Certified Business Analysis Professional CBAP Syllabus Exam Questions Answers

The conduct stakeholder analysis task is one of the tasks in the business analysis planning and monitoring knowledge area. According to the BABOK® Guide1, this task involves identifying and analyzing the stakeholders of a change, assessing their attitudes, expectations, influence, and interests regarding the change, and determining the best ways to engage and communicate with them. The purpose of this task is to ensure that the business analysis activities are aligned with the needs and concerns of the stakeholders, and that the stakeholders are appropriately involved and informed throughout the change.

The other options are not accurate descriptions of the conduct stakeholder analysis task, but rather:

• A. This is a partial description of the define business need task, which identifies the business problem or opportunity that requires analysis.
• C. This is a partial description of the assess capability gaps task, which compares the current and future states to identify the gaps that must be addressed by a solution.
• D. This is a vague and incomplete description of the conduct stakeholder analysis task, as it does not mention the analysis, assessment, and engagement aspects of the task.

References:

• CBAP® Handbook, page 15, section 4.1.2.3
• BABOK® Guide, page 32, section 3.2.3
• CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, page 96, section 3.2.3
• How To Create a Stakeholder Analysis (With Example)
• How to Perform a Stakeholder Analysis | Lucidchart

An assumption is something that is believed to be true or certain to happen, without proof. Assumptions are often used to fill in the gaps of incomplete or uncertain information, and they can affect the analysis of the current and future states. In this question, the project manager is assuming that her project team members have a certain skill, without verifying it. This is an example of an assumption that should be identified and validated as part of the assessment of capability gaps.

The other options are not assumptions, but rather:

• B. A constraint, which is a restriction or limitation that affects the performance or outcomes of a project or solution.
• C. A requirement, which is a condition or capability needed by a stakeholder to solve a problem or achieve an objective.
• D. A risk, which is an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on one or more project or solution objectives.

References:

• CBAP® Handbook, page 14, section 4.1.2.2
• BABOK® Guide, page 30, section 3.2.1
• CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, page 94, section 3.2.1

Benchmarking is a business analysis approach that involves comparing one’s own performance, processes, or products with those of other organizations, especially the best performers or industry leaders, to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement. Benchmarking can help business analysts understand the competitive landscape, identify best practices, set realistic goals, and measure progress. In this question, Sally and her business analysis team are using benchmarking to determine what the competition is offering and how they can increase their revenue by remaining competitive. References:

• CBAP® Handbook, page 15, section 4.1.2.3
• BABOK® Guide, page 32, section 3.2.3
• CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, page 96, section 3.2.3
• What is a Competitive Analysis — and How Do You Conduct One?

A plan-driven approach to business analysis is a methodology that focuses on minimizing up-front uncertainty and ensuring that the solution is fully defined before implementation begins in order to maximize control and minimize risk. This approach tends to be preferred in situations where requirements are stable and clear, and where changes are costly and disruptive. Therefore, a plan-driven approach has the most business analysis work at the beginning of the project or during the start of a project phase, as it involves detailed planning, analysis, and documentation of the requirements and the solution. A plan-driven approach also requires formal approval and sign-off of the requirements and the solution before moving to the next phase123. References: 1: How to Choose the Right Business Analysis Approach1 2: Plan driven projects versus change driven2 3: Business Analysis Methodology3