IIBA Updated CBAP Exam Questions and Answers by aura

A balanced scorecard is a technique that helps to measure the performance of an organization or a change strategy using four perspectives: financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth. A balanced scorecard helps to align the strategic objectives of the organization with the operational activities and the metrics that indicate the progress and success of the change. A balanced scorecard also helps to communicate the vision and goals of the change to the stakeholders and to monitor and evaluate the results. A decision modeling is a technique that helps to analyze and compare the possible outcomes of different courses of action using criteria such as costs, benefits, risks, and impacts. A financial analysis is a technique that helps to assess the feasibility and viability of a change initiative using quantitative measures such as return on investment, net present value, payback period, and break-even point. A business case is a technique that helps to justify the need for a change and to provide the rationale and evidence for selecting a preferred solution. A business case typically includes the problem or opportunity statement, the objectives and scope of the change, the alternatives and their evaluation, the recommended solution and its benefits, costs, risks, and impacts, and the implementation plan and timeline. References: BABOK Guide v3, Chapter 10: Techniques, Section 10.4: Balanced Scorecard, p. 496-497; Section 10.9: Business Case, p. 506-508; Section 10.16: Decision Modelling, p. 518-520; Section 10.23: Financial Analysis, p. 529-531.

 A focus group is a technique that helps to elicit the opinions, preferences, and feedback of a group of stakeholders about a specific topic, such as a prototype of a new web-based application. A focus group is facilitated by a moderator who guides the discussion and encourages the participants to share their views and experiences. A focus group can help the BA to understand the stakeholders’ perception, ideas, and attitudes about the prototypes, and to identify any issues, gaps, or improvements. A decision analysis is a technique that helps to evaluate and compare the possible outcomes of different alternatives using criteria such as costs, benefits, risks, and impacts. A decision analysis can help the BA to select the best solution option, but it does not elicit the stakeholders’ perception, ideas, and attitudes about the prototypes. A prioritization is a technique that helps to rank the requirements or solution options based on their relative importance, urgency, value, or dependency. A prioritization can help the BA to determine the optimal scope and sequence of the solution delivery, but it does not elicit the stakeholders’ perception, ideas, and attitudes about the prototypes. A brainstorming is a technique that helps to generate a large number of ideas or solutions in a short time by encouraging the participants to think creatively and freely. A brainstorming can help the BA to explore different possibilities and perspectives, but it does not elicit the stakeholders’ perception, ideas, and attitudes about the prototypes. References: BABOK Guide v3, Chapter 10: Techniques, Section 10.24: Focus Groups, p. 532-533; Section 10.16: Decision Analysis, p. 518-520; Section 10.38: Prioritization, p. 550-552; Section 10.7: Brainstorming, p. 503-504.

The company’s response to the vendor’s request is to deny it because of the company’s risk aversion. Risk aversion is the tendency to avoid or minimize exposure to uncertain or potentially negative outcomes. A conservative company with rigorous risk control plans and internal audit rules would be highly risk-averse and would not grant remote access to quality and production data to an external vendor, even if the vendor provides routine maintenance for the core business application. Remote access could pose security, privacy, and compliance risks for the company and its data, and the company would prefer to restrict and control the access and maintenance to be on-site. The company would not accept the vendor’s request, even if the company has an urgent problem to solve or if the immediate remote access could resolve the issue, because the company would prioritize risk mitigation over convenience or efficiency. References:

CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Chapter 7: Solution Evaluation, Section 7.2: Analyze Performance Measures, p. 311-312

A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), Version 3, Chapter 7: Solution Evaluation, Section 7.2: Analyze Performance Measures, p. 269-270

A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), Version 3, Chapter 10: Solution Evaluation, Section 10.3: Assess Enterprise Limitations, p. 277-278

 The project manager is the stakeholder who is responsible for writing the project scope. The project scope is a document that defines the work that needs to be done to deliver the project, including the objectives, deliverables, milestones, resources, and constraints. The project manager is the person who leads and coordinates the project team, plans and monitors the project activities, manages the project risks and issues, and communicates with the project stakeholders. The project manager works closely with the business analyst, who is responsible for writing the solution scope, which defines the features and functions of the solution that will address the business need. The project manager also consults with the domain subject matter expert, the implementation subject matter expert, and the sponsor, who are stakeholders who provide input, feedback, and approval for the project scope and the solution scope. References:

Project Scope Management: What It is and Why It’s Important, paragraph 2

What is Project Scope? Definition, Example, & Project Scope …, paragraph 1

Project Scope vs. Solution Scope: What’s the Difference?, paragraph 1

[Project Manager vs. Business Analyst: What’s the Difference?], paragraph 1