Free Practice Questions for IIBA CBAP Exam

The BA’s first step is to perform a gap analysis to understand the missing capabilities of the COTS tool and the existing manual processes. A gap analysis is a technique that compares the current state and the desired future state of a solution or a process, and identifies the gaps or differences between them. By performing a gap analysis, the BA can determine the feasibility, suitability, and risks of using the COTS tool to automate the existing manual processes, and identify the requirements and changes needed to bridge the gaps. The other options are not the first steps, as they may either be premature, unnecessary, or ineffective without a proper gap analysis. References:

CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Chapter 5: Strategy Analysis, Section 5.1: Analyze Current State, p. 206

A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), Version 3, Chapter 5: Strategy Analysis, Section 5.1: Analyze Current State, p. 106

Certified Business Analysis Professional™ (CBAP®) | Coursera, Course 3: Strategy Analysis, Week 2: Analyze Current State, video: “Gap Analysis”

A current state diagram, also known as an as-is process diagram, is a visual representation of the existing processes and workflows of a business or a system. It can help the BA to understand how the current system operates, what are the inputs, outputs, activities, roles, and interactions involved, and what are the pain points, issues, or gaps that need to be addressed. A current state diagram can help the BA to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the current system by highlighting the areas of efficiency, effectiveness, quality, and customer satisfaction, as well as the areas of waste, redundancy, complexity, and inconsistency1234. By identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the current system, the BA can then define the requirements and design the future state solution that will improve the current situation and meet the stakeholder needs12. References:

1: BABOK Guide v3, Chapter 10: Techniques, Section 10.36: Scope Modeling

2: BABOK Guide v3, Chapter 10: Techniques, Section 10.37: State Modeling

3: What Is Current State Analysis? Benefits and Steps(https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/current-state-analysis)

4: The basics of documenting and analyzing your as-is process(https://www. lucidchart.com/blog/as-is-process-analysis)

 A concept model is a visual representation of the business concepts and their relationships. It helps to clarify the meaning of the terms and concepts used in the requirements. However, different stakeholders may have different levels of understanding and interest in the concept model, depending on their roles and perspectives. Therefore, the BA should use an appropriate level of abstraction to support differing viewports, which are views of the same model that focus on different aspects or levels of detail. This way, the BA can tailor the presentation of the concept model to suit the needs and expectations of each stakeholder group, and help them understand the impacts to their respective daily tasks. References: BABOK Guide v3, p. 112-113; CBAP/CCBA Study Guide, p. 140-141.

 A use case diagram is a technique that helps to depict the interactions between a system and its actors using graphical symbols and relationships. A use case diagram shows the actors that are involved in the system, the use cases that represent the functions or services that the system provides, and the associations that indicate how the actors and use cases are related. A use case diagram can be used with a state diagram to verify that all functions are defined to work with entity “User” for the different roles, as it can help to identify the use cases that correspond to the states and transitions of the entity, and to ensure that the use cases are complete, consistent, and accurate. A sequence diagram is a technique that helps to represent the sequence and timing of the messages that are exchanged between the objects or components of a system. A sequence diagram shows the objects or components that participate in the interaction, the messages that are sent and received by the objects or components, and the time order of the messages. A sequence diagram can help to illustrate the dynamic behavior and logic of the system, but it does not show the interactions between the system and its actors. A functional diagram is a technique that helps to represent the functions or processes that are performed by a system or a solution using graphical symbols and relationships. A functional diagram shows the functions or processes that are relevant to the domain, the inputs and outputs of each function or process, and the decomposition and hierarchy of the functions or processes. A functional diagram can help to define and analyze the functional requirements, but it does not show the interactions between the system and its actors. A data flow diagram is a technique that helps to create a high-level overview of a business process by showing the movement and transformation of data between entities and processes. A data flow diagram uses graphical symbols and arrows to represent the sources and destinations of data, the processes that manipulate data, the data stores that store data, and the data flows that transfer data. A data flow diagram can help to understand and document the data logic and structure of the business process, but it does not show the interactions between the system and its actors. References: BABOK Guide v3, Chapter 10: Techniques, Section 10.50: Use Case Diagram, p. 564-566; Section 10.49: Sequence Diagram, p. 562-563; Section 10.22: Functional Decomposition, p. 528-529; Section 10.18: Data Flow Diagrams, p. 522-524.

 The BA can use organizational modeling to highlight the required changes to the structure. Organizational modeling is a technique that involves creating a graphical representation of the roles, responsibilities, relationships, and reporting lines within an organization. It can help to illustrate the current and future states of the organization, identify the gaps and impacts of the change, and communicate the proposed solution to the stakeholders. In this case, the BA can use organizational modeling to show how the process for the first contact resolution for customer issues will be streamlined by having a single point of contact instead of two separate divisions. References:

CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Chapter 5: Strategy Analysis, Section 5.1: Analyze Current State, p. 207-208

A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), Version 3, Chapter 5: Strategy Analysis, Section 5.1: Analyze Current State, p. 107-108

A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), Version 3, Chapter 10: Solution Evaluation, Section 10.5: Assess Organizational Readiness, p. 281-282

 According to the BABOK® Guide, one of the tasks of the business analyst (BA) is to assess solution performance and value. This involves measuring the actual outcomes and benefits of the implemented solution and comparing them with the expected ones. The BA also identifies any gaps or issues that may affect the solution’s performance or value and recommends actions to address them. One of the actions that the BA can recommend is to remove or minimize any interfaces and activities that do not contribute to the final product either directly or indirectly, as they may cause waste, inefficiency, or complexity. This is consistent with the lean principles of eliminating waste and optimizing value. References: BABOK® Guide v3, Section 7.6: Assess Solution Performance and Value, p. 291-292; BABOK® Guide v3, Section 10.22: Lean, p. 512-513.

 The first step for the BA is to understand the current state of the service provider’s business operations and the root causes of the reduced profit margin. This will help the BA to identify the problems and opportunities for improvement, as well as to establish a baseline for measuring the effectiveness of the proposed solutions. The BA can use various techniques to conduct the current state analysis, such as document analysis, interviews, observation, surveys, and SWOT analysis. The other options are not the first step, as they are either focused on the future state or the solution, without understanding the current situation and the underlying needs. References:

CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Chapter 3: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring, Section 3.2: Plan Business Analysis Approach, p. 93-94

A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), Version 3, Chapter 5: Strategy Analysis, Section 5.1: Analyze Current State, p. 106-109

As part of identifying enterprise limitations, the BA should perform a stakeholder impact and operational analysis. This technique involves assessing how the proposed change will affect the stakeholders and the current operations of the enterprise. It can help to identify the potential benefits, costs, risks, and issues of the change, as well as the readiness and resistance of the stakeholders. The BA should consider the impact of the change on the following aspects of the enterprise:

Strategy and goals

Processes and policies

Structure and roles

Culture and values

Systems and technology

Performance and quality

In this case, the BA should analyze how the merger proposal will impact the stakeholders and operations of Manufacturer O, especially in the scenario of Manufacturer K moving headquarters and closing the current Manufacturer O site. The BA should also consider the impact of the regulatory environment and the potential changes in the future. References:

CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Chapter 5: Strategy Analysis, Section 5.1: Analyze Current State, p. 207-208

A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), Version 3, Chapter 5: Strategy Analysis, Section 5.1: Analyze Current State, p. 107-108

A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), Version 3, Chapter 10: Solution Evaluation, Section 10.5: Assess Organizational Readiness, p. 281-282

Before the BA can proceed with any analysis of the features, they need to confirm that the feature requests are valid and aligned with the product vision and goals. Customer support calls may not reflect the actual needs and preferences of the target market, and may include requests that are out of scope or inconsistent with the product strategy. Therefore, the BA should first validate the feature requests with the product owner and other stakeholders, and eliminate any irrelevant or invalid ones. References:

BABOK Guide v3, section 7.2.2.1: “The business analyst validates that the requirements and designs are aligned with the business need and the solution scope.”

Guide to building a product roadmap (with template and examples), section “How to create a product roadmap”: “The first step in creating a product roadmap is to define the product vision. This is the overarching goal or purpose of the product, and it should guide all subsequent decisions and actions.”

 The organizational culture and type of information being approved are two factors that the BA should consider when defining the approval process. The organizational culture reflects the values, beliefs, and behaviors that guide the decision-making and actions of the stakeholders in the organization. The type of information being approved refers to the nature, scope, and impact of the information that requires approval from the relevant authorities. Both factors can influence the level of authority, responsibility, and accountability that are involved in the approval process, as well as the criteria, methods, and tools that are used to facilitate the approval process. The BA should align the approval process with the organizational culture and the type of information being approved to ensure that the process is effective, efficient, and consistent. References:

Approval Process: Key Governance Procedure, Business Group on Health

Developing an effective governance operating model, Deloitte

What is a Governance Process?, WalkMe