How to Easily Pass the IIBA CBAP Exam: Expert Advice

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, changes in the plan-driven approach are generally avoided unless they are genuinely necessary to address a significant issue or opportunity. Changes in the plan-driven approach require formal approval and documentation, and may affect the scope, schedule, budget, and quality of the project. Changes in the plan-driven approach should be carefully analyzed and justified before being implemented123. References: 1: How to Choose the Right Business Analysis Approach1 2: Plan driven projects versus change driven2 3: Business Analysis Methodology3

A capabilities gap assessment is a process of identifying and analyzing the gaps between the current and desired capabilities of an organization. It helps to determine what new capabilities are needed to achieve the business goals and objectives, and to seize the business opportunities1. A business opportunity is the chance to take advantage of an occurrence in the market for business gain. It involves some kind of favourable condition that can be used to create and implement ideas and innovations, solve problems, and maximize profits2.

If an organization does not have the necessary resources and technology to seize a business opportunity, the most likely course of action is to launch a new project. A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result3. By launching a new project, the organization can allocate the required resources and technology, define the project scope, schedule, and budget, and deliver the desired outcome. A new project can also help the organization to close the capabilities gap, improve its performance, and gain a competitive advantage in the market.

The other options are less likely or not feasible. Hiring additional resources or contractors may not be enough to close the capabilities gap, as they may not have the relevant skills, knowledge, or experience. Moreover, hiring may incur additional costs and risks for the organization. Moving onto the next opportunity may not be a wise decision, as it may result in losing a valuable chance to grow the business and satisfy the customer needs. Therefore, launching a new project is the best course of action for the organization. References:

• Capabilities Based Assessment (CBA) - AcqNotes
• What Is Business Opportunity? – Importance, Types … - Feedough
• Project Management Basics: What Is a Project? | PMI

The work breakdown structure (WBS) is not an element of the solution scope, but rather a project management tool that decomposes the project scope into manageable deliverables and tasks. The WBS is created after the solution scope is defined and approved, and it helps to plan, monitor, and control the project execution.

The other options are elements of the solution scope, which are:

• B. Implementation approach, which describes how the solution will be delivered, such as the methodology, the phases, the roles and responsibilities, and the quality measures.
• C. Solution scope definition, which describes what the solution is, what it does, and what it does not do, in terms of the features, functions, and characteristics that address the business need.
• D. Dependencies, which describe the relationships and interactions between the solution and other internal or external factors, such as other projects, systems, processes, or stakeholders.

References:

• CBAP® Handbook, page 15, section 4.1.2.3
• BABOK® Guide, page 32, section 3.2.3
• Solution Scope – An Insight
• How To Write a Project Scope in 5 Steps (With Example)

 A dependency is a relationship or a condition that affects the completion or the quality of a task or an activity. A dependency can be internal or external, mandatory or discretionary, or positive or negative. In this case, the inspector’s signoff on the initial deliverables is a dependency because it is a condition that must be met before the task can be completed. The inspector’s signoff is an external and mandatory dependency, as it involves an outside party and it is required by the project scope or contract. A dependency is not the same as an assumption (A), which is a factor that is considered to be true without proof, a milestone ©, which is a significant point or event in the project, or a constraint (D), which is a factor that limits the options or performance of the project. References:

• What is a Dependency in Project Management? - Wrike, paragraph 1
• Project Dependencies: Types, Examples, and Tips for Project Managers, paragraph 1
• CBAP Certification Study Guide v3.0, Chapter 4: Requirements Life Cycle Management, Section 4.3: Trace Requirements, page 4-10
• [A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK Guide)], version 3, page 402, section 10.31.3.1

 Videoconferencing is a communication technique that allows business analysts to interact with stakeholders who are not collocated. It enables real-time audio and visual communication, which can facilitate collaboration, feedback, and decision making. Videoconferencing can also help build rapport and trust among stakeholders, as well as reduce travel costs and time. Videoconferencing is one of the many communication techniques that business analysts can use to elicit information and collaborate with stakeholders in different geographical locations1234. References: 1: How to create a business analysis communication plan - Lucidchart 2: Business Analysis Techniques: Eliciting Information and Collaborating with Stakeholders 3: Key sets of BA: analysis andcommunication techniques - Exposit 4: Communication strategy for stakeholder engagement – SustaiNet

 A repository is a centralized place where project requirements are stored and managed throughout the project lifecycle. A repository can be a physical or electronic system that allows business analysts to access, update, and track the status of the requirements. A repository can also facilitate the communication, collaboration, and verification of the requirements among the stakeholders. A repository is not the same as a change management system (A), a project scope statement ©, or a requirements register (D), which are different tools or documents that serve different purposes in project management. References:

• IIBA BABOK Guide v3, p. 30, 176, 264
• How to Write Project Requirements | Smartsheet, paragraph 3
• What is Requirements Management? | IBM, paragraph 1

 Influence and attitude are two factors that the business analyst must consider when conducting stakeholder analysis. Influence is the stakeholder’s ability to affect the project or the solution, either positively or negatively. Attitude is the stakeholder’s level of support or resistance to the change, either enthusiastic or reluctant. By assessing these two factors, the business analyst can determine the stakeholder’s impact and interest in the project, and plan the appropriate engagement and communication strategies for each stakeholder group. References:

• CBAP® Handbook, page 15, section 4.1.2.3
• BABOK® Guide, page 32, section 3.2.3
• How To Create a Stakeholder Analysis (With Example)
• How to Conduct a Thorough Stakeholder Analysis - CloudApp Blog … - Zight

Prioritizing requirements is a process that helps business analysts and stakeholders to rank the requirements according to their importance, value, urgency, and dependency.Prioritizing requirements helps to ensure that the most critical requirements are addressed first, and that the available resources are allocated effectively. Prioritizing requirements also helps to manage the scope, schedule, and budget of the project, and to deal with changes and uncertainties. Prioritizing requirements is not only about determining the cost or the schedule of each requirement, but also about understanding the impact and the benefit of each requirement on the business need and the solution. Prioritizing requirements is not only about identifying the risks associated with each requirement, but also about mitigating or avoiding those risks by choosing the best solution option. References:

• [A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK Guide)], version 3, page 402, section 10.31.3.11
• Why Prioritise Requirements – How to do it and Why it is Critical to Project Success – BusinessAnalystMentor.com, paragraph 1
• Why You Should Prioritize Requirements - ArgonDigital, paragraph 1
• What Is Requirements Prioritization? Definition & Examples - airfocus, paragraph 1
• Business analysts : How to prioritize requirements - Adaptive US, paragraph 1

A work product is any output of the business analysis process that is used to communicate, document, or manage requirements1. Examples of work products include requirements documentation, interview questions and notes, meeting agendas and minutes, models, diagrams, matrices, traceability reports, and business cases2. Presentation slides are not a work product, as they are not used to capture or manage requirements, but rather to present or summarize them to an audience. Presentation slides may contain information from work products, but they are not work products themselves. References:

• Work Product Definition & Meaning | Merriam-Webster Legal
• Examples of ownership of work product clauses in contracts - Afterpattern

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