Project Management- Business Analyst

Gantt Chart

A bar chart of schedule information where activities are listed on the vertical axis, dates are shown on the horizontal axis, and activity durations are shown as horizontal bars placed according to start and finish dates.

Business Rules Catalog

A business analysis model that details all of the business rules and their related attributes.

Backsliding

A circumstance in a burndown chart where the remaining quantity of what is being tracked increases over time.

Business Architecture

A collection of business functions, organizational structures, locations, processes, documents, and supporting technology.

Project Phase

A collection of logically related project activities that culminates in the completion of one or more deliverables.

Configuration Management System

A collection of procedures used to track project artifacts and monitor and control changes to these artifacts.

Business Rule

A constraint about how the organization wants to operate.

Business Goal

A corporate goal the business is specifically seeking to achieve.

Business Analysis Approach

A description of how business analysis projects will and processes will be conducted for a portfolio component, program, or project.

Activity

A distinct, scheduled portion of work performed during the course of a project.

activity

A distinct, scheduled portion of work performed during the course of a project.

WBS Dictionary

A document that provides detailed deliverable, activity, and scheduling information about each component in the work breakdown structure.

Business Case

A documented economic feasibility study used to establish validity of the benefits to be delivered by portfolio component, program, or project.

Assumption

A factor that is considered to be true, real, or certain, without proof or demonstration.

Backbone

A foundational part of a story map representing the minimum set of capabilities or user stories.

Burndown Chart

A graphical representation of project work left to do versus time to do it.

responsibility assignment matrix

A grid that shows the project resources assigned to each work package.

Business Data Object

A grouping of facts that describe a person, place, thing, or concept of interest to a business. A business entity.

Bottom-up Estimating

A method of estimating project duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lower-level components..

Architecture

A method to describe an organization by mapping its essential characteristics, such as people, locations, processes, applications, data, and technology

Analytical Resource

A person on the product team who performs business analysis

Backlog Management or Backlog Refinement

A process where the product team works in conjunction with the product owner to gain more in depth understanding about the user stories in the backlog list.

change control

A process whereby modifications to documents, deliverables, or baselines associated with the project are identified, documented, approved, or rejected.

Stakeholder Register

A project document including the identification, assessment, and classification of project stakeholders.

Adaptive Life Cycle

A project life cycle that is iterative or incremental.

Business Analysis Performance Metrics

A qualitative or quantitative measure of or inference about the effectiveness of business analysis practices.

Business Requirment

A requirement that describes a higher-level need of the organization.

Approved Requirement

A requirement that is verified and validated and has been deemed an accurate reflection of what the product development team should build.

Phase Gate

A review at the end of a phase in which a decision is made to continue to the next phase, to continue with modification, or to end a project or program.

threat

A risk that would have a negative effect on one or more project objectives.

opportunity

A risk that would have a positive effect on one or more project objectives.

Acceptance Criteria

A set of conditions that is required to be met before deliverables are accepted.

project team

A set of individuals who support the project manager in performing the work of the project to achieve its objectives.

milestone

A significant point or event in a project, program, or portfolio.

Tornado Diagram

A special type of bar chart used in sensitivity analysis for comparing the relative importance of the variables.

Business Analysis Plan

A summary of the choices and process decisions made in the business analysis approaches, including the identification of the business analysis tasks that will be performed, the deliverables that will be produced, and the roles required to perform the work.

methodology

A system of practices, techniques, procedures, and rules used by those who work in a discipline.

Business Analysis Methodology

A system of practices, techniques, tools, procedures, and rules used by those who work in the business analysis discipline.

Communication Methods

A systematic procedure, technique, or process used to transfer information among project stakeholders.

Analogous Estimating

A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an activity or a project using historical data from a similar activity or project.

Analogous Estimation

A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an activity or portfolio component, program, or project using historical data from a item having similar characteristics.

Affinity Diagram

A technique that allows large numbers of ideas to be classified into groups for review and analysis

Backward Traceability

A technique that establishes the relationship of a requirement to the scope, business goals, or business objectives from which it originated.

Business Capability Analysis

A technique used to analyze performance in terms of processes, people skills, and other resources.

Project

A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.

Buy a Feature

A type of collaborative game used to enable a group of stakeholders to agree on prioritization by giving each stakeholder an amount of pretend money to buy their choice of features.

Activity Diagram

A type of process model that visually shows the complex of use cases.

kanban scheduling

A visual depiction of project deliverables progressing through the project activities.

Analysis Model

A visual representation of product information

Rolling Wave Planning is used in which development methodology?

Agile

The project is very complex with requirements that are not completely defined, which development methodology is best to use in this scenario?

Agile

This Methodology welcomes change and is mostly used in software development.

Agile

This type of methodology is Iterative and incremental.

Agile

User Stories and product backlogs are used in this particular project development methodology.

Agile

Business Objective Model

An analysis model that relates the business problem ,objectives, and top-level features.

Autocratic Decision Making

An approach for making decisions where one individual makes the decision for the group.

Behavior Driven Development (BDD)

An approach that suggests the team begins with understanding how the user will use a product (its behavior), writes tests for that behavior, and then constructs solutions against the tests.

Brainstorming

An elicitation technique that is performed in a group setting and led by a facilitator to engage stakeholders to quickly identify a list of ideas for a specific topic in a relatively short time period.

Parametric Estimating

An estimating technique in which an algorithm is used to calculate cost or duration based on historical data and project parameters.

time-box estimating

An estimating technique that sets a finite time/date for the task; best used in crisis or urgent projects

Business Analysis Performance Assessment

An evaluation of what has been learned about the effectiveness of the business analysis processes and of the business analysis techniques that have been used.

Agile Approach

An example of an adaptive project life cycle

stakeholder

An individual or a group which has an interest in and is affected by the activities of a business; stakeholders have an interest in how the business operates and whether or not it is successful.

Business Architecture Technique

An organization framework available to model business architecture, providing different approaches for analyzing various aspects of the business.

Business Analysis Center of Excellence

An organizational structure created whereby business analysts are managed central or are provided mentor-ship centrally for the purpose of improving the business analysis discipline across the organization.

As-built documentation

Analysis and design documentation that has been updated to correspond to a released product

You the BA are analyzing the stakeholders for the Project. Who all should you analyze?

Any individual, group or organization who may affect, be affected by the outcome of the project

Business Analyst

Any resource who is performing the work of business analysis.

deliverables

Any unique and verifiable product, result, or capability to perform a service that is required to be produced to complete a process, phase, or project.

Business Analysis Deliverables

Any unique and verifiable result, produced throughout the course of performing business analysis activities, which is provided to team members and stakeholders to perform future work, decision making, or complete a process, phase, or initiative.

When is stakeholder analysis performed?

As soon as Business need is identified

There is a potential conflict among team members/ stakeholders and looking at the scenario the BA has decided retreat from the conflict, what conflict management technique is the BA using?

Avoiding/Withdrawing

BDD

Behavior Driven Development

BPMN

Business Process Modeling Notation

BRD

Business Requirements Document

CCB

Change Control Board

This type of business analysis approach focuses on the rapid delivery of business value in short iterations.

Change Driven

The BA just joined the project and would like to check how frequently the status reports needs to be send to the stakeholder where should he/ she look?

Communication Management Plan

Searching for solutions that bring some degree of satisfaction to all parties in order to temporarily or partially resolve a conflict is an example of what conflict management technique?

Compromising

CMS

Configuration Management System

Which conflict management technique involves a give and take attitude and open dialogue?

Confronting/Problem Solving

Actual Acceptance Result

Contains he pass/fail results from comparing test results against the acceptance criteria.

The BA is Brainstorming Costs and Benefits, assigning monetary value to the costs and comparing Costs and benefits, what tool is the BA using?

Cost Benefit Analysis

The Business Analyst is Determining the Feasibility of a capital purchase, what tool should the BA use?

Cost Benefit Analysis

The business Analyst is trying to find if the project is a sound investment, and trying to estimate the strengths and weaknesses for alternatives, what tool is the best to use in this scenario?

Cost Benefit Analysis

CRUD

Create, Read, Update, Delete

Becoming aware of cultural norms, attitudes, and beliefs, and value diversity is all part of developing?

Cultural Awareness

DITL

Day in the life testing

DoD

Definition of Done

The BA is using this questionnaire technique to reach a Consensus decision by reducing Bias

Delphi Technique

Analysis Approach

Describes how analysis will be performed; how to verify, validate, and prioritize requirements and other product information; how risks will be identified and analyzed; how design options will be assessed; and what techniques and templates are expected to be used to perform analysis.

In-Frame/Out of Frame

Describing what is in scope and what is not in scope for the project using declarative statements

DEEP

Detailed appropriately, estimated, emergent, and prioritized

DevOps

Development and Operations

During the decision making process one stakeholder makes the decision for the group, which decision method was used?

Dictatorship

The BA is asked by the stakeholders to prioritize the Requirements according to the risk priority of High, Moderate and Low so that they can focus on the requirements that are High risk first. What does the BA have to do here?

Do Qualitative Risk Analysis

The stakeholder wants to add a requirement that will affect the project scope and schedule deadline, what should the BA do?

Do an impact Analysis and find the extent of the affect the requirement will have on the deadlines

The BA has just been contracted for a project and he/ she is studying the current businesses, system and product documentation, what is the BA doing?

Document Analysis

Business Analyst Analyze and synthesize information provided by customers in order to

Elicit the actual needs/wants of stakeholders as well as their expressed desires

All of the following stakeholders participate in the prioritization of requirements except for which one?

End User

EEFs

Enterprise Environmental Factors

ERD

Entity Relationship Diagram

Most effective tool/technique for planning and monitoring communications is?

Expert judgement

Most effective tool/technique used for stakeholder identification as well as stakeholder engagement planning and management?

Expert judgement

Most effective tool/technique used in project procurement?

Expert judgement

The most effective tool/technique used in quality management planning is?

Expert judgment

What has been deemed the most effective tool/technique across the board for project integration?

Expert judgment

Quality Functional Deployment is used to determine critical characteristics for new product development. QFD is a _____ tool and technique

Facilitation

In conflict management which technique offers a win- lose solution?

Forcing

What does reporting system help the BA with?

Helps generate and distribute reports to stakeholders

What is the importance of prioritizing the Requirements?

Identify which requirements should be completed first

Analysis Knowledge Area

Includes the process for examining, breaking down, synthesizing, and clarifying information to further understand it, complete it, and improve it.

INVEST

Independent, negotiable, valuable, estimable, small, testable

What is the first (of 5) stages in project management?

Initiation

A major Stakeholder is requesting a change in the requirement, what's the first thing the BA should do?

Inspect the impact of the change to the Requirement baseline

Which is a best type of communication technique?

Interactive

IRR

Internal Rate of Return

What is one of the Reasons the Business Analysis should trace requirements?

It helps in Quality Assurance and Quality Control

While monitoring the requirement scope the BA finds that there is scope creep, what does scope creep mean?

It refers to uncontrolled changes in Projects Scope

KPI

Key performance indicator

Which method should be the least preferred method for dispute resolution?

Litigation

A decision is reached with support from more than 50% of the stakeholder group, which group decision method was used here?

Majority

Business Objective

Measurable representation of goals a business is seeking to achieve.

Audits are a tool and technique for three processes; manage quality, control procurements, and which other process?

Monitor risks

MoSCow

Must haves, should haves, could haves, and won't haves

Which is the most preferred method to solve disputes?

Negotiation

A communication technique where people use sign language, hand movement, body language is called as?

Non Verbal Communication

The BA is using Facial expressions, body language, gestures, eye contact, which communication tool is he/ she using?

Non Verbal Communication

The BA spends time observing the users to learn the system, this helps the BA collect detailed requirements, what technique is he/ she using here Observing/ Job Shadowing, Facilitation, Decision Making, or Multi Voting Technique

Observing/ Job Shadowing

Brainstorming should be open or closed during the beginning of the project requirement collection phase?

Open Ended

Business Analysis Organizational Standard

Part of organizational process assets, these standards may include expectations for how business analysis is conducted and which tools are used to support business analysis efforts.

Actor

People or systems that interact with a solution.

Requirement-gathering techniques include _____

Planning sessions, focus groups, and brainstorming sessions

A decision is reached where the largest block of group decides. This decision is used when the number of options nominated is more than two

Plurality

As the business analysis activity advances, due to budgetary constraints, the sponsors ask that the team should focus their effort of work only on the most critical requirements. What must the business analyst do next?

Prioritize Requirements

The customer demands the Project Solution should cost no more than $1000000 and should be completed within 2 years. This is an example of?

Project Constraint

Developing a project charter, developing a project management plan, directing and managing project work, managing project knowledge, monitor and controlling project work, Performing integrated change control, and project closure are tasks required in which of the 10 project management knowledge areas?

Project Integration

PMBOK

Project Management Body of Knowledge

PMO

Project Management Office

Plan quality management, manage quality, and control quality are tasks required in which of the 10 project management knowledge areas?

Project Quality Management

Plan resource management, estimate activity resources, acquire resources, develop teams, manage teams, and control resources are tasks required in which of the 10 project management knowledge areas?

Project Resource management

Plan communications management, manage communications, and monitor communications are tasks required in which of the 10 project management knowledge areas?

Project communications management

Plan costs, estimate costs, determine budget, and control costs are tasks required in which of the 10 project management knowledge areas?

Project cost management

Supportive, controlling and directive describe the three type of what?

Project managment offices

Plan procurement management, conduct procurement, and control procurements are tasks required in which of the 10 project management knowledge areas?

Project procurement management

Plan risk, identify risk, perform qualitative risk analysis, perform quantitative risk analysis, plan risk responses, and control risks are tasks required in which of the 10 project management knowledge areas?

Project risk management

Plan scope management, collect requirements, define scope, create wbs, validate scope, and control scope are tasks required in which of the 10 project management knowledge areas?

Project scope management

Identify stakeholders, plan stakeholder engagement, manage stakeholder engagement, and monitor stakeholder engagement are tasks required in which of the 10 project management knowledge areas?

Project stakeholder management

Plan schedule management, sequence activities, estimate activity resources, estimate activity durations, develop schedule, and control schedule are tasks required in which of the 10 project management knowledge areas?

Project time management

QA

Quality Assurance

The BA wants to see which stakeholder are Responsible and Accountable for certain tasks, what should he/ she refer to?

RACI Chart

Which is a matrix based chart used to identify stakeholders?

RAM Chart

What is the best tool used by the BA to manage and trace requirements?

Requirement Traceability matrix

To increase the understanding of a topic or issue which is the best technique for the BA to use

Research Technique

Contingent Response Strategies

Responses provided which may be used in the event that a specific trigger occurs.

What does RACI from the RACI Chart stands for?

Responsible, Accountable, Consult and Inform

RACI

Responsible, Accountable, Consult, Inform

Positive Risk

Risks with a positive impact; opportunity

What technique is used to determine the underlying case of the problem?

Root Cause Analysis

The BA is in a meeting with the stakeholder and is talking about leveraging your strengths, partnering where they are weak, focusing on opportunities, and being aware of threats. What technique is the BA using here?

SWOT Analysis

What is a structured Planning method used to evaluate Strengths, Weaknesses and Threats

SWOT Analysis

You are working towards breaking down the project scope into small manageable components, what technique are you using here?

Scope Decomposition

An Agreement between two or more parties where one is the customer and other a service provider is called as_____? Examples of these service based agreement are performance, Reliability and security.

Service Level Agreement

Analytical Skills

Skills used to process information of various types and at various levels of detail for the purpose of determining the relevant information from the irrelevant, drawing conclusions, building models, formulating decisions, and specifying requirements.

During a conflict between stakeholders the BA is Emphasizing areas of agreement rather than areas of difference, what conflict management technique is the BA using here?

Smoothing/ Accomodating

You the BA is working on identifying the stakeholder. Why is it important for you to identify the stakeholder?

So that it helps you with ensuring that the stakeholder receive timely delivery of requirements and deliverables

Communication Technology

Specific tools, systems, computer programs, etc., used to transfer information among project stakeholders.

Who approves the Project Scope Management Plan?

Sponsor

Communication plan, Personas, Complete stakeholder list, Matrix Charts are all used to do a complete and detailed _____?

Stakeholder Analysis

What does SWOT in SWOT Analysis stand for?

Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats

SME

Subject Matter Expert

SysML

System modeling language

A good Requirement should be?

Testable, Smart, Clear and Traceable

Active listening

The act of listening completely with all senses so as to pick up all the information that is being communicated.

project management system

The aggregation of the processes, tools, techniques, methodologies, resources, and procedures to manage a project.

budget

The approved estimate for the project or any work breakdown structure component or any schedule activity.

Baseline

The approved version of a work product that can be changed only through formal change control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison to actual results.

Business

The area of an organization that is experiencing a problem along with the desire to sponsor changes to address the need.

Benchmarking

The comparison of actual or planned practices to those of comparable organizations to identify best practices, generate ideas for improvement, and provide a basis for measuring performance.

Benefit

The gains and assets realized by the organization and other stakeholders as the result of outcomes delivered by the solution.

Business Need

The impetus for change in an organization based on an existing problem or opportunity.

Lessons Learned

The knowledge gained during a project which shows how project events were addressed or should be addressed in the future with the purpose of improving future performance.

Business Analysis Tailoring

The need to adjust which business analysis activities should be performed for projects of varying characteristics.

Business Value

The net quantifiable benefit derived from a business endeavor. The benefit may be tangible, intangible, or both.

Project Manager (PM)

The person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives.

Assess Business Analysis Performance

The process of considering the effectiveness of the business analysis practices in use across the organization.

Assess Current State

The process of examining the current environment under analysis to understand important factors that are internal or external to the organization, which may be the cause or reason for a problem or opportunity.

Identifying Risks

The process of identifying individual risks as well as sources of overall risk and documenting their characteristics

Assess Product Design Options

The process of identifying, analyzing, and comparing solution design options based on the business goals and objectives, expected costs of implementation, feasibility, and associated risks and using the results of this assessment to provide recommendations regarding the design options presented.

Assemble Business Case

The process of synthesizing well researched and analyzed information to support the selection of the best portfolio components, programs, or projects to address the business goals and objectives

Assessment of Business Value

The result of comparing expected business value for a solution against actual value that has been realized.

Business Analysis

The set of activities performed to support delivery of solutions that align to business objectives and provide continuous value to the organization.

Business Analysis Documentation

The set of business analysis information produced as an output of the business analysis work conducted on a program or project. Such output may be comprised of business analysis deliverables, business analysis work products, or a combination thereof.

Business Acumen

The skill of applying business and industry knowledge with decision making capabilities to make sound decisions.

Adaptability

The skill of being flexible and willing to adjust.

Scope Creep

The uncontrolled expansion to product or project scope without adjustments to time, cost, and resources.

Why does the BA want to get sign-off on requirement baseline?

To freeze the requirement and get all stakeholders on board and get their approval so that development can begin

Automated Regression Testing

Tool-supported validation used after changes are made to a software system to ensure those changes did not unintentionally alter the system in some other way.

During which process group does Reporting happen?

Traceability and Monitoring

The group used the Delphi technique to reach decision, this is an example of?

Unanimity

UML

Unified Modeling Language

In this modeling technique the Business analyst is identifying actors and how they (actors) interact with the system. What is the BA trying to model here?

Use Case Diagram

Meeting Participants are shy and want to be anonymous which is a good technique for the BA to use to reach a decision.

Use Questionnaires

This technique is used in Lean Management and is the method for Analyzing current state and design of a future state

Value Stream Mapping

When a BA is using sound, lectures and presentations to communicate with the team. What communication is the BA using here?

Verbal communication

VCS

Version control system

This is the document that shows the organization's objectives, ideally based on economic foresight, intended to guide its internal decision-making

Vision Statement

A Project has fixed requirements, which development methodology is the best to use in this scenario.

Waterfall

The BA wants to freeze the requirement and then proceed with development, what software development is the team following?

Waterfall

Use cases and use case diagrams are used in this particular project development methodology.

Waterfall

WSJF

Weighted Shortest Job First

The BA is working on the Status reports, what other tool will be helpful for him/ her

Work Breakdown Structure

WBS

Work breakdown structure

When your task duration estimates a high degree of uncertainty, how should this reflect on a gantt chart?

You should not use a gantt chart when there is a high degree of uncertainty.

Core Team Members

a cross-functional team representing all of the organizational functions of the project.

issue

a current condition or situation that may have an impact on the project objectives.

project dashboard

a graphical screen summarizing key project metrics

change

a modification to any formally controlled deliverable , project management plan component, or project document

estimate

a quantitative assessment of the likely amount or outcome of a variable such as project costs, resources, effort, or durations.

project budget

a time-phased plan for project expenditures

Project Baseline

accepted and approved plan used to measure how actual performance deviates from the plan

Which project lifecycle is considered change-driven?

adaptive project lifecycle

During which phases of the project is the project manager responsible for ensuring team members accomplish the work?

all phases

Punch list

an action item list that must be completed in order to closeout the project.

Project Risk

an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on a project objective

BA

business analyst

What is the 5th stage of project management?

close

Most effective tool/technique for managing communications is?

communications technology

what is the best practice method for adding project reserves to a project budget?

create a reserve task and assign the reserve budget amount to that task.

Most effective tool/technique for monitoring stakeholder engagement?

data anaylsis

Most effective tool/technique used in managing and controlling quality?

data gathering

storming

dealing with power and control issues

Developing a list of predecessor activities that must be accomplished to complete a deliverable is called?

deliverables deployment

Test report + conduct test + create test specimen + design test method is an example of

deliverables deployment

forming

developing a positive work environment

What is the 3rd stage of project management?

execution

Performing

functioning as an effective group

Which schedule format is the best to use when tracking progress on a predictive project?

gantt chart

GRPI

goals, roles, processes, interpersonal

Projects where deliverables are allocated to phases and completed one subset at a time, then incorporated into the results of the preceding phase follow which project lifecycle?

incremental project lifecycle

Which project lifecycle is considered discovery-driven?

iterative project lifecycle

norming

managing conflict

MMF

minimum marketable features

MVP

minimum viable product

What is the 4th stage of project management?

monitor & control

NPV

net present value

If a problem on a project will likely result in missing one of the triple constraints, what is the impact on the other two constraints?

one constraint may be relaxed to correct the situation

OD/CM

organizational development/change management

OPAs

organizational process assets

PBP

payback period

What is the 2nd stage in project management?

planning

which fundamental project management processes rely on the triple constraint of scope, schedule, and resources?

planning and risk management

Which project lifecycle is considered plan-driven?

predictive project lifecycle

Who is responsible for ensuring the project plan is completed in the planning phase?

project leader

PM

project manager

During project execution, who is responsible for reviewing project progress?

project stakeholders

What group is responsible for accepting project deliverables during project closeout?

project stakeholders

Who establishes project goals and objectives during project initiation?

project stakeholders

What factors are used to determine the project lifecycle approach that will be used?

project uncertainty and organizational culture

QC

quality control

RML

requirements modeling language

ROI

return on investment

milestone chart

schedule format best used when discussing project schedules with management stakeholders

Name the three constraints that define project boundaries.

scope, schedule, and resources

SWOT

strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats

what does the length of a task bar on a gantt chart represent?

task duration

A project is defined by what attributes

temporary, unique results, requiring effort

project lifecycle

the series of phases that a project passes through from its start to its completion.

what is shown on the cumulative project budget summary row on the project spreadsheet?

the total amount of money planned to be spent on a project up to the designated point in time reflected by the column on the budget

Negative Risk

threat

Why are Workflow models or data models used by BA's?

to aid in discussion and help the stakeholders understand better

UI

user interface

how many predecessor activities are required to deploy a deliverable?

varies based upon the deliverable

what does the color of the bar on a gantt chart represent?

whatever the project team decides to have them represent

WIP

work in progress