Free Practice Questions for IIBA CCBA Exam

 Organizing requirements is the task of finding logical relationships and dependencies among the requirements and grouping them into coherent and manageable units. The two objectives of this task are to establish a structure for the requirements that facilitates communication, understanding, and traceability, and to establish a prioritization approach that is based on relevant criteria andstakeholder preferences. References: BABOK® Guide v3, page 120; Business Analysis Expert Certification, CCBA® | IIBA®, page 1.

 Product scope is the features and functions that characterize a product, service, or result1. It defines what the product or service will do and how it will meet the customer needs and expectations2. Product scope is different from project scope, which is all the work needed to deliver a product, service, or result as defined in product scope1. Requirements envisioning is a technique to collaboratively identify and define the high-level features and scope of a solution3. Requirements foundation is a term used by IIBA to describe the core concepts of business analysis, such as requirements, stakeholders, and business analysis planning and monitoring4. References:

Certification of Capability in Business Analysis (CCBA®) Handbook, page 5, section “4. Review the Exam Blueprint”

Business Analysis Expert Certification, CCBA® | IIBA®, section “BABOK® Guide v3”

Requirements Envisioning: An Agile Best Practice

Business Analysis Core Concept Model™ (BACCM™)

According to the CCBA® Handbook, one of the tasks of the business analyst is to “plan business analysis approach” (p. 10). This task involves defining an appropriate method to conduct business analysis activities based on the business need, the organizational process assets, and the expert judgment. The inputs to this task are organizational process assets, expert judgment, and business need. The other options are not correct because:

A. Organizational process assets are an input to the plan business analysis approach task, as they provide information on the policies, procedures, methodologies, templates, and standards that the organization uses for business analysis work (p. 10).

B. Expert judgment is an input to the plan business analysis approach task, as it provides information on the best practices, techniques, and tools that the business analyst can use for business analysis work (p. 10).

D. Business need is an input to the plan business analysis approach task, as it provides information on the problem or opportunity that the organization faces, and the desired outcomes that the solution should achieve (p. 10). References:

CCBA® Handbook, p. 10

Defining the Business Analysis Approach in 2023 | Free Template, section “Factors to Consider When Choosing a Business Analysis Approach”

 Scope creep is the uncontrolled expansion of the project scope due to the addition of requirements that are not aligned with the original project scope. A requirements tracing matrix is a tool that helps track the alignment of requirements with the project scope, objectives, and deliverables. It can help prevent scope creep by identifying and rejecting any requirements that are out of scope or do not add value to the project. References:

Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®) Handbook, page 14

A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), page 40

According to the BABOK® Guide, a requirements trace matrix is a table that links requirements to their origin and traces them throughout the project life cycle. A requirements trace matrix is useful for tracking the status, priority, and satisfaction of requirements, as well as identifying dependencies, gaps, and overlaps. A requirements trace matrix is suitable for smaller projects where there are few requirements, as it can provide a simple and effective way to trace the few requirements for the project1. References: 1: BABOK® Guide, version 3, section 10.32, page 344.

A. The communications management plan will dictate what will happen to the business analysis communications: This is a correct answer, as the communications management plan is a document that 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 communications management plan should also specify how the communications will be stored, retrieved, and disposed of at the end of the project.

B. All formal communication must be destroyed once the project is completed: This is an incorrect answer, as it contradicts the principle of traceability, which is the ability to link the requirements and other business analysis deliverables to their sources and to the solution components that satisfy them. Traceability helps to ensure the quality, completeness,and alignment of the business analysis work. Destroying the communication documents would make it impossible to trace the rationale, assumptions, decisions, and changes that occurred during the project.

C. All communications must be archived and will become part of the organizational process assets: This is a correct answer, as the organizational process assets are the plans, processes, policies, procedures, and knowledge bases that are specific to and used by the performing organization. They include any artifact, practice, or knowledge that can help the organization to perform its business analysis activities more effectively and efficiently. Archiving the communication documents would enable the organization to reuse, update, or improve them for future projects or initiatives.

D. All communications must be documented and passed onto the solution’s project manager for analysis and to serve as supporting detail: This is an incorrect answer, as it implies that the business analyst is not responsible for analyzing the communication documents or providing supporting detail for the solution. The business analyst is the primary role that performs the business analysis activities, such as eliciting, analyzing, validating, and managing the requirements and other business analysis deliverables. The project manager is the primary role that performs the project management activities, such as initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing the project. The business analyst and the project manager should collaborate and communicate effectively throughout the project, but they have different roles and responsibilities.

 According to the BABOK® Guide, the requirements analysis and design definition knowledge area “describes the tasks that business analysis professionals perform to structure and organize requirements discovered during elicitation activities, specify and model requirements and designs, validate and verify information, identify solution options that meet business needs, and estimate the potential value that could be realized for each solution option” (p. 106). This knowledge area focuses on analyzing and defining requirements to ensure that they meet the needs of stakeholders and align with the organization’s objectives. It includes tasks such as modeling requirements, defining acceptance criteria, and creating solution designs. The other options are not correct because:

A. It describes the characteristics of the requirements lifecycle management knowledge area, which “describes the tasks and techniques used to manage and maintain requirements and design information from inception to retirement” (p. 136).

B. It describes the characteristics of the strategy analysis knowledge area, which “describes the business analysis work that must be performed to collaborate with stakeholders in order to identify a need of strategic or tactical importance (the business need), enable the enterprise to address that need, and align the resulting strategy for the change with higher- and lower-level strategies” (p. 30).

D. It describes the act of elicitation and collaboration, which is a separate knowledge area that “describes the tasks that business analysis professionals perform in order to obtain information from stakeholders and confirm the results” (p. 50). References:

BABOK® Guide, p. 30, 50, 106, 136

E) Requirements Analysis and Design Definition | The Business Analysis …, section “Introduction”

According to the Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®) Learning documents, a stakeholder is anyone who has an interest or influence in the project or its outcome1. Stakeholders can have different levels of power, interest, impact, and influence on the project, and they can be internal or external to the organization2. However, no stakeholder group is more important than another, as they all contribute to the project’s success in different ways. The project manager’s role is to identify, analyze, engage, and manage the stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle, and to balance their needs, expectations, and interests3. The project manager should also communicate effectively with the stakeholders, and ensure that their feedback, input, and approval are obtained at the appropriate stages of the project4.

References:

Business Analysis Expert Certification, CCBA® | IIBA®, section “BABOK® Guide v3”, chapter 2, section 2.1

Stakeholder in Project Management - Techcanvass, section “Types of Stakeholders”

Stakeholder Management | Its Importance | Institute of Project Management, section “What is Stakeholder Management?”

What Is a Stakeholder? Definitions, Types & Examples, section “How to Manage Stakeholders”

Who are Project Stakeholders and Why They are Important? - KnowledgeHut, section “How to manage project stakeholders?”

The technique that you can use to track problems with the requirements is issue tracking. This is a technique for identifying, documenting, monitoring, and resolving issues that arise during the business analysis work12. Issue tracking helps to ensure that the requirements are of high quality, aligned with the stakeholder needs, and delivered on time. The other options are not techniques for tracking problems with the requirements, but rather techniques for managing or verifying the requirements, such as RTM (B), which is a technique for tracing the relationships among requirements and other deliverables3, problem tracking ©, which is a technique for identifying and resolving problems with the solution4, or baselining (D), which is a technique for establishing an approved version of the requirements5. 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 Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), structural rules and operative rules are two types of business rules that govern the behavior and structure of an organization. Structural rules are rules that define the policies, standards, and guidelines that the organization follows as a matter of choice. They are often derived from the vision, mission, values, and goals of the organization. Operative rules are rules that define the logic and criteria that are used to determinethe truth or falsity of a statement or the membership of an entity in a category. They are often derived from the requirements, specifications, and constraints of the solution.

References: The information is aligned with the competencies and knowledge areas defined in the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide) and the Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®) as provided by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA®). For detailed references, please consult the CCBA® guide1 and the BABOK® Guide2 available through the IIBA® website and bookstore3. You can also find some useful resources and sample questions from other sources4.

The high-level requirements list that the business analyst may create when using a change-driven approach is also known as requirements envisioning. This is a technique for eliciting and documenting the high-level features and characteristics of the solution, and defining the scope and boundaries of the initiative12. Requirements envisioning helps to establish a common understanding and vision among the stakeholders, and to guide the iterative and incremental delivery of the solution. The other options are not terms that are equivalent to the high-level requirements list, but rather terms that describe different aspects of the solution or the project, such as project scope (B), which is the work that must be performed to deliver the solution3, product scope ©, which is the features and functions that characterize the solution3, or requirements foundation (D), which is aterm that refers to the core set of requirements that are essential for the solution4. 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

The difference between a desired outcome and a solution is that the desired outcome is how the organization will operate in the future; the solution is the method to reach the desired outcome. A desired outcome is a statement that describes the expected state or condition of the organization after the business need has been addressed1. A solution is a set of changes to the current state of the organization that are made to enable the organization to meet the business need2. The solution is the means to achieve the desired outcome, but not the end in itself. The other options are not correct, as they either confuse or equate the two terms, such as B, which states that they are synonymous, C, which states that the solution is the ideal fulfillment of the business goals, or D, which states that the desired outcome is what the solution will remove. References: Business Analysis Expert Certification, CCBA® | IIBA®, Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®)

The number of communication channels in a project is an indicator of the complexity and difficulty of managing the communication among the stakeholders. The more stakeholders there are, the more communication channels there are, and the more challenging it is to ensure effective and efficient communication. The number of communication channels in a project can be calculated using the following formula:

Number of communication channels=n×(n−1)/2

where n is the number of stakeholders. In this case, n=65, so the number of communication channels is:

Number of communication channels=65×(65−1)/2

Number of communication channels=65×64/2

Number of communication channels=4160

Therefore, the correct answer is A. 4160.References:

CCBA® Handbook, p. 15

Number of Communication Channels (+ PMP® Formula & Calculator), section “Formula to Calculate the Number of Communication Channels”

Alternative generation is the activity element that is best described as creating as many solutions as possible to an identified problem in the solution approach process. Alternative generation involves exploring and evaluating different options for solving the problem or meeting the need, without limiting the creativity or feasibility of the solutions. Alternative generation helps to ensure that the best possible solution is selected and implemented. The other options are not activity elements that can achieve the same goal as alternative generation. Brainstorming is a technique for generating a large number of ideas or options for solutions in a creative and collaborative way. Prototyping is a technique for creating a simplified or partial version of the solution to test its functionality, usability, or design. Lateral thinking is a technique for solving problems by using an indirect or creative approach, rather than a conventional or logical one. References:

CBAP by IIBA Actual Free Exam Q&As - ITExams.com

CBAP 150 Practice Questions Flashcards

[Business Analysis: The Elicitation Process - UniversalClass]

A. Prioritization ranks the requirements according to the cost and schedule: This is an incorrect answer, as it confuses prioritization with estimation. Estimation is the process of determining the effort, time, and resources needed to implement the requirements. Prioritization is the process of determining the relative importance and urgency of the requirements.

B. Prioritization ranks the requirements on a weighted scale of key performance indicators, such as cost, schedule, risk, and experience: This is a correct answer, as it describes one possible method of prioritizing requirements based on multiple criteria that reflect the value and feasibility of the requirements. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are measurable factors that indicate the progress and success of the project or the solution.

C. Prioritization ensures that the most important stakeholders are considered first: This is an incorrect answer, as it implies that some stakeholders are more important than others. Prioritization does not rank the stakeholders, but the requirements. All stakeholders should be considered and involved in the business analysis process, as they have different needs, expectations, and perspectives that affect the solution.

D. Prioritization of requirements focuses on the most critical requirements first: This is a correct answer, as it states the main purpose and benefit of prioritization. Prioritization helps to ensure that the most valuable and essential requirements are delivered first, and that the scope, schedule, and budget of the project are aligned with the business objectives and stakeholder expectations.