Free BCS PC-BA-FBA-20 Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 2

Value chain analysis examines how an organisation creates value for customers through a set of linked activities. Porter’s value chain separates activities into primary activities and support activities. Primary activities are directly involved in creating, delivering, marketing, and servicing products or services, such as inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, and service. Support activities enable the primary activities to operate effectively, such as procurement, technology development, human resource management, and infrastructure. Activity sampling is an investigation technique, not a value chain category. Stakeholder management concerns engagement with stakeholder groups and does not show operational value creation. The phrase “primary and secondary activities” is not the standard value chain distinction. The correct terminology is primary activities and support activities.

A benefits dependency network shows how business objectives, expected benefits, enabling business changes, and supporting outputs are connected. It helps analysts and stakeholders understand how a proposed change is expected to create value. The technique is useful because benefits are rarely achieved simply by delivering a system or product; they depend on business changes such as process redesign, behaviour change, training, new roles, or organisational adoption. Option B is too narrow because a benefits dependency network is not merely a stakeholder-benefit list. Option C describes cost breakdown, not benefit dependency. Option D describes requirements traceability, which is a different requirements management technique. The correct description is an overall representation linking objectives, benefits, and the business changes needed to realise those benefits.

The BCS Business Change Lifecycle (which governs the entire change process from initial alignment to final benefit verification) typically comprises five key stages: Alignment, Definition, Design, Implementation, and Realisation. Realisation is the final, crucial stage where the actual benefits and expected business outcomes from the implemented solution are reviewed, measured, and confirmed against the original Business Case. Options A, B, and C are important activities or concepts that occur within the lifecycle but are not one of the five named stages of the complete end-to-end lifecycle model.

(Reference: BCS Business Analysis Practice – Business Change Lifecycle)

Gap analysis is a technique for comparing the current state of the business ( ' As Is ' ) with the desired future state ( ' To Be ' ) to identify what is missing and what needs to change. The logical first step is to establish the current starting point. Therefore, the process begins by:

Assemble representations of existing situation (The ' As Is ' model). This involves investigating and documenting the current processes, organisation, people, information, and technology (POPIT).

Assemble representations of target or desired situation (The ' To Be ' model).

Identify gaps to be addressed (The difference between As Is and To Be).

Consider possible actions to address the gaps (Developing the recommendations).

(Reference: BCS Business Analysis Practice – Gap Analysis)

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A process that is " well designed " (optimally structured, free from unnecessary steps) implies that issues like Redundancy (B), Lack of standardisation (C), and Duplication (D) have been eliminated or minimised through effective process design (i.e., making it lean and efficient). However, even a perfectly designed process will fail to achieve its objectives if the necessary resources are not available to execute it. Insufficient resources (such as people, funding, equipment, or time) represent a constraint on the execution, leading to bottlenecks, delays, and a failure to meet performance targets, regardless of the quality of the process design itself. This is often an implementation or operational management issue, not a design flaw.

(Reference: BCS Business Analysis Practice – Process Improvement)

A RACI chart (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) is a tool used to clarify roles and responsibilities in a project or process. Each role in the chart has a specific meaning:

Key Definitions:

Responsible: The person or role responsible for performing the task or completing the work.

Accountable: The person ultimately answerable for the task ' s completion and outcomes.

Consulted: Individuals or roles who provide input or expertise before decisions are made or tasks are completed.

Informed: Individuals or roles who need to be kept updated on progress or outcomes.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Responsible: The " Responsible " role is assigned to the person or team performing the task. Conclusion: This is correct .

B. Accountable: The " Accountable " role ensures the task is completed but does not necessarily perform the task. Conclusion: This is not correct .

C. Consulted: The " Consulted " role provides input or advice but does not perform the task. Conclusion: This is not correct .

D. Informed: The " Informed " role receives updates but is not involved in task execution. Conclusion: This is not correct .

Final Recommendation:

The category assigned to the role or person performing the task is:

A. Responsible.

To identify the categories of costs and benefits described in the extract, we need to analyze the content carefully:

Extract Analysis:

" New business policies and processes will be introduced, which may temporarily reduce productivity " :

This refers to a cost associated with implementing new policies and processes.

Productivity is an intangible factor because it cannot be directly measured in monetary terms.

Category: Intangible costs .

" It will ensure our products remain in the marketplace and be the first to receive compliance certification, which will enhance our reputation as the market leader " :

This refers to a benefit related to maintaining market presence, achieving compliance, and enhancing reputation.

Reputation and market leadership are intangible factors because they are qualitative and not directly quantifiable in monetary terms.

Category: Intangible benefits .

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Tangible costs: Tangible costs are measurable financial expenses (e.g., equipment, labor). The extract does not mention any specific financial costs. Conclusion: This is not relevant .

B. Intangible costs: The temporary reduction in productivity is an intangible cost. Conclusion: This is relevant .

C. Tangible benefits: Tangible benefits are measurable financial gains (e.g., increased revenue). The extract does not mention any specific financial benefits. Conclusion: This is not relevant .

D. Intangible benefits: Enhanced reputation and market leadership are intangible benefits. Conclusion: This is relevant .

E. Irregular costs: Irregular costs refer to one-time or infrequent expenses. The extract does not describe such costs. Conclusion: This is not relevant .

The Stakeholder Wheel (or Stakeholder Interest Groupings) is a model used to categorize stakeholders in the strategic analysis phase, particularly for external environment analysis. This technique groups stakeholders based on their primary relationship to the organisation. The key groups included in the stakeholder wheel are Suppliers, Customers, Competitors, Partners, Owners (Shareholders), Regulators/Government, Media, and Employees/Trade Unions. Based on the options provided, the group that contains three valid, distinct categories from this standard model is Regulators, Auditors, Owners. While ' Auditors ' can be considered part of the ' Regulators ' or ' Owners ' (depending on their role), and ' Owners ' are often Shareholders, this option best reflects the high-level external interest groups used for broad strategic categorization compared to the internal focus of B or the mixed categories of A and C. The inclusion of Regulators and Owners is essential for any strategic stakeholder analysis.

(Reference: BCS Business Analysis Practice – Stakeholder Analysis, Stakeholder Wheel)

Observation is an investigation technique where the business analyst watches users performing their work in the real business environment. It helps the analyst understand actual behaviour, workarounds, hand-offs, delays, exceptions, and informal practices that stakeholders may forget to mention in interviews. Observation may be formal, with planned sessions and recording sheets, or informal, where the analyst watches activities less rigidly. Option A and option D describe interviews, because they involve asking stakeholders questions directly. Option C describes a workshop or collaborative modelling activity, not observation. The defining feature of observation is that the analyst studies work as it is actually performed, rather than relying only on what stakeholders say happens. Therefore, option B is the best definition.

When documenting risks in a business case, it is essential to follow structured processes to ensure risks are appropriately identified, analyzed, and managed. Let’s evaluate each option again based on best practices outlined in the BCS Business Analysis Framework and other methodologies:

Key Considerations:

Risk Documentation: Risks must be recorded systematically to ensure they are visible, actionable, and traceable.

Ownership of Risks: Assigning ownership ensures accountability and clarity about who is responsible for monitoring and mitigating each risk.

Risk Management Lifecycle: The process typically involves identification, documentation, assessment, ownership assignment, and response planning.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Create a RAID log

A RAID log (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, and Dependencies) is a widely used tool in business analysis and project management for capturing and managing risks systematically.

It provides a centralized repository for tracking risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies, ensuring that risks are documented comprehensively and transparently.

This aligns with best practices for risk management and is a critical first step in ensuring risks are appropriately recorded.

Conclusion: This is a must-do action.

B. Document the source of each risk

While documenting the source of each risk can provide valuable context, it is not a mandatory or primary step in the initial documentation phase.

Sources of risks are often identified during risk analysis or root cause analysis, which occurs after risks have been recorded.

Although useful, this step is secondary to creating a RAID log and assigning ownership.

Conclusion: This is not the most critical action at this stage.

C. Identify an owner for each risk

Assigning ownership for each risk is a fundamental part of risk management. Without clear ownership, risks may remain unmonitored or unaddressed.

Ownership ensures accountability and helps streamline communication and decision-making regarding risk mitigation strategies.

According to the BCS Business Analysis Framework , identifying risk owners is a key responsibility during the risk documentation process.

Conclusion: This is a must-do action.

D. Provide justification for each countermeasure identified

Justifying countermeasures is part of the risk response planning phase, which occurs after risks have been documented, assessed, and prioritized.

At this stage, John’s focus should be on identifying and recording risks, not on evaluating or justifying solutions.

Conclusion: This is not relevant at the documentation stage.

E. Impact assessment of each countermeasure identified

Similar to option D, impact assessments for countermeasures are conducted during the risk response planning phase, not during the initial documentation phase.

This step is premature and does not align with the immediate need to document risks.

Conclusion: This is not relevant at the documentation stage.

Final Recommendation:

Based on the BCS Business Analysis Framework and industry best practices, the two most appropriate actions for John are:

Create a RAID log (to systematically document risks).

Identify an owner for each risk (to ensure accountability and clarity).

These steps ensure that risks are appropriately recorded and managed, laying the foundation for effective risk management.