Pass the IIBA Entry Certificate in Business Analysis ECBA Questions and answers with CertsForce

 The task of planning stakeholder engagement is a crucial part of the business analysis planning and monitoring knowledge area. It involves identifying stakeholders, understanding their needs and expectations, and determining the best ways to engage them in the business analysis process. Effective stakeholder engagement is essential for ensuring that the requirements and solutions developed align with stakeholder needs and contribute to project success. References: The Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring knowledge area includes tasks such as planning the business analysis approach, stakeholder engagement, governance, information management, and identifying business analysis performance improvements1.

During the requirements life cycle management phase, one of the key activities is to trace requirements. This involves ensuring that requirements and designs at different levels are aligned with one another and managing the effects of changes to one level on related requirements and designs. Tracing requirements helps maintain the integrity of the requirements throughout the project’s life cycle, from inception to retirement.

The concept of opportunity cost is fundamental in economics and decision-making processes, which also applies to business analysis. Opportunity cost refers to the benefits that are foregone by choosing one alternative over another. In the context of business analysis, when resources are allocated to one design option, the opportunity cost is the value of the best alternative that is not chosen. This means that the opportunity cost is the cost of the next best alternative that could have been achieved with those resources.

In preparation for elicitation, a business analyst utilizes the stakeholder engagement approach as a key input. This approach encompasses understanding the stakeholders’ collaboration and communication needs, which is essential for planning the elicitation activity. It ensures that the elicitation process is aligned with the stakeholders’ expectations and requirements, facilitating effective information gathering and collaboration.

Considering both tangible and intangible costs and benefits provides a complete estimate of the solution’s value to the business. Tangible elements are directly measurable (e.g., cost savings, revenue), while intangible benefits (e.g., customer satisfaction, brand reputation) contribute to the strategic vision and long-term value.

Exact Extract from BABOK® Guide v3 – Section 7.6: Analyze Potential Value and Recommend Solution:

“Consideration should be given to both tangible and intangible value, including potential benefits and costs, to understand the overall impact of a proposed solution.”

When validating requirements, assumptions are defined so that the associated risks can be managed. Assumptions are considered to be true without proof for the purposes of planning and analysis, but they carry inherent risks if they prove to be incorrect. By defining assumptions clearly, business analysts and project teams can identify potential risks early in the process and develop strategies to address them, ensuring that the project remains on track and can adapt to any changes in circumstances.

A requirement can be of benefit to a stakeholder and still not be a desirable part of a solution. A requirement that does not deliver benefit to a stakeholder is a strong candidate for elimination. When requirements do not align, either the future state must be re-evaluated and the solution scope changed, or the requirement removed from the solution scope.

After elicitation activities are performed, the purpose of comparing the results is to ensure consistency and accuracy across information gathered from various stakeholders or techniques. This comparison helps in identifying discrepancies, resolving conflicting inputs, and validating that stakeholder perspectives are properly reflected.

BABOK® Reference – Task: Confirm Elicitation Results (Section 4.3):

“The purpose of Confirm Elicitation Results is to check the information gathered during elicitation for accuracy and consistency with other information.”