Role of a Product Owner, Business Analyst, and Project Manager

Yesterday, I happened to be a mute spectator of a heated (but mostly jugglery with words) discussion about what is a Product Owner, Business Analyst, & Project Manager.

After the discussion, I thought of penning down my thoughts about the same. So here is my simplified, no mumbo-jumbo, but fairly accurate summary of these 3 roles.

Well, fairly accurate according to me. YMMV.

Also, take it with a pinch of salt :)

(1) BA

BA: Last 3 weeks I was at the Customer's location. 
I just finished the documentation. This is how those people work.
These are the customer requirements.
And these are the non-negotiable requirements.
Dev Team: Hmmm.... but it will take 2 years to complete this?
BA: Who cares? Not my baby.
Project Manager: Forget making any profit, we will lose huge money if we have to complete this.
BA: Who cares? Not my baby.

(2) Proj Mgr
Proj Mgr: Guys, this is what we are going to do.
Dev Team: Hmmm...it is huge work.
Proj Mgr: I know. I am working to beef up our team. I will get an additional budget soon.
Sales Rep: We have committed to the final delivery and complete hand-over by the end of Nov.
Proj Mgr: Good. We will meet that, as long as you have not committed the year.

(3) Product Owner

VP Sales: Coke wants this ABC feature in the next 3 months.

PO: We have already checked the market pulse about it. Nobody else even remotely showed any interest in that feature.

VP Sales:  Coke has been our big Customer. Are you telling me that we can refuse the ABC feature to Coke?

PO: All I am telling you is, this ABC does not fit well in our product vision. And if my team shifts focus on ABC work for the next 1.5 months, my product will remain weak in TMQ area, which would be bad.

I know 6-7 customers who say that we should strengthen TMQ. And at least 1 prospect who said they can consider us only if we give them some commitment to strengthen TMQ.

Naturally, I am going to choose what will give us the highest RoI.