Pass the APMG-International Agile Business Analysis AgileBA-Foundation Questions and answers with CertsForce

In Bill Wake's INVEST model, the characteristic of a User Story that requires it to be kept to a few person-days or at most, a few person weeks is "Small." This characteristic ensures that user stories are manageable, can be completed within a single iteration, and allows for more accurate estimation and easier testing and integration.

References:

Business Analysis.pdf, "The user story will generally be framed to answer the questions Who? What? Why?... and be expressed in the format: ‘As a {user role} I want {feature} so that I can {reason}.’"​​.

In Agile frameworks, particularly Scrum, the concept of a timebox refers to a fixed period during which specific work is completed and made ready for review. The optimum length of a timebox (or Sprint) is typically two to four weeks. This duration strikes a balance between allowing enough time to complete meaningful work and maintaining a high frequency of feedback and adaptation. Shorter timeboxes (such as one week) might not provide sufficient time to produce a potentially shippable product increment, while longer timeboxes (over four weeks) might delay feedback and the ability to respond to changes. The two to four-week duration supports the Agile principle of regular delivery of valuable software and facilitates a continuous improvement process through frequent retrospectives and planning sessions. References:Business Analysis document, sections on Agile practices and Sprint planning.

The technique used to categorize stakeholders according to their level of involvement in the project is the Power/Interest Grid. This technique is essential for identifying which stakeholders need to be managed closely and which can be monitored with less effort. The grid categorizes stakeholders based on their power to influence the project and their interest in the project's success. This categorization helps in devising appropriate stakeholder management strategies by assessing their power and interest levels and planning interactions accordingly.

References:

Business Analysis.pdf, "Stakeholder analysis...provides a means of categorising stakeholders in order to identify the most appropriate stakeholder management approach"​​.

The role responsible for protecting models that go on to become part of the future 'As Is' support for the delivered solution is the Solution Developer. The Solution Developer ensures that the technical models, including system architectures and detailed design documents, are preserved and maintained. These models are crucial for ongoing support and future enhancements. The Agile BA supports this by providing clear and well-documented requirements and analysis that feed into these models, but the responsibility for their protection and maintenance lies primarily with the Solution Developer.

References:Business Analysis.pdf, Chapter 13, Delivering the Requirements​

The main ingredients of a culture that supports Agile are trust and ownership. Agile methodologies emphasize the importance of empowering teams to make decisions, fostering a culture of mutual respect, and encouraging individuals to take ownership of their work. This environment promotes collaboration, transparency, and accountability, which are essential for the success of Agile projects.

References:

Business Analysis.pdf, "Individuals and interactions over processes and tools...Customer collaboration over contract negotiation"​​.

A project stakeholder can be categorized into different types, and understanding these categories is crucial for effective stakeholder management. The primary categories are:

Internal Stakeholders: These are individuals or groups within the organization who are affected by or can affect the project. This includes employees, managers, and other departments within the organization.

External Stakeholders: These include entities outside the organization such as customers, suppliers, investors, regulatory bodies, and the community at large.

Technical Stakeholders: Typically refer to individuals or groups responsible for the technical aspects of the project, such as IT staff, system architects, and developers.

Strategic Stakeholders: These are stakeholders who have a significant influence over the strategic direction of the project or organization, such as senior executives and board members.

Among these, the primary stakeholder categories are internal and external, as they encompass the broadest range of individuals or groups affected by the project. Internal stakeholders are particularly crucial as they are directly involved in the execution and outcome of the project. Therefore, option A (Internal) is a correct answer as it represents a primary project stakeholder category.

References

Business Analysis.pdf, Section on Stakeholder Analysis and Management ​

Porter's Five Forces Analysis is used to analyze the competitive position of an organization. This framework helps in evaluating the attractiveness and profitability of an industry by examining five key forces: the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of buyers, the threat of substitute products or services, and the intensity of competitive rivalry. By understanding these forces, an organization can develop strategies to enhance its competitive position and profitability within its industry.

References:

Business Analysis.pdf, "An analysis tool that helps to evaluate an industry’s profitability and hence its attractiveness is Michael Porter’s Five Forces model"​​.

When taking a holistic view of the business, the Agile BA typically assumes the role of a Business Architect. This involves analyzing all aspects of the business system, including processes, people, information, and technology, to identify opportunities for improvement and ensure alignment with business goals. The holistic approach requires considering the entire business environment to uncover potential areas for enhancement and support strategic objectives.

References:

Business Analysis.pdf, "There appears to be universal agreement that business analysis requires the application of a holistic approach"​​.

In the context of Agile Business Analysis, a stakeholder is defined as anyone potentially impacted by the outcome of a project. Stakeholders include a wide range of individuals and groups such as customers, users, business sponsors, regulatory bodies, and other entities with a vested interest in the project's results. Effective stakeholder management is crucial for gathering requirements, ensuring alignment with business needs, and facilitating successful project outcomes.

References:Business Analysis.pdf, Chapter 6, Stakeholder Analysis and Management​

In Agile methodologies, a Theme is a collection of related User Stories and/or Epics. Themes help to organize and manage work at a higher level, grouping related stories and epics together to ensure that the development efforts are aligned with broader business objectives or goals. This hierarchical structuring allows teams to see how individual user stories fit into larger business initiatives and ensures that the work is aligned with the overall strategy. By using Themes, teams can manage complex projects more effectively, ensuring that related functionalities are developed in a coordinated manner. References:Business Analysis document, sections on the hierarchy of user stories and Agile planning.