How to Easily Pass the IIBA CBAP Exam: Expert Advice

 In addition to existing regulations and contracts, the BA also checks the policies of the organization that may constrain the project. Policies are the guidelines or principles that govern the decision making and actions of the organization. They reflect the values, vision, and mission of the organization and provide a framework for achieving its goals and objectives. Policies can also influence the scope, feasibility, and acceptance of the project and its solution. Therefore, the BA should identify and analyze the policies that are relevant to the project and ensure that they are aligned with the requirements and the solution. References:

• CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Chapter 5: Strategy Analysis, Section 5.1: Analyze Current State, p. 206-207
• A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), Version 3, Chapter 5: Strategy Analysis, Section 5.1: Analyze Current State, p. 106-107
• 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

 A communications management plan is a document that describes how the business analyst will communicate with the stakeholders throughout the project. It includes information such as the timing and frequency of communication, the location and mode of communication, the tools and techniques to be used, the delivery methods and formats, and the stakeholders’ preferences and needs. A communications management plan helps to ensure that the stakeholders are informed, engaged, and satisfied with the project progress and outcomes. A stakeholder collaboration plan is a document that describes how the business analyst will collaborate with the stakeholders to elicit, analyze, validate, and manage the requirements. A business analysis plan is a document that describes how the business analyst will conduct the business analysis activities, such as the scope, approach, deliverables, tasks, resources, and schedule. A stakeholder analysis plan is a document that describes how the business analyst will identify, analyze, and prioritize the stakeholders and their needs, expectations, and influence. References: BABOK Guide v3, Chapter 2: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring, Section 2.5: Plan Business Analysis Communication, p. 38-40; Chapter 3: Business Analysis Governance and Information Management, Section 3.1: Plan Business Analysis Governance, p. 50-51.

The appropriate model type to assist the stakeholders in testing the performance and visual aspects of requirements 3 through 11 is a usability prototype. A usability prototype is a model that simulates the look and feel of the user interface of the solution, such as the layout, navigation, colors, fonts, and graphics. A usability prototype can help the stakeholders to evaluate the user experience, the ease of use, the accessibility, and the satisfaction of the solution. A usability prototype can also help to identify and resolve any usability issues or defects before the final implementation of the solution. References:

• CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Chapter 6: Requirements Analysis and Design Definition, Section 6.4: Model and Validate Requirements, p. 265-266
• A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), Version 3, Chapter 6: Requirements Analysis and Design Definition, Section 6.4: Model Requirements, p. 161-162
• A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), Version 3, Chapter 10: Solution Evaluation, Section 10.6: Validate Solution, p. 283-284

Before the BA can proceed with any analysis of the features, they need to confirm that the feature requests are valid and aligned with the product vision and goals. Customer support calls may not reflect the actual needs and preferences of the target market, and may include requests that are out of scope or inconsistent with the product strategy. Therefore, the BA should first validate the feature requests with the product owner and other stakeholders, and eliminate any irrelevant or invalid ones. References:

• BABOK Guide v3, section 7.2.2.1: “The business analyst validates that the requirements and designs are aligned with the business need and the solution scope.”
• Guide to building a product roadmap (with template and examples), section “How to create a product roadmap”: “The first step in creating a product roadmap is to define the product vision. This is the overarching goal or purpose of the product, and it should guide all subsequent decisions and actions.”

 In the context of risk assessment, the impact of a risk is often calculated by multiplying the Probability of Occurrence (POC) with the Cost of Impact. For each risk in this scenario:

• Natural disasters: 0.2 * 15,000 = 3,000
• Power surges: 0.5 * 20,000 = 10,000
• Human errors: 0.9 * 3,000 = 2,700
• System security: 0.4 *16,000 =6,400

Power surges have the highest negative impact to value at $10,000.

References: The calculation is based on standard risk assessment practices which involve evaluating both the probability and impact of risks to prioritize them effectively; as per Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) learning documents or resources

Based on the table in the image, the total cost for each company over the three years can be calculated by adding the Year 0 license costs, Years 1 and 2 total license costs, and implementation costs. For Company A, the total cost is $323,458 (Year 0) + $270,092 (Years 1 and 2) + $28,500 (Phase Ia) + $55,000 (Phase Ib) + $121,500 (Phase 2) = $798,550. For Company B, it’s $373,555 (Year 0) + $202,056 (Years 1 and 2) + ($1.500 150 days of implementation)= $578611 which is less than the insurance company’s maximum budget of $310000. For Company C it’s = ($400244+$214096+($31.50159))= $695439 which exceeds the budget. References: The answer is derived from a direct calculation based on the provided information in the image and does not reference specific CBAP learning documents or resources.

Return on investment (ROI) is a financial calculation that measures the profitability of a solution proposal by comparing its benefits and costs. ROI is expressed as a percentage or a ratio of the net benefits (benefits minus costs) to the total costs. ROI can help to determine which solution is worth investing in based on its breakeven point, which is the point where the net benefits equal zero, or the benefits equal the costs. The solution with the highest ROI has the lowest breakeven point, meaning that it recovers its costs faster and generates more net benefits over time. Discount rate is a financial calculation that measures the present value of future cash flows by applying a discount factor that reflects the time value of money and the risk of the investment. Discount rate can help to compare the present values of different solution proposals, but it does not indicate the breakeven point. Net present value (NPV) is a financial calculation that measures the difference between the present value of the benefits and the present value of the costs of a solution proposal. NPV can help to determine which solution has the highest value in today’s terms, but it does not indicate the breakeven point. Internal rate of return (IRR) is a financial calculation that measures the annualized effective compounded return rate of a solution proposal by finding the discount rate that makes the NPV equal zero. IRR can help to determine which solution has the highest return rate, but it does not indicate the breakeven point. References: BABOK Guide v3, Chapter 10: Techniques, Section 10.23: Financial Analysis, p. 529-531; Free CBAP IIBA Actual Exam Questions & Answers, Question 464.

According to the BABOK® Guide1, the business analysis approach is the set of processes, tools, deliverables, techniques, and standards that will be used to perform business analysis work on a project. The approach can be either plan-driven, adaptive, or a hybrid of both. A plan-driven approach is more suitable for projects that have stable and well-defined requirements, low levels of change, and clear acceptance criteria. An adaptive approach is more suitable for projects that have uncertain or evolving requirements, high levels of change, and emergent outcomes. Therefore, one of the factors that would drive the decision towards an adaptive approach is the organization’s tolerance for uncertainty, which means the degree to which the organization is willing to accept ambiguity and risk in the project. An organization with a high tolerance for uncertainty can benefit from an adaptive approach that allows for frequent feedback, experimentation, and learning. References:

• A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), Version 3, Chapter 3: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring, Section 3.2: Plan Business Analysis Approach, p. 57-59
• CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Chapter 3: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring, Section 3.2: Plan Business Analysis Approach, p. 89-91

The BA should approach the solution limitation by assessing the impact on the business operations. This means that the BA should analyze how the inability to meet the SLA in one out of five scenarios would affect the business goals, objectives, performance, value, and risks. The BA should also consider the frequency, severity, and likelihood of the scenarios, and the expectations and needs of the stakeholders. Based on the impact assessment, the BA can then recommend the best course of action, such as modifying the SLA, changing the business process, increasing the scope, or deferring the requirement to a future release. The other options are not the best approaches, as they may either be unrealistic, unnecessary, or ineffective without a proper impact assessment. 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