Free BCS PC-BA-FBA-20 Practice Exam with Questions & Answers

Aprocess modelis a visual representation of a business process or workflow, showing how activities are performed and how they relate to one another. It is commonly used in business analysis to understand, analyze, and improve processes.

Key Characteristics of a Process Model:

Graphical Representation:Process models visually depict workflows and subprocesses, making them easier to understand.

Cost Differences:Cost analysis is not the primary purpose of a process model.

Job Descriptions:Process models focus on workflows, not individual job roles.

Software Features:Informal descriptions of software features are unrelated to process modeling.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. A graphical representation of a business process or workflow and its related sub-processes:This accurately describes the purpose and nature of a process model.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

B. The cost differences between how a customer currently does something and how they would like to do something:Cost differences are analyzed separately and are not part of process modeling.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. The detailed job description of the work to be performed by an individual:Job descriptions are documented separately and are not part of process modeling.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. An informal, detailed, description of a software system feature derived from an end user's perspective:This describes user stories or feature descriptions, not process models.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Gap analysisis a structured process used to identify the differences between the current state (as-is) and the desired future state (to-be). The first step in this process involves understanding the current situation.

Key Steps in Gap Analysis:

Assemble representations of the existing situation:This involves documenting the current state, including processes, systems, and capabilities.

Compare representations of the existing and target situations:After understanding the current state, it is compared with the desired future state to identify gaps.

Identify gaps to be addressed:Once gaps are identified, they are prioritized based on their impact and feasibility.

Consider possible actions to address the gaps:Finally, potential solutions or actions are developed to bridge the identified gaps.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Assemble representations of existing situation:Understanding the current state is the foundational step in gap analysis. Without this, there isno baseline for comparison.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

B. Consider possible actions to address the gaps:This is a later step in the process, not the first.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. Compare representations of the existing and target situations:Comparison occurs after the current state has been documented.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. Identify gaps to be addressed:Identifying gaps follows the documentation and comparison steps.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Final Recommendation:

The first step in the gap analysis process is:A. Assemble representations of existing situation.

To determine the best source of information for Natasha to understand how Halliday Holdings' brand is perceived, we need to evaluate the options based on their relevance and objectivity.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Independent industry websites:Independent industry websites often provide unbiased insights into how a company's brand is perceived by customers, competitors, and the market. These sources aggregate reviews, ratings, and expert opinions, making them a valuable resource for understanding external perceptions.Conclusion:This is thebest source.

B. The company website:The company website reflects the organization's internal perspective and branding efforts. While useful for understanding how the company presents itself, it does not provide an external view of brand perception.Conclusion:This isnot the best source.

C. The company's organizational structure:The organizational structure provides insights into the company's internal hierarchy and operations but does not relate to external brand perception.Conclusion:This isnot relevant.

D. The company's complaints procedures:Complaints procedures reflect internal processes for handling customer issues but do not provide a comprehensive view of overall brand perception.Conclusion:This isnot the best source.

TheBusiness Change Lifecycleencompasses multiple stages, including alignment, analysis, design, implementation, and realisation. The role of abusiness analyst (BA)is versatile and can span across all these stages, depending on the project's needs.

Key Considerations:

Involvement Across All Stages:A business analyst can contribute to every stage of the lifecycle, from identifying business needs during alignment to ensuring benefits realization post-implementation.

Implementation Focus:While BAs are often heavily involved in implementation, their role is not limited to this stage.

Realisation Stage:BAs may also be involved in the realisation stage to validate that the intended benefits have been achieved.

Alignment Stage:Business analysis plays a critical role in aligning project objectives with organizational goals.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. A business analyst can be involved at every stage in the lifecycle:This is true; BAs can contribute across all stages of the lifecycle.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

B. The business analyst is involved more heavily during the implementation stage of the lifecycle than any other stage:While BAs are often active during implementation, their involvement is not restricted to this stage.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. The business analyst would not be involved in the realisation stage of the lifecycle:BAs can play a role in validating benefits realization, so this statement is false.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. Business analysis does not take place in the alignment stage of a business change:Alignment involves understanding business needs and objectives, which is a core BA responsibility.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Ause case diagramis a visual representation of how users (or systems) interact with a system to achieve specific goals.Actorsrepresent the entities (e.g., users or external systems) that expect to receive services from the system.

Key Elements of a Use Case Diagram:

Actors:Represent individuals or systems that interact with the system to achieve a goal.

System Boundaries:Define the scope of the system being modeled.

Users:While "users" may seem similar to actors, the term "actors" is the correct technical term in use case diagrams.

Entities:Entities typically refer to data objects or components, not those receiving services.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Actors:Actors are the correct element used to indicate those who expect to receive a service from the system.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

B. System boundaries:System boundaries define the scope of the system but do not represent those receiving services.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. Users:While users may interact with the system, the correct term in use case diagrams is "actors."Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. Entities:Entities represent data objects or components, not those receiving services.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Abusiness process modelusesswimlanesto represent different roles, departments, or systems involved in a process. Hand-offs occur when responsibility for a task is transferred from one role or department to another.

Key Considerations:

Process Flow Lines Crossing Each Other:Crossing lines do not indicate hand-offs; they simply show the sequence of tasks.

Decision Point:A decision point represents a choice or branching in the process, not a transfer of responsibility.

Task Spanning Multiple Swimlanes:A single task spanning multiple swimlanes is uncommon and does not represent a hand-off.

Process Flow Crossing Swimlanes:When a process flow crosses from one swimlane to another, it indicates that responsibility for the task has been handed off to a different role or department.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. By process flow lines crossing each other:Crossing lines are unrelated to hand-offs and may simply indicate parallel tasks.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

B. By a decision point:Decision points represent choices or conditions, not transfers of responsibility.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. By a task spanning multiple swimlanes:Tasks typically belong to a single swimlane, so this is not a valid representation of hand-offs.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. By the process flow crossing from one swimlane to another:This accurately represents a hand-off, as it shows the transfer of responsibility between roles or departments.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

Final Recommendation:

Hand-offs are represented:D. By the process flow crossing from one swimlane to another.

Agile requirements validationensures that requirements are clear, feasible, and actionable before they are implemented in an iteration. This aligns with Agile principles of delivering value incrementally and avoiding waste.

Key Considerations:

Accurate Estimation for Sprint Planning:While estimation is important, it is not the primary purpose of requirements validation.

Correctness of Backlog Items:Ensuring correctness is part of validation but applies to all backlog items, not just those allocated to an iteration.

Testing Requirements:Testing occurs during or after development, not as part of validation.

Readiness for Development:Validation ensures that requirements are well-defined, understood, and feasible before they are developed.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. To ensure estimation for sprint planning is accurate:Estimation accuracy is important but not the primary purpose of validation.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

B. To ensure any requirements added to the backlog are correct:Correctness applies to all backlog items, not just those allocated to an iteration.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. To ensure that requirements allocated to an iteration have been tested:Testing occurs after development, not during validation.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. To ensure any requirements allocated to an iteration are ready to be developed:This is the primary purpose of Agile requirements validation—to ensure requirements are clear, actionable, and feasible before development begins.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

Final Recommendation:

The purpose of Agile requirements validation is:D. To ensure any requirements allocated to an iteration are ready to be developed.

 Amission statementdefines the organization's purpose and primary objectives, often focusing on what the organization does and how it operates in the present. In contrast, avision statementoutlines the long-term aspirations of the organization—what it aims to become in the future. The mission provided—"To meet or undercut all our competitors' prices"—is focused on price competitiveness, which is a tactical approach rather than a strategic aspiration.

Let’s analyze each option:

A. To offer the best value office fitting service:While this aligns somewhat with the mission, it is more of a value proposition or operational goal rather than a visionary statement. It lacks the aspirational and long-term focus that defines a vision.

B. To reduce the cost of office fitting by 5%:This is a specific, measurable objective, but it is too narrow and tactical to qualify as a vision. Visions are broader and not tied to specific metrics.

C. To increase the company's market share:Increasing market share is a strategic goal, but it is still an intermediate step toward achieving something greater. It does not capture the overarching ambition of the company.

D. To be the premier office fitting company:This option reflects a long-term aspiration and aligns with the characteristics of a vision statement. It expresses the desire to achieve leadership and excellence in the industry, which is consistent with the mission of being competitive on price while aiming for a higher status.

According to theBCS Business Analysis Framework, a vision statement should inspire and guide the organization toward its ultimate goal. Therefore,Dis the most appropriate choice.

Design thinkingis a human-centered, iterative approach used to uncover innovative solutions by focusing on user needs and exploring multiple possibilities. It emphasizes creativity, collaboration, and experimentation.

Key Characteristics of Techniques:

Design Thinking:Uses an iterative process (empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test) to generate innovative options.

Fishbone Diagram:A root cause analysis tool, not focused on innovation.

Rich Pictures:A visual representation of a situation, useful for understanding context but not for generating innovative options.

Mind Maps:A brainstorming tool that organizes ideas hierarchically, but it does not inherently follow an iterative approach.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Design thinking:Design thinking explicitly uses an iterative approach to uncover innovative options.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

B. Fishbone diagram:Fishbone diagrams focus on identifying root causes, not innovation.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. Rich pictures:Rich pictures visualize complex situations but do not inherently foster innovation.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. Mind maps:Mind maps organize ideas but do not follow an iterative, innovative process like design thinking.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Final Recommendation:

The technique that uses an iterative approach to uncover innovative options is:A. Design thinking.

Gap analysisidentifies the differences between the current state and the desired future state. To ensure a holistic view, a comprehensive framework likePOPIT™(People, Organization, Process, Information, Technology) is useful.

Key Considerations:

Payback Analysis:Focuses on financial returns and does not provide a holistic view.

POPIT™:Analyzes gaps across multiple dimensions (people, organization, process, information, technology), ensuring a comprehensive perspective.

Boston Box:Evaluates market positioning of products or services, not gaps in organizational capabilities.

PESTLE:Analyzes external environmental factors but does not focus on internal gaps.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Payback analysis:Payback analysis focuses on financial metrics and does not address holistic gap analysis.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

B. POPIT™:POPIT™ ensures a holistic view by analyzing gaps across people, organization, process, information, and technology.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

C. Boston box:The Boston box evaluates product portfolios, not organizational gaps.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. PESTLE:PESTLE analyzes external factors and does not focus on internal gaps.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Final Recommendation:

The technique useful for ensuring a holistic view in gap analysis is:B. POPIT™.