Business Analyst (BA)
Any person or role that carries out business analysis work on the project.
Key Points
- Defined by the work performed: eliciting, analyzing, documenting, and validating requirements.
- May be a dedicated BA or another team member (PM, developer, tester, SME) temporarily doing BA duties.
- Collaborates with stakeholders to clarify needs, assess value, and recommend solution options.
- Maintains requirements traceability and supports acceptance criteria, testing, and change control.
Example
On a CRM rollout, no formal BA is assigned. The operations lead facilitates workshops, models current and future processes, writes requirements, and confirms them with end users. In this project, that operations lead is acting as the Business Analyst (BA).
PMP Example Question
In a project without a formally titled BA, who is considered the Business Analyst (BA)?
- Only a certified BA appointed by HR
- The team member who is performing business analysis activities
- The project sponsor, because they represent the business
- An external consultant, regardless of what work they do
Correct Answer: B - The team member who is performing business analysis activities
Explanation: The BA is defined by doing business analysis work, not by job title, certification, or organizational position.
