This site contains information on how to become a contract Business Analyst
This website contains a wealth of information appropriate for a Business Analyst who wants to improve their skills, training, qualifications or improve their CV. Or for someone who wants to become a Business Analyst.
It also contains a field-tested efficient process of how to improve your CV and marketability and break into the contract market as a Business Analyst in the eBook ("How To Become A Contract Business Analyst")
And a Specialised Business Analyst CV writing service and job search coaching is also available on this site.
THANKS FOR VISITING!
I am giving away paper copies of the book “How To Become A Contract Business Analyst” to the first people to comment, sharing their experience, on the following point:
“Business Analyst /Project Manager: can this role blend be performed effectively?”
I look forward to your comments!
Best of luck!
THANKS EVERYONE
I HAVE NOW SEND ALL COPIES OF THE BOOK – COMPETITION CLOSED!
Good question.
Absolutely … however there are particular circumstances in which in will be a success and conditions in which it will be less successful.
Firstly, let’s remember these are two separate disciplines so the incumbent will needs the knowledge and skills to conduct both specialties. Fortunately, there is a lot of similarity in the two roles and many people are more than able to fit each hat.
Secondly, the workload needs to be of a manageable level so that one person can deliver both roles well. When capacity is strained, sacrifices may need to be made and one of the two roles could suffer.
The typical environment where I find this hybrid role works well is within large Corporates who have small teams working on multiple projects. In fact in these situations the PM/BA is often the Test Analyst and Tester too! These companies makes great places to learn the trade 
Joe,
This is a good point, of course there are many factors and having fulfilled the hybrid role myself it was interesting to see another opinion on this.
The book will be in the post
Steven Mulhall
http://www.contractbusinessanalyst.com
Tim Haig-SmithAs Joe mentioned to capacity could be an issue, the requirement for a PMBA may be symptomatic of other issues that might already be placing the product of service at risk. The hybrid PMBA is common place where there is decentralised project office. As I have said before to a despondent Project Manager “If Project Management was easy more people would be doing it”.
At the extremes of each disciple there are potential conflicting goals i.e. “Business value versus budget”, but the roles have more in common than there are differences. One benefit I have experienced is reduced communication overhead of the PMBA. Pain points have been when the same resource is required by multiple PMBAs. I heard PMBAs speak of “my project” instead of “project X” or “our project”. With more role responsibility does this lead to less team cohesion as “ownership” increases?
I can think of worse hybrids the Software Developer /Project Manager – springs to mind.
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