Introduction
Alright, let’s settle this together – Product Owner vs Business Analyst, what’s the difference?
If you’ve ever scrolled through LinkedIn or Reddit, you’ve probably seen debates on whether Scrum teams need both a Product Owner (PO) and a Business Analyst (BA). Some say they do the same thing. Others swear they don’t.
And if your company is shifting from traditional ways of working to Agile and Scrum, you might be wondering:
💡 Do we need a Business Analyst if we already have a Product Owner?
Let’s break this down through the lens of Scrum and figure out what each role actually does.
What Does a Product Owner Actually Do?
The Product Owner (PO) is the heart of the Scrum team – responsible for making sure the team is building the right thing, not just building things right.
Here’s what a great PO does:
✅ Defines and communicates the Product Vision – Where are we going actually?
✅ Sets the Product Goal – What’s our long-term objective?
✅ Owns and prioritizes the Product Backlog – What should the team work on next?
✅ Works closely with stakeholders – Aligning business needs with the product roadmap.
✅ Decides what gets built – But leaves the “how” to the Developers (technical guys)
✅ May handle release management and product pricing – Depending on the company structure.
💡 Think of the Product Owner as the captain of the ship – guiding the crew and making sure they stay on course, deciding which destinations (features) are the most valuable for customers.
📌 The Product Owner role is officially defined in the Scrum Guide, and every Scrum team must have one.
What About the Business Analyst?
Now, here’s where things get interesting.
The Business Analyst (BA) is not an official Scrum role – but that doesn’t mean the job disappears in Agile teams.
In traditional (non-Agile) environments, a BA typically:
✅ Gathers and analyzes business requirements
✅ Creates documentation and specifications for new features
✅ Works with stakeholders to identify business problems and needs
✅ Helps define functional requirements
🎯 The key difference?
- The Product Owner makes strategic decisions about the product.
- The Business Analyst focuses on analyzing data and understanding user needs to support decision-making.
📌 In Scrum, there’s no official “Business Analyst” role – but some organizations still keep BAs as supporting roles.
Product Owner vs Business Analyst – Key Differences
| Aspect | Product Owner | Business Analyst |
| Part of the Scrum Team? | ✅ Yes (essential role) | ❌ No (not an official Scrum role) |
| Main Responsibility | Maximizing product value | Analyzing business needs |
| Focus | Product vision, goals, priorities | Data, analysis, requirements |
| Decision-Making Power | ✅ Yes, owns the Product backlog and priorities | ❌ No, provides insights but doesn’t decide |
| Works with Stakeholders? | ✅ Yes, directly | ✅ Yes, but often as a middleman |
| Can Transition to PO? | ✅ Already is a PO | ✅ Yes, with additional product management skills |
| Owns the Product Backlog? | ✅ Yes | ❌ No, but can help refine Product backlog items |
📌 If your team follows Scrum, the Product Owner is a must-have, while a Business Analyst can be optional.
Do You Need Both a Product Owner and a Business Analyst?
The short answer? It depends.
In some companies, a BA supports the Product Owner by analyzing market trends, gathering customer feedback, and refining Product Backlog items.
But in Scrum, a Business Analyst would technically fall under “Developers” (Scrum uses “Developers” as an umbrella term for anyone working on the product).
👉 If your company is transitioning from traditional methods to Scrum, it’s common for Business Analysts to evolve into Product Owners. If a BA stays on the team, their role is more advisory rather than decision–making.
Conclusion
While there are some overlapping responsibilities, the Product Owner is the only officially required role in a Scrum team.
A Business Analyst can exist in an Agile organization, but they don’t have the authority to make product vision or prioritization decisions – that’s the PO’s job.
So, if your team still has a Business Analyst, ask yourself:
👉 Is this role really needed, or should the Product Owner take over these responsibilities?
How does your organization handle this? Have you faced challenges transitioning from BA to PO?
Drop a comment and let’s discuss! 🚀
