question

Definition of business analysis?

answer

The set of tasks and techniques used to work as a liaison among stakeholders in order to understand the structure, policies and operations of an organization, and to recommend end solutions that enable the organization to achieve its goals.

question

What is the definition of a business analyst?

answer

A person who performs business analysis activities no matter what their job title or organizational role may be.

question

A business analyst performs business analysis in order to do what?

answer

Align the needs of the business units with the capabilities delivered by information technology.

question

What is the definition of a solution?

answer

A set of changes to the current state of an organization that are made in order to enable that organization to meet a business need, solve a problem, or take advantage of an opportunity.

question

What is the definition of a requirement?

answer

A condition or capability needed by a stakeholder to solve a problem or achieve an objective OR ::A condition or capability that must be met or possessed by a solution or solution component to satisfy a contract, standard, specification or other formally imposed documents ::OR ::A documented representation of a condition or capability

question

According to the BABOK what type of analysis generates BUSINESS requirements?

answer

Enterprise Analysis

question

What is a BUSINESS requirement?

answer

A high level statement of the goals or objectives or needs of the enterprise

question

What is a STAKEHOLDER requirement

answer

A statement of the needs of a particular stakeholder or class of stakeholders

question

What type of analysis generates STAKEHOLDER requirements?

answer

Requirements Analysis

question

What is a SOLUTION requirement?

answer

A characteristic of the solution that meets the business requirements and stakeholder requirements.

question

SOLUTION Requirements are comprised of what two types of requirements?

answer

Functional and Non-functional requirements

question

According to the BABOK when are SOLUTION requirements gathered?

answer

Requirements Analysis

question

What is a TRANSITION requirement

answer

A requirement that describes the capabilities the solution must have to facilitate the transition from current to future state of the enterprise, but will not be needed after the transition

question

When are TRANSITION requirements gathered?

answer

Solution Assessment and Validation

question

What is the definition of a knowledge area?

answer

They define what a practitioner of business analysis needs to understand and the tasks that a practitioner must be able to perform

question

How many Knowledge Areas are identified in the BABOK and what are they?

answer

There are 7: ::Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring ::Elicitation ::Enterprise Analysis ::Solution Assessment and Validation ::Requirements Analysis ::Requirements Management and Communication ::Underlying Competencies

question

What is the objective of the Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring knowledge area?

answer

To show how the BA determines which activities are necessary in order to complete a business analysis effort

question

What is the objective of the Elicitation knowledge area?

answer

To show how the BA works with stakeholders to identify and understand their needs and concerns, and understand the environment in which they work

question

What is the purpose of elicitation?

answer

To ensure that the stakeholders' underlying needs are understood, rather than their stated or superficial desires

question

What is the objective of the Requirements Management and Communication knowledge area?

answer

To define how a BA manages conflict, issues and changes in order to ensure the stakeholders and the project team remain in agreement on the solution scope

question

What is the objective of the Enterprise Analysis knowledge area?

answer

To define how a BA identifies a business need, refines and clarifies the need and defines the solution scope that can be feasibly implemented

question

What is the objective of the Requirements Analysis knowledge area?

answer

To define how a BA prioritizes and progressively elaborates stakeholder and solution requirements in order to enable the project team to implement a solution

question

What is the objective of the Solution Assessment and Validation knowledge area?

answer

To define how the BA assesses proposed solutions to determine which solution fits best the business need, indentifies gaps in solutions, determines necessary workarounds or changes to the solution

question

What is the objective of the Underlying Competencies knowledge area?

answer

To describe the behaviors, knowledge and other characteristics that support the effective performance of business analysis

question

What are the characteristics of a task?

answer

::Accomplishes a result that creates value ::Is complete ::Is a necessary part of the purpose of the knowledge area

question

True or False ::The BA is a stakeholder in all business analysis activities?

answer

TRUE

question

What is the definition of a Domain Subject Matter Expert (SME)

answer

Any individual with in-depth knowledge of a topic relevant to the business need or solution scope

question

What is the definition of a customer?

answer

A stakeholder outside the boundary of a given organization/unit who makes use of products/services delivered by the organization

question

What is the definition of an end user?

answer

A stakeholder who interacts directly with the solution

question

What is an Implementation Subject Matter Expert (SME)

answer

Individuals responsible for designing and implementing potential solutions and of providing expertise in design and construction of the solution

question

What do Organizational Change Professionals do

answer

They are responsible for facilitating acceptance and adoption of new solutions and overcoming resistance to change

question

What's a usability professional do?

answer

A usability professional is responsible for external interaction design of technological solutions and for making the design as simple to use as feasible

question

An output is the necessary result of the work described in a WHAT?

answer

Task

question

What is a technique?

answer

It provides additional information on different ways that a task may be performed or forms the output of the task may take

question

How many underlying competencies are there and what are they?

answer

There are 6 ::Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving ::Behavioral Characteristics ::Business Knowledge ::Communication Skills ::Interaction Skills ::Software Applications

question

What are the tasks associated with the Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring knowledge area?

answer

There are 6 ::Conduct Stakeholder Analysis ::Plan BA Approach ::Plan BA Activities ::Plan BA Communication ::Plan Requirements Mgmt Process ::Manage BA Performance

question

What are the inputs to the Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring knowledge area tasks?

answer

There are 5 ::Analysis performance metrics ::Business Needs ::Enterprise Architecture ::Expert Judgment ::Organizational process assets

question

What are the inputs to plan the Business Analysis Approach?

answer

::Business Need ::Organizational Process Assets ::Expert Judgment

question

The understanding of the business need in planning the Business Analysis approach helps to determine which approach to take. What are the two types of approaches?

answer

::Plan-driven ::Change-driven

question

What are the differences between plan and change-driven analysis approaches?

answer

::Plan-driven focuses on minimizing up-front uncertainty (risk reduction), fully defined requirements, fully detailed documentation and controlled change. ::Change-driven focuses rapid delivery of functionality in iterations, higher risk, prioritized high-level requirements that reside in a backlog, detailed documentation only as necessary and later in the process usually after implementation, enhanced collaboration

question

What are some factors that impact project complexity?

answer

::Number of stakeholders ::Number of business areas affected ::Amount and type of risk ::Uniqueness of requirements ::Number of tech resources required

question

What are the recommended techniques to assist in planning the business analysis approach?

answer

There are 3 ::Decision Analysis ::Process Modeling ::Structured Walk-thrus

question

What is the definition of the business analysis approach?

answer

A definition of the approach that will be taken for business analysis in a given initiative.

question

A business analysis approach specifies what?

answer

Roles, deliverables, analysis techniques, timing/frequency of stakeholder interaction

question

Stakeholder Analysis is part of what knowledge area?

answer

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring

question

What does enterprise architecture do?

answer

Describes the organizational units that exist and their interactions with other organizational units

question

What are organizational process assets?

answer

Policies and procedures, suggested methodologies, templates and guidelines

question

Can change-driven analysis approaches eliminate risk? Why?

answer

No, because late identification of stakeholders or needs can alter the previous outcomes

question

What are the elements of stakeholder analysis?

answer

There are 4 ::Identification ::Complexity ::Attitude and Influence ::Authority Levels for BA Work

question

What are the complexity factors regarding stakeholder groups?

answer

::Number and variety of stakeholder groups ::Number of interfacing business processes and automated systems

question

What are the factors of stakeholder attitude directed at?

answer

There are 5 ::Business goals approach ::Business Analysis ::Collaboration ::Sponsor ::Team members

question

What are the factors of influence by stakeholders on a project?

answer

Influence on the project, organizational, project health and other stakeholders

question

Stakeholder authority over business analysis takes what forms?

answer

::Approval of deliverables ::Inspection/Approval of requirements ::Approval of requirements process ::Traceability ::Veto of proposed requirements or solutions

question

What is a RACI matrix?

answer

It describes the roles of individuals involved in business analysis activities

question

What do the initials RACI stand for?

answer

::Responsible ::Accountable ::Consulted ::Informed

question

What is a stakeholder map?

answer

A visual diagram that depicts the relationships of stakeholders to solutions

question

What are the two forms of stakeholder maps?

answer

Matrix and Onion Diagram

question

What does an onion diagram depict?

answer

The level of stakeholder involvement with the solution

question

What is the purpose of planning analysis activities?

answer

::Determining activities to be performed ::Estimation ::Identify Management tools to measure progress

question

What are the inputs to planning the business analysis activities?

answer

There are 4 ::Business Analysis Approach ::Business Analysis Performance Assessment ::Organizational process assets ::Stakeholder List

question

What does a Business Analysis Performance Assessment define?

answer

Prior analysis experience is used to determine effort for analysis activities

question

What are the elements of planning business analysis activities?

answer

There are 3 ::Geographic Distribution of Stakeholders ::Type of Project ::Analysis Deliverables

question

What are the two types of geographic distribution of stakeholders?

answer

::Collocated ::Dispersed

question

Name 2 of the 7 project/initiative types

answer

::Feasibility studies ::Process improvement ::Organizational change: ::New software dev ::Outsourced new software dev ::Software Maintenance or enhancement ::Software package selection

question

What are the methods for identifying analysis deliverables?

answer

There are 3 ::Interviews/facilitated session with stakeholders ::Review of project docs ::Review of organizational assets

question

What 3 tasks consume the Define Business Analysis Plan task?

answer

::Planning the BA Communication ::Planning Requirement Management Process ::Manage BA Performance

question

What 5 knowledge areas consume the Business Analysis Plan?

answer

::Elicitation ::Enterprise Analysis ::Requirement Management and Communication ::Requirement Analysis ::Solution Assessment and Validation

question

What is the definition of a milestone?

answer

A significant event that measures the progress of a project and compares actual progress to earlier estimates

question

Decomposition of the project tasks often using a WBS is the definition of what?

answer

Functional Decomposition

question

What is the purpose of Planning Business Analysis Communication?

answer

To describe the proposed structure and schedule for Communications re: business analysis activities

question

Appropriate audience

answer

appropriate delivery method, approach and physical location are all considerations of what?,Planning the BA Communication

question

The BA Communication Plan is consumed by what 2 tasks?

answer

::Prepare Requirements Package ::Communicate Requirements

question

What are the elements of planning the Business Analysis Communication Plan?

answer

::Time ::Task Completion ::Contracts ::Formal/Informal Authority

question

What are the factors that can increase or decrease the need for formal Communications on a project?

answer

::Project Size ::Domain Complexity ::Inclusion of new technologies ::Delivery to external vendors/suppliers ::Regulatory Concerns ::Stakeholder Request

question

One of the most recommended on approaches to requirements Communication is what?

answer

Structured Walk-thru

question

What describes how

answer

when and why the business analyst will work with stakeholders?,The Business Analysis Communication Plan

question

What is the purpose of planning the Requirements Management Process?

answer

To describe the approach that will be used to approve requirements for implementation and manage changes to the solution scope

question

The Requirements Management Process includes what factors?

answer

::Approving stakeholders ::Requirements traceability ::Change process ::Requirement Attributes

question

What are the inputs to planning the Requirements Management Process?

answer

There are 3 ::Business Analysis Approach ::Business Analysis Plan ::Organizational Process Assets

question

What tasks consume the Requirements Management Plan?

answer

There are 5: ::Manage BA Performance ::Manage Requirements Traceability ::Conduct Elicitation ::Manage Solution Scope and Requirements ::Prioritize Requirements

question

A method of storing requirements that are approved

answer

under development, and under review describes what term?,Repository

question

What provides information about requirements?

answer

An attribute

question

What focuses on what requirements should be investigated first?

answer

Requirements Prioritization

question

Requirements prioritization assesses priority based on what?

answer

Risk

question

What is the Final task in requirements Communication?

answer

::A. answer questions from requirements final review ::B. make a requirements final review ::C. present the requirements to senior management ::D. obtain requirements signoff

question

What is the benefit of feature list decomposition?

answer

A feature is a service that the solution provides to fulfill one or more stakeholder needs. Features are high-level abstractions of the solution that must later be expanded into fully described functional and supplemental requirements. They allow for early priority and scope management and for validating the stakeholders' view of the solution.

question

Functional decomposition identifies what?

answer

Functional decomposition identifies the high-level functions of an organization or proposed solution and then breaks down those processes into sub-processes and activities. This can be done as part of a systems development or business process analysis project. The goal is to break functions down into smaller pieces to allow for analysis of the detail processes and to ensure coverage of all significant processes

question

In the Business Architecture planning endeavor the BA should determine what?

answer

Appropriate framework and approach

question

Who are the primary consumers of requirements?

answer

The project team, who will use them in the design and development of the system

question

Functional requirements can be expressed in what forms?

answer

Use cases and text

question

The business domain can be described with what types of diagrams?

answer

Activity Diagrams, Data Flow Diagrams, Flowcharts, Sequences Diagrams, State Machine Diagrams

question

The Component Business Model describes what?

answer

Component Business Model identifies a basic building block of the business, and includes the people, processes and technology needed by the component to deliver value to the customer.

question

Enterprise architecture encompasses what 3 elements?

answer

People, processes, technology

question

What do the letters of the CRUD Matrix stand for?

answer

Create read, update delete rights to users and groups. Good in software system development. Not applicable to business process analysis.

question

When a conflict arises between stakeholders on one or more documented requirements

answer

the first thing that needs to take place is what?,....to record the conflict in the Requirements Issues Log.

question

What are the Components of an ERD?

answer

An Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) is a visual representation of a data structure. ::Because they describe things that are significant to the enterprise (e.g., Customers, Products, Employees, Invoices, etc.), ERDs are useful in describing the structure of the business itself, and many of the rules by which it is governed.

question

What is described in the Enterprise Architecture people processes?

answer

Each model identifies a basic building block of the business, and includes the people, processes and technology needed by the component to deliver value to the customer.

question

What are the measures on a balanced scorecard?

answer

The balanced scorecard (Robert Kaplan and David Norton 1996) provides an effective technique to frame strategic goals. In this model, goals are partitioned into four dimensions: financial, customer, internal operations, and learning and innovation.

question

What does the abbreviation PLC stand for?

answer

Project Life Cycle

question

What is the minimum structural set of requirements of a presentation whether it is formal or informal?

answer

Introduction of parties attending presentation ::Statement of presentation objectives :: Project background ::Presentation/review of deliverable ::Agreement of actions/changes required ::Review of deliverable status (e.g., signed off, not signed off, etc.)

question

What is the ISO 9241-11 definition of usability?

answer

The extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.

question

What does a logical model represent?

answer

Entities that are in the problem domain and the relationships between them

question

When are logical models used by BAs?

answer

To represent requirements of a business area

question

What is the difference between a view and a model decomposition?

answer

A view is not exclusive and its requirements may be referenced in all views that are relevant

question

What is a view with regard to modeling?

answer

The capture of requirements from a specific perspective

question

Modeling benefits are?

answer

::Simplification of reality to allow focus ::Comprehension of complexity ::Explanation from varying perspectives ::Ensures all aspects are considered ::Translate easily into solution design

question

Modeling is often used when?

answer

::When the problem domain is well known ::When the solution is easy to construct ::When there is little collaboration needed ::When there is little need for ongoing maintenance ::When the scope is unlikely to grow

question

What is the definition of a model?

answer

A template for expressing requirements that may combine textual elements, matrices, and diagrams

question

Authorization resources

answer

process identification, impact assessment and correct wording are all aspects of what?,Change Management

question

What does a Change Control Board do?

answer

Considers requested changes and decides on the merits of the request prior to approving or declining it.

question

What are the aspects to a change request that are important?

answer

::Cost and time to implement ::Benefits and Risk ::Course of action and alternate solutions ::Coordinated prioritization

question

What major methodology utilizes a project/product backlog?

answer

Agile or Scrum

question

Organizational culture

answer

Stakeholder preference, complexity, organizational maturity and availability of resources are all factors used to do what?,Perform tailoring exercises

question

What are the techniques used in planning requirements management?

answer

There are 3 ::Decision analysis ::Problem tracking ::Risk analysis

question

What is the output of planning requirements management activities?

answer

The Requirements Management Plan

question

What does the Requirements Management Plan describe?

answer

::Traceability approach ::Definition of requirement attributes ::Requirement prioritization process ::Requirement change process

question

Metrics are used to do what?

answer

Measure business analysis performance throughout the lifecycle.

question

There are 4 inputs to the Manage BA Performance activity. What are they?

answer

::Business Analysis Performance Metrics ::Business Analysis Plan ::Organizational Performance Standards ::Requirements Management Plan

question

The Manage BA Performance activity is part of what knowledge area?

answer

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring

question

What are the 6 activities that occur within the Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring knowledge area?

answer

::Plan Business Analysis Approach ::Conduct Stakeholder Analysis ::Plan Business Analysis Communication ::Plan Requirements Management Process ::Manage Business Analysis Performance

question

What are the 4 activities that occur within the Elicitation knowledge area?

answer

::Prepare for Elicitation ::Conduct Elicitation ::Document Elicitation Results ::Confirm Elicitation Results

question

What are the activities that occur within the Requirements Management & Communication knowledge area?

answer

There are 5 ::Manage Solution Scope and Requirements ::Manage Requirements Traceability ::Maintain Requirements for Re-use ::Prepare Requirements Package ::Communication of Requirements

question

What are the activities that are part of the Enterprise Analysis knowledge area?

answer

There are 5 ::Define the Business Need ::Assess Capability Gaps ::Determine Solution Approach ::Define Solution Scope ::Define Business Case

question

What are the activities contained within the Requirements Analysis knowledge area?

answer

There are 6 ::Prioritize Requirements ::Organize Requirements ::Specify and Model Requirements ::Define Assumptions and Constraints ::Verify Requirements ::Validate Requirements

question

What are the activities that are part of the Solutions Assessment and Validation knowledge area?

answer

There are 6 ::Assess Proposed Solution ::Allocate Requirements ::Assess Organizational Readiness ::Define Transition Requirements ::Validate Solution ::Evaluate Solution Performance

question

What are the Underlying Competencies described in the BABOK?

answer

There are 6 ::Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving ::Behavioral Characteristics ::Business Knowledge ::Communication Skills ::Interaction Skills ::Software Applications

question

How many different techniques does the BABOK describe?

answer

34

question

The BA Performance Assessment is used by what downstream task as an input?

answer

Plan BA Activities

question

The BA Process Assets are children of what?

answer

Organizational Process Assets

question

What does the Plan BA Activities task consume as an input?

answer

BA Performance Assessment

question

There are several elements of the Manage BA Performance activity. What are they?

answer

::Performance Measures ::Performance Reporting ::Preventive and Correction Action

question

What are performance measures used for?

answer

To set expectations regarding what constitutes effective business analysis work in the context of an organization or project

question

What are some performance measures?

answer

::Deliverable due date deliverables ::Frequency of change ::Number of review cycles

question

The business analyst should assess the performance measures to determine what?

answer

Where problems in execution of business analysis activities are occurring or opportunities for improvement exist

question

There are several techniques defined for use in the Manage Business Analysis Performance activity. What are they?

answer

There are 7 ::Interviews ::Lessons Learned ::Metrics and KPIs ::Problem Tracking ::Process Modeling ::Root Cause Analysis ::Survey/Questionnaire

question

What is root cause analysis?

answer

An investigation into the underlying cause of a failure or problem

question

What is Variance Analysis?

answer

A technique used to analyze discrepancies between planned and actual performance and to determine the magnitude of the differences

question

What knowledge are is Variance Analysis used in and why?

answer

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring. It is used as part of the Manage Business Analysis Performance activity to manage performance in an ongoing project

question

What is a KPI?

answer

Key Performance Indicator ::These are metrics used to help an organization define and evaluate how successful it is, typically in terms of making progress towards its long-term organizational goals

question

Define elicit.

answer

To draw forth, call forth or bring out

question

What phases of the SDLC are requirements elicited in?

answer

Throughout the SDLC

question

What are the tasks described in the Elicitation knowledge area?

answer

There are 4 ::Prepare for Elicitation ::Conduct Elicitation Activity ::Document Elicitation Results ::Confirm Elicitation Results

question

What are the inputs to Elicitation?

answer

::Business Case ::Business Need ::Organizational process assets ::Requirements Management Plan ::Solution Scope ::Stakeholder List

question

What are the outputs of Elicitation?

answer

There are 4 ::Elicitation Results ::Scheduled Resources ::Stakeholder Concerns ::Supporting Materials

question

What is the purpose of preparing for elicitation?

answer

To ensure that all resources are organized and scheduled for conducting the elicitation exercise

question

What are two things used to capture elicitation knowledge?

answer

Data Dictionary & Glossary

question

What does a glossary typically contain?

answer

Key Domain terminology and business definitions

question

What is metadata?

answer

Data about data

question

What are the three elements of elicitation discussed in the BABOK?

answer

::Tracing requirements ::Capturing Requirements Attributes ::Metrics

question

What is the input to the Document Elicitation Results activity?

answer

The elicited requirements

question

What tasks consume the documented elicited requirements?

answer

There are 5 ::Confirm Elicitation Results ::Prioritize Requirements ::Define the Business Need ::Specify and Model Requirements ::Define Transition Requirements

question

What else does elicitation produce?

answer

Stakeholder concerns

question

What tasks consume stakeholder concerns?

answer

::Confirm Elicitation Results ::Define Business Case ::Define Assumptions and Constraints ::Assess Org Readiness

question

What are some examples of stakeholder concerns?

answer

Risk, assumptions, constraints, etc.

question

What is the purpose of confirming elicitation results?

answer

To validate that the stated concerns that are expressed by the stakeholder match the stakeholders' understanding of the problem and needs

question

What are the inputs to the Confirm Elicitation Results task?

answer

Requirements and Stakeholder Concerns, both unconfirmed

question

What are two techniques that are used to confirm elicitation results?

answer

Interviews and Observation

question

What are the outputs of the Confirm Elicitation Results task?

answer

Requirements and Stakeholder Concerns, both confirmed

question

What tasks consume CONFIRMED requirements?

answer

There are 4 ::Define Business Need ::Prioritize Requirements ::Specify and Model Requirements ::Define Transition Requirements

question

What tasks consume CONFIRMED stakeholder concerns?

answer

There are 3 ::Define Business Case ::Define Assumptions and Constraints ::Assess Organizational Readiness

question

What does the Requirements Management and Communication knowledge area describe?

answer

The activities and considerations for managing and expressing requirements to a broad audience

question

Communication of requirements does what for stakeholders?

answer

Brings them to a Communication on understanding

question

Performance of all Requirements Management and Communication activities is governed by what?

answer

Business Analysis plan

question

What are the tasks/activities of the Requirements Management and Communication knowledge area?

answer

There are 5 ::Manage Solution Scope ::Manage Requirements traceability ::Manage Requirements for Re-Use ::Prepare Requirements Package ::Communication Requirements

question

What are the inputs into the Requirements Management and Communication knowledge area tasks/activities?

answer

There are 6 ::BA Communication Plan ::Organizational process assets ::Requirements ::Requirements Management Plan ::Solution Scope ::Stakeholder List/Responsibilities

question

What are the outputs from the tasks/activities in the Requirements Management and Communication knowledge area?

answer

There are 5 ::Approved Requirements ::Traced Requirements ::Communicated Requirements ::Maintained and Reusable Requirements ::Requirements Package

question

What is the purpose of the Manage Solution Scope and Requirements task/activity?

answer

To obtain consensus among stakeholders on overall solutions scope

question

What occurs during the Manage Solution Scope and Requirements task/activity?

answer

::Securing approval of requirements ::Management of issues from elicitation

question

What is base lining?

answer

In essence, the approval of a set of requirements (in this context) that allows no change to occur to the set without a way to control change

question

What should the requirements do in order to be approved?

answer

Support the solution scope

question

Why is the solution scope carried forward into the Requirement Management and Communication knowledge area?

answer

To ensure that the requirements conform to the approved solution scope

question

How is the solution scope used to manage change in the Requirements Management and Communication knowledge area?

answer

All requested changes to requirements are assessed against the solution scope to ensure of alignment

question

The Requirements Management Plan is an input to the Requirements Management and Communication knowledge area. Why?

answer

It is used to define the process to be followed in managing the solution scope and the requirements

question

What are the elements of the Manage Solution Scope & Requirements task/activity?

answer

::Solution Scope Management ::Conflict and Issue Management ::Presenting Requirements for Review ::Approval

question

What's the difference between a formal and informal requirements presentation to stakeholders?

answer

One is formal written specification with possible walk-thru and the other is possibly verbal or email Communication

question

What are the techniques used to Manage Solution Scope and requirements?

answer

Base lining and Signoff

question

What is the purpose of managing requirements traceability?

answer

To create and maintain relationships between business objectives, requirements, other deliverables

question

What does requirements traceability define?

answer

Lineage of requirements, including backwards and forwards traceability.

question

What is derivation?

answer

Backwards traceability

question

What is allocation?

answer

Forward traceability

question

What is the value of traceability?

answer

It helps ensure conformation to the overall solution for each individual requirements and assists is scope and change Management

question

What is used to potentially find missing functionality or identify unrequested functionality?

answer

Requirements traceability

question

What is the overall goal of requirements traceability?

answer

To requirements, solution components are linked directly or indirectly back to the original business objectives

question

What are the inputs to the Manage Requirements Traceability task/activity?

answer

Requirements and the Requirements Management Plan

question

What task/activity consumes traced requirements?

answer

Manage Solution Scope and Requirements

question

Why are relationships an element of Manage Requirements Traceability?

answer

Knowing dependent relationships between requirements can help determine the sequence of when each will be addressed

question

What are the 5 type of relationships between requirements?

answer

::Necessity ::Effort ::Subset ::Cover ::Value

question

What is the Cover type of requirement relationship?

answer

When a requirement completely includes another requirement. It is a subset in which the top-level requirement is the sum of the sub-requirements

question

What is the Value type of requirement relationship?

answer

When including a requirement affects the desirability of a related requirement (increase or decrease)

question

Why is traceability useful in performing impact analysis?

answer

Because when requirements change and they are linked to other requirements, the related items are identified as a result of the link, as well as potential changes in the relationship

question

What is a Configuration Management System

answer

A specialized tools that is generally used to trace large volumes of requirements

question

What is a coverage matrix?

answer

A table or spreadsheet used to manage tracing. Also called a trace matrix. Used when there are few requirements.

question

What is the purpose of the Maintain requirements for Re-Use task/activity?

answer

To manage the knowledge of requirements following their implementation

question

What occurs in the Maintain Requirements for Re-Use task/activity?

answer

To identify requirements that are good candidates for long-term usage

question

What are the two inputs to Maintain Requirements for Re-Use task/activity?

answer

Organizational process assets and Requirements

question

Reusable requirements are consumable where?

answer

Enterprise Architecture and Future Initiatives

question

How are reusable requirements used by Enterprise Architecture and Future Initiatives

answer

Enterprise Architecture would typically include term requirement types into a data dictionary. Other requirement types can be used across projects in future initiatives to replicate portions of functionality that is Communication on to multiple areas

question

What are ongoing requirements?

answer

Those requirements that an organizational unit is required to be able to meet on a continuous basis

question

What is an example of an ongoing requirement?

answer

::Contractual obligations (SLAs) ::Quality standards ::Business rules/standards

question

What is the purpose of Prepare Requirements Package?

answer

To select and structure a set of requirements in an appropriate fashion to ensure that the requirements are effectively communicated to, understood by, and usable by a stakeholder group or groups

question

What is the proper level of detail to present for requirements in a requirements package

answer

That which is needed for the team to understand the content, and no more

question

What are some reasons for creating a requirements package?

answer

::early assessment of quality and planning ::evaluation of possible alternatives ::formal reviews and approvals ::inputs to solution design ::conformance to contractual and regulatory obligations ::maintenance for re-use

question

The Prepare Requirements Package task is part of what knowledge area?

answer

Requirements Management & Communication

question

Misunderstanding of requirements will adversely affect what?

answer

Solution Implementation

question

What are the forms of requirements packages?

answer

There are 3: ::Formal Documentation ::Presentation ::Models

question

What are the inputs to the Prepare Requirements Package task?

answer

There are 4: ::Business Analysis Communication Plan ::Org Process Assets ::Requirements ::Requirements Structure

question

What is the value of the Business Analysis Communication Plan as an input to Prepare Requirements Package?

answer

It will describe the stakeholder groups, their communication needs, and define whether a single requirements package or multiple requirements packages are required.

question

What task consumes the requirements package?

answer

Communicate Requirements

question

What are the elements of Prepare Requirements Package?

answer

There are 2: ::Work Products and Deliverables ::Format

question

What is the definition of a work product?

answer

A document or collection of notes or diagrams used by the business analyst during the requirements development process

question

What are examples of work products?

answer

::Meeting agendas and minutes ::Interview questions and notes ::Facilitation session agendas and notes ::Issues log ::Work plan, status reports ::Presentation slides used during the project ::Traceability matrices

question

What is the definition of a deliverable?

answer

A deliverable is a specific output of the business analysis process that the business analyst has agreed to produce

question

What is the usage for a requirements deliverable?

answer

As a basis for solution design and implementation

question

What must the analyst understand when deciding whether to use a deliverable or requirements deliverable?

answer

::Needs of the audience ::Level of detail that needs to be communicated ::Which deliverables to include in each presentation package

question

Format considerations in the requirements package are for what purpose?

answer

Delivery of a cohesive, effective message to one or more audiences who will participate in the requirements review process

question

What are the techniques of the Prepare Requirements Package task?

answer

There are 2: ::Requirements Documentation ::Requirements for Vendor Selection

question

What are some common forms of requirements documentation?

answer

::BRD ::Product Roadmap ::SRS ::Supplementary Requirements Spec ::Vision Document

question

What are the typical forms of documentation when presenting requirements to vendors?

answer

There are 2: ::Request for Information (RFI) ::Request for Quote (RFQ) / Request for Proposal (RFP).

question

What is an RFI?

answer

Generally used when the issuing organization is open to a number of alternative solutions and is seeking information to evaluate possible options

question

What is an RFQ/RFP?

answer

Used when the issuing organization understands the nature of the solution options available to it and is seeking vendors who can implement an option. An RFQ generally follows a less formal review and selection process than an RFP.

question

Business analysts must develop what based on the business requirements before looking at available products?

answer

Evaluation Criteria

question

What is the purpose of the Communicate Requirements task?

answer

Communicating requirements is essential for bringing stakeholders to a common understanding of requirements.

question

Does the analyst utilize soft technical or both types of communication skills when communicating requirements?

answer

Both

question

What are the inputs to the Communicate Requirements task?

answer

There are 3: ::BA Communication Plan ::Requirements ::Requirements Package

question

The Requirements Package is the output of what task?

answer

Prepare Requirements Package

question

What is the output of the Communicate Requirements task?

answer

Requirements - Communicated

question

Which task or tasks consume communicated requirements?

answer

Manage Solution Scope and Requirements

question

With regards to communicating the requirements what does the BA Communication Plan provide?

answer

::What requirements should be communicated ::Which stakeholders should receive the communication ::When communication should occur ::What the form of the communication should be

question

What are the elements of the Communicate Requirements task?

answer

There are 2: ::General Communication ::Presentations

question

What knowledge area does the Communicate Requirements task reside in?

answer

Requirements Mgmt and Communication

question

When does requirements communication typically occur?

answer

It occurs throughout the project on an iterative basis

question

Must all project requirements communication be formal?

answer

No, informal communication is also valuable and may lead to the creation of additional requirements

question

What are so common areas that lead to the creation of additional requirements as a result of communication?

answer

::Enterprise analysis ::Elicitation ::Requirements Analysis ::Solution Assessment and Validation

question

The formality of presentations used to communicate requirements is driven by what factors?

answer

Stakeholder needs and objectives of the communication

question

What are the techniques of the Communicate Requirements?

answer

There are 2: ::Requirements Workshops :: Structured Walkthrough

question

What is the difference between a structured walk through and a requirements workshop?

answer

A requirements workshop is a structured meeting in which a carefully selected group of stakeholders collaborate to define and or refine requirements under the guidance of a skilled neutral facilitator A structured walkthrough is an organized peer review of a deliverable with the objective of finding errors and omissions. It is considered a form of quality assurance

question

Communicated Requirements mean what to stakeholders?

answer

That they understand them and the current state the requirements are in

question

What does the Enterprise Analysis Knowledge Area describe?

answer

The business analysis activities necessary to identify a business need, problem, or opportunity, define the nature of a solution that meets that need, and justify the investment necessary to deliver that solution

question

Enterprise Analysis outputs provide context to what?

answer

Requirements analysis and solution identification

question

Is enterprise the starting point or a result of creating a new project?

answer

The starting point

question

What is the difference between a requirements defined during enterprise analysis and requirements analysis?

answer

The requirements that are outputs of enterprise analysis are higher level requirements that must be in place to achieve the business goals and objectives.

question

The Enterprise Analysis knowledge area describes what types of activities for organizations?

answer

::To analyze the business situation in order to fully understand business problems and opportunities. ::To assess the capabilities of the enterprise in order to understand the change needed to meet business needs and achieve strategic goals. ::To determine the most feasible business solution approach. ::To define the solution scope and develop the business case for a proposed solution. ::To define and document business requirements (including the business need, required capabilities, solution scope, and business case).

question

There are 7 inputs to the Enterprise Analysis Knowledge Area. What are they?

answer

::Assumptions and Constraints ::Business Goals and Objectives ::Enterprise Architecture ::Org Process Assets ::Requirements [Stated] ::Solution Performance Assessment ::Stakeholder Concerns

question

How many tasks are part of the Enterprise Analysis knowledge area?

answer

There are 5. They are: ::Define Business Need ::Assess Capability Gaps ::Determine Solution Approach ::Define Solution Scope ::Define Business Case

question

What are the outputs of the Enterprise Analysis knowledge area?

answer

There are 5: ::Business Case ::Business Need ::Required Capabilities ::Solution Approach ::Solution Scope

question

What is the purpose of the Define Business Need task?

answer

Identify and define why a change to organizational systems or capabilities is required

question

Why is the definition of the business need so critical?

answer

It defines the problem that the business analyst is trying to find a solution for. The way the business need is defined determines which alternative solutions will be considered, which stakeholders will be consulted, and which solution approaches will be evaluated

question

What are the inputs needed to define the business need?

answer

::Business Goals and Objectives ::Requirements [Stated]

question

The business need is consumed by what task or tasks?

answer

::Plan Business Analysis Approach ::Conduct Stakeholder Analysis ::Prepare for Elicitation ::Conduct Elicitation ::Assess Capability Gaps ::Determine Solution Approach ::Define Solution Scope ::Define Business Case ::Prioritize Requirements ::Verify Requirements ::Requirements Mgmt and Communication Knowledge Area

question

What are the four ways to generate a business need during Enterprise Analysis?

answer

::From Top Down ::From Bottom Up ::From Middle Mgmt ::From External Drivers

question

Business goals and objectives describe what?

answer

The ends that the organization is seeking to achieve. Goals and objectives can relate to changes that the organization wants to accomplish, or current conditions that it wants to maintain

question

Goals are defined as what?

answer

Longer-term, ongoing, and qualitative statements of a state or condition that the organization is seeking to establish and maintain

question

High-level goals can be decomposed to break down what?

answer

General strategy into distinct focus areas that may lead to desired results, such as increased customer satisfaction, operational excellence and/or business growth

question

A common test for assessing objectives is to ensure that they are SMART. What do the letters in this acronym stand for?

answer

::Specific - describing something that has an observable outcome ::Measurable - tracking and measuring the outcome ::Achievable - testing the feasibility of the effort ::Relevant - in alignment with the organization's key vision, mission, goals ::Time-bounded -the objective has a defined timeframe that is consistent with the business need

question

In order to define a business need what must occur?

answer

An issue must be investigated to ensure that there is in fact an opportunity for improvement if the issue is resolved

question

When investigating the business the analyst should consider what?

answer

:: Adverse impacts the problem is causing :: Expected benefits from any potential solution :: How quickly the problem could potentially be resolved ::The underlying source of the problem

question

As a possible solution what should always be considered?

answer

Doing nothing

question

What is a desired outcome?

answer

It describes the business benefits that will result from meeting the business need and the end state desired by stakeholders. Proposed solutions must be evaluated against desired outcomes to ensure that they can deliver those outcomes

question

What are the techniques of the Define Business Need task?

answer

::Benchmarking :: Brainstorming :: Business Rules Analysis :: Focus Groups :: Functional Decomposition :: Root Cause Analysis

question

What is Benchmarking?

answer

Understanding what competing organizations and peers are doing allows the organization to remain at a comparable level of service or identify opportunities to increase efficiency

question

What is the purpose of the Assess Capability Gaps task?

answer

To identify new capabilities required by the enterprise to meet the business need

question

Why should capability gaps be identified?

answer

They that prevent it from meeting business needs and achieving desired outcomes

question

What are the inputs of the Assess Capability Gaps task?

answer

::Business Needs ::Enterprise Assessment ::Solution Performance Assessment

question

The Assess Capability Gaps task is part of what knowledge area?

answer

Enterprise Analysis

question

What is the output of the Assess Capability Gaps task?

answer

Required Capabilities

question

What are the tasks that consume Required Capabilities?

answer

::Determine Solution Approach ::Define Solution Scope ::Prioritize Requirements ::Verify Requirements ::Requirements Mgmt and Communication knowledge area

question

What does a Solution Performance Assessment define?

answer

Shortcomings, problems or limitations of an existing solution

question

What are the elements of the Assess Capability Gaps task?

answer

There are 3: ::Current Capability Analysis ::Assessment of New Capability Requirements ::Assumptions

question

What is the goal of the Current Capability analysis exercise?

answer

To understand the organization's business and how the business and technology architecture are supporting that business

question

What must be done if current capability data is not available?

answer

The analyst must model and other descriptive information about the area of the enterprise that is under review.

question

What must the current capabilities be assessed against in order to identify gaps?

answer

The desired objectives of the stakeholders

question

If current capabilities are insufficient to meet the business need the business analyst must identify what?

answer

The capabilities that the organization must add

question

A comparison of the current and desired future states will identify what?

answer

Gaps in organizational capabilities that need to be filled to support the business vision, strategy, goals and objectives.

question

Why is it important to identify assumptions during the Assess Capability Gaps task?

answer

So that appropriate decisions can be made if the assumption later proves invalid

question

What are the techniques used in the Assess Capability Gaps task?

answer

::Document Analysis ::SWOT Analysis

question

What is SWOT Analysis?

answer

Identify how current capabilities and limitations (Strengths and Weaknesses) match up against the influencing factors (Opportunities and Threats)

question

What is the definition of Required Capabilities?

answer

An understanding of the current capabilities of the organization and the new capabilities (processes, staff, features in an application, etc.) that may be required to meet the business need

question

What is the purpose of the Determine Solution Approach task in Enterprise Analysis?

answer

To determine the most viable solution approach to meet the business need in enough detail to allow for definition of solution scope and prepare the business case

question

The solution approach describes what?

answer

The general approach that will be taken to create or acquire the new capabilities required to meet the business need

question

What must occur for the solution approach to be defined?

answer

::identify possible approaches ::determine the means by which the solution may be delivered (including the methodology and lifecycle to be used) ::assess whether the organization is capable of implementing and effectively using a solution of that nature

question

What are the inputs to the Define Solution Approach task?

answer

There are 3 ::Business ::Organization Process Assets ::Required Capabilities

question

The Solution Approach is consumed by what task or tasks?

answer

Define Solution Scope

question

What are the elements of the Define Solution Approach task?

answer

There are 3 ::Alternative Generation ::Assumptions and Constraints ::Ranking Selection of Approaches

question

What is involved in the generation of alternatives?

answer

Identify as many potential options as possible to meet the business objectives and fill identified gaps in capabilities

question

In relation to a solution what is the impact of an assumption or constraint?

answer

Either might impact whether the solution is a viable option

question

What are the techniques of the Define Solution Approach task?

answer

There are 2 ::General Techniques (includes benchmarking, brainstorming, decision analysis, estimation, SWOT analysis) ::Feasibility Analysis

question

What is a feasibility study?

answer

A preliminary analysis of solution alternatives or options to determine whether and how each option can provide an expected business benefit

question

What is the definition of a solution approach?

answer

A description of the approach that will be taken to implement a new set of capabilities. Solution approaches describe the types of solution components that will be delivered (new processes, a new software application, etc.) and may also describe the methodology that will be used to deliver those components

question

What is the purpose of the Define Solution Scope task?

answer

To define which new capabilities a project or iteration will deliver in order to conceptualize the recommended solution in enough detail to enable stakeholders to understand which new business capabilities an initiative will deliver

question

What does the solution scope include?

answer

::The scope of analysis (the organizational unit or process for which requirements are being developed) which provides the context in which the solution is implemented :: capabilities supported by solution components :: capabilities to be supported by individual releases or iterations :: enabling capabilities that are required in order for the organization to develop the capabilities required to meet the business need

question

What are the inputs to the Define Solution Scope task?

answer

There are 4 ::Assumptions and Constraints ::Business Needs ::Required Capabilities ::Solution Approach

question

The Define Solution Scope task produces what output?

answer

Solution Scope

question

The Solution Scope is consumed by what task or tasks?

answer

::Prepare for Elicitation ::Conduct Elicitation ::Define Business Case ::Prioritize Requirements ::Organize Requirements ::Verify Requirements ::Allocate Requirements ::Assess Org Readiness ::Requirements Mgmt and Communication knowledge area

question

What are the elements of the Define Solution Scope task?

answer

There are 3 ::Solution Scope Definition ::Implementation Approach ::Dependencies

question

What is included in the Solution Scope Definition?

answer

::Major features and functions that are to be included, and the interactions that the solution will have with people and systems outside of its scope ::. Differentiation of the in-scope and out-of-scope components of the solution

question

What does the Implementation Approach define?

answer

How the chosen solution approach will deliver the solution scope. The implementation approach may break delivery down into specific releases or provide a roadmap that indicates the timeframe in which a capability can be expected

question

What are the techniques for the Define Solution Scope task?

answer

There are 2 ::General Techniques (includes Functional Decomposition, Interface Analysis, Scope Modeling, User Stories) ::Problem or Vision Statement

question

The Solution Approach is defined in what knowledge area?

answer

Enterprise Analysis

question

The Solution Scope defines what?

answer

What must be delivered in order to meet the business need, and the effect of the proposed change initiative on the business and technology operations and infrastructure

question

The business case describes what?

answer

The justification for the project in terms of the value to be added to the business as a result of the deployed solution, as compared to the cost to develop and operate the solution

question

What are the inputs to the Define Business Case task?

answer

There are 4 ::Assumptions and Constraints ::Business Needs ::Solution Scope ::Stakeholder Concerns

question

The business case is consumed by what tasks?

answer

::Prepare for Elicitation ::Conduct Elicitation ::Prioritize Requirements ::Verify Requirements ::Validate Requirements ::Requirements Mgmt and Communication knowledge area

question

With regard to the business typically what do the assumptions refer to that are identified?

answer

Assumptions about the revenue generated or retained by the solution or non-financial improvements it will deliver

question

What are the elements of the Define Business Case task?

answer

There are 4 ::Benefits ::Costs

question

What are the two types of benefits collected in the Define Business Case task?

answer

Qualitative and Quantitative

question

Benefits collected in the Define Business Case task should relate back to what?

answer

Strategic objectives and goals of the organization

question

In estimating the total net cost of a proposed solution what is included in the calculation?

answer

::capital expenditures for the new investment ::costs of developing and implementing the change ::opportunity costs of not investing in other options, costs related to changing the work and practices of the organization ::total cost of ownership to support the new solution and consequential costs borne by others

question

The initial risk assessment focuses on what?

answer

Solution feasibility risks that the organization is willing to or able to bear

question

Initial risk assessment includes what factors?

answer

::technical risks (whether the chosen technology and suppliers can deliver the required functionality) ::financial risks (whether costs may exceed levels that make the solution viable or potential benefits may disappear) ::business change and organizational risks (whether the organization will make the changes necessary to benefit from the new solution).

question

What types of results are articulated in the business case?

answer

Cost and Benefits to be realized and how each will be measured

question

What are the techniques used in the Define Business Case task?

answer

There are 6 ::Decision Analysis ::Estimation ::Metrics and KPIs ::Risk Analysis ::SWOT Analysis ::Vendor Assessment

question

Why is vendor assessment a technique in the Define Business Case task?

answer

In the case in which a purchase or outsourcing to a third party is in consideration, the organization must know whether the vendor is capable of delivering the solution

question

Who is the primary stakeholder in the Define Business Case task?

answer

The Sponsor

question

The business case presents data in order to support what?

answer

A go/no-go decision on whether to fund the effort

question

The Requirements Analysis knowledge area describes what?

answer

The tasks and techniques used by a business analyst to analyze stated requirements in order to define the required capabilities of a potential solution that will fulfill stakeholder needs.

question

What are stakeholder requirements?

answer

They describe what a solution must be capable of doing to meet the needs of one or more stakeholder groups

question

What are solution requirements?

answer

They describe the behavior of solution components in enough detail to allow them to be constructed

question

The performance of all requirements analysis activities is governed by what?

answer

Business Analysis Plan

question

What are the inputs to the Requirements Analysis knowledge area?

answer

There are 8 ::Business Case ::Business Need ::Requirements ::Organizational Process Assets ::Requirements Mgmt Plan ::Stakeholder Concerns ::Stakeholder List ::Solution Scope

question

What are the tasks of the Requirements Analysis knowledge area?

answer

There are 6 ::Prioritize Requirements ::Organize Requirements ::Specify and Model Requirements ::Define Assumptions and Constraints ::Verify Requirements ::Validate Requirements

question

What are the outputs of the Requirements Analysis knowledge area?

answer

There are 6 ::Assumptions and Constraints ::Requirements Structure ::Requirements [prioritized] ::Requirements [validated] :: Requirements [verified] ::Stakeholder Concerns

question

What is the purpose of the Prioritize Requirements task?

answer

Prioritization of requirements ensures that analysis and implementation efforts focus on the most critical requirements.

question

What is Requirement prioritization?

answer

It is a decision process used to determine the relative importance of requirements, based on value, risk, difficulty of implementation, or on other criteria

question

Prioritization determines what?

answer

Which requirements should be targets for further analysis and to determine which requirements should be implemented first

question

What are the inputs to the Prioritize Requirements task?

answer

There are 5 ::Business Case ::Business Need ::Requirements ::Requirements Mgmt Plan ::Stakeholder List

question

Prioritized requirements are consumed by what tasks?

answer

::Assess Proposed Solution

question

What does the business case as an input, provide to the prioritization of requirements process?

answer

It provides key goals and measures of success for a project or organization, and priorities should be aligned with those goals and objectives.

question

Why is a business need and business case needed?

answer

It's not. The business need serves as an alternative if the business case has not been provided

question

What are the elements for the Prioritize Requirements task?

answer

There are 2 ::Basis of Prioritization ::Challenges

question

What are the factors considered as part as the basis for prioritization?

answer

::Business Value ::Business or Technical Risk ::Implementation Difficulty ::Likelihood of Success ::Regulatory or Policy Compliance ::Relationship to Other Requirements ::Stakeholder Agreements

question

How does business value impact prioritization of requirements?

answer

It prioritizes requirements based on cost-benefit analysis of their relative value to the organization. The most valuable requirements will be targeted for development first.

question

Why is the relationship to other requirements a factor for the basis of prioritization?

answer

A requirement may not be high value in and of itself, but may support other high-priority requirements and as such may be a candidate for early implementation.

question

What are two types of challenges with regard to requirements prioritization?

answer

Non-negotiable demands from stakeholders and Unrealistic tradeoffs

question

What is considered an unrealistic tradeoff?

answer

The solution development team may intentionally or unintentionally try to influence the result of the prioritization process by overestimating the difficulty or complexity of implementing certain requirements

question

What are the techniques used in the Prioritize Requirements task?

answer

There are 4 ::General techniques (Risk and Decision analysis) ::Moscow Analysis (Must, Should, Could, and Won't) ::Timeboxing/Budgeting ::Voting

question

What is Timeboxing/Budgeting?

answer

Prioritization of requirements for investigation and implementation based on allocation of a fixed resource.

question

What must be determined in order to use Timeboxing/Budgeting?

answer

The solution approach

question

Timeboxing prioritizes requirements based on what?

answer

The amount of work that the project team is capable of delivering in a set period of time

question

Budgeting is used when?

answer

When the project team has been allocated a fixed amount of money.

question

What are the three approaches to Timeboxing/budgeting?

answer

::All In - Begin with all the eligible requirements with assigned Duration or Cost. Remove the requirements in order to meet the calendar dates or budget limit. ::All Out - Begin with adding the requirement(s) with assigned duration or cost to the calendar or budget. Stop when the calendar dates are met or budget limit is reached. ::Selective - Begin by identifying high priority requirements added to the calendar or budget. Add or remove requirements in order to meet the calendar date or budget limit.

question

What is voting in relation to requirement prioritization?

answer

Voting methods allocate a fixed amount of resources (votes, play money, or other tokens) to each participant for them to distribute among proposed features or requirements. The requirements that receive the most resources are the ones that will be investigated or developed first

question

A prioritized requirement has an attribute that describes what?

answer

Its relative importance to stakeholders and the organization

question

What is the purpose of the Organize Requirements task?

answer

To create a set of views of the requirements for the new business solution that are comprehensive, complete, consistent, and understood from all stakeholder perspectives

question

What are the two key objectives when organizing requirements?

answer

::Understand which models are appropriate for the business domain and solution scope :: Identify model interrelationships and dependencies

question

What are the inputs to the Organize Requirements task?

answer

There are 3: ::Organizational Process Assets ::Requirements [Stated] ::Solution Scope

question

Why is it important to understand model interdependencies when organizing requirements?

answer

Because it is the relationships and interdependencies among requirements that adds the element of complexity

question

What task or tasks consume the Requirements Structure?

answer

Prepare Requirements Package and Specify and Model Requirements

question

What are the elements of the Organize Requirements task?

answer

There are two ::Levels of Abstraction

question

What is the objective of creating a model of requirements?

answer

To simplify reality in a way that is useful

question

Must modeling be performed in a specific order with a specific hierarchy?

answer

No. There is not hierarchy when using models

question

What are the common concepts when using models?

answer

::User Classes, profiles, Roles ::Concepts and Relationships ::Events ::Processes ::Rules

question

User Classes Profiles, or Roles are categorizations that are often found in what models?

answer

::organization models ::process models ::use cases

question

Organization models process models and use cases are generally created in what task?

answer

Conduct Stakeholder Analysis

question

What do concepts define?

answer

They define the objects, entities or facts that are relevant to the business domain and what relationships they have with other concepts

question

The attributes of a concept are found in what type of model?

answer

Data Model

question

A request to a business system or organization to do something such as a customer placing an order, or a manager requesting a report, can be described as what?

answer

An Event

question

Events can serve as the basis for what type of model?

answer

Scope Model

question

Events serve as the basis for scope models but can be described in what other types of models?

answer

::Process Models ::State Diagrams ::Use Cases/Models

question

A sequence of repeatable activities executed within an organization is known as a what?

answer

Process

question

Processes describe what?

answer

Who and what has to be involved in fully responding to an event, or how people in the enterprise collaborate to achieve a goal

question

Process information can be found in what types of models?

answer

::Process Models ::Org Models ::State Diagrams ::Use Cases/Models

question

What are used by the enterprise to enforce goals and guide decision-making?

answer

Rules

question

What do rules determine?

answer

When information associated with an entity may change, what values of information are valid, how decisions are made in a process, and what the organization's priorities are

question

What types of models might contain rule information?

answer

::Process Models ::State Diagrams ::Use Cases/Models

question

What are the techniques used in the Organize Requirements task?

answer

There are 9 ::Business Rules Analysis ::Data Flow Diagrams ::Data Modeling ::Functional Decomposition ::Organizational Modeling ::Process Modeling ::Scenarios and Use Cases ::Scope Modeling ::User Stories

question

Who are the primary stakeholders in the Organize Requirements task?

answer

Domain SME, End User, Implementation SME, and Sponsor: They Affected by analysis techniques used to organize requirements since they need to verify and validate the requirements.

question

What is the purpose of the Specify and Model Requirements task?

answer

To analyze expressed stakeholder desires and/or the current state of the organization using a combination of textual statements, matrices, diagrams and formal models

question

Specifications and models are created to do what?

answer

Analyze the functioning of an organization and provide insight into opportunities for improvement

question

Specifications and models also support what?

answer

Development and implementation of solutions, facilitating communication among stakeholders, supporting training activities and knowledge management, and ensuring compliance with contracts and regulations

question

What are the inputs to the Specify and Model Requirements task?

answer

There are 2 ::Requirements [stated] ::Requirements Structure

question

What is the output of the Specify and Model Requirements task?

answer

Stakeholder or Solution Requirements

question

What tasks consume the Stakeholder or Solution Requirements?

answer

There are 3 ::Prioritize Requirements ::Verify Requirements ::Requirements Mgmt and Communication knowledge area

question

What are the elements of the Specify and Model Requirements task?

answer

::Text ::Matrix Documentation ::Models ::Capture Requirements Attributes ::Improvement Opportunities

question

The Text element must describe what?

answer

Te capabilities of the solution, any conditions that must exist for the requirement to operate, and any constraints that may prevent the solution from fulfilling the requirement

question

A table or matrix is used to document requirements when?

answer

When business analyst is looking to convey a set of requirements that have a complex but uniform structure which can be broken down into elements that apply to every entry in the table

question

What aspects of requirements are often expressed in tabular form?

answer

::Attributes ::Data Dictionaries ::Traceability ::Prioritization data

question

A WHAT is any simplified representation of a complex reality that is useful for understanding that reality and making decisions regarding it?

answer

A model

question

What are two things that help determine which type of model to use?

answer

The people that make up the receiving audience and the type of information being communicated

question

What is the difference between an informal model and a formal model?

answer

An informal model does not have a formal semantic definition and instead connects elements in ways that are meaningful for the analyst and the audience A formal model follows semantics and iconography that are defined in a standard to indicate the meaning of each model element

question

What are some potential improvement opportunities that might be identified and captured during the Specify and Model Requirements task?

answer

:: Automate Or Simplify The Work People Perform :: Improve Access To Information :: Reduce Complexity Of Interfaces :: Increase Consistency Of Behavior :: Eliminate Redundancy

question

What are the techniques used in the Specify and Model Requirements task?

answer

There are several techniques that are part of the general techniques category: Acceptance and Evaluation Criteria Definition Business Rules Analysis Data Dictionary and Glossary Data Flow Diagrams Data Modeling Functional Decomposition Interface Analysis Metrics and Key Performance Indicators Non-functional Requirements Analysis Organization Modeling Process Modeling Prototyping Scenarios and Use Cases Sequence Diagrams State Diagrams User Stories

question

What is the purpose of the Define Assumptions and Constraints task?

answer

Identify factors other than requirements that may affect which solutions are viable.

question

Assumptions are defined as what?

answer

Assumptions are factors that are believed to be true, but have not been confirmed

question

What is associated with assumptions that must be validated by the analyst?

answer

Risk

question

Constraints are defined as what?

answer

Constraints are defined as restrictions or limitations on possible solutions.

question

Solution constraints describe what?

answer

Aspects of the current state, or planned future state that may not be changed

question

What are the inputs to the Define Assumptions and Constraints task?

answer

Stakeholder Concerns

question

What are the elements used in the Define Assumptions and Constraints task?

answer

There are 3 ::Assumptions ::Business Constraints ::Technical Constraints

question

Business Constraints can reflect what type of information?

answer

::budgetary restrictions ::time restrictions ::limits on the number of resources available ::restrictions based on the skills of the project team and the stakeholders ::a requirement that certain stakeholders not be affected by the implementation of the solution ::or any other organizational restriction

question

Technical constraints include what?

answer

Any architecture decisions that are made that may impact the design of the solution

question

Technical constraints may also describe restrictions such as what?

answer

:: resource utilization ::message size ::timing ::software size ::maximum number of and size of files ::records and data elements

question

What is the output of the Define Assumptions and Constraints task?

answer

Assumptions and Constraints

question

What tasks consume Assumptions and Constraints?

answer

There are 4 ::Define Solution Scope ::Define Business Case ::Assess Proposed Solution ::Requirements Mgmt and Communication knowledge area

question

What is the purpose of the Verify Requirements task?

answer

Requirements verification ensures that requirements specifications and models meet the necessary standard of quality to allow them to be used effectively to guide further work

question

Verifying requirements ensures what?

answer

The requirements have been defined correctly and are of acceptable quality

question

Requirements verification constitutes a final check by the business analyst and key stakeholders to determine that the requirements are what?

answer

Ready for formal review and validation by the customers and users and provide all the information needed for further work based on the requirements to be performed

question

What are the inputs to the Verify Requirements task?

answer

Requirements [Any Except Stated]

question

The Verify Requirements task produces what output?

answer

Requirements [Verified]

question

What tasks consume verified requirements?

answer

::Validate Requirements ::Requirements Mgmt and Communication knowledge area

question

What are the elements used in the Verify Requirements task?

answer

There are 2: ::Characteristics of Requirements Quality ::Verification Activities

question

A high quality requirement exhibits what characteristics?

answer

::Cohesive ::Complete ::Consistent ::Correct ::Feasible ::Modifiable ::Unambiguous ::Testable

question

The feasibility of a requirement is concerned with what?

answer

That the requirement must be implementable within the existing infrastructure, with the existing budget, timeline and resources available to the team or the project must develop the capability to implement the requirement

question

Are verification activities of requirements performed in a singular fashion or iteratively?

answer

Iteratively throughout the requirements analysis process

question

Verification activities include what?

answer

::Check for completeness within each requirements model ::Compare each prepared requirements model (textual or graphical) against all other prepared requirements models :: Variations to the documented processes have been identified and documented :: All triggers and outcomes have been accounted for in all variations :: Terminology used in expressing the requirement is understandable to stakeholders and consistent :: Examples are added where appropriate for clarification

question

What are the techniques used in the Verify Requirements task?

answer

There are 2: ::General techniques (includes Acceptance and Evaluation Criteria Definition, Problem Tracking, Structured Walkthrough) :: Checklists

question

What is the purpose of a checklist?

answer

The purpose of a checklist is to ensure that items that the organization or project team has determined are important are included in the final requirements deliverable(s)

question

What is the purpose of the Validate Requirements task?

answer

To ensure that all requir+B16ements support the delivery of value to the business, fulfill its goals and objectives, and meet a stakeholder need.

question

Does Requirements Validation once or throughout the life of the project?

answer

Throughout in an ongoing basis

question

What are the inputs to the Validate Requirements task?

answer

There are 2 ::Business Case ::Stakeholder Solution or Transition Requirements [verified]

question

Validated requirements are consumed by what tasks?

answer

::Validate Solution ::Requirements Mgmt and Communication knowledge area

question

What are the elements of the Validate Requirements task?

answer

There are 5 ::identify Assumptions ::Define Measurable Criteria ::Determine Business Value ::Determine Dependencies for Benefit Realization ::Evaluate Alignment with Business Case and Opportunity Cost

question

Assumptions must be identified to manage what?

answer

Risk

question

Evaluation Criteria are used to do what during Validate Requirements?

answer

They are create and used to measure the solution following deployment against the forecasted benefits from the start of the project

question

A requirement that does not deliver direct or indirect value to a stakeholder is a strong candidate for what?

answer

Elimination

question

True or False: All requirements contribute directly to the end result desired by the organization and described in the business case

answer

FALSE

question

Can a requirement hold value for a stakeholder yet not be part of a delivered solution.

answer

Yes, but if it is not aligned with the business case should be defined and approved in a separate business case, or considered for removal from the solution scope

question

Each requirement must be traceable to what?

answer

The objectives in the business case

question

The opportunity cost of any decision is equal to what?

answer

The value of the best alternative use of those resources

question

What are the techniques in the Validate Requirements task?

answer

There are 5: :: Acceptance and Evaluation Criteria Definition :: Metrics and Key Performance Indicators :: Prototyping :: Risk Analysis :: Structured Walkthrough

question

The Solution Assessment and Validation Knowledge Area describes what?

answer

The tasks that are performed in order to ensure that solutions meet the business need and to facilitate their successful implementation

question

What is the responsibility of the business analyst during Solution Assessment and Validation?

answer

Ensuring that stakeholders fully understand the solution requirements and that implementation decisions are aligned with the relevant requirements

question

What are the tasks in the Solution Assessment and Validation knowledge area?

answer

There are 6 ::Assess Proposed Solution ::Allocate Requirements ::Assess Organizational Readiness ::Define Transition Requirements ::Validate Solution ::Evaluate Solution Performance

question

What is the purpose of the Assess Proposed Solution task?

answer

To assess proposed solutions in order to determine how closely they meet stakeholder and solution requirements

question

Is Solution Assessment performed on a single or multiple solutions?

answer

Both. It may be used to compare multiple solutions or to assess a single solution

question

What are the inputs to the Assess Proposed Solution task?

answer

There are 3 ::Assumptions and Constraints ::Requirements [prioritized and approved] ::Solution Option(s)

question

What is the output of the Assess Proposed Solution task?

answer

Assessment of Proposed Solution

question

What tasks consume the Assessment of Proposed Solution?

answer

Solution Selection or Design

question

What are the elements of the Assess Proposed Solution task?

answer

::Ranking of Solution Options ::Identification of Additional Potential Capabilities

question

What are the techniques of the Assess Proposed Solution task?

answer

There are 3 :: Acceptance and Evaluation Criteria Definition :: Decision Analysis :: Vendor Assessment

question

Why is vendor assessment a technique as part of the Assess Proposed Solution task?

answer

To ensure that all parties will be able to develop and maintain a healthy working relationship

question

What is a potential suggestion as part of the Solution Assessment if no solution delivers appropriate value?

answer

To terminate the initiative or do nothing.

question

What is the purpose of the Allocate Requirements task?

answer

Allocate stakeholder and solution requirements among solution components and releases in order to maximize the possible business value given the options and alternatives generated by the design team.

question

Requirements allocation is defined as what?

answer

Te process of assigning stakeholder and solution requirements to solution components and to releases

question

Allocation is performed after assessing what?

answer

Assessment tradeoffs between alternatives in order to maximize benefits and minimize costs

question

What are the inputs of the Allocate Requirements task?

answer

There are 3: ::Requirements [prioritized and approved] ::Solution [designed] ::Solution Scope

question

Allocated Requirements are consumed by what tasks?

answer

::Requirements Mgt. and Communication ::Solution Selection or Design

question

Requirements may be allocated between or over what?

answer

::Organizational units ::between job functions ::between people and software ::software application components ::releases of a solution.

question

What are the elements of the Allocate Requirements task?

answer

There are 2 ::Solution Components ::Release Planning

question

What are some examples of solution components?

answer

::Business policies and business rules ::Business processes to be performed and managed ::People who operate and maintain the solution, including their job functions and responsibilities ::Software applications and application components used in the solution. ::Structure of the organization, including interactions between the organization, its customers, and its suppliers

question

The allocation of requirements to solution components will be a primary driver of what?

answer

The cost to implement the solution and the benefits delivered by it.

question

Analyst assessment of whether the allocation represents the most effective tradeoffs between delivery options involves what considerations?

answer

::Available resources ::Constraints on the Solution ::Dependencies Between Requirements

question

What types of factors are considerations of release planning?

answer

::overall project budget ::the need to implement a solution or parts of the solution by a certain date ::resource constraints ::training schedule ::ability for the business to absorb changes within a defined timeframe.

question

What are the techniques used in the Allocate Requirements task?

answer

There are 6 :: Acceptance and Evaluation Criteria Definition :: Business Rules Analysis :: Decision Analysis :: Functional Decomposition :: Process Modeling :: Scenarios and Use Cases

question

Why would process modeling be a part of allocation of requirements?

answer

Activities in the process model may be allocated to different roles, or outsourced to a supplier. A solution can be developed that incrementally supports some sub-processes or activities

question

What is the involvement of the Implementation SME during the Allocate Requirements task?

answer

The role is responsible for the design and construction of some or all solution components and the estimation of the work required. It will also make recommendations regarding the allocation of requirement

question

Allocated requirements are associated with what?

answer

A solution component that will implement them.

question

What is the purpose of the Assess Organizational Readiness task?

answer

Assess whether the organization is ready to make effective use of a new solution.

question

An organizational readiness assessment describes what?

answer

The effect a new solution will have on an organization and whether the organization is prepared for the organizational change that the solution implementation will cause

question

What should the business analyst understand to assess organizational readiness?

answer

::what changes will occur in the business area ::technical infrastructure or processes ::how these affect other business units or operations

question

What are the inputs to the Assess Organizational Readiness task?

answer

There are 4 ::Enterprise Architecture ::Solution [designed] ::Solution Scope ::Stakeholder Concerns

question

What is the output of the Organizational Readiness Assessment?

answer

Duh! The organizational readiness assessment

question

What tasks consume the Organizational Readiness Assessment?

answer

Define Transition Requirements

question

Why is the Enterprise Architecture an important input into the Assess Organizational Readiness task?

answer

It describes the current state of the enterprise, including the organizational structure, business processes, systems, information, etc.

question

What are the elements used in the Assess Organizational Readiness task?

answer

There are 3 ::Cultural Assessment ::Operational or Technical Assessment ::Stakeholder Impact Analysis

question

What occurs in a cultural assessment?

answer

A determination is made of the stakeholders' attitudes, beliefs, willingness to change and other factors that could pose potential obstacles to solution implementation.

question

What occurs in a Operational or Technical Assessment?

answer

A determination of whether the organization is able to take advantage of the capabilities provided by the new solution is made. There is also an evaluation of whether stakeholders are prepared to make use of the new solution and whether there must be training/policy/process changes to accompany the new solution

question

What are some of the considerations of stakeholder impact analysis?

answer

:Stakeholder Group functions ::Geographic Location of Stakeholder Groups ::Tasks performed by specific stakeholders ::Concerns about the stakeholder group's usability requirements, preferences, and their proficiency level regarding interaction with computer systems

question

What are the techniques used in the Assess Organizational Readiness task?

answer

::General Techniques (including Acceptance and Evaluation Criteria Definition, Data Flow Diagrams, Process Models, Focus Groups, Interviews, Survey/Questionnaire, Organization Modeling, Problem Tracking, Risk Analysis, SWOT Analysis) :: Force Field Analysis

question

What is Force Field Analysis?

answer

A graphical method for depicting the forces that support and oppose a change by identifying the forces that support and oppose a change, depicting them on opposite sides of a line, and then estimating the strength of each force in order to assess which set of forces are stronger

question

What does the Organizational Change Management SME do during the Assess Organizational Readiness task?

answer

Assists organizations with communicating change to their stakeholders and creating support among those stakeholders for the change.

question

What is the purpose of the Define Transition Requirements task?

answer

To define requirements for capabilities needed to transition from an existing solution to a new solution

question

Transition requirements cannot be defined until what occurs?

answer

The solution has been designed

question

Transition requirements remain relevant for how long?

answer

Only during the transition period between the existing and new solutions. They are then discarded

question

Are transition requirements developed using other methods that normal requirements are not?

answer

No Transition requirements are elicited, analyzed, managed, and communicated by performing the same tasks as for other requirements.

question

What are the inputs to the Define Transition Requirements task?

answer

There are 4: ::Organizational Readiness Assessment ::Requirements [stated] ::Solution [deployed] ::Solution [designed]

question

Transition Requirements are consumed by what tasks?

answer

::Prioritize Requirements ::Verify Requirements ::Requirements Mgmt and Communication knowledge area

question

Why is the deployed solution an input to defining transition requirements?

answer

The deployed (or existing) solution will be investigated to understand what needs to be transitioned to the new solution

question

What are the elements used in the Define Transition Requirements task?

answer

There are 3 ::Data ::Ongoing Work ::Organizational Change

question

Why must the data element be evaluated during creation of transition requirements?

answer

There must be a determination of whether the data must be migrated and/or converted for the new solution to function

question

Organizational change management generally refers to what?

answer

To a process and set of tools for managing change at an organizational level.

question

Why is the analysis of organizational change necessary when creating transition requirements?

answer

Organizational units may be significantly impacted by the new solution and will need to have processes changed to be able to take advantage of the new solution

question

What are the techniques used in the Define Transition Requirements task?

answer

There are 3 ::Business Rules Analysis ::Data Flow Diagrams, Process Modeling, Organizational Modeling ::Data Modeling

question

What stakeholder receives noticeable negative impact if information is incorrectly transferred from the old to new solution?

answer

The customer

question

Transition requirements describe what?

answer

Capabilities that must be developed in order for an organization to successfully transition between solutions.

question

What is the purpose of the Validate Solution task?

answer

Validate that a solution meets the business need and determine the most appropriate response to identified defects

question

Solution validation is required to do what?

answer

Ensure that a delivered solution meets the business needs on an ongoing basis

question

What are the outputs of the Validate Solution task?

answer

There are 3 ::Identified Defects ::Mitigating Actions ::Solution Validation Assessment

question

Identified defects that are an output of the Validate Solution task are consumed by what task?

answer

Evaluate Solution Performance

question

Mitigating Actions and Solution Performance Assessments that are outputs of the Validate Solution tasks are consumed by what task?

answer

Solution Implementation

question

What are the elements of the Validate Solution task?

answer

There are 2 ::Investigate Defective Solution Outputs ::Assess Defects and Issues

question

Defects are reviewed with what considerations in mind?

answer

::determining the severity of the defect, the probability of the occurrence of the defect ::the severity of the business impact ::the capacity of the business to absorb the impact of the defects

question

What are the techniques used in the Validate Solution task?

answer

There are 3 :: Acceptance and Evaluation Criteria Definition :: Root Cause Analysis :: Problem Tracking

question

What is the definition of a mitigating action?

answer

Steps that can be taken, or processes that can be followed, to reduce or eliminate the effect an identified defect has on a stakeholder or stakeholder group.

question

What is the purpose of the Evaluate Solution Performance task?

answer

Evaluate functioning solutions to understand the value they deliver and identify opportunities for improvement

question

Solution evaluation involves what?

answer

Investigating how a solution is actually used after it is deployed, and assessing the effect it has had, both positive and negative

question

What are the inputs to the Evaluate Solution performance task?

answer

There are 4+B20Business Requirements ::Identified Defects ::Solution Performance Metrics ::Solution [deployed]

question

What is the role that business requirements play when evaluating solution performance?

answer

They form the baseline for functionality to compare against what the system is actually doing

question

Solution Performance Metrics represent what?

answer

The criteria by which the performance of the solution is to be assessed

question

There are two types of solution performance metrics. What are they?

answer

Qualitative and Quantitative

question

What are examples of Qualitative solution performance metrics?

answer

Measures of time, volume, revenue, errors found

question

What are examples of Quantitative solution performance metrics?

answer

User or customer satisfaction, recommendations

question

The Evaluate Solution performance task cannot be performed until what occurs?

answer

The solution has been deployed

question

What are the elements of the Evaluate Solution Performance task?

answer

There are 3: ::Understand Value Delivered by Solution ::Validate Solution Metrics ::Solution Replacement or Elimination

question

What does the element Understand Value Delivered by Solution consist of?

answer

The analyst must gather the actual metrics that describe the performance of the solution in order to determine whether the system is performing optimally, under-performing or over-performing

question

Why is an additional validation of the metrics that are used to validate the solution necessary?

answer

There are occasions in which the metrics are not properly defined or aligned with the solution; thus the reporting of the metric data becomes skewed

question

Why might the solution be a candidate for elimination?

answer

This may occur because an IT system or other technology component has reached the end of its useful life, services are being insourced or outsourced, the solution is not fulfilling the business goals set for it

question

What are issues that impact the decision about replacing a solution?

answer

:: Ongoing Cost versus Initial Investment :: Opportunity Cost :: Necessity :: Sunk Cost

question

What is sunk cost?

answer

It describes the money and effort already committed to an initiative

question

Sunk Cost is irrelevant when considering future action why?

answer

Because the cost cannot be recovered

question

What is an example of Necessity with regard to making a decision about solution replacement?

answer

Obsolescence. There are occasions where the cost of maintaining a current solution is too high or the capability to do so is impossible

question

What is Opportunity Cost?

answer

It represents the potential value that could be realized by pursuing alternative courses of action

question

What are the techniques used in the Evaluate Solution Performance task?

answer

There are 4: ::Decision Analysis ::Focus Groups ::Observation ::Survey/Questionnaire

question

How is the Operational Support stakeholder utilized in the Evaluate Solution Performance task?

answer

This person will be involved in monitoring the performance and effectiveness of a solution or its components.

question

What is the purpose of the Underlying Competencies knowledge area?

answer

It provides a description of the behaviors, characteristics, knowledge and personal qualities that support the practice of business analysis

question

What are the types of Underlying Competencies?

answer

There are 6: :: Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving :: Behavioral Characteristics :: Business Knowledge :: Communication Skills :: Interaction Skills :: Software Applications

question

What are the various forms of the Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving underlying competency?

answer

There are 5: ::Creative Thinking ::Decision Making ::Learning ::Problem Solving ::Systems Thinking

question

What is the purpose of creative thinking?

answer

To be effective in generating new ideas for approaches to problem solving and in generating alternative solutions

question

What are the measures of effectiveness of creative thinking?

answer

::Successful generation and productive consideration of new ideas. ::Application of new ideas to resolve existing problems. ::Willingness of stakeholders to accept new approaches.

question

What is the purpose of decision making?

answer

Business analysts must be effective in understanding the criteria involved in making a decision, in making decisions, and in assisting others to make better decisions

question

When is a decision necessary?

answer

Whenever it becomes necessary to select an alternative or approach from two or more options

question

Decision Analysis includes what?

answer

::gathering information relevant to a decision ::breaking down the information relevant to a decision ::making comparisons and tradeoffs between similar and dissimilar options ::identifying the option that is most desirable.

question

What is the purpose of learning?

answer

Business analysts must be effective at learning about business domains and how they function, and then translate that learning into an understanding of how to benefit an organization.

question

What are the effectiveness measures of learning?

answer

::Agreement by stakeholders that analysis models effectively and completely describe the domain ::Identification of related problems or issues from multiple areas in the domain ::Rapid absorption of new information or new domains.

question

What is the purpose of problem solving?

answer

Business analysts must be effective at defining and solving problems in order to ensure that the real, underlying problem is understood and that solutions actually address that problem

question

Defining a problem involves what?

answer

Ensuring that the nature of the problem is clearly understood by all parties and that underlying issues are visible

question

How does an analyst ensure all parties understand the nature of a problem that is to be solved?

answer

::Articulate and address conflicts between goals and objectives ::Identify and test underlying assumptions

question

What are the measures of effectiveness of problem solving?

answer

::Confidence of the participants in the problem-solving process that a selected solution is correct ::New solution options can be evaluated effectively using the problem solving framework ::Selected solutions meet the defined objectives and solve the underlying problem. ::The problem-solving process avoids making decisions based on preconceived notions, organizational politics, or other traps that may cause a sub-optimal solution to be selected.

question

What is the purpose of Systems Thinking?

answer

Business analysts must be effective at understanding how the people, processes and technology within an organization interact in relationships and patterns to create a system as a whole

question

Systems theory and systems thinking suggest what?

answer

That the system as a whole will have properties, behaviors and characteristics that emerge from the interaction of the components of the system, and which are not predictable from an understanding of the components alone

question

The term system includes what factors?

answer

:: the people involved ::the interactions between them ::the external forces affecting their behavior ::all other relevant elements and factors

question

What are the measures of effectiveness of system thinking?

answer

::Understanding of how a change to a component affects the system as a whole ::Identification of reinforcing and compensating feedback loops ::Understanding of how systems adapt to external pressures and changes

question

What are the types of the underlying competency behavioral characteristics?

answer

There are 3: ::Ethics ::Personal organization ::Trustworthiness

question

What is the purpose of ethics?

answer

A business analyst must be able to behave ethically in order to earn the trust and respect of stakeholders, and be able to recognize when a proposed solution or requirement may present ethical difficulties.

question

Ethics requires an understanding of what?

answer

::moral and immoral behavior ::the standards that should govern one's behavior ::the willingness to act to ensure that one's behavior is moral or meets those standards

question

Why are ethics an important part of an analyst's underlying competencies?

answer

Business analysts need to consider the impact that a proposed solution will have on all stakeholder groups and work to ensure that those groups are treated fairly

question

Fair treatment requires what?

answer

::that the affected stakeholders understand the reasons for the decision ::that they are not deceived about the outcome ::that decisions which are made are made in the best interest of the organization

question

What are the measures of effectiveness of ethics?

answer

::Decisions are made with due consideration to the interests of all stakeholders ::Reasons for a decision are clearly articulated and understood ::Prompt and full disclosure of potential conflicts of interest ::Honesty regarding one's abilities, the performance of one's work, and accepting responsibility for failures or errors.

question

What is the purpose of personal organization?

answer

Personal organization skills assist the business analyst in effectively managing tasks and information.

question

Personal organization involves what?

answer

::the ability to readily find files or information ::timeliness ::management of outstanding tasks ::appropriate handling of priorities

question

Effective time management requires what characteristics?

answer

::effective time management requires effective prioritization ::elimination of procrastination ::clarity of goals and expectations

question

What are some common approaches toward good time management?

answer

::action plans ::to-do lists ::setting priorities

question

What are the effectiveness measures of personal organization?

answer

::Ability of the business analyst to find information ::Regular on-time completion of tasks ::Efficiency in the completion of work ::The ability to easily identify all outstanding work and the status of each work item.

question

What is the purpose of trustworthiness?

answer

Earning the trust of key stakeholders is necessary to ensure that the business analyst is able to elicit requirements around sensitive issues and to ensure that recommendations are evaluated properly.

question

What are the measures of effectiveness of trustworthiness?

answer

::Stakeholders involving the business analyst in decision-making ::Stakeholder acceptance of the business analyst's recommendations ::Willingness of stakeholders to discuss difficult or controversial topics with the business analyst ::Willingness of stakeholders to support or defend the business analyst when problems occur.

question

What are the forms of the Business Knowledge underlying competency?

answer

There are 3: ::Business Principles and Practices ::Industry Knowledge ::Organization Knowledge

question

What is the purpose of Business Principles and Practices?

answer

Business analysts require an understanding of fundamental business principles and best practices, in order to ensure that they are incorporated into and supported by solutions.

question

Business principles are what?

answer

Business principles are those characteristics that are common to all organizations with a similar purpose and structure, whether or not they are in the same industry. They typically apply to many common areas in an organization.

question

What are some of the common functional areas in an organization?

answer

::Human Resources ::Finance :Information Technology ::Supply Chain Mgmt

question

What is the purpose of Industry Knowledge?

answer

Business analysts should have an understanding of the industry that their organization is in so that they may understand new challenges that may be posed by competitive moves, and which solutions have proven effective elsewhere.

question

Industry Knowledge is defined as what?

answer

The understanding of the competitive forces that shape an industry

question

What must a business analyst understand to have an effective industry knowledge base?

answer

::various customer segments that the industry services ::demographic or other characteristics common to that segment ::common industry trends

question

What is the purpose of Organization Knowledge?

answer

Business analysis is significantly assisted by an understanding of the organization for which it is being performed.

question

Organization Knowledge is defined how?

answer

Organization knowledge is an understanding of the business architecture of the organization that is being analyzed

question

Organization Knowledge includes what factors?

answer

::understanding of the business models that the organization (that is, how the organization generates profits or otherwise accomplishes its goals) ::the organizational structure that is in place, ::the relationships that exist between business units ::and the persons who occupy key stakeholder positions ::informal lines of communication and authority

question

What is the purpose of Solution Knowledge?

answer

Business analysts can use their understanding of existing solutions in order to identify the most effective means of implementing a change.

question

Why is solution knowledge important for a business analyst?

answer

A business analyst who is familiar with the workings of a solution may be able to more easily identify and recommend changes that can be implemented easily while still providing concrete benefits. Familiarity with the range of commercially available solutions or suppliers can assist with the identification of possible alternatives

question

What are the effectiveness measures of solution knowledge?

answer

::Reduced time or cost to implement a required change ::Shortened time on requirements analysis and/or solution design ::Understanding when a larger change is justified based on business benefit ::Understanding how additional capabilities present, but not currently used, in a solution can be deployed to provide business value.

question

What are the various types of Communication Skills?

answer

There are 3: ::Oral Communication ::Teaching ::Written Communication

question

What is the purpose of Oral Communication?

answer

Oral communication skills enable business analysts to effectively express ideas in ways that are appropriate to the target audience.

question

Oral communication skills are used to do what?

answer

Verbally express ideas, information, or other matters

question

Effective oral communication skills include what?

answer

The ability to make oneself understood and the active listening skills that ensure that the statements of others are accurately understood.

question

What are the effectiveness measures of oral communication?

answer

::Effectively paraphrasing statements to ensure understanding ::Effectively facilitating sessions, ensuring success through preparedness and coordination ::Developing and delivering powerful presentations by positioning content and objectives appropriately (i.e. positive verses negative tone) ::Can communicate the criticality or urgency of a situation in a calm, rational manner with proposed solutions.

question

What is the purpose of teaching?

answer

Teaching skills are required to ensure that business analysts can effectively communicate issues and requirements and to ensure that the information communicated is understood and retained

question

Teaching requires an understanding of what?

answer

How people learn and the ability to use this understanding to effectively facilitate the learning experience

question

What are the three types of learning?

answer

::auditory ::visual ::kinesthetic

question

What are the effectiveness measures of teaching?

answer

::Verifying that learners have acquired information that has been imparted to them ::Ability of learners to use new skills or demonstrate new knowledge.

question

What is the purpose of written communication?

answer

Written communication skills are necessary for business analysts to document elicitation results, requirements, and other information for which medium-to-long term records are required.

question

Written communication involves the use of what?

answer

Symbols to communicate information. It includes the ability to write effectively for various contexts and audiences

question

Written communication is required when?

answer

When information will be used at a time or place that is remote from the time and place it was created

question

What are the effectiveness measures of written communication?

answer

::Ability to adjust the style of writing for the needs of the audience ::Proper use of grammar and style ::Appropriate choice of words ::Ability of the reader to paraphrase and describe the content of the written communication.

question

What are the various types of Interaction Skills?

answer

There are 3: ::Facilitation and Negotiation ::Leadership and Influencing ::Teamwork

question

Leadership involves motivating people to do what?

answer

Act in ways that enable them to work together to achieve shared goals and objectives

question

Effective leadership therefore requires that the business analyst be able to do what?

answer

Develop a vision of a desired future state that people can be motivated to work towards and the interpersonal skills necessary to encourage them to do so

question

What are the effectiveness measures of Leadership and Influencing?

answer

::Reduced resistance to necessary changes ::Team members and stakeholders demonstrating a willingness to set aside personal objectives when necessary ::Articulation of a clear and inspiring vision of a desired future state.

question

What is the purpose of teamwork?

answer

Business analysts must be able to work closely with other team members to effectively support their work so that solutions can be effectively implemented

question

Communications and trust can also be enhanced through understanding and awareness of facets such as?

answer

The process of setting of rules for the team, team decision-making, formal and informal team leadership and management roles.

question

What are the two types of conflict?

answer

The basic types of conflict are emotional and cognitive.

question

Emotional conflict stems from what?

answer

Personal interactions, while cognitive conflicts are based upon disagreements on matters of substantive value or impact on the project or organization

question

Resolution of cognitive conflict requires the team to focus on what?

answer

Examining the premises, assumptions, observations and expectations of the team members

question

What are the effectiveness measures of teamwork?

answer

::Fostering a collaborative working environment ::Effective resolution of conflict ::Developing trust among team members ::Support among the team for shared high standards of achievement ::Team members have a shared sense of ownership of the team goals.

question

What are the types of Software Applications?

answer

There are 2: ::General Purpose ::Specialized

question

What are general purpose applications?

answer

Business analysts use office productivity applications to document and track requirements.

question

What are the three categories of general purpose applications?

answer

These applications generally consist of three components in a suite of tools: word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software.

question

What is the purpose of collaboration and knowledge management tools?

answer

Collaboration and knowledge management tools are used to support the capturing of knowledge distributed throughout an organization and make it as widely available as possible.

question

What are some examples of collaboration tools?

answer

::document repositories (which integrate with office productivity software) ::wikis (which allow easy creation and linking of web pages) ::discussion forums.

question

What are the effectiveness measures of general purpose applications?

answer

::Ability to apply an understanding of one tool to other similar tools ::Able to identify major tools in the marketplace and describe how they are used in any given situation. ::Understands and is able to use most of the major features of the tool ::Able to use the tools to complete requirements-related activities more rapidly than is possible without them.

question

Diagramming tools are designed to do what?

answer

Support the rapid drawing and documentation of a model, typically by providing a set of templates for a particular notation which are used to develop diagrams based on it

question

Modeling tools facilitate the conversion of the model into a what?

answer

Executable form, either by use of a proprietary engine for executing the model or by generating application code which can be enhanced by a developer.

question

What is the primary function of requirements management tools?

answer

Requirements management tools are used to support change control, traceability, and configuration management of requirements and requirements artifacts.

question

What are the effectiveness measures of specialized software?

answer

::Ability to apply an understanding of one tool to other similar tools ::Able to identify major tools in the marketplace and describe how they are used in any given situation. ::Understands and is able to use most of the major features of the tool ::Able to use the tools to complete requirements-related activities more rapidly than is possible without them. ::Able to track changes to the requirements made through the tools.

question

What is the purpose of the Acceptance and Evaluation Criteria technique?

answer

To define the requirements that must be met in order for a solution to be considered acceptable to key stakeholders.

question

Acceptance Criteria is defined as what?

answer

Acceptance criteria describe the minimal set of requirements that must be met in order for a particular solution to be worth implementing

question

Evaluation criteria are what?

answer

Evaluation criteria are the set of requirements that will be used to choose between multiple solutions.

question

When are acceptance criteria used?

answer

Acceptance criteria are typically used when only one possible solution is being evaluated and are generally expressed as a pass or fail.

question

When are evaluation criteria used?

answer

Evaluation criteria are used to compare multiple solutions or solution components and allow for a range of possible scores

question

What are the elements of acceptance and evaluation criteria?

answer

There are 2: ::Testability ::Determine Rank and Scoring

question

What does testability mean?

answer

That the requirements are able to be tested and are expressed in a testable form

question

What is ranking?

answer

Ranking is the process of determining the order of importance for all requirements

question

What technique is commonly used for ranking?

answer

Moscow

question

What is scoring?

answer

Scoring is the process of determining how well a solution meets a requirement

question

What are the advantages of acceptance and evaluation criteria?

answer

::Agile methodologies may require that all requirements be expressed in the form of testable acceptance criteria. ::Acceptance criteria are also necessary when the requirements express contractual obligations.

question

What are the disadvantages of acceptance and evaluation criteria?

answer

Acceptance and evaluation criteria may express contractual obligations and as such may be difficult to change for legal or political reasons

question

What is the purpose of benchmarking?

answer

Benchmark studies are performed to compare the strengths and weaknesses of an organization against its peers and competitors

question

Benchmark studies compare what?

answer

Organizational practices against the best-in-class practices that exist within competitor enterprises in government or industry.

question

The objective of benchmark studies is to determine what?

answer

How companies achieve their superior performance levels and use that information to design projects to improve operations of the enterprise

question

Benchmarking is usually focused on what three things?

answer

strategies, operations and processes

question

What is an advantage of benchmarking?

answer

Benchmarking provides organizations with information about new and different methods, ideas, and tools to improve organizational performance

question

What are the disadvantages of benchmarking?

answer

:: time consuming ::must have experience performing ::cannot produce innovative ideas

question

What is the purpose of the Brainstorming technique?

answer

Brainstorming is an excellent way to foster creative thinking about a problem. The aim of brainstorming is to produce numerous new ideas, and to derive from them themes for further analysis.

question

What are the elements of brainstorming?

answer

There are 3: ::Preparation ::Session ::Wrap-up

question

What kind of preparation is needed for a brainstorming session?

answer

::Develop a clear and concise definition of the area of interest ::Determine a time limit for the group to generate ideas; the larger the group, the more time required. Identify facilitator and participants in session ::Aim for participants (ideally 6 to 8) who represent a range of background and experience with the topic. ::Set expectations with participants and get their buy in to the process ::Establish criteria for evaluating and rating the ideas

question

What are the things that are important to the session element for brainstorming?

answer

::Share new ideas without any discussion, criticism or evaluation ::Visibly record all ideas ::Encourage participants to be creative, share exaggerated ideas, and build on the ideas of others. ::Don't limit the number of ideas as the goal is to elicit as many as possible within the time period.

question

What occurs in a brainstorming session wrap-up?

answer

::Once the time limit is reached, using the pre-determined evaluation criteria, discuss and evaluate the ideas ::Create a condensed list of ideas, combine ideas where appropriate, and eliminate duplicates ::Rate the ideas. Distribute the final list of ideas to appropriate parties.

question

What are the disadvantages of a brainstorming session?

answer

::Dependent on participants' creativity and willingness to participate. Organizational and interpersonal politics may also limit participation ::Group participants must agree to avoid debating the ideas raised during brainstorming.

question

What are the measures of effectiveness for Business Principles and Practices?

answer

::Understanding of business environments, operations, process and practices relating to Common business management and decision making concepts, principles activities and practices; typical organization structures, job functions and work activities; complex business functions and operations ::Understanding of relevant regulatory, compliance, and governance frameworks ::Understanding of auditing and security issues

question

What are the effectiveness measures of industry knowledge?

answer

::Understanding of industry related material and keeps abreast of what is taking place in the industry ::The ability to identify key trends shaping the industry ::Knowledge of major competitors and partners for the organization ::Knowledge of major customer segments ::Knowledge of common products and product types ::Knowledge of sources of information about the industry, including relevant trade organizations or journals ::Understanding of industry-specific resource and process documents ::Understanding of industry standard processes and methodologies ::Understanding of the industry regulatory environment.

question

Name all 34 techniques in the BABOK

answer

::Acceptance and Evaluation Criteria Definition ::Benchmarking ::Brainstorming ::Business Rules Analysis ::Data Dictionary and Glossary ::Data Flow Diagrams ::Data Modeling ::Decision Analysis ::Document Analysis ::Estimation ::Focus Groups ::Functional Decomposition ::Interface Analysis ::Interviews ::Lessons Learned Process ::Metrics and Key Performance Indicators ::Non-functional Requirements Analysis ::Observation ::Organization Modeling ::Problem Tracking ::Process Modeling ::Prototyping ::Requirements Workshops ::Risk Analysis ::Root Cause Analysis ::Scenarios and Use Cases ::Scope Modeling ::Sequence Diagrams ::State Diagrams ::Structured Walkthrough ::Survey/Questionnaire ::SWOT Analysis ::User Stories ::Vendor Assessment

question

What are the advantages of a brainstorming session?

answer

::Ability to elicit many ideas in a short time period ::Non-judgmental environment enables creative thinking ::Can be useful during a workshop to reduce tension between participants

question

What is the purpose of the Business Rules Analysis technique?

answer

To define the rules that govern decisions in an organization and that define, constrain, or enable organizational operations

question

What is a business policy?

answer

A business policy is a non-actionable directive that supports a business goal

question

What occurs in business rules analysis?

answer

Policies and rules direct and constrain the organization and operation of an organization

question

What is the definition of a business rule?

answer

A business rule is a specific, actionable, testable directive that is under the control of an organization and that supports a business policy

question

A decision table or decision tree is used for what?

answer

Expression and display of complex rules, rule sets and their interdependencies

question

What are characteristics of good business rules?

answer

::Stated in appropriate terminology to enable domain SMEs to validate the rules. ::Documented independently of how they will be enforced ::Stated at the atomic level and in declarative format ::Separated from processes that the rule supports or constrains. ::Maintained in a manner that enables the organization to monitor and adapt the rules as the business policies change.

question

What are the elements of Business Rules Analysis?

answer

There are 2: ::Operative Rules ::Structural Rules

question

What are Operative Rules?

answer

Operative rules are rules that the organization chooses to enforce as a matter of policy

question

Operative Rules oblige people to do what?

answer

To take certain actions, prevent people from taking actions, or prescribe the conditions under which an action may be taken

question

Structural rules are intended to do what?

answer

Help determine when something is or is not true, or when things fall into a specific category.

question

Structural Rules also describe what?

answer

How information may be inferred or calculated based on other data available to the business

question

True or False: The impact of changes to business rules can be assessed more easily when they are documented as part of the processes they detail or the means used to enforce the rules.

answer

FALSE

question

The following is an example of an Operational or Structural rule? "An order must have one and only one associated payment method"

answer

Structural

question

The following is an example of an operative or structural rule? "An order must not be placed when the billing address provided by the customer does not match the address on file with the credit card provider"

answer

Operative

question

What is a weakness of large amounts of business rules?

answer

Business rules can contradict one another or produce unanticipated results when combined

question

What is the purpose of the Data Dictionary and Glossary technique?

answer

A data dictionary or glossary defines key terms and data relevant to a business domain

question

Data dictionaries or glossaries are used to formally identify and define what?

answer

All terminology used by the organization or organizational unit

question

What are the elements of the technique?

answer

Data Dictionary and Glossary

question

Why is a glossary created?

answer

To ensure that all stakeholders understood what is meant when certain words are used

question

What does a glossary consist of?

answer

A glossary consists of a term relevant to the domain and a unique definition for each, as well as cross-referencing aliases

question

Data dictionaries include what?

answer

::standard definitions of data elements and their meanings ::allowable values. ::definitions of each primitive data element and indications of how those elements combine into composite data elements

question

What is a primitive data element?

answer

The basic unit of data that includes information about an element: ::Name ::Alias ::Values/Meanings ::Description

question

What is a composite data element?

answer

Composite data is assembled from primitive data elements

question

What are some examples of composite structures?

answer

::Sequences ::Repetitions ::Optional Elements

question

What do sequences do with regard to data?

answer

Show primitive data in a specific order

question

What do repetitions do?

answer

Show primitive data elements that occur more than once in a composite structure

question

What are glossaries and data dictionaries useful for?

answer

A data dictionary or glossary is useful for ensuring that all stakeholders are in agreement on the format and content of relevant information

question

What is the purpose of the Data Flow Diagrams technique?

answer

To show how information is input, processed, stored, and output from a system.

question

The Data Flow Diagram (DFD) provides a visual representation of what?

answer

How information is moved through a system

question

What do data flow diagrams show?

answer

::External Entities that provide data to, or receive data from, a system ::The Processes of the system that transform data ::The Data Stores in which data is collected for some period of time ::The Data Flows by which data moves between External Entities, Processes and Data Stores

question

What are the elements of data flow diagrams?

answer

There are 4: ::External Entities ::Data Store ::Data Process ::Data Flow

question

What is an external entity?

answer

An external entity is a source or a destination of data. It is represented as a labeled rectangle.

question

What is a data store?

answer

A data store represents a location where data is not moving or transforming, but is being stored passively for future use

question

What is a data process?

answer

A data process is a process that transforms the data in some way, either combining the data, reordering the data, converting the data, filtering the data or other such activities.

question

What is a data flow?

answer

A data flow identifies where data is being moved between a data process and an external entity, a data store or another data process

question

What are the strengths of data flow diagrams?

answer

::May be used as a discovery technique for processes and data, or as a technique for verification of a Functional Decomposition or Data Model that have already been completed. ::Most users find these diagrams quite easy to understand ::Generally considered a useful analysis deliverable to developers in a structured programming environment.

question

What are the weaknesses of data flow diagrams?

answer

They cannot easily show who is responsible for performing the work. They cannot show alternative paths through the same process.

question

What is the purpose of the Data Modeling technique?

answer

The purpose of a data model is to describe the concepts relevant to a domain, the relationships between those concepts, and information associated with them.

question

Data models visually present what information?

answer

::types of people ::places ::things ::concepts that are important to the business, attributes associated with them ::significant business relationships among all of the above

question

What two techniques often support the Data Model technique?

answer

::Data Dictionaries and Glossaries ::Business Rules Analysis

question

What are the two most common data models?

answer

Entity-relationship diagram (ERD) and the class diagram

question

When working with relational databases what is the preferred data model type?

answer

Entity-relationship diagram (ERD)

question

Class Diagrams are typically used when performing what?

answer

Object-oriented design and development

question

What are the elements of the Data Model technique?

answer

There are 4: ::Concept ::Attributes ::Relationship ::Metadata

question

What is the definition of a concept?

answer

Something of significance to the domain being described, about which the organization needs data. Concepts are referred to as entities in ERDs and as classes in class diagrams

question

What is an attribute?

answer

A particular piece of information associated with a concept

question

What are relationships with regard to data modeling?

answer

Relationships are significant business associations between concepts and define how information is used in the operation of the business, and indicate the important linkages that need to be managed and maintained in the solution

question

What is the definition of metadata?

answer

Data about data that describes the context, use, and validity of business information and is generally used to determine when and why information stored in a system was changed

question

What are the advantages of data modeling?

answer

::flexibility of different levels of description :: consistent modeling approach that supports the transition through planning, analysis, design and implementation ::supported by rigorous rules for correctness and completeness which encourages accuracy

question

What are the disadvantages of data modeling?

answer

::can be complex ::deal with concepts that may be unfamiliar to people without a background in data modeling

question

What is the purpose of the Decision Analysis technique?

answer

To support decision-making when dealing with complex, difficult, or uncertain situations.

question

Decision analysis examines and models what?

answer

The possible consequences of different decisions in order to in make an optimal decision under conditions of uncertainty

question

For effective decision analysis the business analyst must understand what?

answer

::The values, goals and objectives that are relevant to the decision problem ::The nature of the decision that must be made ::The areas of uncertainty that affect the decision and the consequences of each possible decision

question

What are the elements of the Decision Analysis technique?

answer

There are 3: ::Outcomes ::Uncertainty ::Trade-offs

question

What are the two types of outcomes?

answer

::Financial ::Non-Financial

question

What are the examples of financial outcomes of Decision Analysis?

answer

::Discounted Cash Flow: future value on a specific data ::Net Present Value: future view of costs and benefits converted to today's value ::Internal Rate of Return: the interest rate (or discount) when the net present value is equal to zero ::Average Rate of Return: estimate of rate of return on an investment ::Pay Back Period: the amount of time it takes for an investment to pay for itself ::Cost-Benefit Analysis: quantification of costs and benefits for a proposed new solution::

question

When does uncertainty becomes relative to a decision problem?

answer

When it is impossible to know which outcome will occur.

question

What is a common way to handle uncertainty?

answer

To calculate the expected value of the outcomes. This involves estimating the percentage chance of each outcome occurring and them multiplying the numeric value associated with that outcome by that percentage

question

What is a method to assess preferred outcome when multiple sources of uncertainty exist?

answer

Decision tree

question

When do trade-offs become relevant to a problem decision?

answer

Whenever a decision problem involves multiple, possibly conflicting, objectives

question

What are two common methods of making tradeoff decisions?

answer

::Elimination of dominated alternatives :: Ranking objectives on a similar scale

question

What are some of the common functional areas in an organization?

answer

::Human Resources ::Finance ::Information Technology ::Supply Chain Mgmt

question

What is the purpose of Organization Knowledge?

answer

Business analysis is significantly assisted by an understanding of the organization for which it is being performed.

question

Solution Assessment activities may be performed to assess and validate what?

answer

::business processes ::organizational structures ::outsourcing agreements ::software applications

question

If a defect cannot be resolved in a time frame that is acceptable from a business and stakeholders cannot accept the defect what must the analyst do?

answer

The business analyst may investigate options for mitigating the effects

question

What are the types of Software Applications?

answer

There are 2: ::General Purpose ::Specialized

question

The business analyst must do what in benchmark studies?

answer

::Identify the area to be studied ::Identify organizations that are leaders in the sector ::Conduct a survey of selected organizations to understand their practices ::Arrange for visits to best-in-class organizations ::Develop a project proposal to implement the best practices

question

What is a dominated alternative?

answer

A dominated alternative is any option that is clearly inferior to some other option. If an option is equal to or worse than some other option when rated against the objectives, the other option can be said to dominate it

question

What method is commonly used to convert rankings to a similar scale?

answer

Proportional scoring

question

What is Proportional scoring?

answer

Options are assigned values between 1 and 100 and then weighted for relevance. Score are assigned to options and a decision tree is used

question

What are the advantages of the Decision Analysis technique?

answer

:: provides an effective way to determine the expected value of an alternative scenario :: uses consistent financial justification techniques with quantitative measures :: may force stakeholders to honestly assess the importance placed on options

question

What are the disadvantages of the Decision Analysis technique?

answer

::requires specialized knowledge and skills, including mathematical knowledge, an understanding of probability, and similar concepts ::results may be treated as more certain than they actually are :: decision-makers may be reluctant to revisit decisions

question

What is the purpose of the Document Analysis technique?

answer

Document analysis is a means to elicit requirements by studying available documentation on existing and comparable solutions and identifying relevant information.

question

Sources of documentation must be what to enhance requirements coverage?

answer

up to date.

question

Document analysis is used if the objective is to gather details of what items that need to be included in a new solution or need to be updated for the current solution

answer

::existing solutions ::including business rules ::entities ::attributes

question

What are the elements of the Document Analysis technique?

answer

There are 3: ::Preparation ::Document Review ::Wrap-up

question

What is involved with the wrap-up of the Document Analysis technique?

answer

::Review and confirm the selected details with subject matter experts ::Organize information into requirements format ::Obtain answers to follow-up questions.

question

What are the advantages of the Document Analysis technique?

answer

::Not starting from a blank page ::Leveraging existing materials to discover and/or confirm requirements ::A means to cross-check requirements from other elicitation techniques such as interviews, job shadowing, surveys or focus groups

question

What is the purpose of the Estimation technique?

answer

Estimating techniques forecast the cost and effort involved in pursuing a course of action.

question

Estimation techniques are used to develop a better understanding of what?

answer

The possible range of costs and effort associated with any initiative

question

True or False: Estimation eliminates all uncertainty

answer

False. The purpose of estimation is to get a reasonable assessment of likely costs or effort required.

question

True or False: Estimate should be conducted at the start of the project and the results should be used throughout the project

answer

False. Estimates should be revisited as more information becomes available. Many estimation techniques rely on historic performance records from the organization to calibrate them against actual performance

question

What are the elements of the Estimation technique?

answer

There are 8: ::Analogous Estimation ::Parametric Estimation ::Bottom-up Estimation ::Rolling Wave Estimation ::Three-point Estimation ::Historic Analysis ::Expert Judgment ::Delphi Estimation

question

What is Analogous Estimation and when is it used?

answer

It is used when little is known. Analogous estimating is often used to develop a rough order of magnitude (ROM) estimate, and is also known as "top-down" estimating

question

What is Parametric Estimation and when is it used?

answer

Parametric Estimation uses parameters, multiplied by the number of hours. For parametric estimating to be useable, enough history has to be available to be used as a basis of comparison

question

What must the analyst do for parametric estimation to be useful?

answer

Determine which parameters can be used and how many there will be

question

What are some common examples of parametric estimation?

answer

::COCOMOII ::Function Points ::Use Case Points ::Story Points

question

To use bottom-up estimation the business analyst must have done what?

answer

Collected the deliverables, activities, tasks, and estimates from all the involved stakeholders and rolls them up to get a total for all the activities and tasks

question

How does rolling wave estimation work?

answer

Estimate the details for activities in the current iteration or increment and provide an analogous estimate for the entire scope of work. As the end of the iteration approaches, estimates for the next iteration can be made and the initial estimate for all activities is refined

question

Three-point estimation functions how?

answer

It uses three scenarios: ::The most optimistic estimate, or best-case scenario ::The most pessimistic estimate, or worst-case scenario ::The most likely estimate.

question

Expert Judgment estimation relies on what?

answer

The expertise of those who have performed the work in the past.

question

Delphi Estimation combines what two methods?

answer

Expert judgment and history

question

How does Delphi Estimation work?

answer

All variations of Delphi include individual estimates, sharing the estimates with experts, and having several rounds until consensus is reached. An average of the three estimates is used. Sometimes the estimates are weighted.

question

What are the advantages of the estimation technique?

answer

Can help stakeholders make better decisions

question

What are the disadvantages of the estimation technique?

answer

::Stakeholders frequently treat estimates as commitments, and expect that once an esti¬mate is given the solution team will meet the time and cost estimate :: Estimates are often consciously or unconsciously altered to match the desires of influential stakeholders

question

What is the purpose of Focus Groups?

answer

A focus group is a means to elicit ideas and attitudes about a specific product, service or opportunity in an interactive group environment. The participants share their impressions, preferences and needs, guided by a moderator.

question

A focus group is composed of what type of participants?

answer

Pre-qualified individuals whose objective is to discuss and comment on a topic

question

Focus Groups are an elicitation technique considered to be a form of what?

answer

Qualitative Research. Session results are analyzed and reported as themes and perspectives, rather than numerical findings

question

What are the elements of the Focus Group technique?

answer

::Preparation ::Run the Focus Group Session ::Produce Report

question

Preparation for focus groups involves four basic steps. What are they?

answer

::Recruit Participants ::Assign Moderator and Recorder ::Create Discussion Guide ::Reserve Site and Services

question

There are two basic types of focus groups. What are they?

answer

Homogenous and Heterogeneous

question

What are the advantages of focus groups?

answer

::Ability to elicit data from a group of people in a single session saves time and cost as compared to conducting individual interviews with the same number of people. ::Effective for learning people's attitudes, experiences and desires ::Active discussion and the ability to ask others questions creates an environment where participants can consider their personal view in relation to other perspectives.

question

What are the disadvantages of focus groups?

answer

:: participants may be concerned about issues of trust :: unwilling to discuss sensitive or personal topics :: Data collected (what people say) may not be consistent with how people actually behave :: responses may not represent the complete set of requirements :: skilled moderator is needed :: difficult to schedule :: not an effective way to evaluate usability.

question

What is the purpose of the Functional Decomposition technique?

answer

To decompose processes, functional areas, or deliverables into their component parts and allow each part to be analyzed independently.

question

Functional decomposition involves what?

answer

Breaking down a large problem into smaller functions or deliverables.

question

The primary goal of functional decomposition is to ensure that the problem is what?

answer

Separated into sub-problems that are as independent as possible, so that work can be assigned to different groups

question

What are the elements of the Functional Decomposition technique?

answer

The breakdown of high-level components into clearly defined sub-components

question

What are the advantages of the Functional Decomposition technique?

answer

::Creates a conceptual model of the work that needs to be completed to deliver the new business solution ::Provides all stakeholders with a consistent view of the scope of the effort ::Assists estimating in that estimates can be made for smaller, and therefore more readily understandable, subsets of the whole.

question

What are the disadvantages of the Functional Decomposition technique?

answer

::There is no way to be certain that all components have been captured. ::Decomposing a problem without fully understanding the relationship between pieces of the problem may create an inappropriate structure that impedes analysis.

question

What is the purpose of the Interface Analysis technique?

answer

To identify interfaces between solutions and/or solution components and define requirements that describe how they will interact.

question

What are some common interface types?

answer

::User ::Those to and from external applications :: Those to and from external hardware devices

question

Interface analysis helps to clarify what?

answer

The boundaries of the interfacing applications. It distinguishes which application provides specific functionality along with the input and output data needs

question

A basis for successful interoperability is established b y doing what?

answer

Clearly and carefully separating the requirements for each application while defining the shared interface requirements

question

What are the elements used in the Interface Analysis technique?

answer

There are 3: ::Prepare for Interface Identification ::Conduct Interface Identification ::Define Interfaces

question

What type of diagram provides useful information in determining potential interfaces to and from external parties?

answer

Context Diagram

question

An interface for each what?

answer

Each stakeholder or system that interacts with the system in question

question

What are the three things that should be identified for each stakeholder or system interaction?

answer

:: purpose of the interface :: type of interface :: high-level details about the interface

question

Prototyping is typically used to model what type of interface?

answer

User-to-system

question

Requirements for an interface are primarily focused on describing what?

answer

::inputs and outputs from that interface ::any validation rules that govern those inputs and outputs ::events that might trigger interactions.

question

What are the advantages of the Interface Analysis technique?

answer

::Positive impact on delivery date....enables more accurate project planning and potential savings in time and cost ::Clarity on collaboration with other systems or projects :: prevention of difficulties in integrating multiple components.

question

What are the disadvantages of the Interface Analysis technique?

answer

Does not provide insight into other aspects of the solution since the analysis does not assess the internal components

question

What is the purpose of the Interview technique?

answer

An interview is a systematic approach designed to elicit information from a person or group of people in an informal or formal setting by talking to an interviewee, asking relevant questions and documenting the responses.

question

The answers obtained in an interview are used for what purpose?

answer

Creation of requirements

question

What are the two types of interviews?

answer

::Structured (pre-defined set of questions ) :: Unstructured (discuss topics of interest in an open-ended way)

question

What are the elements used in the Interview technique?

answer

There are 3: ::Prepare for the Interview/Design Interview ::Conduct Interview ::Post Interview Follow-up

question

Why types of factors are considered when preparing for an interview?

answer

::Who holds the most authentic and the most current information on the subject of interest? ::What is their stake in the initiative ::What is the relative importance of information held by one person relative to that held by another person?

question

What are closed-ended questions?

answer

Questions that are used to elicit a single response such as: yes, no, or a specific number. Example: How many hours does it take for the claim process to be completed?

question

What are open-ended questions?

answer

Questions that are used to elicit a dialog or series of steps and cannot be answered in a yes or no fashion but need explaining. Example: What does a claim processor do on receipt of a claim form?

question

Designing an interview considers what types of factors?

answer

Question type ::Location of Interviewee ::Question Organization ::Interview Time and Place

question

What are the advantages of the Interview technique?

answer

::Encourages participation and establishes rapport ::Simple, direct technique ::Allows the interviewer and participant to have full discussions ::Enables observations of non-verbal behavior ::The interviewer can ask follow-up and probing questions ::Maintains focus through the use of clear objectives ::Allows interviewees to express opinions in private

question

What are the disadvantages of the Interview technique?

answer

::Not an ideal means of reaching consensus ::Requires considerable commitment ::Training is required to conduct ::Depth of follow-on questions may be dependent on the interviewer's knowledge of the business domain. ::Transcription / analysis is complex and expensive ::Resulting documentation may be subject to interpretation. ::Risk of unintentionally leading the interviewee.

question

What is the purpose of the Lessons Learned technique?

answer

The purpose of the lessons learned process is to compile and document successes, opportunities for improvement, failures, and recommendations for improving the performance of future projects or project phases.

question

What types of items are reviewed in a lessons learned session?

answer

::BA analysis and deliverables ::Process ::Final Deliverable ::issues/Concerns ::Performance ::Root Cause ::Variances

question

What are the advantages of the Lessons Learned technique?

answer

::Helps to build morale ::Identifies opportunities for improvement

question

What are the disadvantages of the Lessons Learned technique?

answer

::Must avoid blaming ::Possible reluctance to discussion ::Lack of follow-up leads to neglect

question

What is the purpose of the Metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPI) technique?

answer

The purpose of metrics and key performance indicators are to measure the performance of solutions, solution components, and other matters of interest to stakeholders.

question

What is the definition of a metric?

answer

A metric is a quantifiable level of an indicator that an organization uses to measure progress

question

What specifically does a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) do?

answer

A Key Performance Indicator is one that measures progress towards a strategic goal or objective.

question

What is involved with reporting with regard to metrics?

answer

Reporting is the process of informing stakeholders of metrics of indicators in specified formats at specified intervals

question

Metrics and reporting are key components of what?

answer

monitoring and evaluation

question

What is the definition of monitoring in the BABOK ?

answer

A continuous process of collecting data to determine how well a solution has been implemented compared to expected results

question

What is the definition of evaluation in the BABOK ?

answer

The systematic and objective assessment of a solution to determine its status and efficacy in meeting objectives over time, and to identify ways to improve the solution to better meet objectives

question

What are the elements of the Metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPI) technique?

answer

There are 4: ::Indicators ::Metrics ::Structure ::Reporting

question

A good indicator has five characteristics. What are they?

answer

::Clear: precise and unambiguous ::Relevant: appropriate to the factor ::Economical: available at reasonable cost ::Adequate: provides a sufficient basis to assess performance ::Quantifiable: can be independently validated

question

What are the factors to consider when creating indicators?

answer

::source ::method of collection ::collector and cost ::frequency and difficulty of collection

question

What must a target metric do?

answer

Reach an objective within a specific time period

question

Establishing a monitoring and evaluation system requires what?

answer

::data collection procedure ::data analysis procedure ::reporting procedure ::collection of baseline data

question

The data collection procedure for metrics describes what factors?

answer

::units of analysis ::sampling procedures ::data collection instruments to use ::collection frequency ::responsibility for collection.

question

The analysis method of metrics specifies what?

answer

::procedures for conducting the analysis ::the data consumer

question

The procedures for metrics reporting describe what?

answer

::report templates ::recipients ::frequency ::means of communication

question

What is baseline data?

answer

::data provided immediately before or at the begin¬ning of a period to measure ::data that's used to learn about recent performance and to measure progress from that point forward ::data that needs to be collected for each indicator, analyzed and reported.

question

What are the three key factors in assessing the quality of indicators and their metrics?

answer

::reliability ::validity ::timeliness

question

The reliability factor of metrics is described as what?

answer

The extent to which the data collection approach is stable and consistent across time and space

question

The validity factor of metrics is described as what?

answer

The extent to which data clearly and directly measure the performance the organization intends to mea¬sure

question

The Timeliness factor of metrics is describes as what?

answer

The fit of the frequency and latency of data to management's need for it

question

What does metric reporting do?

answer

Compares the baseline, current metrics and target metrics to each other, with calculations of the differences presented in both absolute and relative terms

question

What are the advantages of the Metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPI) technique?

answer

::allows stakeholders to understand the extent to which a solution meets an objective ::defines how effective the inputs and activities of developing the solution (output) were

question

What are the disadvantages of the Metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPI) technique?

answer

::Gathering excessive amounts of data beyond what is needed ::May fail due to collecting too much data and not generating useful reports that will allow timely responsive action :: When metrics are used to assess performance, the individuals being measured are likely to act to increase their performance on those metrics

question

What is the purpose of the Non-Functional Requirements Analysis technique?

answer

The purpose of non-functional requirements is to describe the required qualities of a system, such as its usability and performance characteristics

question

Non-functional requirements document the qualities of a system that are important to who?

answer

:: the user community, such as usability, learnability, reliability :: the development community, such as scalability, maintainability, reusability

question

What are the elements used in the Non-Functional Requirements Analysis technique?

answer

There are 3: ::Category ::Measurement ::Documentation

question

What is the non-functional requirement schema used in the BABOK 2.0?

answer

ISO 9126

question

What are the categories in the ISO 9126 schema?

answer

::Reliability ::Performance Efficiency ::Operability ::Security ::Compatibility ::Maintainability ::Transferability

question

What are the advantages of the Non-Functional Requirements Analysis technique?

answer

Success in meeting non-functional requirements will have a strong influence on whether or not a system is accepted by its users

question

What are the disadvantages of the Non-Functional Requirements Analysis technique?

answer

::Non-functional requirements are often more difficult to define than functional requirements. ::Overly stringent non-functional requirements may significantly impact the cost of developing a software application.

question

What is the purpose of the Observation technique?

answer

Observation is a means of eliciting requirements by conducting an assessment of the stakeholder's work environment

question

What are the two approaches of observation?

answer

Passive/invisible and Active/visible

question

What are the elements used in the Observation technique?

answer

::Prepare for Observation ::Observe ::Post Observation Wrap-up

question

During the actual observation what does the observer do?

answer

,::Reassures the user that their work is not being questioned :: Informs the user that the observer is present only to study their processes :: Explains to the user that they may stop the observation process at any time if they believe that it is interfering with their work :: Suggests to the user that they may "think aloud" while they are working as a way to share their intentions, challenges, and concerns ::takes detailed notes and asks questions

question

What are the advantages of the Observation technique?

answer

::Provides realistic and practical insight into the business ::Elicits details of informal communication and ways people actually work around the system that

question

What are the disadvantages of the Observation technique?

answer

::Only possible for existing processes :: time-consuming :: May be disruptive :: May not well work if the current process is not easily observable.

question

What is the purpose of the Organizational Modeling technique?

answer

Organization Modeling is used to describe the roles, responsibilities and reporting structures that exist within an organization and to align those structures with the organization's goals

question

An organizational model defines what?

answer

How an organization or organizational unit is structured

question

What do organizational units do?

answer

Organizational units bring together a group of people to fulfill a common purpose or goal

question

What does the organizational model describe about organizational structure?

answer

::the scope of the organizational unit ::the formal relationships between the people who are members of that unit ::the roles those people fill ::the interfaces between that unit and other units or stakeholders

question

What are the elements of the Organizational Modeling technique?

answer

There are 4: ::Organizational Purpose and Structure ::Roles ::Interfaces ::Org Charts

question

What are the three facets of Organizational Purpose and Structure?

answer

::Functions ::Market ::Matrix

question

Functionally-oriented organizations group together staff based on what?

answer

shared skills or areas of expertise.

question

Functionally-oriented organizations facilitate cost management and reduce duplication of work

answer

but are prone to develop what?,communication and cross-functional co-ordination problems (known informally as "silos").

question

A "market-oriented" organization may be organized around

answer

::customer groups ::geographical areas ::projects ::processes

question

Work packages and communication comprise what between organizational units?

answer

Interfaces

question

What are the three main things that org charts display?

answer

::Org Units ::Relationships ::Roles and People

question

What are the advantages of the Organizational Modeling technique?

answer

Organizational models are one of the few types of models any organization is almost certain to have defined.

question

What are the disadvantages of the Organizational Modeling technique?

answer

::Organizational redesigns are likely to be highly contentious and require significant executive support in order to be successful. ::Informal lines of authority and communication that are not reflected in the org chart are almost certain to exist within the organization.

question

What is the purpose of the Problem Solving technique?

answer

Problem tracking provides an organized approach to tracking, management, and resolution of defects, issues, problems, and risks throughout business analysis activities.

question

Problem tracking should lead to what?

answer

::Resolution of problems in a timely manner that eliminate or minimize negative impacts. ::Allocation of resources to resolve problems. ::Identification of root causes of problems.

question

What are the elements used in the Problem Tracking technique?

answer

There are 3: ::Problem Record ::Problem management

question

What types of KPIs are valuable for problem tracking?

answer

::Number of problems by status and priority ::Cycle time for each problem (number of days it took from Date Identified to Resolution Date).

question

What are the advantages of the Problem Tracking technique?

answer

::provides an organized method for tracking and resolving risks, issues and defects ::mechanism to communicate problems across the team ::helps to maintain focus on open problems until they are resolved.

question

What are the disadvantages of the Problem Tracking technique?

answer

::If regular prioritization and management of problems is not done, the list becomes outdated and irrelevant. ::If key team members are not available on a regular basis to discuss the lists of problems and to determine actions to be taken, then progress to resolve them may become very slow to non-existent. ::If there is a strict deadline to deliver the solution, then problem management may become a lower priority. Often, root cause analysis of the problems can take more time and resources than are available.

question

What is the purpose of the Process Modeling technique?

answer

To understand how work that involves multiple roles and departments is performed within an organization

question

A process describes what?

answer

How multiple people or groups collaborate over a period of time to perform work

question

How is a process initiated?

answer

A process is initiated by an event in the business domain

question

What is an event?

answer

Events may be actions taken by a person, rules which cause action to be taken, or simply the passage of a period of time

question

Is a process model always a model of automation?

answer

No. It may be a combination of manual and automation or completely manual.

question

When is a process considered complete?

answer

The process is complete when the objective or the goal of the process is completed.

question

What is a swimlane?

answer

Swimlanes are horizontal or vertical sections of a process model that show which activities are performed by a particular role

question

What are the elements of the Process Modeling technique?

answer

There are 2: ::Notation Elements ::Process Improvement

question

What are three of the common notations used in process modeling?

answer

::Flowcharts ::UML Activity Diagrams ::BPMN

question

What are the key elements commonly found in process models?

answer

::Activities ::Decisions ::Events ::Flow ::Roles ::Swimlanes and Pools ::Terminal Points

question

What is an event in a process model?

answer

Events occur outside the scope of a process and may be the result of actions taken, messages received, or the passage of time. Events may create, interrupt, or terminate processes.

question

What is a pool in a process model?

answer

A pool represents an organizational boundary. It may include a number of swimlanes. Commonly, a process will include one pool for the customer and a second pool for the organization, although it is possible for a process to include any number of pools.

question

Six Sigma and Lean are examples of what?

answer

Process Improvement methodologies

question

What are some common changes made to process in order to improve them?

answer

::Analysis of a process to identify and remove activities that do not add value :: Reduction of the time required to complete a process :: Improving interfaces or handoffs between roles and organizational units :: Reduction or elimination of bottlenecks and backlogs

question

What are the advantages of the Process Modeling technique?

answer

:: stakeholders are comfortable with the basic elements :: effective at showing how to handle a large number of scenarios ::models will be used by business stakeholders for training and co-ordination of activities.

question

What are the disadvantages of the Process Modeling technique?

answer

::can become extremely complex and unwieldy if not structured carefully :: problems in a process cannot always be identified by looking at the model

question

What is the purpose of the Prototyping technique?

answer

Prototyping details user interface requirements and integrates them with other requirements such as use cases, scenarios, data and business rules.

question

Stakeholders use prototyping to do what?

answer

Stakeholders often find prototyping to be a concrete means of identifying, describing and validating their interface needs

question

What are the two types of prototyping categories?

answer

::Functional Scope ::Usage throughout SDLC

question

What is the difference between a horizontal and vertical functional prototype?

answer

A horizontal prototype models a shallow, and possibly wide view of the system's functionality. It typically does not have any business logic running behind the visualization. A vertical prototype models a deep, and usually narrow slice of the entire system's functionality

question

What are the elements of the prototyping technique?

answer

There are 3: ::Prepare for Prototyping ::Prototyping ::Evaluation of Prototyping

question

True or False: A prototype is built in a singular fashion and then reviewed

answer

False. Prototyping is an iterative process

question

What are the other names for Storyboarding?

answer

Dialog Map, Dialog Hierarchy, Navigation Flow

question

What is the difference between a screen prototype and a screen layout?

answer

Screen prototypes provide data attributes, selection criteria and supporting business rules, while a screen layout or mockup provides a graphical representation of the elements. At this detailed level, one would apply any organizational standards or style guides.

question

What are the advantages of the Prototyping technique?

answer

:: Supports users who are more comfortable and effective at articulating their needs by using pictures :: allows for early user interaction and feedback. :: can be an inexpensive means to quickly uncover and confirm a variety of requirements :: vertical prototype can demonstrate what is feasible with existing technology, and where there may be technology gaps :: evolutionary / functional prototype provides a vehicle for designers and developers to learn about the users' interface needs and to evolve system requirements

question

What are the disadvantages of the Prototyping technique?

answer

::can take considerable time if the process gets bogged down by the "how's" rather than "what's" :: Assumptions about the underlying technology may need to be made :: may lead users to develop unrealistic expectations regarding the delivered system's performance, completion date, reliability and usability characteristics :: Users may focus on the design specifications of the solution rather than the requirements

question

What is the purpose of the Requirements Workshop technique?

answer

A requirements workshop is a structured way to capture scope, discover, define, prioritize and reach closure on requirements for the target system.

question

Why is the requirements workshop considered to be a very effective technique?

answer

::promotes trust, mutual understanding, and strong communications among the project stakeholders and project team ::produces deliverables that structure and guide future analysis

question

Why is the role of the business analyst a topic of concern in the requirements workshop?

answer

The BA may serve as the facilitator, scribe or SME and the stakeholders may have concerns that the BA is biased as to the outcome

question

What are the elements of the Requirements Workshop technique?

answer

There are 3: ::Prepare for Workshop ::Conduct Workshop ::Post Workshop Wrap-up

question

What is the role of the facilitator in the requirements workshop?

answer

::Establish a professional and objective tone for the meeting ::Introduce the goals and agenda for the meeting ::Enforce discipline, structure and ground rules for the meeting ::Manage the meeting and keep the team on track. :: Facilitate a process for decision-making and build consensus, but avoid participating in the content of the discussion. ::Ensure that all stakeholders participate and have their input heard ::Ask the right questions. This includes analyzing the information being provided, and following up with probing questions, if necessary.

question

What is the role of the scribe in the requirements workshop?

answer

To document the requirements in the format determined prior to the workshop and keep track of any items or issues that are deferred during the session itself.

question

What are the advantages of the Requirements Workshop technique?

answer

:: can be a means to elicit detailed requirements in a relatively short period of time :: provides a means for stakeholders to collaborate, make decisions and gain a mutual understanding of requirements :: costs are often lower :: enables the participants to work together to reach consensus. :: feedback is immediate

question

What are the disadvantages of the Requirements Workshop technique?

answer

::Stakeholder availability may make it difficult to schedule :: success of the requirements workshop is highly dependent on the expertise of the facilitator and knowledge of the participants :: too many participants can slow down the workshop process.

question

What is the purpose of the Risk Analysis technique?

answer

To identify and manage areas of uncertainty that can impact an initiative, solution, or organization

question

A risk describes what?

answer

An uncertain event or occurrence that may have an effect on the ability of the business analyst, project team, or organization to achieve an objective.

question

What are the elements of the Risk Analysis technique?

answer

There are 3: ::Risk Tolerance ::Assessment ::Response

question

What is risk tolerance?

answer

How much risk an organization can effectively deal with

question

What are the three categories of risk tolerance?

answer

::Risk Aversion ::Neutrality ::Risk Seeking

question

Risk aversion seeks to do what?

answer

Reduce or avoid risk in trade-off for reduction in potential benefits in return for a more certain outcome

question

A neutral approach to risk means that the probable benefits gained from the risk response must be what?

answer

Must equal to or outweigh the costs in order to justify action

question

A risk-seeking organization or individual is one that do what with regard to risk?

answer

Accept relatively high risks in order to maximize the potential benefit. Risk-seekers may accept low chances of success

question

Assessment of risk involves what?

answer

Determining the probability that the risk will occur and the impact if it does occur

question

Risk response strategies determine what?

answer

How the organization will deal with a risk

question

What are the strategies to respond to negative risk?

answer

::Acceptance ::Transfer ::Avoidance ::Mitigation

question

What are the strategies to respond to positive risk?

answer

::Acceptance ::Share ::Enhance ::Exploit

question

What are the advantages of the Risk Analysis technique?

answer

Enables an organization to prepare for the likelihood that at least some things will not go as planned

question

What are the disadvantages of the Risk Analysis technique?

answer

It may only be possible to manage a subset of potential risks.

question

What is the purpose of the Root Cause Analysis technique?

answer

The purpose of root cause analysis is to determine the underlying source of a problem

question

What is root cause analysis?

answer

Root cause analysis is a structured examination of the aspects of a situation to establish the root causes and resulting effects of the problem

question

What is the critical element of effective root cause analysis?

answer

A challenge to current organizational thinking and processes

question

What are the elements of Root Cause Analysis?

answer

::Fishbone Diagram ::Five Whys

question

The fishbone diagram is also known as what two other names?

answer

Ishikawa or cause-and-effect diagram

question

A fishbone diagram is used to do what?

answer

Identify and organize the possible causes of a problem

question

What is the five whys?

answer

A question-asking process to explore the nature and cause of a problem by repeatedly asking questions in an attempt to get to the root cause of the problem

question

What are the advantages of the Root Cause Analysis technique?

answer

Root cause analysis provides a structured method to identify the root causes of identified problems, thus ensuring a complete understanding of the problem under review

question

What are the disadvantages of the Root Cause Analysis technique?

answer

Root cause analysis works best when someone who has formal training or extensive experience facilitates a team of experts. The primary concern revolves around the ability of the facilitator to remain objective, a critical element to effective root cause analysis.

question

What is the purpose of the Scenarios and Use Case technique?

answer

Scenarios and use cases are written to describe how an actor interacts with a solution to accomplish one or more of that actor's goals, or to respond to an event

question

What is the difference between a scenario and a use case?

answer

A scenario is generally understood to describe just one way that an actor can accomplish a particular goal, while a use case describes all the possible outcomes

question

Scenarios are written as what?

answer

A series of steps performed by actors or by the solution that enable an actor to achieve a goal

question

A use case describes what?

answer

Several scenarios in the form of primary and alternate flows

question

What are the elements of the Scenarios and Use Case technique?

answer

There are 6: ::Name ::Actor ::Preconditions ::Flow of Events ::Post-conditions ::Relationships

question

The name of the actor represents what?

answer

The role tha actor plays interfacing with the system

question

What is the definition of a precondition?

answer

A precondition is any fact that the solution can assume to be true when the use case begins

question

What is the definition of a post-condition?

answer

Any fact that must be true when the use case is complete. The post conditions must be true for all possible flows through the use case

question

Relationships between actors and use cases are called what?

answer

Associations. An association line only indicates that an actor has access (of some kind) to the functionality represented by the use case

question

Relationships between use cases are known as what?

answer

Stereotypes.

question

What are the two common types of stereotypes?

answer

Includes and extends

question

This type of relationship is known as what? ....allows for the base use case to make use of functionality present in another use case

answer

Includes

question

This type of relationship is known as what? ....allows for the insertion of additional behavior into a use case

answer

Extends

question

The use case that is being extended must be what?

answer

completely functional in its own right

question

The extending use case does not need to be what?

answer

complete without reference to the base use case

question

The Includes relationship is most often used when?

answer

When some shared functionality is required by several use cases

question

What are the advantages of the Scenarios and Use Case technique?

answer

Good at clarifying scope and providing a high-level understanding of user behavioral goals, normal situations, alternatives or exception paths through an activity or business process

question

What are the disadvantages of the Scenarios and Use Case technique?

answer

:: business analysts are frequently tempted to describe most or all system behavior using use cases :: there is frequently a temptation to use them to capture all requirements

question

What is the purpose of the Scope Modeling technique?

answer

Scope models are used to describe the scope of analysis or the scope of a solution

question

Scope models serve as what?

answer

A basis for defining and delimiting the scope of business analysis and project work

question

What are the elements of the Scope Modeling technique?

answer

There are 5: ::Context Diagram ::Events ::Features ::Use Case Diagram ::Business Process

question

What does a context diagram do?

answer

It uses a single data process to describe the scope and shows the external entities and data stores that provide data to and receive data from the system

question

What is the difference between and external event and a temporal event?

answer

::External events happen in an External Entity. They are external to the boundaries of the system being studied (a customer makes a request, a partner sends a message). ::Temporal events are driven by time (e.g. monthly or annual reports). The time is deter¬mined by time-related business rules (e.g. produce this report at the end of every day, or prepare a tax return at the end of each tax period).

question

What is the definition of a feature?

answer

A feature is a service that the solution provides to fulfill one or more stakeholder needs.

question

What are the advantages of the Scope Modeling technique?

answer

A scope model will make it easier to determine what should be in and out of scope for a solution, even when new requirements are identified or requirements change.

question

What are the disadvantages of the Scope Modeling technique?

answer

A scope model will usually leave much of the detailed scope still needing to be investigated and detailed

question

What is the purpose of the Sequence Diagram technique?

answer

Sequence diagrams are used to model the logic of usage scenarios, by showing the information passed between objects in the system through the execution of the scenario.

question

A sequence diagram shows what?

answer

::how classes and objects interact during a scenario. ::how objects used in the scenario interact but not how they are related to one another ::how user interface components or software components interact :: the stimuli flowing between objects

question

What is a stimulus?

answer

A message and the arrival of the stimulus at the object is called an event

question

How are messages depicted in a sequence diagram?

answer

A message is shown as an arrow pointing from the lifeline of the object sending the message to the lifeline of the object receiving it

question

What is message flow?

answer

It describes the types of messages sent between objects

question

What are the two types of message flow?

answer

Procedural and Asynchronous

question

What is the difference between Procedural and Asynchronous message flow?

answer

::Procedural Flow transfers to the receiving object. The sender cannot act until a return message is received ::Asynchronous Flow (also known as a signal) allows the object to continue with its own processing after sending the signal. The object may send many signals simultaneously, but may only accept one signal at a time.

question

Sequence diagrams are used to validate what other type of diagrams?

answer

Class Diagrams against Use Case Diagrams

question

What are the disadvantages of the Sequence Diagram technique?

answer

::must be defined for each possible scenario :: requires a fully defined class model

question

What is the purpose of the State Diagram technique?

answer

A state diagram shows how the behavior of a concept, entity or object changes in response to events

question

A state diagram specifies what?

answer

A sequence of states that an object goes through during its lifetime, and defines which events cause a transition between those states

question

Current state of an object controls what?

answer

The object's allowable behavior

question

What are the other names of a State Diagram?

answer

State Machine Diagram, State Transition Diagram, and Entity Life Cycle Diagram

question

What are the elements of the State Diagram technique?

answer

States and Transitions

question

A state represents what?

answer

A unique condition that an object can be in or status that it may have

question

What defines the meaning of the state?

answer

The meaning of state is definable within the context of the business area being analyzed

question

A transition represents what?

answer

Dynamic behavior that moves an item from one state to another.

question

Transitions are triggered by what?

answer

::activities completed ::events ::other stimuli

question

An event may only cause a transition when?

answer

If the object is affected by the event in its current state.

question

What are the advantages of the State Diagram technique?

answer

Helping Domain SMEs list and describe the states and then draw the allowable transitions between states often uncovers missing data, control and behavioral requirements and may be helpful to clarify confusing or even conflicting requirements

question

What are the disadvantages of the State Diagram technique?

answer

There may be actual states an object goes through as part of its life cycle that do not have relevance to the domain and these should not be modeled

question

What is the purpose of the Structured Walkthrough technique?

answer

Structured walkthroughs are performed to communicate, verify and validate requirements.

question

What is a structured walkthrough?

answer

A structured walkthrough is a working session where invited participants review and discuss a set of requirements

question

A walkthrough may result in what?

answer

Revised requirements as well as issues that require investigation

question

What is the difference between a structured walkthrough and an inspection?

answer

The inspection is more formal and uses checklists and other tools

question

What are the elements of the Structured Walkthrough technique?

answer

There are 3: ::Prerequisites ::Process ::Rules to Followed During the Review

question

There are five prerequisites to the structured walkthrough. What are they?

answer

::A complete requirements package ::A List of appropriate reviewers ::A meeting vehicle ::Compile Notes and results of Review ::Re-Review

question

There are three facets of the Process element of a structured walkthrough. What are they?

answer

::Review Scope ::Organize and Schedule review ::Conduct the Review

question

What is the deliverable of the structured walkthrough session?

answer

The deliverable of a structured walkthrough is a list of questions, comments, concerns, and suggestions that are compiled during the working session

question

What are the advantages of the structured walkthrough technique?

answer

::Promotes discussion of the requirements among stakeholders ::Effective at identifying possible ambiguities and areas of misunderstanding.

question

What are the disadvantages of the structured walkthrough technique?

answer

Review sessions can lead to repeated revisions if changes are not carefully managed. The length of the revision and review cycle can result in a lengthy approval process.

question

What is the purpose of the Survey/Questionnaire technique?

answer

A survey is a means of eliciting information from many people, sometimes anonymously, in a relatively short period of time

question

A survey can collect information about what?

answer

customers, products, work practices and attitudes

question

There are two types of surveys. What are they?

answer

Open-ended and closed

question

In a closed survey

answer

what happens?,The respondent is asked to select from available responses

question

When are closed surveys used?

answer

When the range of user's responses is fairly well understood, but the strength of each response category needs to be determined.

question

Why are responses to closed questions are easier to analyze than those gained from open-ended questions?

answer

Because they can be tied to numerical coefficients.

question

What happens in open-ended surveys?

answer

The respondent is free to answer the questions as they wish

question

When are open-ended surveys used?

answer

When the issues are known but the range of user responses to them is not

question

What are the elements of the Survey/Questionnaire technique?

answer

There are 3: ::Prepare ::Distribute ::Document Results

question

A survey requires detailed preparation to ensure what?

answer

The needed information is obtained while minimizing the respondent's time to complete it.

question

There are several components to survey preparation. What are they?

answer

::Define the purpose and the target survey group ::Choose appropriate survey type ::Select sample group ::Select distribution and collection methods ::Project desired level of response ::Determine if survey should be supported with interviews ::Write survey questions :: Test Survey

question

Initial steps of a survey are the same as for an interview keeping in mind that semi-structured interviews are similar to what other technique?

answer

open-ended surveys.

question

Initial steps of a survey are the same as for an interview (9.14)

answer

keeping in mind that structured interviews are similar to what other technique?,closed-ended surveys

question

Distribution of a survey should take in account what?

answer

::Organizational policies ::Urgency of obtaining the results ::Level of security required ::Geographic distribution of the respondents

question

What are the advantages of the Survey/Questionnaire technique?

answer

::When using closed-ended questions, surveys can be effective for obtaining quantitative data for use in statistical analysis. ::When using open-ended questions, survey results may yield insights and opinions not easily obtainable through other elicitation techniques ::Does not typically require significant time from the responders. :: Effective and efficient when stakeholders are not located in one location ::May result in large number of responses ::Quick and relatively inexpensive to administer

question

What are the disadvantages of the Survey/Questionnaire technique?

answer

::Use of open-ended questions requires more analysis ::To achieve unbiased results, specialized skills in statistical sampling methods are needed when the decision has been made to survey a subset of potential respondents. ::Some questions may be left unanswered or answered incorrectly due to their ambiguous nature ::May require follow up questions or more survey iterations depending on the answers provided ::Not well suited for collecting information on actual behaviors ::The response rates for surveys are often too low for statistical significance. The use of incentives or enforcement means may be used to alleviate this.

question

What is the purpose of the SWOT Analysis technique?

answer

A SWOT analysis is a valuable tool to quickly analyze various aspects of the current state of the business process undergoing change

question

SWOT is an acronym for what?

answer

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

question

SWOT analysis is a framework for what?

answer

::strategic planning ::opportunity analysis ::competitive analysis ::business and product development.

question

In SWOT Analysis a strength is what?

answer

Anything that the assessed group does well

question

In SWOT Analysis a weakness is what?

answer

Those things that the assessed group does poorly or not at all. Weaknesses are also internal.

question

In SWOT Analysis an opportunity is what?

answer

External factors that the assessed group may be able to take advantage of.

question

In SWOT Analysis a threat is what?

answer

External factors that can negatively affect the assessed group

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What are the advantages of the SWOT Analysis technique?

answer

Helps to quickly analyze various aspects of the current state of the organization and its environment prior to identifying potential solution options

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What are the disadvantages of the SWOT Analysis technique?

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Very high-level view; more detailed analysis is almost always needed

question

What is the purpose of User Stories technique?

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User Stories are a brief description of functionality that users need from a solution to meet a business objective.

question

A user story is a what?

answer

A textual description of things that the solution needs to allow users to do

question

User stories are typically a sentence or two that describes what?

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::who uses the story ::the goal they are trying to accomplish ::any additional information that may be critical to understanding the scope of the story

question

A user story includes what three things?

answer

::Actor ::Description ::Benefit

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A user story should have defined what?

answer

Acceptance and Evaluation criteria

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What are the advantages of the User Stories technique?

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:: create an environment of customer ownership of features and prioritizations in an incremental, iterative development environment ::may eliminate the need to provide functional requirements in some environments ::require that the value delivered by the story be clearly articulated

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What are the disadvantages of the User Stories technique?

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::may not be the best technique for some environments with regulatory restrictions or when an organization mandates documentation ::may not be effective when participants are not co-located ::does not explicitly address how to document non-functional requirements.

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What is the purpose of the Vendor Assessment technique?

answer

To assess the ability of a potential vendor to meet commitments regarding a product or service.

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Service levels expected of a third party can be defined in this technique using what?

answer

Non-functional requirements

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What are the elements of the Vendor Assessment technique?

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There are 6: ::Knowledge and Expertise ::Licensing and Pricing Models ::Product Reputation and Market Position ::Terms and Conditions ::Vendor Experience and Reputation ::Vendor Stability

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What is a common reason for using third-party vendors?

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They can provide knowledge and expertise not available within the organization

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Why should the analyst review the terms and condition of the vendor third party?

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To evaluate whether the vendor's licensing terms and technology infrastructure are likely to present challenges

question

What are the advantages of the Vendor Assessment technique?

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::reduces the risk of the organization developing a relationship with an unsuitable vendor ::likely to improve long-term satisfaction with the decision.

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