From Project Chaos to Clarity: Stakeholders, Roadmaps & Why Gantt Charts Aren’t Just for Show

As part of my Microsoft Business Analyst Professional Certificate journey, I’ve now ventured into the fascinating (and sometimes headache-inducing) world of project management and stakeholder communication. This is the part where things start to look more like spreadsheets, org charts, and color-coded timelines.

But don’t worry - I’ll walk you through the key takeaways and why all of it matters for any good-good Business Analyst (you know who you are).

First Comes the Stakeholder Storm...

Then the Structure

Before a single post-it hits the board, a BA needs to identify the stakeholders. Not just your manager or the loud guy in marketing - all stakeholders.

We group them as:

• Primary vs Secondary - Those directly affected by the project (primary), and those who have a stake but aren’t in the front seat (secondary).

• Internal vs External - From internal teams to outside vendors, regulators, and let’s not forget: customers.

  
  

But wait, it’s not just about who they are - it’s also about how much power they hold and how interested they are.

That’s where the Stakeholder Map comes in: a 2x2 matrix that helps us plot them based on influence (can they stop the project?) and interest (do they care enough to try?).

The outcome? You know who to keep informed, who to keep happy, who to involve deeply, and who just wants a monthly newsletter and a croissant.

For extra sparkle - and to dig deeper - we use the RACI (or RASCI) Matrix, assigning roles (mostly to primary internal stakeholders) as:

• Responsible

• Accountable

• Consulted

• Informed

• (...and in RASCI: Supporting)

  
  

This ensures that when chaos breaks loose - and it will - at least you know whom to blame.(Kidding… kind of.)

Project Management: AKA How Not to Drown in a To-Do List

Once stakeholders are wrangled, the real fun begins: planning the project.

We start with the Roadmap - a high-level, bird’s-eye view of the project, manically sketched during your coffee break before the meeting. Think of it as the IKEA instruction booklet: looks simple, gives you hope - but hey, it’s a start.

Then comes the Gantt Chart, which gives that sketched plan some teeth. It's a visual schedule that maps out:

• Tasks

• Duration

• Deadlines

• Dependencies

  
  

Ah yes, dependencies - those sneaky strings that tie everything together.

They come in several flavors:

• Finish-to-Start (FS) - Task A must finish before Task B starts (classic).

• Start-to-Start (SS) - Tasks start together.

• Finish-to-Finish (FF) - They end together (romantic? Maybe).

• Start-to-Finish (SF) - Rare, confusing, and usually a mistake... unless you’re building a spaceship.

  
  

Recognizing dependencies helps you know what can be done in parallel, what will bottleneck, and where your timeline might quietly implode if not managed well.

Is any risk involved in that? Of course, but we can Mitigate!

No project is without its risks - budget overruns, team members dropping out, key stakeholders suddenly ghosting (we've all been there).

To avoid all that fun, a good-good BA always asks:

• What could go wrong?

• How likely is it?

• How bad would it be?

• And most importantly - what’s our plan B?

  
  

Risk mitigation isn’t about panic; it’s about preparation. It’s turning “Oh no!” into “We saw that coming.”

Conclusion: Good-Good > Just Good

A Business Analyst doesn’t just gather requirements and call it a day. Instead, they pause and ask: Who are the key players? Who’s going to be affected?

We analyze, plan, communicate, and bridge the gap between vision and execution and without stakeholder alignment and solid project management, even the best ideas fall flat.

So be that good-good BA - and map your people correctly!

And as always, have a great week ahead and... hug your PM, too.

Irena Kolek - Business Analyst