BCS BAPv5 BCS Practitioner Certificate in Business Analysis Practice v5.2 Exam Practice Test

Kaplan and Norton’s balanced business scorecard is a strategic management tool that helps organisations to measure their performance across four perspectives: financial, customer, internal business process and learning and growth. The financial perspective focuses on how the organisation creates value for its shareholders and stakeholders. It includes measures such as revenue, profit, return on investment and cash flow. The customer perspective focuses on how the organisation meets the needs and expectations of its customers. It includes measures such as customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention and market share. The internal business process perspective focuses on how the organisation delivers its products and services to its customers. It includes measures such as quality, efficiency, productivity and innovation. The learning and growth perspective focuses on how the organisation develops its capabilities and competencies to achieve its goals. It includes measures such as employee skills, knowledge, motivation and empowerment. Therefore, option D is the correct answer, as financial measures have not been considered in the given list of key performance indicators. Option A is not correct, as learning and growth measures have been considered in the qualifications of production employees. Option B is not correct, as internal business process measures have been considered in the time to deliver orders for products and wastage in product production. Option C is not correct, as customer measures have been considered in consumer satisfaction with products.

 A Business Activity Model (BAM) is a technique for modelling business activities within an organisation or project at a high level of abstraction. It helps to understand what an organisation does, how it does it, who does it, where it does it and why it does it. Therefore, option D is the correct answer, as a BAM would help the business analyst to identify underlying causes of a problem with declining sales. A BAM would help to analyse how different activities within an organisation contribute or relate to sales performance and identify any gaps or issues that may affect sales performance. A BAM would help to compare current and desired situations or problems and identify what changes or improvements are needed to achieve desired situations or problems. Option A is not a correct answer, as customer journey maps are not a technique for identifying underlying causes of a problem with declining sales. Customer journey maps are a technique for visualising customer experiences with an organisation or product across different touchpoints and stages. They help to understand customer needs, expectations and emotions and how they are met or influenced by an organisation or product. Option B is not a correct answer, as scenario analysis is not a technique for identifying underlying causes of a problem with declining sales. Scenario analysis is a technique for exploring how different scenarios or situations could affect outcomes or impacts of an organisation or project. They help to test feasibility and desirability of different options or solutions under various circumstances or assumptions. Option C is not a correct answer, as use case diagram is not a technique for identifying underlying causes of a problem with declining sales. Use case diagram is a technique for modelling functional requirements of a system or product at a high level of abstraction. They help to understand what functions or features are required or provided by a system or product and how they interact with actors or users.

POPIT is a technique for taking a holistic view when investigating a business situation or problem. It helps to ensure that all aspects and dimensions of a business situation or problem are considered and addressed. POPIT consists of four elements: People, Processes, Organisation and Information and technology. Therefore, options C and D are correct answers, as they are the elements of POPIT that consider these issues respectively. Option C considers issue 1: The suggested changes to the business structure will affect our relationships with suppliers. Organisation is the element that describes how an organisation is structured and governed internally and externally. It helps to identify who are involved in decision making and authority within an organisation and how an organisation relates to its stakeholders outside its boundaries. Issue 1 relates to organisation, as it involves changes to the business structure that will affect how the organisation interacts with its suppliers, who are external stakeholders. Option D considers issue 2: The proposed electronic data sharing with our suppliers will raise legal accessibility issues. Information and technology is the element that describes how information and data are created, stored, accessed, used and communicated within an organisation using technology systems and tools. It helps to identify what information and data are needed and available for an organisation to perform its activities and processes effectively and efficiently using appropriate technology systems and tools. Issue 2 relates to information and technology, as it involves electronic data sharing with suppliers using technology systems that will raise legal accessibility issues regarding information security and privacy. Option A does not consider any issue in this scenario. People is the element that describes who are involved in performing or supporting the activities and processes within an organisation. It helps to identify what skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours are required and exhibited by people within an organisation to perform their roles and responsibilities effectively and efficiently. There is no issue in this scenario that relates to people. Option B does not consider any issue in this scenario. Processes is the element that describes what activities and tasks are performed within an organisation to achieve its objectives and outcomes. It helps to identify how activities and tasks are sequenced, coordinated, controlled and measured within an organisation to ensure quality and consistency. There is no issue in this scenario that relates to processes. Option E is not a valid element of POPIT. Procedures is not an element of POPIT, but a term that refers to the detailed steps or instructions for performing a specific activity or task within a process.

A Business Activity Model (BAM) is a high-level view of the business activities that take place within an organisation. It shows how activities are related to each other and how they contribute to achieving business objectives. A BAM consists of five types of high-level activities: directing, enabling, doing, monitoring and controlling. A BAM can also show dependencies between activities using arrows to indicate which activity depends on another activity to start or finish. Therefore, option A is the correct answer, as it shows the dependencies between the four activities on the BAM correctly. Activity c (define lending policies) is a directing activity that sets the rules and guidelines for lending e-books to customers. It depends on no other activity and precedes all other activities. Activity b (establish licensing arrangements with publishers) is an enabling activity that secures the rights and permissions to lend e-books from different publishers. It depends on activity c and precedes activity a. Activity a (lend books) is a doing activity that provides e-books to customers according to their requests and preferences. It depends on activity b and precedes activity d. Activity d (monitor lending usage) is a monitoring activity that tracks and records how customers use and return e-books. It depends on activity a and follows all other activities.

The elements of PESTLE that are identified in this email are Economic, Environmental and Legal. Economic factors are related to the costs and prices of the business and its competitors. In this email, Nastya mentions that their competitors have lower costs and that they need to secure a better component price and negotiate with their energy supplier (B). Environmental factors are related to the natural resources and sustainability of the business and its impact on the environment. In this email, Nastya mentions that she wants a full review of the biodegradability of the packaging of all their products and that she is mindful of the costs of renewable power (E). Legal factors are related to the laws and regulations that affect the business and its operations. In this email, Nastya mentions that their employment regulations need revisiting due to changes in pension rules and paternity/maternity rights (L).

A SWOT analysis is a technique for identifying and evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that affect an organisation or project. It helps to assess the internal and external factors that influence the performance and potential of the organisation or project. Therefore, options A, B and C are correct answers, as they should be included in the SWOT analysis for the company that sells van insurance. They describe different types of factors that affect the company’s situation and prospects. Option A describes an opportunity, which is a favourable or advantageous circumstance or situation that arises from the external environment and that can be exploited to achieve the objectives of the organisation or project. An example of an opportunity is the increase in home shopping, which has led to an increase in delivery drivers and vehicles across both markets. This creates a potential demand for van insurance that the company can cater to. Option B describes a weakness, which is a negative or unfavourable characteristic or situation that arises from the internal environment and that can hinder or prevent the achievement of the objectives of the organisation or project. An example of a weakness is the inability of the call centre to deal with the large influx of calls, which may result in poor customer service, dissatisfaction and loss of business. Option C describes a threat, which is a harmful or adverse circumstance or situation that arises from the external environment and that can endanger or damage the achievement of the objectives of the organisation or project. An example of a threat is the new regulatory hurdles following Brexit, which may affect the company’s ability to trade in Ireland and reduce its market share and revenue. Option D is not a correct answer, as strength is not a factor that has been discovered in the investigation for the SWOT analysis. A strength is a positive or favourable characteristic or situation that arises from the internal environment and that can facilitate or enhance the achievement of the objectives of the organisation or project. Option E is not a correct answer, as technology is not a type of factor that can be included in a SWOT analysis. Technology is an aspect of the external environment that can affect an organisation or project positively or negatively, depending on how it is used or adapted to.

A consensus BAM is a conceptual model that depicts the agreed view of what the organisation does or should do. It shows the high-level activities and the logical dependencies between them. By comparing the consensus BAM with the current situation, a gap analysis can identify where the organisation is not performing as desired or where there are opportunities for improvement. Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

Technical feasibility is the extent to which a proposed business change or solution is possible and realistic from a technical perspective. It helps to assess whether a proposed business change or solution can be developed, implemented and maintained using the available or required technology. Therefore, option A is the correct answer, as it describes the areas of technical feasibility mentioned in the report. Proven is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution has been tested and verified by previous or existing users or applications. It helps to ensure reliability and quality of the technology. An example of proven in the report is the new payment method has not yet been widely adopted although it has the backing of all the big phone brands. Compatible is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution can work or integrate with other existing or required technologies. It helps to ensure interoperability and functionality of the technology. An example of compatible in the report is our current payments system will be upgraded next month to take payment as part of a scheduled release. Secure is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution can protect or prevent unauthorised access, use, modification or disclosure of data or information. It helps to ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability of the technology. An example of secure in the report is cyber security testing is encouraging. Scalable is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution can handle or adapt to changes in demand, volume or performance. It helps to ensure efficiency and flexibility of the technology. An example of scalable in the report is trials have shown that the technology will scale to our customer base. Option B is not a correct answer, as it does not describe all the areas of technical feasibility mentioned in the report. Timely is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution can be developed, implemented and maintained within the available or required time frame. It helps to ensure punctuality and speed of the technology. There is no example of timely in the report. Option C is not a correct answer, as it does not describe all the areas of technical feasibility mentioned in the report. Reliable is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution can perform consistently and accurately without errors or failures. It helps to ensure dependability and accuracy of the technology. There is no example of reliable in the report. Architectural alignment is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution can fit or align with other existing or required architectures, such as business, data or application architectures. It helps to ensure consistency and coherence of the technology. There is no example of architectural alignment in the report. Option D is not a correct answer, as it does not describe any of the areas of technical feasibility mentioned in the report.

A business rule is a statement that defines or constrains some aspect of a business situation or problem or its solution. It helps to ensure consistency and compliance with policies, regulations, standards or criteria within an organisation or project. Business rules can be classified into four types: external constraints, internal policies, external procedures and internal procedures. Therefore, option B is the correct answer, as it identifies which types(s) of business rule have been described in this extract respectively. External constraints are business rules that originate from outside an organisation or project and are beyond its control or influence. They help to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, standards or criteria imposed by external authorities or bodies. An example of external constraints in this extract is legislation ensuring protection for the most vulnerable people in our society can affect the criteria, as it originates from outside the local council and is beyond its control or influence. Internal policies are business rules that originate from within an organisation or project and are under its control or influence. They help to ensure alignment with objectives, strategies, values or principles established by internal decision makers or influencers. An example of internal policies in this extract is the criteria are agreed by the council housing committee, who meet on a regular basis and seek to ensure that the criteria continue to enable effective housing allocation, as it originates from within the local council and is under its control or influence. Option A is not a correct answer, as it does not identify which types(s) of business rule have been described in this extract respectively. Internal policies and internal procedures are not the types of business rule that have been described in this extract. Internal procedures are business rules that specify how an activity or task should be performed or delivered within an organisation or project. They help to ensure quality and consistency of performance or delivery within an organisation or project. There is no example of internal procedures in this extract. Option C is not a correct answer, as it does not identify which types(s) of business rule have been described in this extract respectively. External constraints and external procedures are not the types of business rule that have been described in this extract. External procedures are business rules that specify how an activity or task should be performed or delivered outside an organisation or project. They help to ensure compatibility and interoperability of performance or delivery with external parties or systems. There is no example of external procedures in this extract. Option D is not a correct answer, as it does not identify any type of business rule that has been described in this extract.

The pair of techniques that Elizabeth should use first to understand the concerns of operational staff and line managers are interviews and rich pictures. Interviews are a way of eliciting information from stakeholders by asking them open-ended questions and listening to their responses. Interviews can help Elizabeth to explore the views, opinions, needs, and expectations of the staff and managers regarding the process improvement project. Rich pictures are a way of capturing complex situations in a visual form by using symbols, icons, cartoons, or diagrams. Rich pictures can help Elizabeth to illustrate the current problems and issues faced by the staff and managers, as well as their emotions and relationships. Option D is the correct answer.

 A power/interest grid is a tool for analysing stakeholders based on their level of power or influence and their level of interest or involvement in the organisation or project. The grid has four quadrants: high power, high interest; high power, low interest; low power, high interest; and low power, low interest. The position of a stakeholder on the grid can help to determine the appropriate strategy for engaging and communicating with them. Therefore, option A is the correct answer, as the head of IT services currently occupies the high power, low interest quadrant. This means that he has the authority or ability to affect the outcome of the project, but he does not show much concern or involvement in it. Option B is not correct, as some power and influence and some interest would place the head of IT services in the middle of the grid, which is not a distinct quadrant. Option C is not correct, as high power or influence and high interest would place the head of IT services in the top right quadrant, which is not consistent with his lack of involvement. Option D is not correct, as low power and influence but high interest would place the head of IT services in the bottom right quadrant, which is not consistent with his authority.

 A vision statement is a concise and inspiring statement of what the organisation aspires to be in the future. It should reflect the organisation’s core values and purpose, and provide direction and motivation for its stakeholders. A vision statement should not be too specific or focused on the current state of the organisation, but rather on the desired future state. Therefore, option A is the best choice, as it expresses a clear and aspirational vision that aligns with the company’s mission of meeting or undercutting all its competitors’ prices. Option B is too narrow and does not capture the essence of the organisation’s purpose. Option C is too vague and does not indicate how the organisation will achieve its goal. Option D is too generic and does not differentiate the organisation from its competitors.

A competency is a combination of skills, knowledge and behaviours that enable a person to perform a task or role effectively and efficiently. Therefore, option D is the correct answer, as it describes the competencies required for this role based on the job advert. Business case development is a competency that involves creating and presenting a formal written proposal that details the costs and benefits of a proposed business change or solution. It helps to justify and secure the approval and funding for a proposed business change or solution. This competency is required for this role, as the job advert states that the business analyst will assist in the development of formal written proposals detailing the cost and benefit of proposed business initiatives. Investigation techniques is a competency that involves using a variety of methods to explore and define complex situations or problems within an organisation or project. It helps to elicit, analyse, validate and prioritise the views and needs of stakeholders and identify the root causes and effects of situations or problems. This competency is required for this role, as the job advert states that the business analyst should be able to use a variety of methods to explore and define complex situations. Business architecture is a competency that involves designing and modelling the structure and relationships of an organisation or project at a high level of abstraction. It helps to understand how an organisation or project operates, delivers value and achieves its objectives and outcomes. This competency is required for this role, as the job advert states that the business analyst should have experience of producing blueprints in terms of processes, management structures, culture and people. Option A is not a correct answer, as it does not describe all the competencies required for this role based on the job advert. Subject matter expertise is a competency that involves having in-depth knowledge and understanding of a specific domain or industry within an organisation or project. It helps to provide insights and guidance on the best practices and standards within a specific domain or industry. This competency is not required for this role, as the job advert does not state that the business analyst should have subject matter expertise in any specific domain or industry. Option B is not a correct answer, as it does not describe all the competencies required for this role based on the job advert. Domain knowledge is a competency that involves having general knowledge and understanding of a broad domain or industry within an organisation or project. It helps to provide context and background on the nature and scope of a domain or industry. This competency is not required for this role, as the job advert does not state that the business analyst should have domain knowledge in any broad domain or industry. Gap analysis is a competency that involves comparing current and desired situations or problems and identifying the differences or gaps between them. It helps to determine what changes or improvements are needed to bridge the gaps and achieve desired situations or problems. This competency is not required for this role, as the job advert does not state that the business analyst should have experience of gap analysis. Option C is not a correct answer, as it does not describe all the competencies required for this role based on the job advert. Requirements engineering is a competency that involves eliciting, analysing, specifying, validating and managing requirements for a system or product within an organisation or project. It helps to ensure that requirements are clear, complete, consistent, testable and traceable throughout the system or product lifecycle. This competency is not required for this role, as the job advert does not state that the business analyst should have experience of requirements engineering.

Gap analysis is a process of identifying and assessing the differences between the current state and desired state of an organisation or project. It helps to determine what needs to be done to achieve business objectives or solve business problems. Gap analysis typically involves three main steps: understand the existing situation, compare the desired situation and existing situation, and consider possible actions to address the gaps. Therefore, options A, B and C are correct answers, as they cover these steps in gap analysis. Option D is not a correct answer, as defining solutions to close gaps is not part of gap analysis itself, but rather a subsequent step that follows gap analysis. Gap analysis helps to identify what needs to be done, but not how it should be done. Option E is not a correct answer, as delivering solutions to close gaps is not part of gap analysis itself, but rather a final step that follows defining solutions. Gap analysis helps to identify what needs to be done, but not how it should be done or implemented.

The elements of the POPIT model that need further investigation are people and process. This is because the staff members have raised concerns about the compatibility of the new automated system with the current process of handling parcels without barcodes or with obscured barcodes, as well as the impact of the system on their job security. These concerns relate to the people element, which covers the roles, skills, attitudes, and behaviors of the staff, and the process element, which covers the activities, tasks, and procedures involved in delivering a service or product. Option C is the correct answer.

CATWOE is a technique that helps to understand different perspectives of a situation by analyzing six elements: Customers, Actors, Transformation process, Worldview, Owner, and Environmental constraints. Shelly could use CATWOE to improve her understanding of the IT and finance director’s views on the future direction of the business, by identifying who are the customers, actors, owners, and so on for each option (organic growth or acquisition), and how they differ. Option A is the correct answer.

The parts of the Business Change lifecycle that the business analyst will have supported are Realisation, Design and Implementation. Realisation is the phase where the benefits defined in the benefits plan are evaluated and measured. The business analyst will support this phase by assisting in the evaluation of the benefits (a). Design is the phase where the elements that will support the change are defined and developed. The business analyst will support this phase by leading requirements elicitation and clarification activities (b). Implementation is the phase where the change is embedded into the organisation and its processes. The business analyst will support this phase by delivering coaching, training and ongoing support for any changes to existing processes ©.

An event is something that happens or occurs within or outside an organisation or project that triggers or affects an activity or process. Events can be classified into three types: external, internal and time-based. Therefore, option B is the correct answer, as it correctly classifies the events of interest in this scenario according to their types. External events are events that originate from outside the organisation or project and are beyond its control or influence. An example of an external event in this scenario is customers ordering through the website, as it originates from outside TeamClothing and is beyond its control or influence. There are two external events in this scenario. Internal events are events that originate from within the organisation or project and are under its control or influence. An example of an internal event in this scenario is shop sales assistants ordering items for a customer online, as it originates from within TeamClothing and is under its control or influence. There are no internal events in this scenario. Time-based events are events that occur at regular intervals or on specific dates or times. An example of a time-based event in this scenario is sending a monthly catalogue to website customers, as it occurs at regular intervals (every month). There is one time-based event in this scenario.

A Target Operating Model (TOM) is a high-level description of how an organisation wants to operate in order to achieve its vision and strategy. It defines what an organisation does, how it does it, who does it, where it does it and why it does it. A TOM can be used in gap analysis to compare the desired situation with the existing situation and identify what needs to change to achieve the desired situation. Therefore, option A is the correct answer, as using a TOM in gap analysis would help to assess how far the organisation’s current activities support the desired situation. By comparing the current activities with those defined in the TOM, a gap analysis would help to identify what activities are missing, redundant or inefficient in achieving the desired situation. Option B is not a correct answer, as using a TOM in gap analysis would not help to identify how the organisation should structure itself to support the desired situation. The structure of an organisation is one aspect of a TOM, but not its main purpose. A TOM defines what an organisation does more than how it organises itself. Option C is not a correct answer, as using a TOM in gap analysis would not help to determine which activities in the desired situation are not financially feasible. The financial feasibility of an activity is not determined by comparing it with a TOM, but by conducting a cost-benefit analysis or a business case. Option D is not a correct answer, as using a TOM in gap analysis would not help to establish which stakeholder views will not be reflected in the desired situation. The stakeholder views are not determined by comparing them with a TOM, but by conducting a stakeholder analysis or a CATWOE analysis.

 The role of a business analyst (BA) is to analyse business situations and problems, identify and evaluate potential solutions, and facilitate change within an organisation or project. A BA works with stakeholders at different levels and with different interests and perspectives to understand their needs and expectations and ensure they are met by suitable solutions. Therefore, option C is not likely to be used by George’s manager in describing his role as a BA in resolving this problem. To negotiate with stakeholders to reach resolution implies that George has to persuade or compromise with stakeholders to agree on one solution or approach. This is not part of the BA’s role, as the BA does not have the authority or responsibility to make decisions or impose solutions on stakeholders. The BA’s role is to analyse and evaluate different solutions or approaches objectively and present the findings and recommendations to stakeholders for their consideration and approval. Option A is likely to be used by George’s manager in describing his role as a BA in resolving this problem. To understand and challenge the stakeholders means that George has to elicit and validate the stakeholders’ views and needs and question their assumptions and rationale. This is part of the BA’s role, as the BA has to ensure that the stakeholders’ views and needs are clear, consistent, realistic and aligned with the organisation’s strategy and objectives. Option B is likely to be used by George’s manager in describing his role as a BA in resolving this problem. To facilitate the discussion to allow the stakeholders to find a way forward means that George has to organise and conduct meetings or workshops with stakeholders to explore and evaluate different solutions or approaches and help them reach a consensus or agreement. This is part of the BA’s role, as the BA has to enable effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders and help them resolve conflicts or issues. Option D is likely to be used by George’s manager in describing his role as a BA in resolving this problem. To record the meeting and the resulting decision means that George has to document and communicate the outcomes and actions of the meeting or workshop with stakeholders and ensure they are understood and accepted by all parties. This is part of the BA’s role, as the BA has to ensure that there is a clear and accurate record of what has been discussed and decided by stakeholders and that there is a shared understanding and commitment among them.

 Porter’s Five Forces model is a technique for analysing the competitive forces that affect an organisation or industry. It helps to assess the attractiveness and profitability of an organisation or industry. Porter’s Five Forces model consists of five forces: threat of new entrants, bargaining power of customers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of substitute products and competitive rivalry. Therefore, option B is the correct answer, as these preliminary findings would be documented in the bargaining power of customers force of Porter’s Five Forces model. Bargaining power of customers is the force that measures the ability and influence of customers to affect the price, quality and quantity of products or services offered by an organisation or industry. It depends on factors such as customer concentration, switching costs, differentiation and loyalty. An example of bargaining power of customers in this scenario is the market is saturated, customers have a lot of choice and it is easy for them to switch from one bank to another, which implies that customers have high bargaining power and can demand lower prices or better services from banks. Option A is not a correct answer, as these preliminary findings would not be documented in the threat of new entrants force of Porter’s Five Forces model. Threat of new entrants is the force that measures the likelihood and impact of new competitors entering an organisation or industry. It depends on factors such as entry barriers, economies of scale, capital requirements and brand loyalty. An example of threat of new entrants in this scenario is an overseas bank launching a new bank in the UK, which implies that there is a potential threat of new entrants to the existing banks in the UK. Option C is not a correct answer, as these preliminary findings would not be documented in the bargaining power of suppliers force of Porter’s Five Forces model. Bargaining power of suppliers is the force that measures the ability and influence of suppliers to affect the price, quality and quantity of products or services supplied to an organisation or industry. It depends on factors such as supplier concentration, switching costs, differentiation and dependency. An example of bargaining power of suppliers in this scenario is the suggested changes to the business structure will affect our relationships with suppliers, which implies that suppliers may have some bargaining power over the organisation or industry. Option D is not a correct answer, as these preliminary findings would not be documented in the threat of substitute products force of Porter’s Five Forces model. Threat of substitute products is the force that measures the likelihood and impact of customers switching to alternative products or services that satisfy their needs or wants better than those offered by an organisation or industry. It depends on factors such as availability, price, quality and performance of substitute products or services. There is no example of threat of substitute products in this scenario.