According to the PMI Guide to Business Analysis, the requirements baseline is a version of the requirements that has been formally reviewed and agreed upon by the stakeholders, and that serves as a basis for further development and validation activities. The requirements baseline is ready for sign-off when the requirements are clear, consistent, complete, and validated. These are the four characteristics of good requirements that ensure that they are understandable, unambiguous, accurate, and feasible. Complete means that the requirements cover all the necessary aspects of the business problem or opportunity, and that they do not have any gaps or omissions. Clear means that the requirements are expressed in simple and precise language, and that they avoid any jargon or ambiguity. Consistent means that the requirements do not have any conflicts or contradictions with each other or with the business objectives. Validated means that the requirements have been checked and confirmed by the stakeholders, and that they meet their needs and expectations. References: PMI Guide to Business Analysis, page 183-184.

 Solution scope is the set of features and functions that define the boundaries of the solution and align with the business requirements. Solution scope describes what will be included in and excluded from the new system, and helps to manage stakeholder expectations and avoid scope creep. The business analyst has defined the solution scope by working with project team members to define what will be included in and excluded from the new system. The other options are not correct. Solution design is the process of creating a detailed specification of how the solution will meet the requirements. Business requirements are the higher-level needs or goals of the organization or stakeholders that justify the project. Business case is a document that provides the justification for initiating a project based on its expected benefits, costs, and risks. References: PMI-PBA® Examination Content Outline, page 13; PMI-PBA® Reference List, page 1, BABOK® Guide v3, page 39.

 This situation could have been avoided if a change control process for requirements and their statuses was followed. A change control process is a set of procedures and tools that helps the business analyst to manage changes to the requirements, and to document and communicate the impact and approval of the changes. A change control process also helps to maintain the traceability and quality of the requirements, and to ensure that they are aligned with the business needs and the project scope. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 23; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 131.

When a business analyst uses subject matter experts to define roles and identify influencers, the project artifact that is created or updated is the stakeholder register. The stakeholder register is a document that identifies and records information about the stakeholders who are involved in or affected by the project or the solution. The stakeholder register can include information such as stakeholder names, roles, responsibilities, interests, expectations, influence levels, communication preferences, etc. The business analyst can use subject matter experts as sources of information or advice to help define roles and identify influencers among the stakeholders. Subject matter experts are individuals who have specialized knowledge or expertise in a specific domain or area related to the project or the solution. A RACI matrix is not a project artifact that is created or updated when a business analyst uses subject matter experts to define roles and identify influencers. A RACI matrix is a tool that defines and clarifies the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder for each task or deliverable in the project. A RACI matrix can use four categories: Responsible (who performs the task), Accountable (who approves or oversees the task), Consulted (who provides input or feedback for the task), and Informed (who is notified of the task outcome). A SWOT analysis is not a project artifact that is created or updated when a business analyst uses subject matter experts to define roles and identify influencers. A SWOT analysis is a technique that involves identifying and evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an organization, a project, or a solution. A SWOT analysis can help to assess the internal and external factors that may affect the performance or value of an organization, a project, or a solution. A stakeholder management plan is not a project artifact that is created or updated when a business analyst uses subject matter experts to define roles and identify influencers. A stakeholder management plan is a document that describes how the stakeholders will be engaged, communicated with, managed, and satisfied throughout the project lifecycle. A stakeholder management plan can include strategies, actions, tools, and metrics for stakeholder management. References: Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide 1, page 34-35; PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline 2, page 14-15.

A requirements traceability tool is a tool that provides combined functionality for business analysis and quality assurance activities. It helps to document and track the relationships and dependencies among the requirements, the sources of the requirements, and the project deliverables. It also helps to monitor the status, changes, and verification of the requirements throughout the project life cycle. A requirements traceability tool can also support the analysis, validation, and testing of the requirements, as well as the evaluation of the solution quality and performance12.

A functional specification tool is a tool that helps to define and document the functional requirements of a system or a solution. It describes the features, functions, behaviors, and inputs and outputs of the system or the solution. It also specifies the acceptance criteria and the expected results of the system or the solution. A functional specification tool is mainly used for business analysis activities, but not for quality assurance activities13.

A system use case modeling tool is a tool that helps to illustrate and communicate the interactions and scenarios between the users and the system or the solution. It uses diagrams, symbols, and text to represent the actors, use cases, relationships, and flows of events of the system or the solution. It also defines the preconditions, postconditions, and exceptions of each use case. A system use case modeling tool is mainly used for business analysis activities, but not for quality assurance activities14.

A solution quality assurance tool is a tool that helps to measure and evaluate the quality of the system or the solution. It uses various methods and techniques, such as testing, inspection, review, audit, and feedback, to check the quality of the system or the solution against the quality standards and criteria. It also identifies and reports any quality issues, defects, or errors of the system or the solution. A solution quality assurance tool is mainly used for quality assurance activities, but not for business analysis activities1 .

References: 1 PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline, page 9-11; 2 Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, page 121; 3 Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, page 133; 4 Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, page 135; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, page 125

The first thing the business analyst should do immediately after the discussion with the project manager is to schedule time with the process owners. The process owners are the people or groups responsible for a specific business process or procedure that is affected by the project5. The business analyst needs to understand the current state of the processes, the pain points and opportunities, the requirements and expectations, and the impact of the project on the processes. By meeting with the process owners, the business analyst can establish a relationship, gather relevant information, and ensure alignment and collaboration. Putting the information into a project plan is premature, as the business analyst needs to conduct more analysis and planning before creating a project plan. Developing an issues log is not necessary, as there are no issues identified at this stage. Assessing the risks for the project is important, but it is not the immediate action, as the business analyst needs to understand the scope and objectives of the project first. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline2, PMI Guide to Business Analysis3, Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide4, What is a Process Owner? Definition & Responsibilities

 The business analyst should conduct a stakeholder analysis and balance requirements by understanding the relative power associated with each stakeholder group. This action will help the business analyst to identify and prioritize the needs and expectations of different stakeholders, and to manage any conflicts or trade-offs among them. The business analyst should also consider the alignment of the requirements with the project objectives and the business value. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 9; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 38.

 The business analyst will need to use the product scope as an input to the business case. The product scope is the description of the features, functions, and characteristics of the product, service, or result that the project will deliver. The product scope helps to define the business problem or opportunity, the desired outcomes, and the benefits of the solution. The product scope also helps to identify the assumptions, constraints, risks, and dependencies that may affect the project feasibility and viability. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 9; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 36.

The business analyst is using a bottom-up estimation technique, which involves breaking down the work into smaller components and estimating the time and resources needed for each component. Then, the estimates are aggregated to obtain the total estimate for the project. Bottom-up estimation is more accurate and reliable than other techniques, but it also requires more time and effort. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 15; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 85.

An interview is a technique that involves a structured or unstructured conversation between the business analyst and one or more stakeholders to elicit information, opinions, or feedback about a topic. An interview can be conducted face-to-face, over the phone, or through other communication channels. An interview can be prepared in advance with a list of questions or topics to cover, or it can be spontaneous and flexible. An interview can be used to explore the needs, expectations, preferences, or concerns of the stakeholders, as well as to clarify, verify, or validate the requirements. An interview is suitable for a project involving a low number of stakeholders, as it allows the business analyst to establish rapport, ask probing questions, and obtain detailed and specific information from each stakeholder. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 17; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 89.

 MoSCoW is a requirements prioritization method that classifies requirements into four categories: Must have, Should have, Could have, and Won’t have. This method helps the business analyst and the stakeholders to agree on the essential requirements that must be delivered within a fixed time frame, and the desirable requirements that can be deferred or dropped if necessary. MoSCoW is suitable for this project because it allows the business analyst to focus on the minimum viable product that meets the business need of replacing the current enrollment and billing software application before the vendor contract ends, and to cope with the large volume of requirements by prioritizing them based on their value and urgency. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 18; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 92.

 The requirements baseline is a document that contains the approved and validated requirements that are used as the basis for developing the solution. The requirements baseline defines the scope and boundaries of the product development, as it specifies what the product must do, what features and functions it must have, and what criteria it must meet to satisfy the stakeholders’ needs and expectations. The requirements baseline also serves as a reference point for measuring the progress and performance of the product development, as well as for managing changes and resolving issues. The requirements baseline is established after the requirements have been elicited, analyzed, prioritized, and verified by the business analyst and the stakeholders, and it is formally approved by the project sponsor or other authorized person. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 18; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 92.

Competitive analysis is a technique to compare the strengths and weaknesses of similar products or services offered by competitors in the same market. Competitive analysis can help to identify opportunities, threats, and gaps in the market, and to develop strategies to increase sales and customer satisfaction. Competitive analysis can be used to identify solutions for the startup company that sells organic vegetable and fruit smoothies by comparing their best-selling juice with similar products offered by competitors. The other techniques are not suitable for this purpose. Benchmarking is a technique to compare the performance of a product, service, or process with a standard or best practice. Trend analysis is a technique to analyze historical data or patterns to forecast future outcomes or behaviors. Focus group is a technique to elicit opinions, preferences, or feedback from a representative group of customers or users. References: PMI-PBA® Examination Content Outline, page 11; PMI-PBA® Reference List, page 1, BABOK® Guide v3, page 51.

Communication is an essential part of requirements management, as it ensures that the requirements are clear, consistent, and agreed upon by all the project stakeholders. Stakeholders are the individuals or groups who have an interest or influence in the project, and who can provide input, feedback, and approval for the requirements. Communication also helps to avoid surprises, misunderstandings, and conflicts among the stakeholders, and to manage their expectations and satisfaction. Communication should be timely, accurate, relevant, and transparent, and should follow the communication plan and strategy defined in the requirements management plan12.

One of the aspects of communication is the status of the requirements, which indicates the progress and completion of the requirements throughout the project life cycle. The status of the requirements can be tracked and documented using a traceability matrix, which is a tool that links the requirements to their sources and traces them throughout the project. The status of the requirements can also be monitored and controlled using a change control process, which is a process that evaluates, approves, and implements any changes to the requirements. The status of the requirements can have different values, such as proposed, approved, implemented, verified, deferred, deleted, or rejected12.

When the status of a requirement changes, it should be communicated to all the project stakeholders, not just the source of the requirement or the project team. This is because the change in the status of a requirement may have an impact on the scope, schedule, cost, quality, or risk of the project, and may affect the interests or expectations of the stakeholders. Communicating the status of the requirements to all the project stakeholders helps to keep them informed and engaged, and to obtain their feedback and approval. It also helps to prevent surprises, such as the one experienced by the major stakeholder in the question, who was unaware that a particular requirement was deferred12.

Therefore, the best option is C. The status should have been communicated to all project stakeholders. Option A is not the best option, because the status should have been communicated to more than just the requirement’s source. Option B is not the best option, because the status should have been communicated earlier than prior to project launch. Option D is not the best option, because updating the status in the traceability matrix is not enough, as the stakeholders may not have access to or awareness of the matrix. References: 1 PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline, page 9-11; 2 Requirements Management 101 | Smartsheet 2

One of the main purposes for creating a requirements traceability matrix is to track how requirements can be connected to the solution. A requirements traceability matrix is a tool that links the requirements to the project scope, objectives, deliverables, and test cases. A requirements traceability matrix can help the business analyst to track the origin, allocation, dependencies, and status of the requirements throughout the project lifecycle, and to ensure that the solution meets the requirements and the stakeholder expectations. A requirements traceability matrix can also help to manage changes, resolve issues, and measure the quality and performance of the solution. A requirements traceability matrix can be created using various formats, such as a table, a spreadsheet, or a database12. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline3, page 18; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide4, page 92.

 Prototyping is a tool or technique that could have been used by the business analyst to avoid the situation of unclear and conflicting requirements. Prototyping is the process of creating a simplified and partial version of the product or system that can be used to elicit, validate, and refine the requirements. Prototyping can help the business analyst and the stakeholders to visualize the solution, to identify and resolve any issues or gaps, and to reach a common understanding and agreement on the requirements. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 18; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 94.

Requirements status during the project development cycle is the information that should be reported to the stakeholder who wants to know how the implementation of new features in the development of a product is progressing. The requirements status shows how many requirements are in each stage of the development cycle, such as analysis, design, development, testing, or deployment. This information can help the stakeholder understand the progress and quality of the product development and identify any issues or risks that may affect the delivery of the new features. Distribution of project changes is not relevant to the implementation of new features, as it shows how many changes have been requested, approved, or rejected for the project scope, schedule, cost, or quality. Number of requirements approved vs. number of requirements rejected is not relevant to the implementation of new features, as it shows how many requirements have been accepted or discarded by the stakeholders during the requirements analysis phase. Number of requirements tested and approved is not sufficient to report the implementation of new features, as it only shows how many requirements have passed the verification and validation process, but not how many are still in development or deployment stages. References: Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, page 161-162; PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline, page 19.

 According to the PMI Guide to Business Analysis, planning the requirements change process involves defining how requirement changes will be identified, analyzed, approved, and communicated throughout the project life cycle. Communication is a key aspect of managing requirement changes, as it ensures that all stakeholders are aware of the status, impact, and rationale of the changes, and that they can provide their feedback and input. How requirement changes will impact the requirements baseline, how they will be implemented, and how they will impact the validation plan are all important considerations, but they are not part of planning the requirements change process. They are part of executing, monitoring, and controlling the requirements change process. References: PMI Guide to Business Analysis, page 286-287.

 A RACI matrix is a tool that defines the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in a project or a process. It clarifies who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed for each task or deliverable. The business analyst should refer to the RACI matrix to identify who is responsible for signoff, as this person has the authority and accountability to approve the solution and its testing results. Contacting the sponsor, the stakeholder who provided the majority of requirements, or the project manager may not be appropriate, as they may not be the designated person for signoff according to the RACI matrix. No signoff is necessary is incorrect, as signoff is an important step to confirm that the solution meets the requirements and acceptance criteria. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 13; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 77.

 Inspection is a technique or tool that is used to obtain acceptance of the delivered product. Inspection is a process that involves examining and measuring the product or its components against the predefined standards, criteria, or specifications, to determine its quality, completeness, and correctness. Inspection can help the business analyst and the project team to identify and correct any defects, errors, or deviations in the product, and to ensure that it meets the requirements and the stakeholder expectations. Inspection can also help to obtain the formal approval and acceptance of the product from the customer and other stakeholders, and to confirm that the product is ready for delivery or deployment. Inspection can be done using various methods, such as reviews, walkthroughs, audits, or tests. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 21; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 101.

Decision trees, weighted matrix, and context diagrams are tools and techniques that can help the business analyst to maximize business value while establishing the requirements baseline. Decision trees are graphical representations of possible outcomes and choices based on certain conditions or criteria. Decision trees can help to evaluate and select the best option among multiple alternatives based on their expected value or risk. Weighted matrix are tables that assign scores and weights to different factors or measures to compare and prioritize them. Weighted matrix can help to rank the requirements based on their alignment with the business objectives, benefits, costs, risks, dependencies, urgency, etc. Context diagrams are visual models that show the boundaries and interactions of a system or product with its environment. Context diagrams can help to define the scope and stakeholders of a project, as well as their needs and expectations. References: = PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline (2019), page 11-12; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide (2015), page 66-69.

According to the PMI Guide to Business Analysis, change control systems are tools that help to manage changes to requirements or other project deliverables throughout the project life cycle. Change control systems include provisions to implement changes without formal review in the event of an emergency, such as when there is an urgent need to fix a critical defect or issue that affects the project scope, schedule, cost, quality, or risk. However, when this provision is utilized, changes must still be documented and captured in order to maintain traceability and accountability of the changes, and to communicate them to all relevant stakeholders. Documenting and capturing changes also helps to avoid any confusion or inconsistency in the requirements or other project deliverables, and to evaluate their impact and outcome. The risk associated with the change is still evaluated before implementing it, even in an emergency situation. A change control board should already be established as part of the change control system. Changes may still require further managerial involvement after they are implemented in order to monitor and control their effects. References: PMI Guide to Business Analysis, page 288-289.

 The business analyst must perform a cost-benefit analysis in order to complete the business case and arrive at a solid recommendation. A cost-benefit analysis is a technique that compares the costs and benefits of different options or alternatives for solving a business problem or achieving a business opportunity. A cost-benefit analysis helps to evaluate the return on investment (ROI), the net present value (NPV), and the payback period of each option, and to select the most optimal one based on the business value and the strategic alignment. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 10; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 40.

 A change control process is a process that could help manage the situation of scope creep. Scope creep refers to the problem experienced on many projects when the size or complexity of the original product description grows. Scope creep can have negative impacts on the project schedule, budget, quality, and stakeholder satisfaction. A change control process is a process that defines how changes to the project scope, requirements, deliverables, or other configuration items are requested, evaluated, approved, implemented, and monitored. A change control process can help the business analyst and the project team to manage the expectations of the stakeholders, to assess the impact and feasibility of the changes, to prioritize and implement the changes, and to communicate the changes to the relevant parties. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 23; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 131.

According to the PMI Guide to Business Analysis, one of the best strategies to define appropriate acceptance criteria is to clearly define the performance measures and targets for the solution, such as accuracy, reliability, availability, efficiency, etc. These measures and targets help to evaluate how well the solution meets the stakeholder needs and expectations, and how it contributes to the business value. In this case, since the operations manager is concerned about the accuracy of the new measurement system, a good strategy would be to clearly define the maximum acceptable error rate for the new system, which would indicate how accurate the system should be in order to be accepted by the stakeholder. Quantifying the risks associated with measurement errors, asking for a formal acceptance of requirements documents, or planning a training session for the new system are not effective strategies to define appropriate acceptance criteria, as they do not specify how the performance of the solution will be measured or evaluated. References: PMI Guide to Business Analysis, page 316-317.

 Engaging all stakeholders early in the requirements gathering phase is a good practice to ensure stakeholder satisfaction with the enhancement. By involving the stakeholders in the elicitation process, the business analyst can understand their needs, expectations, preferences, and constraints. By defining the acceptance criteria with the stakeholders, the business analyst can establish a clear and measurable definition of what constitutes a successful solution. Engaging all stakeholders early can also help to build trust, collaboration, and buy-in for the change. Requesting that the project manager identify all affected project stakeholders is not sufficient to ensure stakeholder satisfaction, as it does not involve direct communication with the stakeholders. Providing all signed-off project documentation to the stakeholders for information purposes only is not effective, as it does not allow for feedback or validation from the stakeholders. Soliciting feedback and adding requirements to the project backlog is not advisable, as it can lead to scope creep, rework, and delays. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 11; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 66.

Interface analysis is a technique that involves identifying and describing how a system or product interacts with other systems, products, or users. Interface analysis can help the business analyst to analyze the complex, in-house processes that are being converted into the new system by defining the inputs, outputs, functions, features, behaviors, and performance of each interface. Interface analysis can also help to ensure compatibility, interoperability, usability, and security of each interface. References: = PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline (2019), page 12; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide (2015), page 69.

 Agile is an approach to enable developers and product owners to be in constant communication so that changes or issues that occur during development are exposed and discussed as they develop. Agile emphasizes iterative and incremental delivery of value, collaboration, feedback, and adaptation. Agile methods include Scrum, Kanban, XP, and others. References: = PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline (2019), page 14; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide (2015), page 17.

Workshop sessions are a technique to elicit, analyze, and prioritize requirements by bringing together a group of stakeholders, such as subject matter experts, to collaborate and reach a consensus. Workshop sessions can be used to identify and prioritize the requirements for a newly approved project. The other techniques are not suitable for this purpose. Delphi technique is a technique to obtain expert opinions anonymously and iteratively until a consensus is reached. Brainstorming is a technique to generate a large number of ideas or solutions in a short time. Idea and mind mapping is a technique to visually organize ideas or information using diagrams or graphs. References: PMI-PBA® Examination Content Outline, page 10; PMI-PBA® Reference List, page 1, BABOK® Guide v3, page 50.

A requirements management plan is a document that describes how the requirements will be elicited, analyzed, documented, validated, and managed throughout the project. It typically includes the following components12:

• Requirements work plan: This component defines the activities, tasks, resources, schedule, and deliverables for the requirements process. It also identifies the roles and responsibilities of the requirements team and other stakeholders.
• Prioritization process: This component describes the criteria and methods for prioritizing the requirements based on their value, urgency, risk, dependency, and other factors. It also defines the levels of priority and how they will be communicated and updated.
• Traceability matrix template: This component provides a format for documenting the relationships and dependencies among the requirements, the sources of the requirements, and the project deliverables. It also helps to track the status, changes, and verification of the requirements.
• Other components: Depending on the project context and complexity, the requirements management plan may also include other components, such as requirements definition, requirements attribute template, requirements change control process, requirements communication plan, requirements validation plan, and requirements metrics12. References: 1 PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline, page 9; 2 Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, page 121-122

Functional specifications are a type of requirements documentation that describes what the system or product should do in terms of functions, features, behaviors, inputs, outputs, etc. Functional specifications can help the business analyst to document the requirements in a way that is clearly understood by the development team and provides enough information to check if the requirement has been met. Functional specifications can also include acceptance criteria, test cases, data models, user interface designs, etc. References: = PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline (2019), page 10; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide (2015), page 39.

The next step that the business analyst should take after incorporating all the relevant feedback from stakeholders in the business analysis plan is to obtain approval on the plan. The business analysis plan is a document that describes how the business analysis activities will be performed, managed, and controlled throughout the project. It should be approved by the key stakeholders before the business analyst starts documenting or implementing the requirements. The approval process ensures that the stakeholders agree on the scope, approach, deliverables, roles, and responsibilities of the business analysis work. Starting documenting requirements without obtaining approval on the plan is not advisable, as it may lead to confusion, rework, or conflicts among the stakeholders. Storing the document for safe keeping is not a productive step, as it does not communicate or validate the plan with the stakeholders. Starting implementing the project without obtaining approval on the plan is not feasible, as it may result in wasted resources, missed expectations, or failed outcomes. References: Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide 1, page 29-30; PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline 2, page 13.

User acceptance testing (UAT) is a process that should be done by the business analyst after the software developers have delivered a completed solution and the quality assurance team has passed it. User acceptance testing is a process of verifying that the solution meets the requirements and expectations of the end users and delivers value to them. User acceptance testing involves preparing test cases, scenarios, or scripts based on the acceptance criteria, executing them with representative users or stakeholders, collecting feedback, identifying defects or issues, and obtaining sign-off or approval for deployment. User acceptance testing can help to ensure that the solution is fit for use, suitable for purpose, and aligned with business objectives. Evaluating the solution against the project charter is not necessary at this stage, as it does not involve testing or validation by the end users or stakeholders. Evaluating the solution with the sponsor(s) is not sufficient at this stage, as it does not capture the perspective of all relevant users or stakeholders who will use or benefit from the solution. Conducting performance testing is not relevant at this stage, as it is usually done by the quality assurance team before delivering the solution to ensure that it meets the non-functional requirements such as speed, reliability, scalability, etc. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 14; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 80.

A modeling tool integrated into a version control feature that ensures that team knowledge is captured is a tool that should be used to improve the communication of product needs with the stakeholders and to improve their understanding. A modeling tool is a tool that allows the business analyst to create visual representations of the product needs, such as diagrams, charts, graphs, or mockups. These models can help the stakeholders to comprehend and verify the requirements more easily than textual descriptions. A version control feature is a tool that allows the business analyst to track and manage changes to the models and ensure that they are consistent and accurate. A version control feature also enables collaboration and knowledge sharing among the team members and stakeholders. A requirements management tool that documents requirements and their properties and relationships is not a tool that should be used to improve the communication of product needs with the stakeholders and to improve their understanding, as it does not provide visual or graphical representations of the product needs. A document management system and a relationship matrix that groups all related documents is not a tool that should be used to improve the communication of product needs with the stakeholders and to improve their understanding, as it does not create or display models of the product needs. A workflow management tool that documents the flow of information is not a tool that should be used to improve the communication of product needs with the stakeholders and to improve their understanding, as it only focuses on one aspect of the product needs and does not capture other dimensions such as functionality, quality, or value. References: Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide 1, page 77-78; PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline 2, page 16.

Requirements baseline is a document that contains the approved version of the requirements that serves as a reference point for further changes. Requirements baseline can help the business analyst to address the issue of underestimating the required budget and schedule by defining the scope, value, quality, risk, and feasibility of each requirement. Requirements baseline can also help to negotiate the scope in the contract with the customer by showing how each requirement aligns with their needs and expectations, and proposing possible trade-offs or alternatives. References: = PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline (2019), page 10; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide (2015), page 40.

A fishbone diagram, also known as a cause-and-effect diagram or an Ishikawa diagram, is a tool that helps to identify and analyze the possible causes of a problem or an effect. It can help the business analyst to perform a root cause analysis in order to analyze and resolve the discrepancy identified through user acceptance testing. A fishbone diagram has a structure that resembles a fish skeleton, with a head, a spine, and several branches. The head represents the problem or the effect, the spine represents the main cause categories, and the branches represent the sub-causes or factors that contribute to the problem or the effect. By creating a fishbone diagram, the business analyst can brainstorm and organize the potential causes of the software flaw, and then investigate and verify the most likely root cause. A fishbone diagram can also help to communicate the findings and recommendations to the stakeholders and the development team. An interface analysis is a tool that helps to identify and describe the interactions and dependencies between different components or systems. It does not help to perform a root cause analysis in order to analyze and resolve the discrepancy identified through user acceptance testing, as it does not focus on the causes and effects of the problem. A Delphi estimation is a tool that helps to obtain a consensus among a group of experts on a complex or uncertain issue. It does not help to perform a root cause analysis in order to analyze and resolve the discrepancy identified through user acceptance testing, as it does not provide a systematic and structured way to identify and analyze the causes of the problem. A functional decomposition is a tool that helps to break down a complex system or process into smaller and simpler components or functions. It does not help to perform a root cause analysis in order to analyze and resolve the discrepancy identified through user acceptance testing, as it does not show the relationships and influences between the components or functions. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, PMI Guide to Business Analysis2, Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide3, Root Cause Analysis: Definition, Examples & Methods | Tableau1

The best practice in product validation is that the evaluation criteria should be the same as what was used to measure the requirement. Product validation is a process that confirms that the product meets the stakeholder needs and expectations and delivers value to them. Product validation involves testing and verifying the product against predefined criteria and standards that reflect the requirements. The evaluation criteria should be consistent with what was used to measure the requirement during analysis, as this ensures that there is no discrepancy or deviation between what was specified and what was delivered. The measurement of the requirement should not be based on the average of two or more evaluations, as this is not a best practice in product validation. Averaging two or more evaluations may result in inaccurate or misleading results, as it may mask or dilute any errors, defects, or variations in the product quality or performance. Averaging two or more evaluations may also introduce bias or subjectivity into the validation process, as different evaluators may have different methods, tools, or perspectives for measuring the product. There should not be two separate measurements for evaluating each functional requirement, as this is not a best practice in product validation. Having two separate measurements may create confusion or inconsistency in the validation process, as it may lead to conflicting or contradictory results, depending on how each measurement is defined, performed, or interpreted. Having two separate measurements may also increase complexity or redundancy in the validation process, as it may require more time, effort, or resources to conduct and compare each measurement. Two or more testers should not test the product using the same test cases so that their evaluations are consistent, as this is not a best practice in product validation. Having two or more testers use the same test cases may result in duplication or inefficiency in the validation process, as it may waste time, effort, or resources to perform identical tests without adding any value or information. Having two or more testers use the same test cases may also reduce effectiveness or reliability in the validation process, as it may overlook or ignore any errors, defects, or variations that are not covered by those test cases. References: Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide 1, page 113-114; PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline 2, page 17-18.

 A survey is a technique to collect information, opinions, or feedback from a large number of stakeholders, such as customers or users. A survey can help to measure the current level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, and to identify the needs and expectations of the customers for the tool. A survey can provide a basis for analyzing vendor products by comparing their features, benefits, and costs with the customer requirements. The other options are not suitable for this purpose. A storyboard is a technique to visualize the user interface or user experience of a solution using sketches or mockups. A project charter is a document that authorizes the project and defines its objectives, scope, and stakeholders. A business case is a document that provides the justification for initiating a project based on its expected benefits, costs, and risks. References: PMI-PBA® Examination Content Outline, page 11; PMI-PBA® Reference List, page 1, BABOK® Guide v3, page 50.

 A closed-ended survey using the Likert scale is a type of survey that asks respondents to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with a series of statements related to the current business process. This type of survey is useful for gathering data that can be used in a statistical analysis to measure user satisfaction, identify pain points, and evaluate the performance of the current business process. A closed-ended survey is also easier to administer and analyze than an open-ended survey, which requires more time and effort to code and interpret the responses. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 17; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 91.

 Acceptance criteria are the conditions that must be met for a solution or deliverable to be accepted by the stakeholders. Acceptance criteria should be measurable, testable, and clear, so that the team can verify if the requirements have been met or not. If the acceptance criteria for the requirements were not measurable, the team would have difficulty confirming if certain requirements have been met, as they would not have a clear and objective way to evaluate the solution or deliverable. The other options are not likely to cause this issue. The test engineer is not responsible for communicating requirements to the team, but for testing them against the acceptance criteria. Not all stakeholders need to be involved during requirements elicitation, as long as the key stakeholders who can provide relevant and accurate information are consulted. Requirements should be adequately reviewed with the project sponsor, but this does not affect the confirmation of meeting the requirements, as the sponsor is not the one who verifies them. References: PMI-PBA® Examination Content Outline, page 13; PMI-PBA® Reference List, page 1, BABOK® Guide v3, page 39.

 Asking stakeholders to vote on the requirements is a technique that the business analyst can employ to rectify the issue of not having enough resources to deliver all the requirements. Voting is a method of prioritizing requirements by asking stakeholders to rank or rate them according to their importance, urgency, value, or risk. Voting can help to identify the most critical or essential requirements that should be delivered first or within the available resources. Voting can also help to resolve conflicts or disagreements among stakeholders and reach a consensus on the priority of the requirements. Holding a brainstorming workshop to build the rationale for the requirements is not an effective technique to rectify the issue, as it does not address the resource constraint or the priority of the requirements. Brainstorming is a method of generating ideas or solutions by encouraging free and creative thinking from participants. Brainstorming can help to elicit or analyze requirements, but not prioritize them. Performing traceability to find out where the requirements originated is not a useful technique to rectify the issue, as it does not indicate the importance or value of the requirements. Traceability is a process of tracking the relationship between requirements and other project artifacts, such as design, test cases, or deliverables. Traceability can help to ensure completeness, consistency, and quality of the requirements, but not prioritize them. Surveying stakeholders on their likes and dislikes about the requirements is not a viable technique to rectify the issue, as it does not provide a clear or objective way of prioritizing the requirements. Surveying is a method of collecting feedback from stakeholders by asking them questions about their satisfaction, preferences, expectations, needs, problems, or suggestions. Surveying can help to validate or evaluate the requirements, but not prioritize them. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 15; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 95.

The business analyst should use document analysis as an elicitation technique during this time. Document analysis is a technique that involves reviewing and analyzing existing documents, such as policies, procedures, standards, reports, or contracts, to elicit information about the business needs, requirements, or solution options. Document analysis is useful when the stakeholders are not available to participate, or when the business analyst needs to gain background knowledge or context before engaging with the stakeholders. Document analysis can also help to identify gaps, issues, or assumptions that need to be clarified or validated with the stakeholders later. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 12; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 51.

 Operational feasibility is the kind of feasibility assessment that the business analyst is undertaking to understand how well a potential solution fits into the organization. Operational feasibility evaluates how the solution will affect the current operations, processes, culture, and people of the organization. It also considers how the solution will be accepted, adopted, and used by the stakeholders. Technical feasibility is not the kind of feasibility assessment that the business analyst is undertaking, as it evaluates how the solution can be implemented using the available technology, infrastructure, and resources. Cost-effectiveness feasibility is not the kind of feasibility assessment that the business analyst is undertaking, as it evaluates how the solution will provide benefits that outweigh its costs. Time feasibility is not the kind of feasibility assessment that the business analyst is undertaking, as it evaluates how long it will take to implement the solution and whether it can meet the desired schedule. References: Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide, page 41-42 1; PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline, page 14 

 Time-boxing is a prioritization technique that involves assigning a fixed amount of time or resource to each requirement or deliverable, and delivering as much value as possible within that time or resource constraint. Time-boxing is useful when the project has a tight timeline or budget, and the stakeholders have too many requirements for the delivery window. Time-boxing helps to focus on the most important and valuable requirements, and to manage the expectations and scope of the stakeholders. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 18; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 97.

 Team peer review is a technique that is used to identify ambiguous or unverifiable requirements. Team peer review is a technique that involves having a group of peers or experts examine and evaluate the requirements for quality, completeness, correctness, clarity, consistency, and testability. Team peer review can help to identify any ambiguous or unverifiable requirements that may cause confusion, misunderstanding, or errors in the project. Team peer review can also provide feedback and suggestions for improvement or resolution of any issues or defects in the requirements. Fishbone analysis is not a technique that is used to identify ambiguous or unverifiable requirements. Fishbone analysis is a technique that is used to identify the root causes of a problem or an effect by analyzing its contributing factors and their relationships. Fishbone analysis can help to understand why a problem exists or why an effect occurs, but it does not directly examine or evaluate the quality of the requirements. Resource checklist is not a technique that is used to identify ambiguous or unverifiable requirements. Resource checklist is a tool that is used to identify and document the resources needed to perform business analysis activities, such as people, tools, facilities, equipment, etc. Resource checklist can help to plan and manage the resources required for business analysis work, but it does not assess or verify the quality of the requirements. Traceability matrix is not a technique that is used to identify ambiguous or unverifiable requirements. Traceability matrix is a tool that is used to track and document the relationships and dependencies among requirements and other project elements, such as design, test cases, risks, issues, etc. Traceability matrix can help to monitor and control changes to requirements and ensure alignment with project objectives and stakeholder needs, but it does not measure or validate the quality of the requirements. References: Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide 1, page 162-163; PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline 2, page 19-20.

Verification is the process of ensuring that the requirements meet a quality checklist and conform to the specified standards, rules, and criteria. Verification can help the business analyst to ensure that all requirements meet a quality checklist before the development and testing phase by checking the completeness, correctness, clarity, consistency, and testability of each requirement. Verification can also help to identify and resolve any defects, errors, or ambiguities in the requirements. References: = PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline (2019), page 10; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide (2015), page 40.

Managing solution scope is the task of ensuring that the solution meets the agreed-upon requirements and delivers the expected value to the stakeholders. Managing solution scope involves analyzing the impact of any changes to the scope, assessing the feasibility and risks of the changes, and obtaining approval from the stakeholders before implementing the changes. Managing solution scope can help the business analyst to identify the impacts, dependencies, or risks associated with the addition to the scope. References: = PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline (2019), page 14; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide (2015), page 83.

 Root cause analysis (RCA) is a technique that can be used to investigate the problem of increased call interval in a new call management system. Root cause analysis is a method of identifying and resolving the underlying causes of a problem or an issue, rather than treating the symptoms or the effects. Root cause analysis involves asking questions, collecting data, analyzing evidence, finding patterns, drawing conclusions, and recommending solutions. Root cause analysis can help to prevent recurrence of the problem, improve performance, reduce risks, and increase customer satisfaction. Interviews are a technique that can be used to elicit information from stakeholders, but they may not be sufficient to investigate the problem in depth and find its root causes. Observation is a technique that can be used to understand how stakeholders perform their work in their own environment, but it may not be able to explain why the problem occurs and what causes it. Process modeling is a technique that can be used to represent how activities are performed in a process, but it may not be able to identify and resolve the problem in the process. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 15; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 95.

 The type of requirements that do not trace to a business need are out-of-scope requirements. Out-of-scope requirements are the requirements that are not related to the project scope, objectives, or deliverables, and that do not contribute to the solution of the business problem or opportunity. Out-of-scope requirements are usually identified and excluded during the requirements analysis and traceability processes, to avoid wasting time, resources, and effort on unnecessary or irrelevant features or functions. Out-of-scope requirements can be caused by various factors, such as unclear or changing business needs, conflicting or unrealistic stakeholder expectations, poor communication or elicitation techniques, or lack of validation or verification methods. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 18; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 92.

 A change control process is a set of procedures that defines how changes to the requirements are identified, assessed, approved, implemented, and communicated. A change control process helps to ensure that changes are aligned with the business objectives, do not introduce unnecessary risks, and do not adversely affect the quality of the solution. A change control process also helps to manage stakeholder expectations and avoid scope creep. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 13; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 77.

 According to the PMI Professional in Business Analysis objectives and content, a traceability matrix is a tool that is used to track and link the requirements throughout the project life cycle. A traceability matrix can help to ensure that the product design meets the stated requirements by showing the relationships and dependencies between the requirements and the design elements, as well as the test cases and the verification results. A traceability matrix can also help to monitor the status and progress of the requirements and the design, and to identify and resolve any gaps, inconsistencies, or conflicts that may arise. A traceability matrix can also facilitate the impact analysis and change management of the requirements and the design. References:

• PMI Professional in Business Analysis objectives and content: PMI-PBA Certification
• PMI Professional in Business Analysis reference list: PBA Reference List
• PMI Professional in Business Analysis study guide: Study.com

 According to the PMI Guide to Business Analysis, one of the best practices for managing changes to requirements is to communicate them to all relevant stakeholders and solicit their feedback before approving or rejecting the change request. This ensures that the impact of the change is understood and agreed upon by all parties, and that the change does not introduce any conflicts or inconsistencies with the existing requirements. By sharing the new requirements with all stakeholders and asking them to submit their comments before the meeting, the business analyst can facilitate a constructive discussion and reach a consensus on how to proceed with the change request. References: PMI Guide to Business Analysis, page 287-288.

Root cause analysis is a technique that involves identifying and analyzing the underlying causes of a problem or an issue. Root cause analysis can help the business analyst to determine how the selection criteria requirement was missed, and to prevent similar errors from occurring in the future. Root cause analysis can be done using various tools, such as fishbone diagram and the Five Whys. A fishbone diagram is a graphical tool that organizes the possible causes of a problem into categories, such as people, process, technology, environment, etc. A fishbone diagram can help the business analyst to visualize the relationships between the causes and the effects, and to identify the most likely root causes. The Five Whys is a questioning technique that involves asking “why” repeatedly until the root cause of a problem is revealed. The Five Whys can help the business analyst to drill down into the details of the problem, and to uncover the underlying factors and assumptions that led to the missed requirement. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 21; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 101.

A requirements traceability matrix (RTM) is a tool that helps to map and track the user requirements with the test cases, and to ensure that the requirements are met by the solution. A RTM can also include other attributes or characteristics of the requirements, such as priority, risk, complexity, source, owner, etc. One of these attributes can be the system and architectural stability, which reflects the degree of reliability, robustness, and resilience of the system and its architecture. By including this attribute in the RTM, the business analyst can ensure that the requirement meets the acceptance criteria for system and architectural stability, and that the test cases can verify and validate this attribute. A RTM can also help to identify any gaps, inconsistencies, or conflicts between the requirements and the test cases, and to manage any changes or issues that may arise during the development process. References: = 1, 2

 According to the PMI Professional in Business Analysis objectives and content, the business analyst should recommend the option with the highest functionality score and the lowest cost score. In this case, option A, 1, Custom solution, has the highest functionality score of 10 and the lowest cost score of 1. Therefore, it should be recommended. References:

• PMI Professional in Business Analysis objectives and content: PMI-PBA Certification
• PMI Professional in Business Analysis reference list: PBA Reference List
• PMI Professional in Business Analysis study guide: PMI.com

A SWOT analysis is a technique that helps to assess the internal and external factors that may affect the success of a solution or an option. A SWOT analysis involves identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of each option, and comparing them with the business problem and the desired outcomes. A SWOT analysis can help the stakeholders to evaluate the feasibility, viability, and desirability of each option, and to select the best one based on the strategic alignment and the business value. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, page 10; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 41.