Chapter 2:Chapter 2:Know Your AudienceKnow Your Audience

Seven Steps to Mastering Business Seven Steps to Mastering Business Analysis (Barbara Carkenord, 2008)Analysis (Barbara Carkenord, 2008)

StakeholdersStakeholders Listening SkillsListening Skills Stakeholder AnalysisStakeholder Analysis Virtual TeamsVirtual Teams

ConceptsConcepts

StakeholdersStakeholders Groups that are affected by the project’s

actions Groups that can influence the outcome Groups that have an interest in the final

outcome Executives (sponsors) Managers (PM) End users Experts (SMEs) Other dept. personnel – QA, IT

Stakeholder AnalysisStakeholder Analysis Identify stakeholdersIdentify stakeholders

Prioritize stakeholdersPrioritize stakeholders

Understand stakeholders and their roles Understand stakeholders and their roles (e.g., use power-interest grid)(e.g., use power-interest grid)

Make sure to keep the high power-high Make sure to keep the high power-high interest grid stakeholders satisfiedinterest grid stakeholders satisfied

Power-Interest GridPower-Interest Grid

QuestionQuestion As a Business Analyst, how many of As a Business Analyst, how many of

these stakeholders work for you?these stakeholders work for you?

If they don’t work for you, how do If they don’t work for you, how do you get them to do what you need you get them to do what you need them to do? After all, they all have them to do? After all, they all have their regular job to do too.their regular job to do too.

Common Issues facedCommon Issues faced Dealing with non-cooperative Dealing with non-cooperative

stakeholdersstakeholders Conveying bad news to stakeholdersConveying bad news to stakeholders Working closely with the Project Working closely with the Project

ManagerManager

BA and PMBA and PMPMPM BABA

RoleRole Manage the project Manage the project resourcesresources

Manage the Manage the requirementsrequirements

OrientationOrientation Big picture (macro)Big picture (macro) Detail oriented Detail oriented (micro)(micro)

ObjectiveObjective Keep the project Keep the project going smoothlygoing smoothly

Bridge the gap b/w Bridge the gap b/w business and ITbusiness and IT

Key SkillsKey Skills ManagerialManagerial InvestigativeInvestigative

Project ChangesProject Changes Controls the changes Controls the changes to projectto project

Manages the change Manages the change and ensures and ensures acceptanceacceptance

Virtual TeamsVirtual Teams Bas may have to deal w/ stakeholders Bas may have to deal w/ stakeholders

working in different locations – dispersed / working in different locations – dispersed / virtual teamsvirtual teams

IssuesIssues Physical distancePhysical distance Time zone differencesTime zone differences Cultural differencesCultural differences

Use of collaboration tools (group support Use of collaboration tools (group support systems) may facilitate thissystems) may facilitate this