PC-BA-FBA-20 BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis V4.0 Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

To identify the categories of costs and benefits described in the extract, we need to analyze the content carefully:

Extract Analysis:

"New business policies and processes will be introduced, which may temporarily reduce productivity":

This refers to acostassociated with implementing new policies and processes.

Productivity is anintangible factorbecause it cannot be directly measured in monetary terms.

Category: Intangible costs.

"It will ensure our products remain in the marketplace and be the first to receive compliance certification, which will enhance our reputation as the market leader":

This refers to abenefitrelated to maintaining market presence, achieving compliance, and enhancing reputation.

Reputation and market leadership areintangible factorsbecause they are qualitative and not directly quantifiable in monetary terms.

Category: Intangible benefits.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Tangible costs:Tangible costs are measurable financial expenses (e.g., equipment, labor). The extract does not mention any specific financial costs.Conclusion:This isnot relevant.

B. Intangible costs:The temporary reduction in productivity is an intangible cost.Conclusion:This isrelevant.

C. Tangible benefits:Tangible benefits are measurable financial gains (e.g., increased revenue). Theextract does not mention any specific financial benefits.Conclusion:This isnot relevant.

D. Intangible benefits:Enhanced reputation and market leadership are intangible benefits.Conclusion:This isrelevant.

E. Irregular costs:Irregular costs refer to one-time or infrequent expenses. The extract does not describe such costs.Conclusion:This isnot relevant.

Prototyping is a technique used to create a working model of a system or product to validate requirements and gather feedback. Let’s evaluate each statement to determine which arefalse:

Evaluation of Each Statement:

A. Suitable for waterfall requirements elicitation:Prototyping is generallynot suitablefor traditional waterfall methodologies because waterfall follows a linear, sequential approach where requirements are defined upfront before development begins. Prototyping, on the other hand, involves iterative feedback loops, which are more aligned with Agile methodologies.Conclusion:This statement isfalse.

B. Allows an analyst to confirm their understanding of requirements:Prototyping enables analysts to validate their understanding of requirements by creating atangible representation of the system for stakeholders to review and provide feedback.Conclusion:This statement istrue.

C. Only suitable for Agile project environments:While prototyping is commonly used in Agile environments due to its iterative nature, it isnot limitedto Agile. Prototyping can also be used in hybrid or iterative waterfall projects to clarify requirements and reduce ambiguity.Conclusion:This statement isfalse.

D. Enables the elicitation of usability requirements:Prototyping is particularly effective for gathering usability requirements because it allows stakeholders to interact with a mock-up or early version of the system, providing insights into user experience and interface design.Conclusion:This statement istrue.

AT-shaped professionalis a concept used to describe individuals who possess a combination of broad and deep skills. Let’s evaluate each option to determine which best describes this concept:

Key Characteristics of a T-Shaped Professional:

Vertical Line (Deep Expertise):Represents specialized knowledge or expertise in one specific area.

Horizontal Line (Broad Skills):Represents a wide range of general skills or knowledge across multiple disciplines, enabling collaboration and adaptability.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. T stands for Talented:While "talented" may describe the individual, the "T" specifically refers to the shape that visually represents their skill profile (broad and deep).Conclusion:This isnot correct.

B. T-shaped professional has a deep level of skills in many areas:A T-shaped professional does not have deep expertise in many areas; they have deep expertise inonearea and broad skills across others.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. The crossbar of the T-shape represents having a good level of skills across many areas, and deep level of skills in a specialism:This accurately describes the T-shaped professional: the horizontal bar represents broad skills, and the vertical bar represents deep expertise in a specific area.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

D. A T-Shaped professional possesses a deep understanding in a given area and leads a team of people in other areas:While leadership may be a trait of some T-shaped professionals, it is not a defining characteristic of the concept.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Abenefits planoutlines how the anticipated benefits of a project or change initiative will be achieved, tracked, and managed. Its primary purpose is to ensure that benefits are realized as planned.

Key Considerations:

Tracking Changes to Requirements:A benefits plan focuses on benefits realization, not changes to requirements.

Quantifying Intangible Benefits:While intangible benefits may be included, the primary focus is on managing all benefits, tangible and intangible.

Tracking and Managing Benefits Realisation:The benefits plan provides a structured approach to monitor progress and ensure benefits are delivered.

Publishing to Shareholders:While stakeholders may review the plan, its primary purpose is internal management, not external communication.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. It provides a firm basis for tracking the benefits of making changes to requirements:The benefits plan focuses on overall benefits realization, not specifically on changes to requirements.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

B. It quantifies intangible benefits that could not be quantified when the business case was presented:While intangible benefits may be included, this is not the primary purpose of the plan.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. It provides a firm basis for tracking the business benefits and managing their realisation:This accurately describes the primary purpose of a benefits plan.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

D. It is published to shareholders to show that their investment made will result in tangible benefits for the organisation:The benefits plan is primarily for internal use, not external reporting.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Final Recommendation:

The primary purpose of a benefits plan is:C. It provides a firm basis for tracking the business benefits and managing their realisation.

To determine the best source of information for Natasha to understand how Halliday Holdings' brand is perceived, we need to evaluate the options based on their relevance and objectivity.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Independent industry websites:Independent industry websites often provide unbiased insights into how a company's brand is perceived by customers, competitors, and the market. These sources aggregate reviews, ratings, and expert opinions, making them a valuable resource for understanding external perceptions.Conclusion:This is thebest source.

B. The company website:The company website reflects the organization's internal perspective and branding efforts. While useful for understanding how the company presents itself, it does not provide an external view of brand perception.Conclusion:This isnot the best source.

C. The company's organizational structure:The organizational structure provides insights into the company's internal hierarchy and operations but does not relate to external brand perception.Conclusion:This isnot relevant.

D. The company's complaints procedures:Complaints procedures reflect internal processes for handling customer issues but do not provide a comprehensive view of overall brand perception.Conclusion:This isnot the best source.

To determine the position of the head of IT services on thepower-interest grid, we need to evaluate their level ofpower/influenceandinterestin the project.

Key Considerations:

Power/Influence:The head of IT services holds a senior leadership role, which implies they have significant authority and influence over IT-related decisions and resources. This places them in the "high power" category.

Interest:Despite their authority, the head of IT services has not been actively involved in the project beyond the initial start-up interviews and has not attended any project meetings. This indicates a lack of ongoing engagement or interest in the project's progress.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. High power or influence but low interest:The head of IT services has significant authority (high power) but is disengagedfrom the project (low interest).Conclusion:This is thecorrect answer.

B. Some power and influence and some interest:This option suggests moderate levels of both power and interest, which does not align with the head of IT services' senior role and lack of involvement.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. High power or influence and high interest:While the head of IT services has high power, their lack of attendance at project meetings indicates low interest.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. Low power and influence but high interest:The head of IT services clearly has high power due to their senior leadership role, so this option is incorrect.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Final Recommendation:

The head of IT services occupies the position ofhigh power or influence but low intereston the power-interest grid.

To identify the generic business improvement strategy that involves eliminating redundant tasks, we need to analyze each option:

Key Considerations:

Change task sequence:This strategy involves reordering tasks to improve efficiency but does not necessarily eliminate redundancy.

Simplification:This strategy focuses on streamlining processes by removing unnecessary or redundant tasks, making workflows more efficient.

Redefine boundary:This strategy involves changing the scope or boundaries of a process, which may or may not involve eliminating redundant tasks.

Bottleneck removal:This strategy targets specific constraints or bottlenecks in a process but does not focus on eliminating redundant tasks.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Change task sequence:Changing the order of tasks does not inherently eliminate redundancy.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

B. Simplification:Simplification directly involves identifying and removing redundant or unnecessary tasks to streamline processes.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

C. Redefine boundary:Redefining boundaries changes the scope of a process but does not specifically target redundancy.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. Bottleneck removal:Removing bottlenecks addresses constraints but does not focus on eliminating redundant tasks.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Ause case diagramis a visual representation of how users (or systems) interact with a system to achieve specific goals.Actorsrepresent the entities (e.g., users or external systems) that expect to receive services from the system.

Key Elements of a Use Case Diagram:

Actors:Represent individuals or systems that interact with the system to achieve a goal.

System Boundaries:Define the scope of the system being modeled.

Users:While "users" may seem similar to actors, the term "actors" is the correct technical term in use case diagrams.

Entities:Entities typically refer to data objects or components, not those receiving services.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Actors:Actors are the correct element used to indicate those who expect to receive a service from the system.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

B. System boundaries:System boundaries define the scope of the system but do not represent those receiving services.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. Users:While users may interact with the system, the correct term in use case diagrams is "actors."Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. Entities:Entities represent data objects or components, not those receiving services.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Scenario analysisis an investigation technique used to explore and evaluate potential future scenarios or situations. It helps stakeholders understand how different factors might impact a business area or process.

Key Characteristics of Scenario Analysis:

Broad View:Scenario analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the business area by considering multiple possible outcomes.

Prototyping Basis:The insights gained from scenario analysis can inform the development of prototypes.

Tacit Knowledge Identification:By exploring real-world scenarios, it helps uncover implicit knowledge embedded in business practices.

Testing Scripts:Scenario analysis is not directly involved in preparing test scripts, which are typically created during the testing phase.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Provides a broad view of the business area under investigation:Scenario analysis evaluates multiple possibilities, offering a broad perspective.Conclusion:This istrue.

B. Provides a basis for developing subsequent prototypes:Insights from scenario analysis can guide prototype development.Conclusion:This istrue.

C. Helps identify tacit knowledge used in business practice:Exploring scenarios uncovers hidden knowledge and practices.Conclusion:This istrue.

D. Helps prepare the scripts that will be used to test the delivered solution:Preparing test scripts is part of testing activities, not scenario analysis.Conclusion:This isfalse.

 Amission statementdefines the organization's purpose and primary objectives, often focusing on what the organization does and how it operates in the present. In contrast, avision statementoutlines the long-term aspirations of the organization—what it aims to become in the future. The mission provided—"To meet or undercut all our competitors' prices"—is focused on price competitiveness, which is a tactical approach rather than a strategic aspiration.

Let’s analyze each option:

A. To offer the best value office fitting service:While this aligns somewhat with the mission, it is more of a value proposition or operational goal rather than a visionary statement. It lacks the aspirational and long-term focus that defines a vision.

B. To reduce the cost of office fitting by 5%:This is a specific, measurable objective, but it is too narrow and tactical to qualify as a vision. Visions are broader and not tied to specific metrics.

C. To increase the company's market share:Increasing market share is a strategic goal, but it is still an intermediate step toward achieving something greater. It does not capture the overarching ambition of the company.

D. To be the premier office fitting company:This option reflects a long-term aspiration and aligns with the characteristics of a vision statement. It expresses the desire to achieve leadership and excellence in the industry, which is consistent with the mission of being competitive on price while aiming for a higher status.

According to theBCS Business Analysis Framework, a vision statement should inspire and guide the organization toward its ultimate goal. Therefore,Dis the most appropriate choice.

Abusiness process modelusesswimlanesto represent different roles, departments, or systems involved in a process. Hand-offs occur when responsibility for a task is transferred from one role or department to another.

Key Considerations:

Process Flow Lines Crossing Each Other:Crossing lines do not indicate hand-offs; they simply show the sequence of tasks.

Decision Point:A decision point represents a choice or branching in the process, not a transfer of responsibility.

Task Spanning Multiple Swimlanes:A single task spanning multiple swimlanes is uncommon and does not represent a hand-off.

Process Flow Crossing Swimlanes:When a process flow crosses from one swimlane to another, it indicates that responsibility for the task has been handed off to a different role or department.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. By process flow lines crossing each other:Crossing lines are unrelated to hand-offs and may simply indicate parallel tasks.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

B. By a decision point:Decision points represent choices or conditions, not transfers of responsibility.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. By a task spanning multiple swimlanes:Tasks typically belong to a single swimlane, so this is not a valid representation of hand-offs.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. By the process flow crossing from one swimlane to another:This accurately represents a hand-off, as it shows the transfer of responsibility between roles or departments.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

Final Recommendation:

Hand-offs are represented:D. By the process flow crossing from one swimlane to another.