Free Practice Questions for IIBA CBAP Exam

 The defined change strategy is the input that the BA would use as an input into the assessment of risk. The change strategy is the approach that defines how the change will be implemented, managed, and sustained. It includes the scope, objectives, benefits, stakeholders, governance, communication, training, and transition plans of the change initiative. The change strategy provides the context and direction for the business analysis effort, and helps the BA to identify and evaluate the risks that may affect the success of the change. The other options are not the best inputs for the assessment of risk, as they are more relevant for other purposes, such as estimating the value, prioritizing the requirements, or validating the results of the business analysis effort. References: CBAP Handbook, CBAP Study Guide, BABOK Guide

 The BA could have assessed the current state and stakeholder needs to prevent this situation. The current state is the description of the existing situation, including the problems, opportunities, capabilities, and constraints of the organization and its stakeholders. The stakeholder needs are the expectations, preferences, and requirements of the stakeholders that are relevant to the change initiative. By assessing the current state and stakeholder needs, the BA could have identified and documented the existing report “Consolidated Sales by Customer” as a requirement, and ensured that it was not affected or replaced by the new report “Customer Sales by Date”. The BA could have also verified and validated that the new report met the stakeholder needs and did not cause any negative impacts or trade-offs. The other options are not the best answers, as they are more related to the evaluation of the solution or the organization, rather than the identification and management of the requirements. References: CBAP Handbook, CBAP Study Guide, BABOK Guide

Return on investment (ROI) is a measure of the profitability of an investment, calculated as the ratio of the net benefit to the total cost. The net benefit is the difference between the revenue and the cost. The total cost is the sum of the initial and ongoing costs. In this case, the ROI over the first 3 years can be computed as follows:

RevenueInitial costOngoing costTotal costNet benefitROI​=150,000×3=450,000=200,000=30,000×2=60,000=200,000+60,000=260,000=450,000−260,000=190,000=260,000190,000​×100%=73.08%​

Therefore, the projected ROI over the first 3 years is 73.08%, which is closest to option A. 44%. References: CBAP Handbook, CBAP Study Guide, Why should you be a CBAP in 2023

The BA should use a sequence diagram to elicit information about the other client applications that will interface with the new system and provide the information graphically. A sequence diagram is a type of interaction diagram that depicts the interactions between objects or components in a time-ordered sequence. A sequence diagram can help the BA and the technical staff to understand the message interaction within the systems for key business transactions, as it shows the chronological order of interactions and the messages exchanged between objects. A sequence diagram can also help the BA to model the behavior of a single use case or scenario, and to identify the dependencies and constraints among the objects. Process, activity, or context diagrams are not the best options for this purpose, because they are either too general, too abstract, or not directly related to the message interaction within the systems. References:

CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Chapter 7: Requirements Analysis and Design Definition, page 279

Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) Guide, Version 3, Chapter 7: Requirements Analysis and Design Definition, section 7.5: Specify and Model Requirements, page 133

Business Analysis Professional Resources, IIBA Resource Collection, Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) Guide

CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Skillsoft Book, Chapter 7: Requirements Analysis and Design Definition, page 279

Interaction Diagram Tutorial, Lucidchart, What is an interaction diagram?

The number of communication channels in a project is calculated by the formula:

n(n−1)/2

, where

n

is the number of stakeholders. Therefore, if there are 50 stakeholders in the current project, the number of communication channels is:

50(50−1)/2=1225

Communication channels are the pathways or mediums through which information is exchanged among the stakeholders. The more stakeholders involved in a project, the more communication channels are needed, and the more complex the communication management becomes. References: CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, chapter 6, page 236; CBAP Sample Questions, question 248.

The planning stage of a project defines the number of risks and opportunities, including intense planning and anticipation of risk events. The planning stage is the process of establishing the scope, objectives, approach, and deliverables of the project. It involves defining the project requirements, assumptions, constraints, and dependencies. It also involves developing the project management plan, which includes the subsidiary plans for scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, communications, risk, procurement, and stakeholder management. The planning stage helps to identify and analyze the risks and opportunities that may affect the project, and to plan the appropriate responses and strategies to address them. The planning stage also helps to align the expectations and involvement of the project stakeholders, and to obtain their approval and commitment for the project12. The executing stage of a project is the process of performing the work and producing the deliverables of the project. It involves implementing the project management plan, managing the project resources, executing the project activities and tasks, and creating the project outputs and outcomes. The executing stage helps to monitor and control the risks and opportunities that occur during the project, and to implement the planned responses and strategies to deal with them. The executing stage also helps to communicate and collaborate with the project stakeholders, and to manage their expectations and satisfaction12. The initiation stage of a project is the process of authorizing and launching the project. It involves identifying the problem or opportunity that the project intends to address, and defining the purpose, objectives, scope, and justification of the project. It also involves developing the project charter, which is a document that formally approves and initiates the project. The initiation stage helps to identify and assess the high-level risks and opportunities that are associated with the project, and to determine the feasibility and viability of the project. The initiation stage also helps to identify and engage the key project stakeholders, and to obtain their support and endorsement for the project12. The closing stage of a project is the process of finalizing and terminating the project. It involves verifying and validating the project deliverables, evaluating and documenting the project performance, and closing the project contracts and accounts. It also involves developing the project closure report, which is a document that summarizes and communicates the project results and lessons learned. The closing stage helps to identify and resolve the remaining risks and opportunities that are related to the project, and to ensure the project objectives and benefits are achieved. The closing stage also helps to acknowledge and appreciate the project stakeholders, and to transfer the project ownership and responsibility to the customer or sponsor12. References: CBAP® Handbook, Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) - Sixth Edition

Risk analysis is the process of defining and analyzing the dangers to individuals, businesses, and government agencies posed by potential natural and human-caused adverse events. Risk analysis involves identifying the sources and consequences of risk, estimating the likelihood and severity of risk events, and evaluating the effectiveness and feasibility of risk mitigation strategies. Risk analysis can be applied to various domains, such as IT, finance, security, health, environment, etc. Risk analysis can help to make informed decisions, optimize resource allocation, and enhance performance and resilience. One of the aspects of risk analysis is to measure the maturity level of the security program, which is the degree of development and capability of the security processes and controls that protect the organization from threats and vulnerabilities. A security maturity model is a framework that defines the stages or levels of security maturity and provides a roadmap for improvement. A security maturity model can help to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the security program, prioritize the actions and resources, and benchmark the progress and impact of the security program. References:

Security Maturity Models: Levels, Assessment, and Benefits, paragraph 1

Maturity Model | SANS Security Awareness, paragraph 1

CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, page 47

Diagrams are visual representations of information that can be used to define boundaries for business domains, categorize and create a hierarchy of items, and show data sources and their relationships for specific audiences. Diagrams can include various types of models, such as context diagrams, class diagrams, data flow diagrams, entity relationship diagrams, use case diagrams, and swimlane diagrams. Diagrams can help the BA to communicate complex information in a clear and concise way, and to elicit, analyze, and validate requirements with stakeholders. References: CBAP Handbook, CBAP Study Guide, BABOK Guide

The next task that the BA needs to do to complete the gap analysis is to define the future state capabilities. This means that the BA needs to describe the desired outcomes, benefits, and functions of the new systems and how they will support the business needs and stakeholder requirements. Defining the future state capabilities will help the BA to compare them with the current state of systems and identify the gaps, opportunities, and changes needed to achieve the future state. Identifying performance measures, categorizing risk factors, or selecting the stakeholder engagement approach are not the next tasks for completing the gap analysis, because they are either part of the current state analysis or the subsequent tasks after the gap analysis. References:

CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Chapter 6: Strategy Analysis, page 254

Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) Guide, Version 3, Chapter 5: Strategy Analysis, section 5.3: Define Future State, page 99

Business Analysis Professional Resources, IIBA Resource Collection, Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) Guide

CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Skillsoft Book, Chapter 6: Strategy Analysis, page 254