How do you get requirements from stakeholders who aren't available?

Sometimes it is challenging to gather requirements from the stakeholders who are not readily available but few options are there. By having a virtual meeting through video conference or calls by considering different time zones, Or by knowing the backup stakeholder or SME who closely works with the main stakeholder & must be aware of the insights, Or by having discussions with the individual who worked closely with the unavailable stakeholder, Or if any documentation is provided in the past in the form of mails,chat or reports then that can be analyzed to collect the relevant requirements, Or can use collaborative tools to message in urgency so that they can reply on their availability, Or by MOM from previous meetings & engaging mediators

Although business analysts are probably not the line managers of stakeholders, they should be granted appropriate authority by the project sponsor and communicate effectively with all stakeholders at the beginning of the project. This makes the project smoother and life easier.

When stakeholders are not present for in-person meetups or virtual connect, it becomes difficult to analyze and gather requirements. Here's what can be done - First of all, identifying stakeholders and understanding their roles and responsibilities is important. You don't want to chase someone for something they don't care about. Identifying a proper way of communication is the next step. For eg, use the team's channel if you are not in the same geographical location, or if you don't get any of their free time then document your concerns and send them across in a Google form. Note: I always try to not just send the questions but also a possible solution to the stakeholders to avoid delays and make things easy for them.

You should remember this is people problem. In a busy project, Business Analysts (BAs) can help speed things up by using their skills. They can create an initial plan or requirements that need modification or approval. But it's important to remember that when people are too busy and not paying attention in project meetings, it's a people problem. Always keep in mind that you have the right to speak up and tell the project owner or sponsor about this issue at the right time. This ensures that everyone is contributing fairly to the project. If someone doesn't really need to be involved, why include them as a stakeholder in the first place?