PMP Flashcards
In a short, 3-month project to implement a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) system, the business analyst determined that detailed software requirements specification document was not necessary and planned instead upon use cases for the analysis technique and documentation format. This is an example of which of the following?
A. Appropriate use of risk mitigation
B. Determining appropriate requirements analysis and documentation activities
C. An assumption that could become a risk
D. A common mistake leading to prescriptive requirements
*The business analyst determines the best technique to be used on the project regarding requirements process.
Determining appropriate requirements analysis and documentation activities
The analyst was able to determine the technique to be used in this project
The Business analyst determines the best technique to be used on the project regarding the requirements process. There is nothing to hint that an assumption or a risk is a consideration in the decision. There is nothing to hint that risk is a consideration in the decision. There are no prescriptive requirements. Business Analysis for Practitioners, section 4.11.8: Documenting with Use Cases, page 130
Your sponsor, Sami, has requested a group meeting to review submitted requirements documentation to ensure that the requirements as stated are valid. What type of meeting would be most appropriate?
A. A group focused requirements session
B. A requirements walkthrough session
C. A nominal group requirements session
D. A Delphi-based requirements session
Key fact: Sami has requested a group meeting to review requirements documentation to ensure that the requirements are valid. As project documentation is submitted, the business analyst reviews the material in detail to ensure they are complete, correct, consistent, feasable, measuarable, precise, testatble, traceable, and unambiguious before handed off to the next level.
B. A requirements walkthrough session
Sami requested a group meeting to review requirements documentation, thus a walkthrough.
Walkthroughs are used to review the requirements with the stakeholders and receive confirmation that the requirements as stated are valid. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 7.6.2.4: Walkthroughs, page 228
Your sponsor, Dima, is concerned about the needed complexity and significant level of detail associated with the requirements traceability matrix and requirements documentation. What might Dima suggest to confirm that the documentation is in compliance with the organizational requirements before a signoff meeting with the project stakeholders?
A. A review by the testing and change leads before the meeting
B. The project manager review the documentation
C. An informal review by Sami and Sara, two of your peers
D. A formal review by the project manager and change lead
Dima wants to confirm that the documentation is correct before meeting with the project stakeholders. Analysts will request these types of reviews to ensure there are no glaring mistakes or issues that could raise during stakeholders reviews and validation session.
An informal review by Sami and Sara, two of your peers
Peer reviews, which can be either formal or informal requirement reviews, can be conducted at any point during the requirements process. Peer reviews are opportunities for colleagues to provide insight, make recommendations to strengthen the process, and ensure that there are no obvious errors or omissions that could cause non-compliance with organizational documentation standards. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 7.5.5.2: Peer Reviews, page 224
You are the business analyst for a high tech manufacturing plant, supporting a component of an overall program whose ultimate goal is to develop full automated production line. It has been determined that a production line must replace one of its main computer systems. Before approving the work, the governing body for the program requested an illustration showing all the systems that may be affected by this upgrade. What technique would you recommend?
A. An ecosystem map showing all the systems within both the production line and the partner companies, identifying occasional interface and data requirements.
B. A visual representation highlighting all the features of the solution, arranged in hierarchical edifice, identifying occasional interface and data requirements with the partner organizations.
C. A context diagram detailing all the direct and human boundaries within a system.
D. A map showing all the boundaries within the manufacturing plant proposed system, so that partner organizations and the governing body can get a better understanding of the proposed initiative.
The governing body is requesting a map that extends beyond the typical boundaries of architectural diagrams.
An ecosystem map showing all the systems within both the production line and the partner companies, identifying occasional interface and data requirements.
Ecosystem maps extend beyond the typical boundaries of architectural diagrams. When used holistically, they identify all the organizations and associated systems that are affected, or that may be affected, by the proposed solution. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 7.2.2.5: Ecosystem map, page 190
You’re presenting a business case to your executive sponsor, along with your senior financial analyst, John, highlighting the financial valuation methods used to justify the investment. Your sponsor, Sami, asked that you expand the analysis to include the initial and ongoing costs, along with the projected annual yield of the investment. Upon returning with John, you should prepare which of the following?
A. A return on investment (ROI) analysis
B. An internal rate of return (IRR) analysis
C. A net present value (NPV) analysis
D. A present value versus future value (PV vs. FV) assessment
*The analysis must include intial and ongoing costs, along with the projected annual yeild of the investment. The results of this analysis will form the basis for the rough order-of-magnitude estimates of costs benefits.
An internal rate of return (IRR) analysis.
The IRR analysis projects the annual yield of a project investment incorporating both initial and ongoing costs.
This scenario is testing your understanding of each of the valuation techniques. The results of this analysis will form the basis for the rough order-of-magnitude estimates of costs and benefits. An internal rate of return (IRR) analysis is performed when organizations are considering CAPEX (capital expenditure) projects to determine the profitability of projects. When the NPV for the project is set to zero, IRR is the discount rate. Business Analysis for Practitioners, 2.5.6.3 Internal Rate of Return, page 34
Following the completion of the stakeholder register, Sami added further details for each stakeholder, noting their office location, how many years they’ve been with company, and their availability. What did Sami perform?
A. A stakeholder characteristics analysis
B. A stakeholder interest analysis
C. A stakeholder salience analysis
D. A stakeholder grouping analysis
This falls in line with things like, attitude, complexity, culture, experience, location, and availability to properly plan and manage requirements throughout the project lifecycle.
A stakeholder characteristics analysis
Business analysts define stakeholder characteristics such as attitude, complexity, culture, experience, location, and availability to properly plan and manage requirements throughout the project lifecycle. Roles and responsibilities are a component of the requirements management plan, which is the roadmap for delivering the planned solution. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 4.1: Conduct Stakeholder Analysis, page 328
While executing the business analysis activities on the project, a key stakeholder suggested change request that will improve the efficiency of the final product. As a professional business analyst, you assessed the impact of the proposed change and found that the change will increase the cost of the project, but will add new important feature to the product. You sent the change request along with your assessment results to the CCB, they reviewed the change and decided to defer it until providing the necessary budget. Which of following should be your next step?
A. Revise the change request and resubmit it to the CCB.
B. Assess the change impact again to cut the extra cost (if possible).
C. Document the change status with the approved date of resubmission.
D. Adjust the impacted business analysis activities.
Document the change status with the approved date of resubmission.
Change deferred: The decision to defer making the change is documented, along with a rationale for the decision. When the change is provided with a proposed date for a future product release, it is noted and reflected in the appropriate plans to ensure that the change is addressed at the requested future date. In adaptive life cycles, this is equivalent to the proposed change being assigned a lower ranking in the product backlog. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 8.4: Manage changes to requirements and other product information, page 271
Sami, your test lead, and John, your business SME, are satisfied with the test results and have requested a go/no-go meeting to explain their actual versus expected results to all internal stakeholders. They have a disagreement on how the results should be presented. As the business analyst, what can you recommend?
A. Advise both Sami and John that individuals who make go/no-go decisions would like an impact analysis to accompany the presentation; either format is acceptable.
B. Advise both Sami and John that the stakeholders should be provided with summarized details ahead of the meeting, and that during the meeting results should be presented using graphs and charts at a summary level.
C. Advise Sami to share the details of the solution testing during the meeting.
D. Advise John to present the results, using graphs and charts, at a summary level.
Sami and John are about to have a facilitated workshop where a selected group of stakeholders (all internal) will meet to collaborate and work toward a stated objective.
Advise both Sami and John that the stakeholders should be provided with summarized details ahead of the meeting, and that during the meeting results should be presented using graphs and charts at a summary level.
With focus on running efficient meetings and properly preparing attendees. As with all meetings, there should be a clear agenda with known objectives; ideally, meeting minutes follow within 24 hours. In this scenario, the objective is to solicit a vote on a go/no-go decision. To facilitate a smooth discussion, all the details should be provided in advance of the meeting, whereas summary data is presented during the meeting. Business Analysis for Practitioners, section 4.5.5.3: Facilitated Workshops, page 78.
Sami, a business analyst in his organization was conducting interviews with stakeholders to elicit requirements. The sessions were not going well and he asked a senior business analyst for help. Stakeholders were confused on the size of the project and why the project was needed. Which of the following would the senior business analyst recommend?
A. Advise Sami to bring the requirements traceability matrix and supporting materials.
B. Advise Sami to make sure the stakeholders are on the approved stakeholders lists and ignore the remaining stakeholders.
C. Advise Sami to review the business case/need and solution scope.
D. Advise Sami to work more closely with the project manager and project sponsor to get the stakeholder in line with the project.
Details of why the project has been selected and complexity and idea of size can be taken from one document. The stakeholders want an understanding of why the project was undertaken and what is the benefit. Traceability Matrix has not been fully created yet as the requirements is still being elicted
Advise Sami to review the business case/need and solution scope.
Business Case: A documented economic feasibility study used to establish the validity of the benefits of a selected component lacking sufficient definition and used as a basis for the authorization of further project management activities. Business Need: The impetus for a change in an organization, based on an existing problem or opportunity. The business need provides the rationale for initiating a project or program. Business Case is majorly comprised with cost benefit analysis and business need. This does not directly address the need for clarity of the scope and business need. Details of why the project has been selected and complexity and idea of size can be taken from business case; here the stakeholders need an understanding of why the project was undertaken and its benefit here, the traceability matrix has not been fully created yet as requirements is still being elicited. Also missing is what the requirements trace to-i.e., the business requirements. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 4.6: Assemble Business Case, page 96
While conducting business analysis planning, estimation techniques are used to provide a quantitative assessment of likely amounts or outcomes. In this context, which of the following is a method of estimating duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lower level tasks?
A. Relative estimation
B. Estimation poker
C. Bottom up estimating
D. Affinity estimating
This type of estimate takes more time to complete, but it is more accurate than the other estimates.
Bottom-up estimation
They key word for this question is the “lower level tasks.”
Bottom-up estimating. A method of estimating duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lower level tasks. A decomposition model often identifies these lower-level tasks. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 5.4.2.3: Estimation Techniques, page 132.
Sami is working as the senior business analyst in an IT services firm, and the project he is currently involved in is about building a high-tech delivery application. During tracking the requirements, he used to give access of the backlog to the product owner to manage it, but his executive manager disagrees with this approach, and he told Sami that this process can only be managed by the change control board. Which of the following should be your response?
A. Ignore the executive manager advise as you are the SME when it comes to business analysis
B. Explain to the executive manager that the product owner is responsible of the backlog in agile projects
C. Explain to the executive manager that the product backlog can managed by CCB or product owner
D. Agree with the executive manager, and revise your approach
In adaptive life cycles, backlog management is the technique used to manage the changes.
Explain to the executive manager that the product owner is responsible of the backlog in agile projects
Backlog management is a technique used in adaptive approaches to maintain the list of backlog items to be worked on during a project. The list is ranked in order of business value or importance to the customer and sized by the development team so that the highest-value items are selected and delivered in the next development cycle. Proposed changes or new stories are added to the bottom of the backlog, where they sit until the next time the backlog is reprioritized. In adaptive life cycles, backlog management is the technique used to manage changes. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 8.4.2.1: Backlog Management, page 273
Sami is the senior business analyst in a software development project, and he is involved in analyzing the product requirements. In this context, which of the following actions can be done in order to determine which requirements are accepted, deferred, or rejected?
A. Obtain sign-off on requirements baseline using decision-making techniques
B. Evaluate product options and capabilities by using decision-making and valuation techniques.
C. Write requirements specifications using process (such as use cases, user stories), data, and interface details.
D. Allocate accepted or deferred requirements by balancing scope schedule, budget, and resource constraints with the value proposition using prioritization, dependency analysis, and decision-making tools and techniques.
Sami needs to assess the product requirements to determine which ones will be accepted, deferred, or rejected.
Evaluate product options and capabilities by using decision-making and valuation techniques.
Exam content outline: Domain 3, Task 3. Evaluate product options and capabilities by using decision-making and valuation techniques in order to determine which requirements are accepted, deferred, or rejected.
While conducing business analysis activities in your software development project, and during a brainstorming session, the team came up with sixty five ideas for the new solution. As the senior business analyst of the team, what should you do next?
A. Narrow down the number of ideas in collaboration with the project manager
B. Present the sixty five ideas to key stakeholders to select the best one
C. Let the team agree on throwing out ideas that are not feasible
D. Apply voting techniques to select the best five ideas
Brainstorm is comprised of two parts: idea generation and analysis.
Let the team agree on throwing out ideas that are not feasible
Brainstorming is a data gathering technique that can be used to identify a list of ideas in a short period of time (e.g., list of risks, stakeholders, or solutions to issues). Brainstorming is conducted in a group environment and is led by a facilitator. A topic or issue is presented and the group is asked to generate as many ideas or solutions as possible about the topic. Ideas are provided freely and rapidly and all ideas are accepted. Because the discussion occurs in a group setting, participants feed off of each other’s inputs to generate additional ideas. The responses are documented in front of the group so progress is continually fed back to the participants. The facilitator takes on an important role to ensure all participants are involved in the discussion and to ensure no one individual monopolizes the session or critiques or criticizes the ideas that are offered by others. Brainstorming is comprised of two parts: idea generation and analysis. The analysis is conducted to turn the initial list of ideas into a usable form of information. In business analysis planning, brainstorming can be leveraged to build the initial list of stakeholders, to discover new stakeholders, or to identify a list of tasks to be included in the business analysis work plan. Business Analysis for Practitioners, Section 3.3.1.1, Brainstorming, page 39.
The business owner of your wind turbine project asked you to present an analysis comparing potential solution options for the next generation of solar panels made of carbon fiber that would be commercially available in five years. Your analysis should be based on which of the following?
A. Would the analysis be based solely on business requirements, stakeholder requirements, and solution requirements?
B. Would the project be based on the project management iron triangle considerations of quality as constrained by time, cost, and scope?
C. Can the organization acquire the technology; is it financially feasible; and can the solution be delivered in the timeframe outlined?
D. Are the options presented aligned with the organization’s requirements for sustainability and reliability; can the organization acquire the required technology; is it financially feasible; and can the solution be delivered in the timeframe outlined?
When considering options, the business analyst may often need to assess their feasibility so the organization can determine the preferred options
Are the options presented aligned with the organization’s requirements for sustainability and reliability; can the organization acquire the required technology; is it financially feasible; and can the solution be delivered in the timeframe outlined?
When considering solution options, business analysts may often need to assess their feasibility so the organization can determine the preferred option. Feasibility studies often consider (a) operational, (b) technology/system, (c) cost-effectiveness, and(d) time constraints associated with each option. In this scenario, the business analyst is tasked with conducting a complete feasibility analysis. Organizations will often have “blue sky” ideas; given the current environment, we need to determine the “art of the possible.” Business Analysis for Practitioners, 2.5.4 Assess feasibility and organizational impacts for each option, page 30
You received a change request about one of the product key features. You assessed the change, and submitted a change request to the change control board (CCB) for approval. Few days later, you received a notification that the change was differed, which of the following should be your next step?
A. Adjust the impacted business analysis activities.
B. Document the decision to defer, along with the rationale for the decision.
C. Revise the change request and resubmit it to the CCB.
D. Arrange a meeting with the CCB to discuss the change.
Document the decision to defer, along with the rationale for the decision.
Change deferred: The decision to defer making the change is documented, along with a rationale for the decision. When the change is provided with a proposed date for a future product release, it is noted and reflected in the appropriate plans to ensure that the change is addressed at the requested future date. In adaptive life cycles, this is equivalent to the proposed change being assigned a lower ranking in the product backlog. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 8.4: Manage changes to requirements and other product information, page 271
For estimation purposes, the team is using poker estimation technique in order to size user stories. Six members are participating in the session, and when they turned the cards, four team members selected 5, one selected 7, and one selected 17. As you are facilitating this session, what should you do next?
A. Conduct a voting session to agree on the estimate.
B. Directly conduct another round to reach agreement.
C. Calculate the average estimate.
D. Ask the member who selected 17 to explain his point of view.
Ask the member who selected 17 to explain his point of view.
Each person participating in estimation poker is given a series of cards with the agreed-upon scale. Team members typically will converge upon a reference estimate for one of their project’s product backlog items, often using a Delphi or wide-band Delphi approach. The reference estimate is then used as a basis for subsequent relative estimates for each additional product backlog item that is to be estimated. Team members hold up cards that represent their estimates of the level of effort required in the context of their agreed-upon reference estimate, expressed within the chosen scale. Those who created the highest and lowest estimates explain their rationale, following which everyone estimates again. The process repeats until convergence is achieved. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, Section 5.4.2.3, Estimation Techniques, page 133.
During business analysis planning, the team should establish how decisions will be made across the business analysis effort to avoid misunderstandings or conflict later on when performing the work. In this context, which of the following techniques reaches a decision by everyone agreeing on a single course of action?
A. Plurality
B. Majority
C. Unanimity
D. Autocratic
Unanimity
A few decision-making techniques include the following: Autocratic: One individual makes the decision for the group. Delphi: Reduces bias and prevents any one person from imposing undue influence on the team. Delphi reaches a decision through consensus. Force field analysis: Reaches a decision by exploring the forces that are for or against a change and assessing which is greatest. Majority: Reaches a decision when support is obtained from more than 50% of the members of the group. Plurality: Obtains a decision by taking the most common answer received from among the decision makers. Unanimity: Reaches a decision by everyone agreeing on a single course of action. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 8.3.2.7: Group Decision Making Techniques, page 267.
While working as the business analyst for a web development project that is managed using an agile methodology, you were just done with your team with identifying the subset of product backlog items that the development team will work on for the upcoming iteration. Which of the following techniques is the one you just used?
A. Iteration review
B. Retrospective
C. Iteration planning
D. Backlog refinement
iteration planning
It is a technique used in agile methodologies to plan the work completed during the upcoming iteration or sprint. The teams will review the product backlog and identify the subset of backlog items that they will work on during the iteration.
In adaptive approaches, iteration planning or sprint planning is the activity used to identify the subset of product backlog items that the product development team will work on for the current iteration or sprint. The entire team collaborates just before or at the beginning of the iteration to select the backlog items that should be part of an iteration backlog. Business analysis activities ensure that product backlog items are ready to be developed. The business analysis responsibilities entail choosing items for the iteration backlog that are sufficiently elaborated upon and most important in terms of delivering business value. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, Section 7.7.2.3, Iteration Planning, page 233.
After several weeks of effort, you have just completed the business analysis work plan for a highly complex project. Following a review session with the project team and key stakeholders, your project manager, Sami, has expressed concern about full integration with the project management plan. To simplify matters, which of the following should you suggest?
A. The fine details can be tracked in a separate plan; summary information should be integrated with the overall project management plan.
B. Considering the highly complex nature of the project, we can maintain two separate project plans.
C. To properly manage the project, both plans need to be fully integrated.
D. Because a majority of the project is focused on requirements, all the details can be integrated, and as the business analyst, you will maintain the overall plan.
The fine details can be tracked in a separate plan; summary information should be integrated with the overall project management plan.
Work plans developed by the business analyst detail the product activities to be accomplished by the performing organization. It’s leading practice to have an integrated business analysts work plan at the summary level, with the other project activities. This can assist with sequencing of activities, leveling of resources, and helping to uncover any gaps or inconsistencies. In doing so, the business analyst will have accountability for managing and directing the work detailed on their plan, and reporting status to the project manager. Business Analysis for Practitioners, 3.5.5 Review Business Analysis Plan with Key Stakeholders, page 67
In order to manage changes of the requirements baseline, traceability matrix is one of the best tools. As a professional business analyst, you linked all the product requirements back to business goals and objectives. Your executive manager was satisfied to see how requirements contribute to achieving organizational goals, but the technical team was not satisfied. Which of the following is the most probable reason of their dissatisfaction?
A. Because requirements should be traced forward, not backward only.
B. Because requirements traceability should be shared with the technical team only.
C. Because requirements should be traced backward, not forward only.
D. Because requirements should not be traced to organizational goals and objectives.
Because requirements should be traced forward, not backward only.
Traceability is the ability to track information across the product life cycle by establishing linkages between objects. These linkages are also known as relationships or dependencies. Traceability is sometimes qualified as bidirectional, or forward and backward, because requirements are traced in more than one direction. For instance, backward traceability is performed from the requirements to the scope features and business goals and objectives that triggered them; forward traceability is performed from the requirements to design and test components and, ultimately, the final product. Tracing can also be performed laterally-for instance, tracing textual product information to models. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, Key Concepts for Traceability and Monitoring, page 253
A business analyst is trying to understand the magnitude of the problem or opportunity to help determine an appropriately sized solution as soon as a broad understanding of the situation is obtained. The business analyst is lacking internal data to discover further insight or “sizing up” the situation. The business analyst observed that it is not feasible to collect data using quantitative techniques, what can be done in this situation?
A. Sampling
B. Questionnaire
C. Document analysis
D. Benchmarking
Benchmarking
When no internal data exist or when it cannot be feasibly collected, in that case benchmarking may be performed. Benchmarking is a comparison of the metrics or processes from one organization against a similar organization in the industry that is reporting or finding similar industry averages. Benchmarking may also involve comparing internal organizational unit or processes against each other. Document Analysis, Questionnaire and sampling are the tools which can be used in data collection and business analyst identified that collecting data is not feasible. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 4.1.2.1: Benchmarking, page 60
You are in the process of determining the viable options in order to recommend one option to your executive management, and you want to perform a comparison of your organization’s practices, processes, and measurements of results against established standards or against what is achieved by a “best in class” organization within its industry. In this situation, which of the following techniques can help you?
A. Market analysis
B. Competitive analysis
C. Brainwriting
D. Benchmarking
Benchmarking
This is a technique that involves comparing an organization;s practices and processes and measurements of results against industry standards or against the practice of leading organizations in the industry.
The subject matter experts from manufacturing-Dima, Suzan, and Sara -seem to be at an impasse and cannot agree on the solution to address the robotic control arm. All are highly skilled in robotics and considered experts in their field. What can you suggest to mediate the conversation?
A. Facilitate a conversion with the team and have them list the strengths and weaknesses of each proposed solution.
B. Create a grid listing options, so they can be ranked and voted upon.
C. Create a chart and list the forces for and against each option.
D. Build an options analysis chart and facilitate a conversion to derive a resolution.
Create a grid listing options, so they can be ranked and voted upon.
It allows the SME to evaluate and compare the strengths and weaknesses of each proposed solution and to weigh the pros and cons of each option.
The weighted rankings and scorings technique, also used during the needs assessment to rank solution options, is used during analysis to resolve requirements-related conflicts. The process is identical to what was used during the needs assessment, whereby solution options are listed, ranked, and voted upon by team members. The tool is used objectively to compare solution options; the option with the highest score is selected. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 4.4.2.8: Weighted Ranking, page 90
At the final stages of the project you are working in as the business analyst, you faced a requirement related conflict that you were not able to resolve by applying different techniques. You decided to escalate this conflict. In which of the following documents should you find the escalation path to follow?
A. Elicitation approach
B. Requirements management plan
C. Solution evaluation approach
D. Business analysis plan
Business analysis plan
Conflicts may arise at any point in the business analysis process. Whether the conflict is between business units voicing opposing views of what the solution should be or a solution team and a product stakeholder disagreeing on the way to solve the business problem, the first order of business is to determine what the problem is that the parties are attempting to solve. The business analyst mediates the situation by discussing the differences and by understanding the points of view of each stakeholder. Several discussions may need to occur before a resolution is reached. When unable to reach a decision, the issue needs to be escalated. The process for making decisions, resolving requirements- related conflicts, and the escalation path to follow when negotiating efforts fail should have been defined during business analysis planning. Business Analysis for Practitioners, Section 4.15, Resolve requirements-related conflicts, page 134.
Your sponsor, Sami, is new to the concept of business analysis. Although you have explained that requirements are the sole justification for the existence of a project, he has asked for additional context. From the choices below, which would you not provide?
A. An overabundance of business analysis planning can negatively impact the project.
B. Business analysis activities will be planned up front in sufficient detail for the duration of the project.
C. Business analysis reduces project risks.
D. Business analysis sets expectations with stakeholders as to activities that will be performed.
Business analysis activities will be planned up front in sufficient detail for the duration of the project.
As project changes so will the need for analysis.
You have created a situation statement for the problem your organization is facing. You are expected to negotiate, facilitate and influence all of the stakeholders which may be impacted by decision, including who can affect the decision and have decision making authority to approve the situation statement. Why agreement of situation statement is needed from stakeholder groups who are not having decision making authority?
A. All stakeholders will be informed about the situation
B. All of the stakeholders will be consulted for the situation
C. It ensures that essence of the current situation is captured and therefore guide the subsequent work of assessing the business need
D. Business Analysts need to establish and maintain relationship with them
It ensures that essence of the current situation is captured and therefore guide the subsequent work of assessing the business need
You are the senior business analyst for a complex web development project. Sami, a junior member of the team approached you asking about the requirements states that drive the requirements life cycle in the project. To which of the following documents should you refer Sami to answer his question?
A. Traceability and monitoring approach
B. Elicitation approach
C. Analysis approach
D. Business case
Traceability and monitoring approach
Components of the traceability and monitoring approach related to traceability may include: Types of object to be traced; level of detail needed in traceability; relationships that will be established and maintained; where relationships will be tracked.
Before recommending a preferred option, a cost-benefit analysis should be performed. The expected project benefits and costs need to be articulated in greater detail during a cost-benefit analysis than during a feasibility analysis. Where should the business analyst document the results of the cost benefit analysis?
A. Product requirements
B. Feasibility analysis
C. Project charter
D. Business case
Business case
You are in the process of applying various elicitation techniques to draw out information from the product key stakeholders, and you are using an elicitation technique that uses game play to focus on the features of a product that are important to the customer. Which of the following is the technique you are using?
A. Speedboat
B. Spider web
C. Product box
D. Buy a feature
product box
An elicitation technique that uses game play to focus on the features of a product that are important to the customer. The objective is to divide the participants into teams, asking each team to design a box that represents how the product would be packaged. A plain box and art supplies are provided and each team is asked to decorate the box, marketing the product in a manner that would entice a customer to purchase it. The team’s use of colors, designs, and slogans identifies the product benefits and features that customers expect the product to possess. Because the size of the box limits the information that can be presented, the technique provides insights into the benefits and features that customers find most valuable. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 6.3.2.2: Collaborative Games, page 166
As an expert business analyst, you are preparing the requirements package for a significant process improvement initiative that would be strategically important to the future of the organization. It involves implementing an IT initiative to establish a business rules management system across the enterprise. However, you have met with resistance from one particular stakeholder who seems to be loading unnecessary requirements and expectation into the go/no go criteria. What would be your approach before submitting the requirements package?
A. If you believe the stakeholder will be descriptive to the decision-making process, dis-invite the stakeholder from the decision package review meeting.
B. Facilitate a brainstorming session among executive team members to deal with the SME’s expectations.
C. Seek a meeting with the SME to listen carefully to his concerns and be able to reflect them back to the stakeholder. Then engage the stakeholder in suggestions for how to mitigate the particular issues. Consider next steps after thoroughly understanding t
D. Call a meeting with the project sponsor and the SME in question and lay out your assessment of the situation.
Option C is the correct answer. By seeking a meeting with the stakeholder to listen carefully to their concerns, the business analyst can build rapport and trust with the stakeholder and gain a deeper understanding of their perspective. This allows the business analyst to reflect back the stakeholder’s concerns and engage them in suggestions for how to mitigate the issues.
Middle path of the software development project you are working in as the business analyst, you want to collaborate with the project manager in order to decompose the total scope of work related to the product in a hierarchical manner. What should be the output of your effort?
A. Work breakdown structure
B. Salience diagram
C. Process model
D. Capability table
Work breakdown structure
The WBS is a fundamental project management deliverable; it is a logical decomposition, represented in the form of a hierarchy, representing the total scope of the project. It is often accompanied by a WBS dictionary, which is a detailed description of each WBS package.
You are facilitating a session with the intent of visualizing complex problems. Because there are complex relationships, you decide to create an interrelationship diagram. One of your SME’s, Sami, has noted that there are several instances in which two factors influence each other; how should this be best addressed?
A. The team needs to note both factors, otherwise something may be overlooked.
B. Cause and effect factors of significant value should be depicted as squares.
C. In cases in which there is more than one influencing factor, the team needs to determine which factor is stronger, and note only one.
D. Cause and effect factors of significant value should be depicted as circles.
In cases in which there is more than one influencing factor, the team needs to determine which factor is stronger, and note only one.
Interrelationship diagrams are used for visualizing complex problems and relationships. When using the tool, it is quite common to find factors that influence each other. In this case the business analysts working with the SME needs to determine which factor is stronger and note only one. As an outcome this exercise, the business analyst and SME will be positioned to identify which factors leading the causes of the problem.
PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 4.2.2.9: Identify Problem or Opportunity, page 71
Managing change in the project is a critical success factor for business analysts. In this context, which of the following tools can provide a process for verifying this conformance, documenting changes, and reporting the status of each change throughout the project life cycle?
A. Change control board
B. Version control system
C. Configuration management system
D. Change control system
Configuration management system
Configuration management systems (CMS) helps ensure that solution being built conforms to its approved product information. It provides a process for verifying this conformance, documenting changes, and reporting the status of each change throughout the project life cycle. It includes documentation, a tracking process, and defined approval levels necessary for authorizing changes. It enables managing changes to aspects of a solution in the context of the entire product, as well as the context of other products on which it depends or that depend upon it. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 8.4.2.2: Change Control Tools, page 273.
A key stakeholder in the project proposed a change request about the final solution. You assessed the change, and ensured that all aspects of the product were covered during the assessment. You want to ensure that the solution conforms to the approved requirements by tracking, and defining the change control approval levels. In this context, which of the following can support?
A. Version control system
B. Configuration management system
C. Change management plan
D. Change control tool
The tracking process, and defined approval levels necessary for authorizing changes are all in one specific system.
Configuration management system
In this case, it is necessary to track, and define the change control approval level. The best answer is the CMS as it provides a process for verifying this conformance, documenting changes, and reporting the status of each change throughout the project life cycle. It includes documentation, a tracking process, and defined approval levels necessary for authorizing changes.
You received a change request from one of the key stakeholders for adding more features to the product. You started to review and analyze the impact of the change. In this context, you can use which of the following to manage changes on the product documents and baseline updates?
A. Change control board
B. Change control tools
C. Change management plan
D. Change management system
Change control tools
Version control system (VCS) tracks the history of revisions of any type of work product. A VCS is like a baseline in that the original work product is established, and changes to that work product are tracked.
You were assigned as the business analyst for a new strategic initiative, and the CEO is following up with you to draft a business case soonest. In this context, which of the following actions should you take in order to develop a solution scope statement and/or to provide input to create a business case?
A. Define or review a business problem or opportunity using problem and opportunity analysis techniques
B. Identify stakeholders by reviewing goals, objectives, and requirements
C. Collect and analyze information from a variety of sources using valuation tools and techniques’
D. Collaborate in the development of project goals and objectives by providing clarification of business needs and solution scope
A business case provides justification to take on a project. It evaluates the benefits, cost, risk, and opportunity. To develop a scope statement the BA must have a…
Define or review a business problem or opportunity using problem and opportunity analysis techniques
Domain 1, task 1. Define or review a business problem or opportunity using problem and opportunity analysis techniques in order to develop a solution scope statement and/or to provide input to create a business case.
Sami has a focus group scheduled next week with the director of finance and her team to discuss the accounting system project. Prior to the focus group, what can you suggest to Sami so that he can gain insight to the environment?
A. Use the time wisely before the focus group to refine his work plan.
B. Analyze existing documentation in the configuration management system.
C. Review the strategy and approach of the asynchronous focus group with his sponsor.
D. Collaborate with his project manager to refine the interview technique and questions.
Analyze existing documentation in the configuration management system.
The CMS helps ensure that the solution being built conforms to its approved product information.
By checking the documentation before the focus group will ensure that Sami understands what he can and cannot do.
Sami was assigned as the business analyst for a web development project that involved a large number of stakeholders, and he was having a discussion with the project manager about the importance of engaging the organizational senior management in the project. In this context, which of the following actions should Sami take in order to make sure that the appropriate parties are represented, informed and involved?
A. Identify stakeholders by reviewing goals, objectives, and requirements
B. Define or review a business problem or opportunity using problem and opportunity analysis techniques
C. Collaborate in the development of project goals and objectives by providing clarification of business needs and solution scope
D. Collect and analyze information from a variety of sources using valuation tools and techniques’
Identify stakeholders by reviewing goals, objectives, and requirements
Dima is an experienced business analyst and is highly skilled in elicitation. Sami, a colleague leading a focus group that Dima is attending, is having difficulty extracting key requirement baseline information from attendees. During a 10-minute break, Dima advised Sami to try which of the following?
A. Using a combination of open-ended, contextual, context-free, and closed-ended questions
B. Primarily using contextual and context-free questions, with the occasional closed-ended question
C. Using only closed-ended and context-free questions
D. Concentrating to use only open-ended and context-free questions
Using a combination of open-ended, contextual, context-free, and closed-ended questions
As the business analyst of a mega construction project, which of the following processes will you perform to set expectations by encouraging discussion and agreement on how the business analysis work will be undertaken and avoids confusion regarding roles and responsibilities during execution?
A. Define acceptance criteria
B. Verify requirements
C. Prepare for transition to future state
D. Conduct business analysis planning
Conduct business analysis planning
As an expert business analyst working with an international organization, which of the following processes will you perform to ensure that any product or program component or overall program benefit anticipated for the solution can be sustained after it is put into operation?
A. Prepare for transition to future state
B. Assess current state
C. Determine future state
D. Conduct business planning
Prepare for transition to future state
It is the process of determining whether the organization is ready for a transition and how the organization will move from the current to the future state to integrate a solution. In this case, you are analyzing if the solution can be sustained after put into operation, thus you are preparing for transition to future state.
Sami and Yara are business analysts working in a web development project for a large IT firm. They are discussing the elicitation process, and they want to set an agenda, with the topics to be discussed or researched and general time boundaries may be provided to participants in advance so they are aware of what is expected of them. In which process are they involved?
A. Prepare for elicitation
B. Determine elicitation process
C. Confirm elicitation results
D. Conduct elicitation
Prepare for elicitation
As part of your duties as the business analyst of the project, it is vital to find out the needs and wants of all the various stakeholder groups. You have a large group of stakeholders who are distributed on three countries. What is the best way to accomplish your mission?
A. Gather initial requirements and develop a survey to solicit responses.
B. Select the highest priority stakeholders to solicit their needs.
C. Conduct an interview with a representative of each stakeholder group.
D. Conduct structured meetings with stakeholders groups.
Gather initial requirements and develop a survey to solicit responses.
Questionnaires and surveys are written set of questions designed to quickly accumulate information from a large number of respondents. Being the stakeholders are in different countries, holding a meeting might be challenging. Thus, the survey is the best option in this case.
Elicitation includes the processes of planning and preparing for elicitation, conducting elicitation, and confirming elicitation results. As a professional business analyst, you were done with the process of thinking through how elicitation activities will be conducted, which stakeholders will be involved, which techniques may be used, and the order in which the elicitation activities are best performed. In this situation, which of the following should be your next step?
A. Determine elicitation approach
B. Conduct elicitation
C. Prepare for elicitation
D. Confirm elicitation results
Now that you have thought through and determined the approach, you are now ready for the next step. This was just the approach, you are not quite ready to conduct it.
Prepare for elicitation
The process of elicitation is :
1. Determine approach
2. Prepare
3. Conduct
4. Confirm results
Considering you have completed the thought, the next step is preparing for elicitation
You are leading the business analysts team who were just done with the process of facilitating discussions with stakeholders to negotiate and confirm which requirements should be incorporated within an iteration, release, or project. Which of the following will be your next step?
A. Establish Relationships and Dependencies between requirements
B. Examine changes or defects that arise during a project
C. Determine traceability and monitoring approach
D. Confirm which requirements should be incorporated within the project
Examine changes or defects that arise during a project
the traceability and monitoring processes are as follows:
1. Determine and monitor the traceability approach.
2. Establish relationship and dependencies
3. Select and approve requirements
4. manage changes to requirements and other products
Considering that the requirements are in place and should be incorporated, the next step is to manage the changes to the requirements and other products.
John is the senior business analyst in the project, and he is working with various teams on a mega construction project. As per the RACI model, which of the following roles represent the person who is in some manner impacted by the task, and hence, needs to kept up to date on the progress and work being performed to complete the task?
A. Accountable
B. Responsible
C. Inform
D. Consult
Inform
Role or person who is in some manner impacted by the task, and hence, needs to be “informed” or kept up to date on the progress and work being performed to complete the task.
The PMI Guide to Business Analysis (p. 119). Project Management Institute. Kindle Edition.
Models that structure and organize the features, functions, and boundaries of the business domain being analyzed are known as scope models. Which of the following is a scope model that is usually created early to ensure that the scope of work is defined and might be updated as work continues and new events are identified?
A. Event list
B. Use case diagram
C. Feature model
D. Context diagramq
Scope models are commonly used to describe the boundaries of control, change, a solution, or a need. In this case, the work gets updated as it continues and new events are identified.
Event list
Event list is a scope model that describes any external events that trigger solution behavior. It helps define in-scope events that the solution has to reach or handle. Also, event lists are created early to ensure that the scope of work is defined and might be updated as work continues and new events are identified.
Create and analyze models process includes both developing the analysis models determined by the analysis approach and using those models to improve the overall product information. As part of the analysis domain efforts in your project, which of the following scope models can allow the business analyst to see where there are possible interface requirements or data requirements for systems directly interfacing to the solution and for those up- or downstream from the solution?
A. Feature model
B. Use case diagram
C. Ecosystem map
D. Context diagram
Ecosystem map
Ecosystem maps is a scope model that shows all the relevant systems, the relationship between systems, and optionally, any data objects passed between them. It allows business analysts to see where there are possible interface requirements or data requirements for systems directly interfacing to the solution for those up- or downstream from the solution.
Section 7.2.2.5 - page 190
Sami is the senior business analyst working in the firm, and he is working on a 4-years project that will provide a social need for five middle east countries. Currently, he is analyzing interfaces involved within all project components along with different reports requirements. Which of the following can help Sami display the users’ interactions with the system for a scenario?
A. Interface analysis technique
B. Ecosystem map
C. User interface flow
D. Context diagram
User Interface flow
A user interface flow is an interface model that displays specific user interfaces and commonly used screens within a functional design and plots out how to navigate between them. They can accompany process flows or use cases to help visually show the users’ interactions with the system for a scenario. User interface flows are typically created after process flows and use cases to ensure that the navigation of the user interface in the system makes sense and is correct. Figure 7-28 shows a sample format of a user interface flow.
The PMI Guide to Business Analysis (p. 207). Project Management Institute. Kindle Edition.
While conducting elicitation activities in your project, there are a number of different types of questions that can be asked. The business analyst selects the appropriate types of questions to meet the objectives. Which of the following is a question that requires an answer regarding the subject at hand; namely, the problem domain or the proposed solutions?
A. Context-free
B. Closed-ended
C. Open-ended
D. Contextual
Contextual
Before deciding which option is preferred, the business analyst assesses the feasibility of each potential option. The executive manager wants you to assess how well the proposed solution fits the business need, and what is the receptivity of the organization to the change. Which of the following feasibility factors should you consider to answer the executive manager?
A. Operational feasibility
B. Technology feasibility
C. Time feasibility
D. Cost-effectiveness feasibility
Operational feasibility
The receptivity of the organization to the change and whether the change can be sustained after it is implemented.
The executive manager wants you to assess how well the proposed solution fits the business needs. In other words, how well it can be sustained after implemented.
You are debating with Sami, your senior project manager, about the value of expanding the stakeholder register to include additional characteristics. You contend that by adding just one additional field, the team will be more effective in delivery of business analysis processes. In this context, what field would help you to better run requirements walkthroughs?
A. Approach
B. Difficulty
C. Experience
D. Culture
Culture
Working with colleagues of diverse cultural backgrounds can significantly strengthen a team and ultimately lead to a better product or solution. In the processes, having a good understanding of the cultural nuances can improve communication and the requirements prioritizations, approval, change control, and signoff processes. Business Analysis for Practitioners, section 3.3.2.3: Culture, page 42
Project goals, objectives and key performance indicators are main sources of identification of solution evaluation metrics. However, you are in need to identify additional source of solution evaluation metrics. Which of the following is not used for the identification of additional metrics for solution evaluation?
A. Operational metrics and assessment
B. Sales and marketing metrics
C. Team rate of progress metrics
D. Customer metrics
Team rate of progress metric
Team rate of progress does not indicate how well solution met the business need. Customer Metrics, from a customer perspective, evaluation sometimes focuses on qualitative aspects, such as satisfaction, but even qualitative aspects can be measured semi quantitatively. Sales and marketing may have ranges of measurable goals for the project (e.g., a range of expected values for overall increased market share or a range for percentage increase in the amount of business done with existing customers). The solution can be evaluated to determine whether or not these expectations have been met. Operational metrics may be functional or non-functional and can be considered from a systems perspective, a human perspective, or both. For organizations that define and measure operational KPIs, it may be possible to re-use one or more of the metrics to evaluate the solution. Business analysis for practitioners, section 6.5.3: Consider Additional Evaluation Metrics, Page 162
You are working as the business analyst in a professional services firm, and recently you were assigned for an ERP implementation project. While conducting requirements analysis activities on your project, the CIO requested to see a series of activities, actions, and reactions that take the primary actor from initiation to successful completion of the solution goal. Which of the following is the model you will create for the CIO?
A. Use case
B. Entity relationship diagram
C. Use case diagram
D. Data flow diagram
successful completion of the solution goal
Use case
The keywords for this question is “successful completion of the solution goal.” When looking at the description of the USE CASE, we can see that clearly describes what the question is asking…
A use case is a process model that uses textual narrative to describe the system-user interactions to achieve successful completion of a goal. The goal represents what the primary actor is trying to accomplish in the use case and usually is part of the use case name. Each use case contains a normal flow, which is the most common scenario of interactions between the system and user, as well as alternative and exception flows, where the scenario diverges from the normal flow.
The PMI Guide to Business Analysis (p. 214). Project Management Institute. Kindle Edition.
While analyzing the product requirements for a web development project, you were just done with creating process flows and use cases. Which of the following models will you create now to ensure that the navigation of the user interface in the system makes sense and is correct?
A. Feature model
B. Interface analysis
C. User interface flow
D. Data flow diagram
The interface needs to display specific user interfaces and commonly used screens within a funtional design and plot out whow to navigate them.
Use interface flow
A user interface flow is an interface model that displays specific user interfaces and commonly used screens within a functional design and plots out how to navigate between them.
User interface flows are typically created after process flows and use cases to ensure that the navigation of the user interface in the system makes sense and is correct.
The PMI Guide to Business Analysis (p. 207). Project Management Institute. Kindle Edition.
The keywords in this question is “creating process flows and use cases.”
You are leading the business analysts team in a web development project, and you are conducting business analysis planning activities. In this context, which of the following tools and techniques should you use to identify what needs to be estimated and ultimately sequenced into a business analysis work plan?
A. Burndown charts
B. Story maps
C. Rolling wave planning
D. Decomposition model.
identify the needs to be estimated is an important factor in this question.
Decomposition model
A decomposition model is an analysis model used to break down information described at a high level into a hierarchy of smaller, more discrete parts. For estimation purposes, typical objects often analyzed with decomposition may include scope, work products, deliverables, processes, functions, or any other object types that can be subdivided into smaller elements. For product development efforts where discrete business analysis tasks and deliverables are estimated separately, decomposition models can be used to identify what needs to be estimated and ultimately sequenced into a business analysis work plan.
The PMI Guide to Business Analysis (p. 132). Project Management Institute. Kindle Edition.
As the most senior business analyst in the organization, you have been assigned to analyze a complex business problem. There are several departments involved and the workflow seems to be inconsistent. Which of the following techniques would help you visualize the problem?
A. Context diagram
B. Process flow
C. Data flow diagram
D. Decomposition model
Decomposition model
A decomposition model is an analysis model used to break down information described at a high level into a hierarchy of smaller, more discrete parts. For estimation purposes, typical objects often analyzed with decomposition may include scope, work products, deliverables, processes, functions, or any other object types that can be subdivided into smaller elements. For product development efforts where discrete business analysis tasks and deliverables are estimated separately, decomposition models can be used to identify what needs to be estimated and ultimately sequenced into a business analysis work plan. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, Section 5.4.2.2 Decomposition model, page 132.
The business analysis planning focuses on the preparation required to effectively manage the business analysis activities that will occur within the project. This includes establishing tools, policies, and procedures for the requirements management plan, requirements traceability, change management, document control, and acceptance criteria. In this context, which of the following can be done in order to establish the level of traceability necessary to monitor and validate the requirements?
A. Review the business case, and the project goals and objectives
B. Select methods for document control by using documentation management tools and techniques
C. Define strategy for requirements traceability using traceability tools and techniques
D. Define business metrics and acceptance criteria by collaborating with stakeholders
Define strategy for requirements traceability using traceability tools and techniques
To establish the level of traceability necessary to monitor and validate the requirements.
You are the senior business analyst for a complex software development project that is managed using an adaptive approach, and you are in the process of selecting and approving requirements. Which of the following tools and techniques can be used in place of approval in adaptive life cycles to help the project team know that the user story is sufficiently elaborated to be brought into an iteration for the development team to work on?
A. Acceptance criteria
B. Definition of ready
C. Backlog management
D. Definition of done
Definition of ready
The definition of ready is a series of conditions that the entire team agrees to complete before a user story is considered sufficiently understood so that work can begin to construct it. The definition of ready helps the project team know that the user story is sufficiently elaborated and ready to be brought into an iteration, designed, constructed, and delivered. For more information on the definition of done to describe when an item is complete.
The PMI Guide to Business Analysis (p. 212). Project Management Institute. Kindle Edition.
You are leading the business analysis team in a large software development project. Your team want’s to use a collaborative relative estimation technique in which there is an agreed-upon scale used for the relative estimates. Which of the following estimation techniques your team is performing?
A. Estimation poker
B. Bottom-up estimating
C. Affinity estimating
D. Delphi
Estimation poker
The team wants to use a collaborative relative estimation. Estimation poker is a collaborative relative estimation technique in which there is an agreed-upon scale used for the relative estimates.
You are the business analyst of the project, and you are involved in the process of determining viable options in order to provide a recommendation. Based on your experience, the feature injection is a very useful tool in this process. In this context, which of the following is the first step in implementing this tool?
A. Determine business value
B. Elaborate details
C. Spot examples to uncover variations in processing
D. Determine features that will enable business
Determine business value
Feature injection follow a three step approach.
Step 1: Determine the business value. The team discusses the expected or required value that the business seeks to achieve (the outcome). A technique like the purpose alignment model may help guide these discussions, but other value models can be used as well. When the team reaches a common understanding about expected value, it moves on to Step 2. Step 2: Inject features. Step 2 involves “injecting” or determining the features that will enable the business to achieve the value stated in Step 1. The product team determines the minimal set of features required to deliver the expected value. Each feature is presented in the form of a scenario. Modeling is used to promote these discussions. Step 3: Spot examples. Step 3 is about elaborating details. The business is asked to talk through examples that deviate from the scenario modeled in Step 2. Step 3 is used to uncover variations in processing or exceptions. The examples discussed here help the team develop a shared understanding of all the scenarios that the solution has to support; therefore, these scenarios expand product scope. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, Section 4.4.2.4 Feature injection, page 89.
You are leading the business analysis team on the project that was initiated two weeks ago, and a junior member on the team approached you asking about the process the team need to perform in order to have a sufficient understanding of the existing state of the organization. Which of the following processes should you recommend the team member to start with?
A. Determine viable options and provide recommendation
B. Identify problem or opportunity
C. Assess current state
D. Determine future state
Assess current state
You are the senior business analyst for an IT services firm, and you are involved in the process of determining viable options in order to provide a recommendation for the executive management. You are using the feature injection tool for this purpose. In order to implement this tool properly, business value was determined, and features were injected, which of the following should be your next step?
A. Determine features that will enable business
B. Spot examples to uncover variations in processing
C. Reach a common understanding about expected value
D. Determine minimal set of features
Step 1: Determine the business value
Step 2: Inject features
The next step is about elaborating details
Spot examples to uncover variations in processing
Feature injection follows a three-step approach:
Step 1: Determine the business value. The team discusses the expected or required value that the business seeks to achieve (the outcome). A technique like the purpose alignment model may help guide these discussions, but other value models can be used as well. When the team reaches a common understanding about expected value, it moves on to
Step 2. Step 2: Inject features. Step 2 involves “injecting” or determining the features that will enable the business to achieve the value stated in Step 1. The product team determines the minimal set of features required to deliver the expected value. Each feature is presented in the form of a scenario. Modeling is used to promote these discussions. Step 3: Spot examples. Step 3 is about elaborating details. The business is asked to talk through examples that deviate from the scenario modeled in Step 2.
Step 3 is used to uncover variations in processing or exceptions. The examples discussed here help the team develop a shared understanding of all the scenarios that the solution has to support; therefore, these scenarios expand product scope. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, Section 4.4.2.4 Feature injection, page 89.
The needs assessment includes activities related to understanding a business problem or opportunity and evaluating various inputs to help develop an effective solution. In this context, which of the following actions you should take in order to contribute to determining the value proposition of the initiative?
A. Define or review a business problem or opportunity using problem and opportunity analysis techniques
B. Identify stakeholders by reviewing goals, objectives, and requirements
C. Collect and analyze information from a variety of sources using valuation tools and techniques
D. Determine stakeholder values regarding the product, using elicitation techniques.
You need to evaluate various inputs to help develop an effective solution
Collect and analyze information from a variety of sources using valuation tools and techniques
Collect and analyze information from a variety of sources using valuation tools and techniques to contribute to determining the value proposition of the initiative.
While conducting stakeholder analysis in your project, a junior analyst wanted to use a technique to analyze a class of users or process workers, to understand their needs or product design and behavior requirements. Which of the following is the technique the junior member wants to use?
A. Salience model
B. Persona analysis
C. Power/interest grid
D. Document analysis
Persona analysis
Your project sponsor has requested an estimate of the cost it would take to build a new medical insurance application. You are unsure that the new application would bring value to the organization. Which of the following should be done to explain your concerns to the sponsor?
A. Escalate the issue to the project manager
B. Develop a business analysis plan
C. Draft a business case
D. Document requirements, assumptions, and constraints
Cost estimation falls in line with providing a documented economic feasibility study
Draft a business case
Because you are unsure that the new application is worth, drafting a business case is the only way to go. A business case describes pertinent information to determine whether the initiative is worth the required investment.
Sami is the senior business analyst in a web development project. He received a change request from a key stakeholder on the project to modify an approved requirement in the baseline. He reviewed the change, assessed its impact, and conducted a meeting with the stakeholder before sending the change to the change control board (CCB). Few days later, the CCB rejected the request, which of the following should be Sami’s next step?
A. Document the change status and communicate it to the concerned stakeholders.
B. Adjust the impacted business analysis activities.
C. Revise the change request and resubmit it to the CCB.
D. Document the change status and communicate it to all the project stakeholders.
Document the change status and communicate it to the concerned stakeholders.
You are leading the business analysis team in a web development project. While analyzing the website requirements, which of the following models can be used to depict the in-scope systems and any inputs or outputs, including the systems or actors providing or receiving them?
A. Feature model
B. Organization chart
C. Context diagram
D. Ecosystem map
context diagram
The question mentions that model must show systems or actors providing or receiving them.
Context diagrams show the interactions between a system and other actors (external factors) with which the system is designed to interface. System context diagrams can be helpful in understanding the context which the system will be part of.
Management of a hypermarket is concerned that their customers are not satisfied. You are working as the business analyst of this hypermarket, and management has asked you to complete the investigation of the situation. After completing the investigation, you have drafted the situation statement as follows: “The queue length at sale checkout counters is increasing steadily over few months, which has the effect of increasing the significant servicing delay for each customer”. You have initiated the approval process of situation statement, but stakeholders are not in agreement. Which of the following is the most probable reason of this disagreement?
A. A clear problem is not defined
B. An effect of the problem is not defined
C. Financial Impacts of the problem are not available
D. Effect and Impact of the problem are not defined
Financial impacts of the problem are not available
The format of a situation statement is as follows: Problem (or opportunity) of “a”, Has the effect of “b”, and With the impact of “c”. In this example problem is: “The queue length at sale checkout counters of hypermarket is increasing steadily over a few months” The effect is: “which has the effect of increasing the significant servicing delay for each customer”. But financial impacts in the situation statement are lacking, financial impacts in situation statement later help in cost benefit analysis. Business Analysis for Practitioners, Section 2.3.4: Draft the Situation Statement, Page 14.
You are part of the business analysis team in a web development project, and in your project the key stakeholders are hesitant to approve the product requirements. Therefore, their concerns should be understood and addressed. Additional authorization of work hinges on the approval of the requirements. Therefore, if the consensus is not possible to be achieved, which of the following documents you should review?
A. RACI matrix
B. Stakeholder engagement and communication approach
C. Business analysis plan
D. Elicitation approach
Stakeholder engagement and communication approach
In the web development project you are involved in, and during business analysis activities, you collected and documented many types of requirements attributes. A junior member of the team approached you asking about what requirements attributes need to be captured. To which of the following documents should you refer the junior member?
A. Business analysis plan
B. Analysis approach
C. Stakeholders engagement and communication approach
D. Elicitation approach
This approach includes which requirements attributes need to be captured and how the requirements architecture impacts analyzing models. It also describes what other information or models from the organization might be used during analysis.
Analysis approach
The analysis approach describes how analysis will be performed; how to verify, validate, and prioritize requirements and other product information; how risks will be identified and analyzed; how design options will be assessed; and which techniques and templates are expected to be used to perform any analysis. The analysis approach includes which requirements attributes need to be captured and how the requirements architecture impacts analyzing models. It also describes what other information or models from the organization might be used during analysis. This output will likely be updated throughout the course of the portfolio, program, or project. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, 7.1.3.1 Analysis Approach, page 181.
Sami is the senior business analyst in an 18-months web development project, and the project includes large number of stakeholders which need to be managed carefully. As per the project manager request, Sami should develop a model that visually document the steps or tasks that people perform in their jobs or when they interact with a solution as this will help key stakeholders understand what people does in their jobs. After discussing the project manager request with the team, Sami should recommend which of the following models to be prepared?
A. Data flow diagram
B. Interface analysis
C. Process flow
D. Entity relationship diagram
process flow
The project manager is requesting a model that visually document the steps or tasks that people perform. The process flows are in the process model category and are used to visually document the steps or tasks that people inform in their jobs or when they interact with solution.
7.2.2.12 Process flows - page# 198
You have been assigned as the business analyst for a software development project that is managed using an agile methodology. One of the development team members says that traceability is not needed for this project, and you expressed your concern that you want to make sure the requirements are aligned with objectives and tested in the product. In this situation, which of the following is your best action?
A. Agree with the development team member and don’t use formal traceability approach
B. Have a discussion with the Scrum master about your concerns
C. Suggest using a Kanban board to trace the requirements and linkages
D. Escalate the issue to the project agile coach
Suggest using Kanban board to trace the requirements and linkages
A Kanban board is used in adaptive approaches to track work that is in progress by the project team. It is a visual representation of what work is in progress, whereas the product backlog is the prioritized list of all possible work. The Kanban board shows the steps in a workflow, such as the project life cycle phases, and work in progress (WIP) limits for each phase. WIP limits specify how many items can be in one workflow step at a time. These limits maximize the productivity of the team by ensuring that it never takes on more work than it can handle. The project team pulls items from the product backlog into the Kanban board and moves them across each workflow step as each is completed, assuming there is room in the next workflow step. This technique also shows clearly what is or is not complete for any given user story. If bottlenecks emerge, the Kanban board and the WIP limits become input into prioritization decisions for work in the product backlog and to manage the progress of items allocated to releases. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, Section 7.7.2.4, Kanban Board, page 233.
One of your lead subject matter experts, Dima, is constantly traveling and visiting with clients. It has been impossible to find a time slot on her calendar for a critical interview, which must be completed in 48 hours. What might you try to elicit information regarding her critical requirements for a new teleconferencing system?
A. Draft an email with your questions to Dima and request that she respond at her convenience.
B. Draft an email with your questions, and send Dima an invite via the company’s video collaboration system to record her responses.
C. Flex your schedule and book a time that is mutually convenient for both calendars the following week.
D. Escalate the scheduling concern to your sponsor, as you know a real-time interview is preferred, based on the business analysis plan.
Draft an email with your questions, and send Dima an invite via the company’s video collaboration system to record her responses.
Sami is the senior business analyst of a strategic initiative of the organization, and he is involved with the team in the process of identifying the individuals, groups, or organizations that may impact, are impacted, or are perceived to be impacted by the area under assessment. He wants to know the reporting structure in the organization to identify the departments or functions who will collaborate with him. Unfortunately, he searched the organizational process assets and other organization documents and did not find the organization breakdown structure. Which of the following should be Sami’s next action?
A. Build an organization chart from scratch
B. Keep searching tell you find any useful document for this purpose
C. Use other tools or techniques to identify the functions and department s of the organization
D. Escalate this issue following the predefined escalation path
Build an organization chart from scratch
Existing organizational charts can be used as a starting point or, when these charts are not accessible or nonexistent, new ones can be built from scratch. Organizational charts are best finalized by collaborating with the representatives or individuals being modeled. Based on the size of the organization and how the organizational charts are being used across the business analysis effort, the business analyst determines whether it makes sense to take a role organizational chart down to the individual stakeholder level. If the goal is only to identify the number of groups impacted by the proposed solution, the role organizational chart may be the sufficient level of detail required. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, Section 5.1.2.3, Organization Chart, page 113.
You are leading the business analysis team on a large software development project. Your team wants to use an estimation technique that creates estimates that are derived from performing a comparison against a similar body of work rather than estimating based on absolute units of cost or time. Which of the following estimation techniques your team is performing?
A. Delphi
B. Relative estimation
C. Affinity estimating
D. Estimation poker
Relative estimation
Relative estimation: A technique for creating estimates that are derived from performing a comparison against a similar body of work rather than estimating based on absolute units of cost or time. PMI Guide to Business Analysis, section 5.4.2.3: Estimation Techniques, page 133
You are the senior business analyst for a project that started three weeks back, and you are working with your team to identify a list of both the users of the solution and the possible scenarios of how each user will use the solution. Which of the following is the model you are trying to build with your team?
A. Feature model
B. Use case diagram
C. Context diagram
D. Event list
Use case diagram
The team is working to identify a list of both user of the solution and the possible scenarios of how each user use the solution. A use case diagram is a scope model that shows all the in-scope use cases for a solution. It involves identifying a list of both the users of the solution and the possible scenario of how each user will use the solution.
7.2.2.18 Use case diagram - page# 206
You are the business analyst for an application development project, and the business owner is having regular meetings with you on weekly basis. In the last meeting, he required a scope model that can simply display many features across different levels on a single page, which may represent the entire application feature set. Which of the following is the model you will provide the business owner with?
A. Context diagram
B. Use case diagram
C. Feature model
D. Event list
Feature model
The owner wants a scope model that can display many features (keyword) across different levels on a single page.
A feature model is a scope model that visually represents all the features of a solution arranged in a tree or hierarchical structure.
While conducting elicitation activities in your project, prototyping can be a very useful method of obtaining early feedback on requirements by providing a model of the expected solution before building. You agreed with your team to use diagrams that represent a static blueprint or schematic of a user interface used to identify basic functionality. Which of the following is the prototype type you decided to use?
A. Product roadmap
B. Storyboarding
C. Wireframes
D. Evolutionary
Wireframes
A wireframe is a type of prototype, specifically a mockup of a user interface design, used to show what a screen should look like
- While conducting requirements analysis activities on your project, use cases can be used to represent the functional aspects of a system or operation within the project. In this context, which of the following use case common fields can be used to present the errors in the normal flow that require an actor to perform a different action to respond to the error?
A. Actors
B. Preconditions
C. Normal flow
D. Exception flows
Exception Flows
