Question 1

As a business analyst, you'll often have to coach stakeholders on the processes, knowledge areas, and tasks you'll complete for an organization. One of the knowledge areas is enterprise analysis. This knowledge area completes all of the following activities except for which one?

Accepted Answer

The Requirements Management and Communication knowledge area describes the activities and considerations to manage and express requirements to a broad and diverse audience. The execution of these tasks ensures the following facts: The stakeholders have a shared understanding of the nature of a solution. Those stakeholders with approval authority are in agreement as to the requirements that the solution shall meet. Answer: B, A, and C are incorrect. The Enterprise Analysis knowledge area describes the following business analysis activities: It identifies business needs, problems, or opportunities. It defines the nature of a solution that meets that need.

Question 2

Karen is the business analyst for her organization and she's reviewing the tasks within her endeavor. Several of the tasks have the characteristic that the activity will be completed with the project stakeholders, consultants, and business analyst, though this hasn't yet been approved. What is this condition of believing some things to be true about an activity without proving the validity of the belief called?

Accepted Answer

An assumption is something that you believe to be true, but it's not been proven to be true or false. The assumption in this scenario is that the stakeholders will be available to complete activities. Answer: C is incorrect. A constraint is something that limits your options. Answer: D is incorrect. A boundary defines what's in and out of the domain of business analysis, project management, or any other endeavor. Answer: A is incorrect. A risk is an uncertain event or condition that may have a positive or negative effect on the project.

Question 3

Your organization is using a plan-driven approach to business analysis. What must you do with all of the communication documents created as part of this high-priority project that you are serving as the business analyst for?

Accepted Answer

Communications in a plan-driven approach to business analysis must use formal communication. Formal communications should be archived as part of the organizational process assets. Answer: A is incorrect. The communications management plan may dictate that the communications be archived, but this is not a requirement of the communications management plan. Answer: D is incorrect. The project manager may want to reference the communication but doesn't always need. If the communications are archived, then the project manager can access them as needed. Answer: B is incorrect. Communication documents are not destroyed; they are archived as part of the organizational process assets.

Question 4

What type of requirements elicitation technique is the Delphi Technique?

Accepted Answer

The Delphi Technique uses rounds of anonymous surveys to build consensus among the stakeholders. Answer: B is incorrect. The workshop is not an example of the Delphi Technique. Answer: D is incorrect. The round table is a discussion of a topic, not a requirements elicitation technique. Answer: C is incorrect. Prototyping is not the equivalent of the Delphi Technique.

Question 5

You are the business analyst for your organization and you're preparing to elicit requirements from the stakeholders. You've gathered several inputs to help with the elicitation process. Which input(s) will be used to ensure that you understand the type of information that should be elicited from the stakeholders?

Accepted Answer

The business need and the solution scope are the two inputs which help the business analyst understand what should be elicited from the stakeholders. Answer: A is incorrect. Stakeholder list, roles, and responsibilities help the business analyst understand from whom the requirements should be elicited. Answer: D is incorrect. Stakeholder list, roles, and responsibilities help the business analyst understand from whom the requirements should be elicited. Answer: B is incorrect. Risk assessment is a review of the risks in the project and isn't an input to elicitation business analyst tasks.

Question 6

Sam is preparing for the task of prioritizing requirements and he'll need five inputs to accomplish the task. Which one of the following is not an input that Sam will use to prioritize requirements?

Accepted Answer

Risk analysis is not considered for prioritization of requirements. The correct inputs are business case, business need, requirements, requirements management plan, and the stakeholder list, roles, and responsibilities. Answer: D is incorrect. Business case is needed as an input for the task of prioritizing requirements. Answer: B is incorrect. Business need is needed as an input for the task of prioritizing requirements. Answer: C is incorrect. The requirements management plan is needed as an input for the task of prioritizing requirements.

Question 7

You are documenting the requirements attribute for your requirements management plan. Which attribute would you use if you want to identify the person who created the requirements?

Accepted Answer

The author of the requirements is a good attribute to include in the requirements attribute. This allows follow-up questions or clarifications, if necessary, for the project. Answer: A is incorrect. Absolute reference is needed to define specific requirements. A numeric coding is preferred over text and this code should not be reused. Answer: B is incorrect. The ownership attribute describes who will be the owner of the requirement or deliverable. The owner isn't necessarily the same person who created the requirement. Answer: C is incorrect. There is not an attribute called requirements sponsor, so this choice is not valid.

Question 8

You are the business analyst for your organization and you and your staff are creating as many solutions as possible to an identified problem in the solution approach process. What is this activity element called?

Accepted Answer

When the business analyst and stakeholders are generating as many potential options as possible for a solution, it's called alternative generation. Answer: B is incorrect. Brainstorming is not used as an element for the solution approach process. Answer: D is incorrect. Lateral thinking is not an element used in the solution approach process. Answer: C is incorrect. Prototyping creates models and mockups of a solution.

Question 9

Which of the following is a business management strategy originally developed by Motorola, USA in 1986?

Accepted Answer

Six Sigma is a business management strategy originally developed by Motorola, USA in 1986. It is widely used in many sectors of industry, although its use is not without controversy. The Six Sigma approach seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects (errors) and minimizing variability in manufacturing and business processes. It uses a set of quality management methods, including statistical methods, and creates a special infrastructure of people within the organization who are experts in these methods. Each Six Sigma project carried out within an organization follows a defined sequence of steps and has quantified financial targets.

Question 10

Which technique consists of review meetings to determine if the stakeholders agree that their needs are being met with the identified requirements?

Accepted Answer

Structured walkthroughs are meetings that help determine if the stakeholders agree that their needs are being met with the identified requirements. Answer: A is incorrect. Risk analysis reviews identified risks in the requirements to determine the probability and impact of the risk event. Answer: B is incorrect. Prototyping is used to gain user agreement with the proposed solution and requirements for the solution. Answer: C is incorrect. Stakeholder management is not a technique that is used as part of validating requirements.

Question 11

In order to begin defining the solution scope, you'll need four inputs. Which one of the following is actually a task that will use the solution scope and is not an input?

Accepted Answer

The task of allocating requirements is the future task in the business analysis domain that will need the solution scope. The four inputs to the solution scope are assumptions and constraints, business need, required capabilities, and solution approach. Answer: B is incorrect. Assumptions and constraints is one of the four inputs to the solution scope. Answer: C is incorrect. Business need is one of the four inputs to the solution scope. Answer: A is incorrect. Required capability is one of the four inputs to the solution scope.

Question 12

Consider a business analyst who is completing the business analysis tasks of specifying and modeling requirements for an organization. This task can help an organization achieve all of the following objectives except for which one?

Accepted Answer

The task of specifying and modeling requirements does not ensure that revenues will increase or that costs will be reduced. However, the task does allow for some insight into operational improvements. Answer: C is incorrect. The task of specifying and modeling requirements does help with compliance to contracts and regulations. Answer: B is incorrect. The task of specifying and modeling requirements does help the stakeholders communicate better. Answer: A is incorrect. The task of specifying and modeling requirements can help with training and knowledge management.

Question 13

There are five tasks and six inputs to requirements management and communication. As a business analyst, you'll need to gather all of the following inputs for this knowledge area except for which one?

Accepted Answer

The work breakdown structure (WBS) is a tool used to define the scope of work and to develop estimates. This tool creates a hierarchy of work by decomposing the project scope into smaller and smaller pieces. WBS can perform the following tasks: It may break the project into iterations, releases, or phases. It can break deliverables into work packages. It may break activities into smaller tasks. Answer: C, A, and D are incorrect. The inputs to requirements management and communication are as follows: Requirement Management Plan Solution Scope Requirements Structure Organizational Process Assets Stakeholder, List, Roles, and Responsibilities Requirements

Question 14

You are a business analyst for your organization and you're working with the stakeholders to identify the primary inputs to the business analysis approach. Which one of the following is a primary input to the business analysis approach?

Accepted Answer

A primary input to the business analysis approach is to consider the problem or opportunity faced by the organization. Answer: C is incorrect. The time allowed for business analysis planning does have an effect on the thoroughness of the business analysis activities, but this isn't the best answer for the question. Answer: D is incorrect. While risk and reward are considerations, consideration of the problem or opportunity is a better choice for this question. Answer: B is incorrect. This answer doesn't consider the reward of the opportunity or acknowledge, as there may also be problems to be solved, not just opportunities to seize.

Question 15

All of the following are examples of elicitation techniques that are used as part of the business analyst elicitation task except for which one?

Accepted Answer

Decomposition describes the process of taking the product or project scope and breaking it down into smaller, more manageable units. Decomposition is not an elicitation technique. Answer: A is incorrect. Brainstorming is an elicitation technique that's useful for requirements gathering. Answer: B is incorrect. Observation allows the stakeholder to actively or passively observe the work to better understand the requirements of the solution. Answer: D is incorrect. Prototyping allows the business analyst and team to create mockups of the deliverable for solution testing and requirements approval.

Question 16

What elicitation technique is best described as a study to compare the strengths and weaknesses of an organization against its peers and competitors?

Accepted Answer

Benchmarking is the only valid business analysis process that compares the strengths and weaknesses of an organization against other similar entities. Answer: A is incorrect. Brainstorming generates ideas and inputs to the business analysis process. Answer: C is incorrect. Comparative analysis is not a valid BABOK term, so this choice is incorrect. Answer: B is incorrect. Market analysis is not a valid BABOK term, so this choice is incorrect.

Question 17

Which one of the following is not an event-based elicitation technique?

Accepted Answer

Interface analysis is not an event-based elicitation technique. It is an elicitation technique that identifies interfaces between solutions and how the interfaces will interact. Answer: D is incorrect. A workshop is an event-based elicitation technique. Answer: A is incorrect. A focus group is an event-based elicitation technique. Answer: C is incorrect. An interview is an event-based elicitation technique.

Question 18

What can be considered the only input to the task of defining assumptions and constraints?

Accepted Answer

The only input to the task of defining assumptions and constraints is stakeholder concern. Answer: C is incorrect. Requirements aren't inputs to the task of defining assumptions and constraints. Answer: B is incorrect. Prioritized requirements aren't inputs to the task of defining assumptions and constraints. Answer: A is incorrect. The business case isn't an input to the task of defining assumptions and constraints.

Question 19

Which of the following is an output of the Identify Stakeholders process?

Accepted Answer

The Identify Stakeholders process identifies all people or organizations that are impacted by the project. It also documents relevant information regarding their interests, involvement, and impact on project success. Stakeholder register and stakeholder management strategy are outputs of this process. Answer: B is incorrect. Project charter is one of the inputs of the Identify Stakeholders process. Answer: A is incorrect. Scope baseline is one of the outputs of the Create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) process. Answer: D is incorrect. Project scope statement is one of the outputs of the Define Scope process.

Question 20

What do business goals and objectives of enterprise analysis actually describe?

Accepted Answer

Business goals and objectives describe the ends that the organization is seeking to achieve. It is the assessment of the desired future state of the organization. Answer: B is incorrect. The best answer is that the ends of the solution are defined, not just the solution scope. Answer: A is incorrect. Business goals and objectives aren't always focused on increased revenue so this isn't the best choice for the question. Answer: D is incorrect. This answer is close, but it's not the future state of the problems that is defined, but the future state of the organization.

Exam 2: Certification of Competency in Business Analysis