CBAP/CCBA prep questions & answers – Strategy Analysis (5)

Question 41. Which Business Analysis technique allows the BA to discover and confirm business requirements, leveraging also on existing materials?
 A. State diagrams
 B. Process Modeling
 C. Document Analysis
 D. SWOT analysis

The correct answer is:

C. Document Analysis

Explanation:

Document Analysis is a Business Analysis technique used to examine existing documentation and materials to gather information, identify requirements, and confirm existing business processes and rules. By analyzing documents such as business plans, process documentation, and reports, a Business Analyst (BA) can uncover requirements, gain insights into current practices, and identify areas for improvement without needing to start from scratch. This method is particularly useful when there are existing records that detail the business processes, requirements, or rules.

Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:

• A. State Diagrams: These are used to represent the different states of a system or object in response to events, showing how the system transitions between states. State diagrams are more relevant for understanding system behavior than for gathering initial requirements.

• B. Process Modeling: This technique involves visually mapping out business processes to understand workflows, identify inefficiencies, and suggest improvements. While useful for analyzing workflows, it doesn’t leverage existing materials to discover requirements in the way Document Analysis does.

• D. SWOT Analysis: SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis is a strategic planning technique focused on assessing a business’s internal and external factors. It’s not typically used for gathering specific business requirements from existing materials.

Summaryy

Document Analysis (Option C) is the best answer because it allows the BA to leverage existing documents to gather, discover, and confirm business requirements.

Question 42. Which of the following is an example of a business problem statement?
 A. Helpdesk wait an average of 30 second per query, resulting in average of 10% longer calls than the industry average
 B. Speeding up the problem database search time will save the company approximately $300,00 per year and prevent increase in staff
 C. We need to speed up the query search time in the program database
 D. To increase productivity in the helpdesk, we need to speed up the query search time in the program database

The correct answer is A. Helpdesk wait an average of 30 seconds per query, resulting in an average of 10% longer calls than the industry average.

Explanation

A business problem statement describes a specific, measurable issue within a business process, setting the foundation for identifying potential solutions. Let’s analyze each option:

1. Option A clearly identifies a business problem by stating the observed issue (helpdesk wait time), quantifying it (30 seconds per query), and comparing it to a benchmark (10% longer than industry average). This is a measurable problem statement that highlights a specific operational inefficiency.

2. Option B discusses the benefit of a solution (saving $300,000 and preventing staff increase), but it doesn’t clarify the core problem itself. It’s more of a justification for a potential solution.

3. Option C describes a need to speed up the query time but lacks context, specific measurements, and consequences, making it more of a goal than a problem statement.

4. Option D is a general goal (increase productivity by speeding up query time) without specific, measurable data or context about the current issue.

Thus, Option A is the best example of a business problem statement.

Question 43. The following are inputs to both define business case and define solution scope tasks except:
 A. Assumptions
 B. Constraints
 C. Business need
 D. Stakeholder Concerns

The correct answer is D. Stakeholder Concerns.

Explanation:

In project management, both the “Define Business Case” and “Define Solution Scope” tasks rely on certain inputs to ensure that the project aligns with the business objectives and has a clear scope. Let’s break down each option to understand why “Stakeholder Concerns” is the exception here:

1. Assumptions:

• Assumptions are typically used as inputs in both tasks because they represent factors that are considered true or certain, impacting project planning and requirements. Assumptions affect the viability of both the business case and the solution scope.

2. Constraints:

• Constraints are essential in both tasks, as they limit the ways in which the project can be executed. They include time, budget, and regulatory restrictions, impacting both the business case (feasibility and justification) and the solution scope (possible solutions and approaches).

3. Business Need:

• The business need is foundational in both tasks. It justifies why the project should be pursued and drives the purpose of the solution scope. It helps define what the project intends to achieve, guiding both the business case and scope definition.

4. Stakeholder Concerns (Answer):

• While stakeholder concerns are important, they are not standard primary inputs in the initial stages of defining a business case and solution scope. Stakeholder input and feedback may be involved, but they are generally considered when analyzing requirements or risks, rather than as core inputs for creating the business case and defining solution scope.

Question 44. You have been asked to make recommendation for an initiative that the organization is thinking about undertaking. The organization has provided some initial estimates and high level cost. What techniques might you use in preparing your recommendation?
 A. Risk analysis, SWOT analysis and Functional decomposition
 B. Estimation, Metrics and Key performance indicators, Vendor assessment
 C. Decision analysis, SWOT and Business architecture
 D. Vendor assessment, Enterprise architecture and Functional decomposition

The correct answer is:

C. Decision analysis, SWOT, and Business architecture

Explanation:

Each of these techniques would be useful when preparing a recommendation for a potential organizational initiative:

1. Decision Analysis: This technique helps evaluate the benefits, costs, and risks associated with different options. By using decision analysis, you can assess various aspects of the initiative and weigh potential outcomes, which is crucial for making a well-informed recommendation.

2. SWOT Analysis: SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis is a strategic tool that evaluates internal and external factors that could impact the initiative. It helps in identifying potential advantages and challenges related to the initiative, ensuring the recommendation considers both internal capabilities and external market or environmental conditions.

3. Business Architecture: Business architecture provides an overview of how the proposed initiative aligns with the organization’s existing structures, processes, and capabilities. This helps in understanding how the initiative fits into the organization’s broader strategy, ensuring compatibility and enhancing the chances of successful implementation.

Why the Other Options Are Less Suitable:

• Option A (Risk analysis, SWOT analysis, Functional decomposition): While risk analysis and SWOT are useful, functional decomposition focuses on breaking down processes, which is typically more relevant to understanding existing workflows than making high-level strategic recommendations for new initiatives.

• Option B (Estimation, Metrics and KPIs, Vendor assessment): Estimation and metrics are valuable for tracking and assessing performance but are not necessarily decision-making tools for strategic recommendations. Vendor assessment is only applicable if external vendors are involved.

• Option D (Vendor assessment, Enterprise architecture, Functional decomposition): Vendor assessment and functional decomposition may not be essential for making a recommendation on the initiative itself. Enterprise architecture is broader and may be more applicable at an organizational strategy level rather than specifically for initiative analysis.

In summary, Option C provides the most relevant tools for forming a comprehensive, high-level recommendation for a new organizational initiative.

Question 45. You are the business analyst for your organization (XXY Company) and you are currently reviewing a document, the content of the document include (but not limited to);
 • XXY Company has 30 Business Analysts
 • XXY Company currently has the capacity to work on 6 large projects simultaneously
 • XXY Company has requirement configuration software that can handle up to 50,000 requirements.
 The name of this document is?
 A. Need
 B. Solution Performance Assessment
 C. Enterprise Architecture
 D. Business Case

The correct answer is C. Enterprise Architecture.

Explanation:

1. Enterprise Architecture refers to a high-level document that describes the structure, capabilities, and functioning of an organization. This document typically includes details about the organization’s capacity, resources, systems, and technology, which are used to support various business functions and projects.

2. Details in the document: In this scenario, the document provides specific information about:

• The number of Business Analysts (30) within XXY Company.

• The company’s capacity to handle large projects simultaneously (6 projects).

• The requirement configuration software capability (up to 50,000 requirements).

These details align with what an Enterprise Architecture document might outline, as they describe the company’s resource structure and technical capacities, helping in strategic decision-making and project planning.

3. Why other options are not correct:

• A. Need – A “Need” document typically identifies a business problem or a requirement but does not detail the organizational capacity or resource information.

• B. Solution Performance Assessment – This type of document assesses the effectiveness of a specific solution in meeting business objectives, which is not the focus here.

• D. Business Case – A business case document presents justification for a particular project or investment, focusing on benefits, costs, and risks rather than the organization’s existing capacity and configuration.

Thus, the document in question is best classified as Enterprise Architecture (Option C) because it describes XXY Company’s capabilities and infrastructure, which are foundational to understanding its operational scope.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *