AgileBA-Foundation APMG-International AgileBA (Agile Business Analysis) Foundation (2015) Exam Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

When defining and planning a larger workshop, it is crucial for the Workshop Owner, with the support of the Workshop Facilitator, to ensure that all participants have enough information to make effective decisions. This involves thorough preparation, including distributing necessary documents and context ahead of the workshop, setting clear objectives, and ensuring that all participants understand their roles and the workshop's goals. This careful preparation helps to facilitate effective decision-making and productive discussions, leading to better outcomes from the workshop.

References:Business Analysis.pdf, Chapter 5, Investigation Techniques​

In an Agile project, adherence to the principle of "Demonstrate Control" is shown by making plans visible and accessible to all stakeholders. This transparency ensures that everyone involved in the project can see the progress, understand the current status, and be aware of any changes. This is typically achieved by:

Displaying Plans in a Shared Workspace: This could be physical (like a Kanban board) or digital (like a project management tool) where plans, progress, and any changes are visible to the entire team and other stakeholders.

Regular Updates and Reviews: Frequent stand-ups, reviews, and retrospectives ensure that the team maintains control over the project by continuously assessing progress and making adjustments as necessary.

Collaborative Tools: Using collaborative tools that support transparency and open communication helps in maintaining control over the project's direction and progress.

These practices contrast with traditional methods where control might be demonstrated through strict adherence to predefined processes or by delivering all requirements regardless of their prioritization.

References:

Business Analysis.pdf: Emphasizes the importance of transparency and regular communication in Agile projects to demonstrate control and ensure alignment with project goals​​.

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 the KANO Model, the three distinct types of customer needs are:

Expected (Basic Needs): These are the fundamental requirements that customers expect to be met. If these needs are not fulfilled, customers will be dissatisfied.

Normal (Performance Needs): These are the needs that customers explicitly state and expect to be fulfilled. The better these needs are met, the more satisfied the customers will be.

Exciters (Delight Needs): These are the features that go beyond customer expectations and provide delight when fulfilled.

"Teasers (When)" is not a type of customer need in the KANO Model.

References:

The KANO Model focuses on Expected, Normal, and Exciters needs to categorize customer requirements and satisfaction levels​​.

The Agile Business Analyst (BA) role is primarily focused on representing the business view. Agile BAs work closely with stakeholders to understand their needs, clarify requirements, and ensure that the development team delivers solutions that align with business objectives. While technical knowledge is beneficial, the BA's core responsibility is to bridge the gap between business stakeholders and the development team, ensuring that the final product meets the business requirements and adds value.

References:

Business Analysis.pdf, "The role of the business analyst in an Agile environment is explored further in Chapters 10 and 13"​​.

According to the MoSCoW technique, a "Must Have" requirement is something that the project will fail without. These requirements are absolutely essential for the system to function and meet the business needs. If even one "Must Have" requirement is not met, the project would be considered a failure. This prioritization ensures that critical functionality is delivered in the first increment and forms the basis of the minimum viable product (MVP).

References:

The MoSCoW technique defines "Must Have" requirements as mandatory and essential for the project’s success, without which the system has no value​​.

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"​​.

The lifecycle of a Requirement in an Agile project includes the stages of Elicitation, Analysis, and Management and documentation. Elicitation involves gathering requirements from stakeholders. Analysis is the process of understanding, refining, and prioritizing these requirements. Management and documentation involve maintaining requirements and ensuring they are properly documented and tracked throughout the project lifecycle.

References:

Business Analysis.pdf, "requirements elicitation 189–93, requirements analysis 185–6, requirements management 218–22"​​.

A business case typically includes several critical components that justify and outline the benefits of a project. These components are:

Metrics for measuring the success of the solution in operational use: This involves defining how the success of the project will be measured once implemented. Metrics might include performance indicators, key results, and other measurable outcomes to ensure the project meets its objectives.

Anything that could adversely affect the delivery of the outcome: This would encompass risks and potential issues that could hinder the successful delivery of the project. Identifying these in the business case helps in planning mitigation strategies.

Ongoing operational, maintenance, and support costs: These are detailed to provide a clear picture of the long-term financial commitment required for the project. It ensures stakeholders understand the total cost of ownership beyond initial implementation.

However, allocation of roles for the project is typically not part of a business case. This aspect falls under project management plans or other documentation related to project execution and governance rather than the justification and high-level planning that a business case provides.

References:

Business Analysis.pdf: The structure of a business case typically includes sections on cost-benefit analysis, risk assessment, and performance metrics, but not on role allocation​​.

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"​​.

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"​​.

During the Foundations phase, the Prioritised Requirements List is used for Requirements Planning by negotiating requirements and priorities to allow the first increment to be planned. This negotiation ensures that the highest priority requirements are addressed first and that the development team can focus on delivering the most valuable features in the initial increments. This approach aligns with Agile principles of iterative development and delivering value early.

References:

Business Analysis.pdf, "Prioritisation is extremely important during solution development...The MoSCoW prioritisation categories are related to the development and delivery of the solution"​​.

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.

During the Validation stage of the Requirements lifecycle in Evolutionary Development, each requirement is tested against its acceptance criteria and checked for alignment with the business need. This ensures that the requirements are not only met but also fulfill the intended business objectives. Validation involves thorough review and testing to confirm that the solution will deliver the expected benefits and meet stakeholder expectations.

References:Business Analysis.pdf, Chapter 10, Establishing the Requirements​