BA Role Methodologies and Frameworks 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A BA on a Kanban team wants to improve flow. Which metric would BEST indicate that the team has too much work in progress?
- Velocity
- Cycle time increasing while throughput decreases (Correct answer)
- Burn-down chart slope
- Number of completed epics
Correct answer: Cycle time increasing while throughput decreases
Rising cycle time combined with falling throughput signals that WIP limits are being exceeded and flow is being impeded.
Question 2: In a Prince2 framework, which document does a BA most often contribute to during the Initiating a Project process?
- Highlight Report
- Project Brief
- Project Initiation Documentation (PID) (Correct answer)
- End Stage Report
Correct answer: Project Initiation Documentation (PID)
The PID contains the business case, quality plan, and requirements baseline — areas where the BA provides critical input.
Question 3: Which BA technique is MOST aligned with the Agile principle of 'responding to change over following a plan'?
- Formal change control board submissions
- Progressive elaboration of the product backlog (Correct answer)
- Baseline requirements sign-off at project start
- Gantt chart dependency tracking
Correct answer: Progressive elaboration of the product backlog
Progressive elaboration allows requirements to be refined iteratively, embracing change as a natural part of development.
Question 4: A BA is facilitating a root cause analysis after a failed software release. Which framework provides the '5 Whys' as a primary tool?
- Six Sigma DMAIC
- Lean Thinking (Correct answer)
- TOGAF
- COBIT
Correct answer: Lean Thinking
The '5 Whys' technique originated in the Toyota Production System and is a foundational Lean/Kaizen problem-solving tool.
Question 5: In the context of Agile BA work, what does 'just enough' documentation mean?
- Producing the minimum legally required documents
- Creating documentation that delivers value without becoming an end in itself (Correct answer)
- Avoiding all written artifacts and relying only on verbal communication
- Generating documentation after all coding is complete
Correct answer: Creating documentation that delivers value without becoming an end in itself
'Just enough' documentation means creating artifacts proportional to their value — enough to communicate clearly without becoming burdensome overhead.
Question 6: A BA is helping define the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for a new fintech application. Which framework concept BEST guides this decision?
- MoSCoW prioritization to identify Must-Have features (Correct answer)
- RACI matrix for stakeholder assignment
- SWOT analysis for market positioning
- BPMN notation for process mapping
Correct answer: MoSCoW prioritization to identify Must-Have features
MoSCoW prioritization (Must-have, Should-have, Could-have, Won't-have) is the standard technique for defining MVP scope.
Question 7: Which statement BEST describes the difference between a BA's role in a waterfall project versus a Scrum project?
- In Scrum, the BA replaces the Product Owner entirely
- In waterfall, the BA works continuously across all sprints; in Scrum, the BA works only in one sprint
- In waterfall, requirements are heavily front-loaded; in Scrum, the BA collaborates iteratively throughout delivery (Correct answer)
- In Scrum, the BA writes all test cases; in waterfall, the BA only elicits requirements
Correct answer: In waterfall, requirements are heavily front-loaded; in Scrum, the BA collaborates iteratively throughout delivery
Waterfall concentrates BA effort in early phases with fixed requirements, while Scrum distributes BA collaboration across all sprints.
BA Role Methodologies and Frameworks 3
A BA on a Kanban team wants to improve flow.
Which metric would BEST indicate that the team has too much work in progress?