BCS Foundation

What are the 6 stages of the business change lifecycle?

The 6 stages are:
1. Alignment
2. Definition
3. Design
4. Development
5. Implementation
6. Realisation

What is the main purpose of the Alignment stage in the business change lifecycle?

To ensure that the organisation's strategy is aligned with its operational goals and external environment.

What happens during the Definition stage of the business change lifecycle?

The problem or opportunity is investigated, options are explored, and a business case is formulated to define the recommended solution.

What happens during the Design stage of the business change lifecycle?

The detailed requirements, business processes, and system architectures for the chosen solution are designed.

What happens during the Development stage of the business change lifecycle?

The solution components (such as software, training material, or process documentation) are built, configured, and tested.

What happens during the Implementation stage of the business change lifecycle?

The new business processes and IT systems are deployed, and the business changes are rolled out to users.

What is the focus of the Realisation stage in the business change lifecycle?

Tracking, monitoring, and reviewing whether the expected business benefits have actually been achieved.

What are the 6 key principles of business analysis?

1. Root causes not symptoms
   2. Business improvement not IT system change
   3. Options not solutions
   4. Feasible, contributing requirements, not meeting all requests
   5. Entire business change lifecycle, not just requirements definition
   6. Negotiation not avoidance

Describe the principle "Root causes not symptoms" in business analysis.

Distinguishing between the apparent problems stated by stakeholders and the underlying root causes that actually need addressing.

Describe the principle "Business improvement not IT system change".

Focusing on delivering meaningful business benefits and process improvements rather than just deploying technology for its own sake.

Describe the principle "Options not solutions".

Exploring a range of potential options and alternative options before settling on a single specific solution.

Describe the principle "Feasible, contributing requirements, not meeting all requests".

Evaluating requests to ensure they are viable, realistic, and directly contribute to business goals rather than blindly accepting every requirement.

Describe the principle "Entire business change lifecycle, not just requirements definition".

Supporting the change from initial strategic alignment through design, development, implementation, and benefits realisation, rather than stopping after gathering requirements.

Describe the principle "Negotiation not avoidance".

Actively addressing, negotiating, and resolving conflicts or differing priorities among stakeholders rather than avoiding them.

What are the 5 main variants of the business analyst role specified in the syllabus?

1. Business Analyst
   2. Business Systems Analyst
   3. Data Analyst
   4. Enterprise Business Analyst
   5. Proxy Product Owner

What is the typical focus of a Business Systems Analyst?

Aligning business requirements with specific IT systems, often specifying system-level requirements and software behaviors.

What is the typical focus of an Enterprise Business Analyst?

Working at a strategic or pre-project level to look at the overall capability, value streams, and architecture of an organisation.

What is a Proxy Product Owner in an Agile business analysis context?

A role where the business analyst acts on behalf of the business Product Owner to clarify requirements and manage the product backlog for the development team.

What is a T-shaped Professional?

A professional who possesses a broad range of generic skills across other disciplines (the horizontal bar) combined with deep specialist skills in their own discipline (the vertical bar).

What are the 3 core areas of business analysis competency?

1. Personal qualities
   2. Business knowledge
   3. Professional techniques

Give examples of personal qualities competencies for a business analyst.

Communication, relationship management, teamwork, political awareness, and problem-solving.

Give examples of business knowledge competencies for a business analyst.

Commercial awareness, business case development, domain knowledge, and understanding organisation structures.

Give examples of professional techniques competencies for a business analyst.

Requirements elicitation, business process modelling, gap analysis, and data modelling.

Why is it vital for a business analyst to understand the strategic context of an organisation?

To ensure that any proposed business changes or projects are aligned with the overall strategic direction and goals of the business.

What does the acronym PESTLE stand for?

Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, Technological, Legal, Environmental.

What is the primary purpose of a PESTLE analysis?

To analyse and identify the external environmental factors that could impact an organisation.

What does the acronym VMOST stand for?

Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategy, Tactics.

What is the primary purpose of a VMOST analysis?

To evaluate an organisation's internal strategic alignment and intent.

In a VMOST analysis, what is the difference between Objectives and Strategy?

Objectives are specific, measurable goals the organisation wants to achieve, while Strategy is the high-level plan or approach to achieve those objectives.

In a VMOST analysis, what are Tactics?

The specific, operational actions, and projects used to implement the strategy.

What is a Critical Success Factor (CSF)?

A qualitative description of a vital area or factor that must go right for an organisation to achieve its objectives.

What is a Key Performance Indicator (KPI)?

A quantitative, measurable metric used to track and evaluate the achievement of a Critical Success Factor (CSF).

How do CSFs and KPIs relate to each other?

Multiple KPIs can be used to measure a single CSF, providing quantitative evidence of whether that qualitative factor is being achieved.

What is a SWOT analysis?

A framework that summarises the results of internal analysis (Strengths and Weaknesses) and external analysis (Opportunities and Threats).

What elements of a SWOT analysis represent the internal environment?

Strengths and Weaknesses.

What elements of a SWOT analysis represent the external environment?

Opportunities and Threats.

What are the 5 dimensions of the POPIT model used in strategy execution and business change?

1. People
   2. Organisation
   3. Processes
   4. Information
   5. Technology

According to Osterwalder and Pigneur, what is the purpose of the Business Model Canvas (BMC)?

To describe the rationale of how an organisation creates, manages, and delivers value using a single, comprehensive visual template.

What are the 7 core services or activities within the Business Analysis Service Framework (BASF)?

1. Situation investigation and feasibility
   2. Business strategy analysis
   3. Business case development
   4. Requirements definition
   5. Requirements management
   6. Business acceptance testing
   7. Business benefit realisation

What is the purpose of the Situation investigation and feasibility activity in the BASF?

To investigate a problematic business situation and assess the feasibility of potential options to address it.

What is the purpose of the Business case development activity in the BASF?

To construct a robust justification for an investment, detailing the costs, benefits, impacts, and risks of a proposed option.

What is the purpose of the Business acceptance testing activity in the BASF?

To support business users in verifying that the delivered solution meets the defined requirements and is fit for purpose before rollout.

What is a workshop as an investigation technique?

A highly collaborative, facilitated session where key stakeholders come together to elicit information, achieve consensus, or solve a problem.

Name three types of observation techniques used by business analysts.

1. Job shadowing (following a user)
   2. Protocol analysis (user talks through what they are doing)
   3. Activity sampling (quantitative observation)

What is the primary benefit of interviews as an investigation technique?

They offer a structured, private forum to build rapport and gather detailed information, requirements, and individual viewpoints from a single stakeholder.

What is the purpose of using scenarios during investigation?

To walk through a specific story or sequence of events to understand the step-by-step path of a process, including happy paths and exceptions.

What is the purpose of prototyping as an investigation technique?

To build a preliminary mock-up or visual model of a system to help users visualise the solution and refine vague requirements.

What is user role analysis?

An investigation technique aimed at identifying the distinct user roles, responsibilities, and tasks performed by individuals interacting with a process or system.

What are the three main quantitative approaches to investigation listed in the syllabus?

1. Surveys or Questionnaires
   2. Activity Sampling
   3. Document Analysis

What is activity sampling?

A quantitative observation technique where data is gathered at random intervals to determine how much time people divide among a range of activities.

What are the 5 steps in conducting an activity sampling exercise?

1. Define the activities to be sampled.
   2. Determine the sampling frequency and duration.
   3. Record the observations at specified intervals.
   4. Analyse the collected data.
   5. Extrapolate results to calculate total time spent per activity.

What does document analysis involve during investigation?

Reviewing samples of source forms, reports, or system screens to uncover business rules, data requirements, and process details.

What is a rich picture?

A holistic, unstructured diagrammatic technique used to represent a complex business situation, showing actors, processes, culture, emotions, and conflicts.

What is a mind map?

A diagrammatic technique where ideas, tasks, and concepts are arranged hierarchically around a central keyword or idea using branches.

What are the 8 categories of stakeholders on the stakeholder wheel?

1. Partners
   2. Suppliers
   3. Regulators
   4. Employees
   5. Managers
   6. Owners
   7. Competitors
   8. Customers

What are the four quadrants of the Power/Interest grid used for stakeholder management?

1. High Power, High Interest
   2. High Power, Low Interest
   3. Low Power, High Interest
   4. Low Power, Low Interest

What is the management strategy for a stakeholder with High Power and High Interest?

Manage closely (they are Key Players).

What is the management strategy for a stakeholder with High Power and Low Interest?

Keep satisfied.

What is the management strategy for a stakeholder with Low Power and High Interest?

Keep informed.

What is the management strategy for a stakeholder with Low Power and Low Interest?

Minimal effort (Monitor).

What does the acronym RACI stand for in stakeholder analysis?

Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed.

In a RACI chart, what is the difference between Responsible (R) and Accountable (A)?

Responsible is the person who actually does the work to complete the task, while Accountable is the single person answerable for the correct completion of the task (the sign-off authority).

What are the three levels of the business process hierarchy?

1. Enterprise level (Value streams / Organisation level)
   2. Event-response level (Business processes)
   3. Actor-task level (Individual tasks and steps)

What does the acronym SIPOC stand for in enterprise process modelling?

Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers.

What are the two main categories of activities in Porter's Value Chain Analysis?

Primary activities and Support activities.

What are the 5 primary activities in Porter's Value Chain?

1. Inbound Logistics
   2. Operations
   3. Outbound Logistics
   4. Marketing & Sales
   5. Service

What are the 4 support activities in Porter's Value Chain?

1. Firm Infrastructure
   2. Human Resource Management
   3. Technology Development
   4. Procurement

What is a value proposition?

A clear statement of the unique bundle of products, services, and benefits that an organisation delivers to its customers to meet their expectations.

What are the three types of business events at the event-response level?

1. External events (initiated by an external actor)
   2. Internal/Operational events (triggered by internal business activities)
   3. Time-based / Temporal events (triggered by a specific point in time)

Which UML diagram is commonly used for creating business process models?

The UML Activity Model.

What notation elements are used in a UML activity model?

Swimlanes, action states (tasks), control flows (arrows), decision nodes (diamonds), and fork/join bars.

In a business process model, what do swimlanes represent?

The specific actors, roles, departments, or systems responsible for executing the tasks within that lane.

What analysis considerations are evaluated at the actor-task level?

Actor, Event, Inputs, Outputs, Performance/Measures, and Steps/Procedures.

Define the terms Process, Task, and Step in the process hierarchy.

Process: A set of tasks conducted by various actors in response to an event.
Task: An individual activity conducted by a single actor at a specific time.
Step: A detailed action carried out within a single task.

What three aspects should be analysed to identify problems in an As-Is process model?

1. Identifying problems (disconnects from customer expectations)
   2. Analysing handoffs (delays or data loss between actors)
   3. Analysing tasks and procedures (inefficiencies within a task)

What are the 6 generic approaches to improving business processes?

1. Simplification
   2. Redesign
   3. Bottleneck removal
   4. Change task sequence
   5. Redefine boundary
   6. Automate processing

What is the purpose of a customer journey map?

To examine and model business processes entirely from the external customer's perspective, mapping their emotional touchpoints and experiences.

What is the gap analysis process?

Comparing the current operational state (As-Is) with the desired future target state (To-Be) to identify what needs to be changed or introduced.

How is the POPIT model applied during gap analysis?

It ensures that gaps are identified across all five dimensions (People, Organisation, Processes, Information, Technology) rather than focusing solely on IT gaps.

What is the 4-step process for developing options?

1. Identify potential options.
   2. Assess feasibility of each option.
   3. Narrow options down to a short-list.
   4. Formulate the recommended option.

What is the purpose of design thinking?

A human-centric approach to innovation and problem-solving that focuses on understanding user needs, working collaboratively, and iterating through testing.

What are the four stages of the Double Diamond model in design thinking?

1. Discover (divergent exploration of the problem)
   2. Define (convergent focus on the core issue)
   3. Develop (divergent creation of solutions)
   4. Deliver (convergent testing and final execution)

What are the 4 stages in the lifecycle for a business case?

1. Feasibility assessment
   2. Business case development
   3. Review (Approval/Governance)
   4. Benefits realization

What are the three areas of a feasibility assessment?

1. Business feasibility (Does it align with strategy?)
   2. Technical feasibility (Can it be built/supported?)
   3. Financial feasibility (Is it worth the money / within budget?)

What is the typical structure and contents of a business case?

Executive summary, Background/Introduction, Options considered, Benefits, Costs, Risks, Impact assessment, and Recommendations.

What are the key features of producing a business case within an Agile environment?

It is value-driven, focuses on outcomes over fixed outputs, and is often incremental or evolutionary rather than fixed up-front.

What does the acronym CARDI stand for in a project log?

Constraints, Assumptions, Risks, Dependencies, Issues.

In a CARDI log, what is the difference between a Risk and an Issue?

A Risk is an uncertain future event that may affect the project, while an Issue is a current, real problem that is actively affecting the project now.

What is the Payback Period investment appraisal technique?

A calculation of the exact time it takes for the cash inflows of a project to equal the initial financial investment (costs).

What is Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) and Net Present Value (NPV)?

An investment appraisal technique that adjusts future cash flows to account for the time value of money, summing them to find the net present value.

What is the Internal Rate of Return (IRR)?

The specific discount rate at which the Net Present Value (NPV) of a project's cash flows equals exactly zero, representing its rate of return.

What are the 5 core activities in the requirements engineering framework?

1. Elicitation
   2. Analysis
   3. Documentation
   4. Validation
   5. Management

Who are the primary business representatives acting as actors in requirements engineering?

Sponsor, Product Owner, Business Users, and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).

Who are the primary project team actors in requirements engineering?

Project Manager, Business Analyst, Solution Architect, Developers, and Testers.

What are the 4 main types of requirement classified by BCS?

1. General requirements
   2. Technical requirements
   3. Functional requirements
   4. Non-functional requirements

What is a Functional Requirement?

A requirement that defines a specific feature, function, or behavior that the solution must perform (e.g., "system must calculate tax").

What is a Non-functional Requirement?

A requirement that defines how well a system must operate or its quality attributes (e.g., speed, security, availability, usability).

What are the three levels in the hierarchy of requirements?

1. Business requirements (high-level goals)
   2. User requirements (what users need to do)
   3. System requirements (functional and non-functional specifications)

Name five common requirements elicitation techniques.

Interviews, workshops, observation, document analysis, and prototyping (or surveys).

What is the difference between explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge?

Explicit knowledge is information that stakeholders can easily articulate and explain, while tacit knowledge is intuitive or taken-for-granted information that stakeholders find difficult to articulate ("we know more than we can tell").