HKSM

Business needs describe the specific organizational results a project is meant to achieve, recorded in the project vision statement to guide decisions and measure success.

Key Points

• State the "why" of the project by defining the outcomes and benefits the organization expects.
• Are captured in the project vision statement and used to align stakeholders and priorities.
• Should be measurable and tied to KPIs or benefit targets to verify success.
• Inform scope, backlog prioritization, acceptance criteria, and definition of done in agile work.

Example

A bank launches a project with business needs to increase monthly active mobile users by 20% and reduce account opening time from 15 to 5 minutes within two quarters. These outcomes are written in the project vision statement and drive backlog prioritization and success metrics.

PMP Example Question

Which statement best describes business needs in an agile project?

1. A prioritized list of functional requirements for each sprint
2. The desired organizational outcomes the project should deliver, documented in the project vision statement
3. A summary of stakeholder contact information and influence levels
4. The detailed cost breakdown used to control expenditures

Correct Answer: B — The desired organizational outcomes documented in the project vision statement

Explanation: Business needs define the value and results the organization expects, and they are captured in the project vision statement to guide delivery and measure success.