responsible for project execution and managing constraints such as scope, quality, cost, and time. They also act as a client representative and help in defining the project in such a way that it meets the client’s needs.
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Business Analyst vs Project Manager
Comparing the Roles in a Project
In any project, there are multiple phases such as initiation, planning, execution, control, and the final phase. Now let’s take a closer look at what exactly the roles of a Business Analyst and a Project Manager are in these phases.
Initiation
The role of a Business Analyst in the initiation process is to communicate with stakeholders and know their high-priority demands. Meanwhile, the role of a Project Manager here is to focus on funding and timeline. This means that a Project Manager gathers all the required information about the budget and the available time so that he/she can plan resources and prepare the work schedules accordingly.
Planning
Then, the project comes to the planning phase. In this phase, the Business Analyst works on the business requirements in a more detailed way. He/she breaks down the process and distributes that work among developers. The Project Manager, on the other hand, prepares the schedule for developers and stakeholders to communicate, and along with that, he/she works on the risk management plan to avoid all the upcoming risks in the project. The Business Analyst and the Project Manager pull together the ideas and views and then implement the project plan.
Execution
In the execution process, the Business Analyst thoroughly evaluates the project using test cases. Whereas, the Project Manager is responsible for monitoring the project in this phase. Both professionals will make sure that the work is done on time with zero errors.
The Control Phase
The Control phase is for reviewing the final results. The Project Manager distributes the test cases and completes the project and the final result is reviewed by the Business Analyst. The Business Analyst reviews the test results and finds out bugs. The professional also provides solutions for project improvement in this phase.
The Final Phase
In this last phase, the Business Analyst makes the documentation and final product review of the project and hands it over to the Project Manager. Then, the Project Manager concentrates on storing those documents and paying the bills.
Comparison Between the Skills Required
As the Business Analyst roles and responsibilities are different from those of a Project Manager, the skills required to fulfill those positions are also different. So, let’s take a look at the skills:
The required Business Analyst skills are statistics, stakeholder analysis skills, data visualization, data review, and expertise in BA tools such as Adobe Acrobat, Nifty, Databox, etc. A Business Analyst mainly coordinates and communicates with stakeholders. So, stakeholder analysis skills are a must for business analysis. For a better understanding of the analysis, statistics and probability are required as well. Data visualization and data reviewing are also part of the Business Analyst skills.
The Project Manager skills are process management, project initiation, project planning, risk management, and experience in PM tools such as monday.com, Hive, ClickUp, Wrike, etc. In the whole project cycle, the Project Manager focuses on project management, so to assume the position, the candidates should know how to initiate, plan, and execute a project. They should also work on the risk management factors for the project. Moreover, the PM tools are essential for any Project Manager.
Comparing the Job Scope
The scope of both Business Analysts and Project Managers is vast. Right now, on Naukri.com, there are around 11,564 Business Analyst jobs available, and on LinkedIn, there are 17,000+ jobs in India. Whereas, there are 31,346 Project Manager jobs on Naukri.com and over 38,000 on LinkedIn in the country. It is clear that the job opportunities of a Project Manager are more than that of a Business Analyst. However, a switch to any of these careers will be beneficial for your career growth.
The Difference in Salary Trends
Coming to salary trends, in India, the average annual Business Analyst salary is ₹607,006, and a Project Manager’s salary is ₹1,500,000, according to PayScale. The salary package of a Project Manager is high compared to that of a Business Analyst.
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Conclusion
After going through the blog, we can conclude that the differences between a Business Analyst and a Project Manager. A good software solution is not just about writing bug-free code, it is also about fixing the problems and meeting the client’s expectations. Project Managers and Business Analysts are assigned to fulfill these objectives. A Project Manager usually concentrates on the project as a series of tasks, establishes baselines, interacts with the development team, and addresses project issues. On the other hand, a Business Analyst is concerned with the final product, analyzes market problems, and proposes a technical solution.
Therefore, in a company, the roles and responsibilities of a Business Analyst and a Project Manager are different yet crucial for the success of any project. Intellipaat offers you the best business analytics online course. Still confused about How to Become a Business Analyst, enroll now to gain hands-on experience and become a professional in Business Analytics.