Questions for the PMI-PBA were updated on : Dec 06 ,2025
Which tool is the most appropriate to aid in development of measurable and actionable
requirements for a new project?
B
Through user acceptance testing, a software flaw was identified. What should the business analyst do
next as part of the root cause analysis in order to analyze and resolve the discrepancy?
A
Explanation:
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. Reference: 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 | Tableau
Which of the following is a properly written requirement statement?
C
Explanation:
A properly written requirement statement should be clear, concise, consistent, complete, and
testable. It should specify what the product or service should do, not how it should do it. It should
also avoid using ambiguous or vague words that could be interpreted differently by different
stakeholders. Among the four options, only option C meets these criteria. Option C is a properly
written requirement statement because it clearly and precisely defines the attribute of the pot (the
colors) and the possible values for that attribute (yellow, red, brown, blue). It is also consistent with
the standard terminology and format for requirement statements, and it is complete and testable, as
it can be verified by inspection or measurement. Option A is not a properly written requirement
statement because it uses ambiguous and vague words such as “lightweight” and “heat up quickly”.
These words do not specify the exact or measurable criteria for the pot’s weight and heating time,
and they could mean different things to different stakeholders. Option B is not a properly written
requirement statement because it does not specify the conditions or constraints for the pot’s
usability in the oven or on the stove. For example, it does not state the maximum temperature or
duration that the pot can withstand, or the type of oven or stove that the pot can be used on. Option
D is not a properly written requirement statement because it does not specify the requirement for
the pot itself, but rather for the company brand. The company brand is not a feature or function of
the pot, but rather a marketing or branding strategy.
The requirement statement should focus on the
pot’s characteristics and capabilities, not on the company’s image or reputation. Reference: PMI
Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, PMI Guide to Business
Analysis2, Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide3, How To Write Good Requirements
(With Example) - TestLodge Blog
Which of the following tools will help facilitate the decision-making process when stakeholders do
not agree on the value of an initiative?
C
Explanation:
A force-field analysis is a tool that helps to identify and analyze the factors or forces that support or
oppose a change or an initiative. It can help to facilitate the decision-making process when
stakeholders do not agree on the value of an initiative by showing the pros and cons of the initiative,
as well as the relative strength and importance of each factor. A force-field analysis can also help to
develop strategies to increase the supporting forces or decrease the opposing forces, or both, to
achieve the desired outcome. A PEST analysis is a tool that helps to examine the external factors that
affect an organization or an initiative, such as political, economic, social, and technological factors. It
does not help to facilitate the decision-making process when stakeholders do not agree on the value
of an initiative, as it does not show the internal factors or the balance of forces. A feasibility analysis
is a tool that helps to evaluate the viability and suitability of a project or an initiative, as well as the
risks and benefits associated with it. It does not help to facilitate the decision-making process when
stakeholders do not agree on the value of an initiative, as it does not show the supporting and
opposing forces. A gap analysis is a tool that helps to compare the current state and the desired state
of a process, a product, or a service, and identify the gaps or differences between them.
It does not
help to facilitate the decision-making process when stakeholders do not agree on the value of an
initiative, as it does not show the factors or forces that influence the initiative. Reference: PMI
Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, PMI Guide to Business
Analysis2, Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide3, What is Force Field Analysis:
Definition and Example
Company A has initiated a project to update their online ordering system. The business analyst has
noticed that the purchasing department, a primary stakeholder, is excluded from the list of
stakeholders.
In which reference material can the business analyst find information about the missing project
stakeholders?
C
Explanation:
An organizational chart is a tool that helps to visualize the structure and hierarchy of an organization,
as well as the roles and responsibilities of its members. It can also show the relationships and
interactions between different units, departments, or teams within the organization. An
organizational chart can help the business analyst to identify the missing project stakeholders by
showing who are involved in or affected by the online ordering system, such as the purchasing
department. A business case is a tool that helps to justify the need and value of a project or initiative,
as well as the costs and benefits associated with it. It does not provide information about the project
stakeholders. A business analysis plan is a tool that helps to define the scope, approach, activities,
deliverables, and schedule of the business analysis work. It does not provide information about the
project stakeholders. A business analyst communication plan is a tool that helps to determine the
communication needs, methods, frequency, and channels for the business analysis work.
It does not
provide information about the project stakeholders. Reference: PMI Professional in Business Analysis
(PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, PMI Guide to Business Analysis2, Business Analysis for
Practitioners: A Practice Guide3
, Organizational Chart - What is an Organization Chart?
Definition,
Types, Tips, Tutorial, and Examples
A project affects the marketing unit and procurement unit. The project manager gives the business
analyst an overview of the project for the first time.
What should the business analyst do immediately after the discussion?
D
Explanation:
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. Reference: 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
A stakeholder has rejected a project's deliverable because it does not meet the original business
need. It is further determined that the deliverable does not meet the requirements identified in the
baseline.
What is the best approach to resolve this issue?
B
Explanation:
The best approach to resolve this issue is to suggest re-estimating the requirement and following the
change control process. This would allow the project team to assess the impact of the change
request, evaluate the feasibility and cost of the modification, and obtain the approval of the
stakeholders before implementing the change. A change control process is a method used to manage
change requests for projects and big initiatives.
It’s part of a change management plan, which
defines the roles for managing change within a team or company1
. Meeting with the customer and
apologizing for misunderstanding the business’s need is not sufficient, as it does not address the root
cause of the problem or propose a solution. Providing the stakeholder with a copy of the approved
requirements baseline and moving forward without making a change is not acceptable, as it ignores
the stakeholder’s feedback and dissatisfaction.
Requiring development resources to work overtime
to modify the deliverable to satisfy the stakeholder is not advisable, as it may compromise the
quality of the work, increase the project cost and risk, and demoralize the team. Reference: 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 Change Control
Process?
(with Example Change Log)
A firm implements SharePoint and the business analyst creates the requirements to develop a
business analysis repository. In the requirements, the analyst describes a detailed workflow that
includes appropriate stakeholders receiving email notifications of certain activities. The SharePoint
team needs to know which activities should trigger the notification workflow.
Which workflow trigger should the business analyst incorporate?
A
Explanation:
The workflow trigger that the business analyst should incorporate is any change to the requirements
matrix. This trigger would ensure that the appropriate stakeholders are notified of any updates,
additions, deletions, or modifications to the requirements that affect the business analysis
repository.
Changes to test cases traced to requirements, change through project life cycle, and
changes to stakeholder memberships are not relevant triggers for the notification workflow, as they
do not directly affect the requirements matrix. Reference: PMI Professional in Business Analysis
(PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, PMI Guide to Business Analysis2, Business Analysis for
Practitioners: A Practice Guide
The requirements traceability matrix should primarily be used to:
C
Explanation:
A requirements traceability matrix (RTM) is a tool that helps to track the relationship between the
requirements and the product features, test cases, and other artifacts. It can be used to ensure that
all requirements have been met by verifying that each requirement has a corresponding feature, test
case, and acceptance criterion. A RTM can also help to identify the risks associated with dependent
requirements, but that is not its primary purpose. A RTM does not define a convention to map the
requirements to their sources, but rather uses an existing convention or standard.
A RTM does not
address the responsibility owner for each requirement, but rather shows the status and priority of
each requirement. Reference: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination
Content Outline1, PMI Guide to Business Analysis2, Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice
Guide
A stakeholder wants to modify an existing feature. Which of the following would be used to
determine the scope of the change on the product?
B
Explanation:
A requirements traceability matrix (RTM) is a tool that helps to track the relationship between the
requirements and the product features. It can be used to determine the scope of a change request by
identifying which requirements and test cases are affected by the modification of an existing feature.
A project schedule and cost baseline are not directly related to the product features, but rather to the
project management aspects. A requirements attributes table is a tool that helps to classify and
prioritize the requirements, but it does not show the link between the requirements and the product
features.
A sequence diagram is a tool that helps to illustrate the interactions between the
components of the product, but it does not show the traceability of the requirements. Reference:
PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline1, PMI Guide to
Business Analysis2, Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide
What should be done to ensure that the product design meets the stated requirements?
A
Explanation:
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. Reference:
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
A business analyst anticipates receiving requirements changes. What should the business analyst do
to avoid scope creep?
C
Explanation:
According to the PMI Professional in Business Analysis objectives and content, scope creep is the
uncontrolled or unauthorized expansion of the project scope due to the addition or modification of
requirements without proper approval or justification. Scope creep can negatively affect the project’s
quality, schedule, cost, and stakeholder satisfaction. To avoid scope creep, the business analyst
should define a requirements baseline, which is a set of agreed-upon and approved requirements
that serves as a reference for further development and testing activities. The business analyst should
also implement a change control process, which is a formal and systematic procedure for managing
and documenting any changes to the requirements or scope. The change control process should
include steps such as identifying, analyzing, evaluating, approving, communicating, and
implementing the changes, as well as updating the requirements baseline and traceability matrix
accordingly. Reference:
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
Company A would like to enter into a new market. The business analyst has been assigned to a
project for which nobody in Company A has any prior experience. The project manager has asked the
business analyst to assist in resource planning.
What should the business analyst recommend to the project manager?
C
Explanation:
According to the PMI Professional in Business Analysis objectives and content, a subject matter
expert (SME) is a person who has specialized knowledge or skills in a particular domain or area. A
SME can provide valuable insights, information, and guidance to the project team, especially when
the project involves a new or unfamiliar market. By hiring external SMEs for the core project team,
the business analyst can help to ensure that the project has the necessary expertise and resources to
perform the business analysis activities effectively and efficiently. External SMEs can also help to
identify and validate the business needs, requirements, and solutions for the new market, and to
reduce the risks and uncertainties associated with the project. Reference:
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
The business analyst wants to ensure that requirement changes can be formally tracked after the
product is baselined. What will the business analyst need to evaluate the proposed change?
B
Explanation:
According to the PMI Professional in Business Analysis objectives and content, an impact analysis is a
technique that is used to assess the effects and implications of a change request on the
requirements, scope, schedule, cost, quality, and other aspects of a project or product. An impact
analysis can help to determine the feasibility, desirability, and priority of the change request, as well
as to identify the risks, issues, and dependencies associated with the change. An impact analysis can
also help to communicate the impact of the change to the stakeholders, and to support the decision-
making process for approving or rejecting the change request. Reference:
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
How can a business analyst show progressive iterations of product development to stakeholders
after the requirements baseline has been approved?
A
Explanation:
According to the PMI Professional in Business Analysis objectives and content, a prototype is a tool
that can be used to demonstrate the features and functionality of a product or solution in an iterative
manner. A prototype can help to elicit, validate, and verify requirements, as well as to obtain
feedback and approval from stakeholders. A prototype can also help to reduce risks, errors, and
rework, and to increase customer satisfaction and quality. A proof-of-concept model is a type of
prototype that is used to test the feasibility and viability of a product or solution. A proof-of-concept
model can help to show the benefits and value of the product or solution, and to identify any
technical or business challenges or constraints. Reference:
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