Pass the IIBA Certification of Capability in Business Analysis CCBA Questions and answers with ExamsMirror

 According to the CCBA® Handbook, one of the tasks of the business analyst is to “assess proposed solution” (p. 12). This task involves evaluating the potential value and benefits of each solution option, comparing them to the costs and risks, and recommending the best option or no option at all. The inputs to this task are solution options, requirements, and risk assessments. The other options are not correct because:

A. Solution options are an input to the assess proposed solution task, as they are the possible ways to address the business need and meet the requirements (p. 12).

B. Requirements are an input to the assess proposed solution task, as they are the capabilities and conditions that the solution must have and meet to address the business need (p. 12).

C. Risk assessments are an input to the assess proposed solution task, as they are the analysis of the uncertainties and potential negative impacts of each solution option (p. 12). References:

CCBA® Handbook, p. 12

BABOK® Guide, p. 106

According to the CCBA® Handbook, one of the tasks of the business analyst is to “define the business need” (p. 11). This task involves identifying and describing the problem or opportunity that the organization faces, and the desired outcomes that the solution should achieve. The inputs to this task are business goals and objectives, which are “the desired outcomes of a change initiative or the state of the enterprise after the successful implementation of a solution” (p. 35). Business goals and objectives provide the context and direction for the business analysis work, as well as the criteria for evaluating the value and benefits of the solution. The other options are not correct because:

B. Stakeholder identification and stakeholder analysis are not inputs to the define the business need task, but rather outputs of the plan business analysis approach task (p. 10). They provide information on the stakeholders who are affected by or have an interest in the business need and the solution, as well as their roles, responsibilities, communication preferences, and expectations.

C. Requirements and business analysis approach are not inputs to the define the business need task, but rather outputs of the elicit and specify and model requirements tasks (p. 11-12). They provide information on the capabilities and conditions that the solution must have and meet to address the business need, as well as the methods and techniques that the business analyst will use to perform the business analysis work.

D. Elicitation approach and solution approach are not inputs to the define the business need task, but rather outputs of the plan business analysis approach and determine solution approach tasks (p. 10-11). They provide information on the tools and techniques that the business analyst will use to gather and validate the requirements, as well as the type and scope of the solution that will be implemented to address the business need. References:

CCBA® Handbook, p. 10-12, 35

BABOK® Guide, p. 35, 106

Benchmarking is an elicitation technique that is best described as a study to compare the strengths and weaknesses of an organization against its peers and competitors. Benchmarking involves measuring and evaluating the performance, processes, or practices of an organization or a system with those of other organizations or systems that are considered to be the best in the industry or the domain. Benchmarking helps to identify the gaps, opportunities, and best practices for improvement and innovation. Benchmarking can be done at various levels, such as strategic, operational, functional, or technical. The other options are not elicitation techniques that can achieve the same goal as benchmarking. Brainstorming is a technique for generating a large number of ideas or options for solutions in a creative and collaborative way. Market analysis is a technique for researching and analyzing the market trends, demands, and preferences of the customers or the users. Comparativeanalysis is a technique for comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences between two or more items, such as concepts, theories, models, etc. References:

Top 10 Most Common Requirements Elicitation Techniques

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

Types of Elicitation Techniques for the Business Analyst

A. It defines the nature of a solution that meets that need: This is a correct activity of enterprise analysis, as it involves defining the scope, objectives, and requirements of the solution that will address the business problem or opportunity.

B. It identifies business needs, problems, or opportunities: This is a correct activity of enterprise analysis, as it involves understanding the current state of the organization, its goals, and the external and internal factors that affect its performance.

C. It justifies the investment necessary to deliver that solution: This is a correct activity of enterprise analysis, as it involves assessing the costs, benefits, risks, and feasibility of the proposed solution and presenting a business case that supports the decision to implement it.

D. It manages and expresses requirements to a broad and diverse audience: This is an incorrect activity of enterprise analysis, as it belongs to another knowledge area, which is requirements communication and management. This knowledge area involves ensuring that the requirements are understood, agreed upon, and controlled by all the stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.

When you assess a solution, what you are actually looking for is to determine the value of the proposed solution to the stakeholder requirements. This is the main purpose of the solution assessment and validation knowledge area, which involves measuring and evaluating the performance and benefits of the solution, and ensuring that it meets the stakeholder needs and expectations12. Value is defined as the worth, importance, or usefulness of something to a stakeholder within a context3. To determine the value of the proposed solution, you need to identify and analyze the value proposition, the value drivers, the value measures, and the value delivery4. The other options are not what you are actually looking for when you assess a solution, but rather aspects that may contribute to the value of the solution, such as the quality (B), which is the degree to which a solution meets the requirements and delivers the expected benefits5, the cost ©, which is the amount of resources expended or consumed to implement and operate the solution, or the accuracy (D), which is the extent to which a solution represents the true or exact state of the problem or the need. References: Business Analysis Expert Certification, CCBA® | IIBA®, Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®), Business Analysis Certification Competencies, CCBA® | IIBA®, The Ultimate Guide to Business Capability Analysis, CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, [Certification of Capability in Business Analysis (CCBA®) - Simplilearn], [A GUIDE TO THE BUSINESS ANALYSIS BODY OF KNOWLEDGE]

The work breakdown structure (WBS) is not an input to the requirements management and communication knowledge area, but an output of the solution scope definition task. The WBS is a hierarchical decomposition of the solution scope into smaller and manageable components, such as deliverables, work packages, and activities. The WBS helps to plan, monitor, and control the project work and resources. The other options are correct inputs to the requirements management and communication knowledge area, as they provide the information and guidance needed to manage and communicate the requirements effectively and efficiently. The requirement management plan describes how the requirements will be elicited, analyzed, documented, validated, and controlled throughout the project. The business analysis communication plan describes how the communication needs and expectations of the stakeholders will be met, including the methods, frequency, format, and distribution of the business analysis communications. The solution scope defines the boundaries and features of the solution that will address the business problem or opportunity. References:

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) In Project Management

Business Analysis Knowledge Areas Explained as per BABoK

As a business analyst, you’ll need to gather all of the following …

 The term that is assigned to this measurement is key performance indicators. These are the metrics that are used to evaluate the performance and progress of the organization, the project, or the solution against the predefined goals and objectives12. Key performance indicators help to monitor and communicate the value and benefits of the solution, and to identify areas for improvement. Henry and Fred are using key performance indicators to compare the productivity before and after the implementation of the new software, and to see the real effect of the solution on the business need. The other options are not terms that are assigned to this measurement, but rather concepts or techniques that are related to the business analysis work, such as post implementation factor (A), which is a factor that affects the success of the solution after it has been deployed3, yield (B), which is a measure of the efficiency or effectiveness of a process or a solution4, or S-Curve (D), which is a graphical representation of the cumulative progress or performance of a project or a solution over time5. References: Business Analysis Expert Certification, CCBA® | IIBA®, Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®), Business Analysis Certification Competencies, CCBA® | IIBA®, The Ultimate Guide to Business Capability Analysis, CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition

According to the CCBA® Handbook, stakeholder impact analysis is “a technique used to identify the effects of a change on the stakeholders of a solution” (p. 22). Stakeholder impact analysis can help the business analyst understand the functions of stakeholders, the location of stakeholders, the tasks stakeholders complete, and the stakeholders’ concerns about the solution. Stakeholder impact analysis can also help the business analyst identify the stakeholder needs, expectations, preferences, and risks, as well as the communication and engagement strategies for each stakeholder group. The other options are not correct because:

A. Technical assessment is “a technique used to evaluate the technical feasibility and suitability of a solution” (p. 23). Technical assessment can help the business analyst understand the technical requirements, constraints, and capabilities of the solution, but not the stakeholder aspects.

C. Organizational assessment is “a technique used to evaluate the current state of an organization and its alignment with the desired future state” (p. 22). Organizational assessment can help the business analyst understand the organizational structure, culture, processes, and performance of the organization, but not the stakeholder aspects.

D. Operational analysis is “a technique used to analyze the efficiency and effectiveness of the current operations of an organization” (p. 22). Operational analysis can help the business analyst understand the operational requirements, problems, and opportunities of the organization, but not the stakeholder aspects. References:

CCBA® Handbook, p. 22-23

Stakeholder Impact Analysis - Modern Analyst, section “What is Stakeholder Impact Analysis?”

The plan business analysis process is the task of defining how the business analysis work will be performed, including the activities, deliverables, roles, resources, tools, and techniques that will be used12. The type of project or initiative affects the business analysis duties that need to be performed, because different types of projects or initiatives may have different goals, scopes, methodologies, stakeholders, risks, and constraints that require different business analysis approaches and techniques3. The other options are not elements of the plan business analysis process, but rather factors that may influence the selection or execution of the business analysis plan. References:

1: BABOK® Guide, Version 3.0, p. 24

2: Business Analysis Expert Certification, CCBA® | IIBA®

3: Business Analysis Process Flow: Step by Step Tutorial - Guru99

The information that should not be included in the stakeholder register is stakeholder management strategy. This is a term that refers to the approach and actions for managing the relationships and expectations of the stakeholders throughout the project12. Stakeholder management strategy is not part of the stakeholder register, but rather a separate document or output that is derived from the stakeholder register3. The other options are information that should be included in the stakeholder register, which is a document that identifies and describes the stakeholders who are involved in or affected by the project4. The stakeholder register should include the assessment information of the stakeholders’ major requirements, expectations, and potential influence (A), the stakeholder classification of their role in the project ©, and the identification information for each stakeholder (D)5. References: Business Analysis Expert Certification, CCBA® | IIBA®, Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®), Business Analysis Certification Competencies, CCBA® | IIBA®, The Ultimate Guide to Business Capability Analysis, CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition

According to the BABOK® Guide, solution assessment is the process of evaluating the value delivered by a solution in use by the enterprise, and recommending removal of barriers that prevent the full realization of the value1. The goal of solution assessment is to compare the expected andactual outcomes of a solution, and identify the best course of action to increase the value delivered by the solution2. When there are multiple possible solutions to a business need, the business analyst should assess each solution against the evaluation criteria, such as feasibility, suitability, acceptability, sustainability, and affordability, and determine which solution has the greatest business value3. References: 1: BABOK® Guide, version 3, section 7.1, page 2302: BABOK® Guide, version 3, section 7.2, page 2313: BABOK® Guide, version 3, section 7.4, page 234.

According to the CCBA® Handbook, an implementation subject matter expert is “a stakeholder who has specialized knowledge of the technologies, tools, or techniques that will be used to implement the solution” (p. 15). They are involved in determining if the requirements can be implemented, as they have the technical expertise and experience to assess the feasibility, risks, and costs of the solution. They can also provide guidance and recommendations on how to best implement the requirements and achieve the desired outcomes. The other options are not correct because:

A. A domain subject matter expert is “a stakeholder who has in-depth knowledge of a specific aspect of the business domain” (p. 15). They are involved in defining and validating the requirements, as they have the business knowledge and insight to identify the needs, problems, and opportunities of the domain. However, they may not have the technical knowledge or authority to determine if the requirements can be implemented.

C. Project team members are “stakeholders who are responsible for the delivery of the solution” (p. 15). They are involved in implementing the requirements, as they have the skills and resources to execute the project plan and produce the solution deliverables. However, they may not have the technical knowledge or authority to determine if the requirements can be implemented.

D. A sponsor is “a stakeholder who authorizes the initiation of a project or initiative and provides the financial resources for it” (p. 14). They are involved in approving the requirements, as they have the decision-making power and influence to support the project or initiative. However, they may not have the technical knowledge or authority to determine if the requirements can be implemented. References:

CCBA® Handbook, p. 14-15

Identify Stakeholders for Requirements Gathering - Olive Technologies, section “Implementation Subject Matter Expert”

 According to the BABOK® Guide, governance is the set of processes, policies, standards, and guidelines that define how an initiative is managed and controlled. Governance affects the level of formality in the presentation of requirements for review, as it may specify the format, content, quality, approval, and communication of the requirements1. The business analyst should consider the governance requirements when preparing and presenting the requirements for review, as they may influence the expectations, feedback, and acceptance of the stakeholders2. References: 1: BABOK® Guide, version 3, section 2.5.1, page 252: BABOK® Guide, version 3, section 4.5.1, page 88.

To answer this question, you need to compare the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the two solutions over time. The TCO is the sum of the initial cost and the recurring cost multiplied by the number of months. You can set up an equation to find the break-even point where the TCO of the two solutions are equal:

286,000 + 2,400x = 239,000 + 2,850x

Solving for x, you get x = 64. This means that after 64 months, the TCO of the two solutions will be the same. Therefore, you need to use your in-house solution for more than 64 months to be more cost effective than the vendor’s solution.

References:

Business Analysis Expert Certification, CCBA® | IIBA®, section “Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring”, subsection “Plan Business Analysis Approach”.

A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), version 3, chapter 3, section 3.1.4.

A SMART goal is one that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. According to the web search results, a SMART goal should answer the following questions: 12

Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve?

Measurable: How will you know if you have achieved it?

Achievable: Is it realistic and within your reach?

Relevant: Does it align with your purpose and values?

Time-bound: When do you want to achieve it by?

Option B is the only one that meets all of these criteria. It is specific, as it states the exact amount of revenue increase. It is measurable, as it can be tracked and quantified. It is achievable, as it is not too unrealistic or impossible. It is relevant, as it relates to the company’s financial performance and growth. It is time-bound, as it has a clear deadline of January 15.

The other options are not SMART goals because:

A. No errors in production of customer products is not specific, measurable, or achievable. It does not state what kind of errors, how they are measured, or how they can be eliminated. It is also unrealistic to expect zero errors in any production process.

C. Increase revenue by ten percent is not time-bound. It does not specify when the revenue increase should be achieved by, which makes it hard to plan and monitor progress.

D. Add 25 new customers to the sales base is not relevant. It does not explain why adding new customers is important or how it relates to the company’s purpose and values. It is also not specific or measurable enough, as it does not state what kind of customers, how they are acquired, or how they contribute to the revenue. References:

1: How to write SMART goals (with examples) - Atlassian, section “How to write SMART goals”

2: SMART Goal - Definition, Guide, and Importance of Goal Setting, section “What are SMART Goals?”