Entry Certificate in Business Analysis Elicitation Techniques 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which elicitation technique involves observing stakeholders in their natural work environment to understand current processes?
- Observation (Correct answer)
- Interview
- Survey
- Focus Group
Correct answer: Observation
Observation allows the business analyst to witness actual work being performed, revealing tacit knowledge that stakeholders may not think to mention.
Question 2: A business analyst wants to gather input from a large, geographically dispersed group of stakeholders simultaneously. Which elicitation technique is most appropriate?
- Survey/Questionnaire (Correct answer)
- Workshop
- Interview
- Prototyping
Correct answer: Survey/Questionnaire
Surveys and questionnaires are ideal for collecting standardized data from large or distributed groups quickly and cost-effectively.
Question 3: Which type of interview allows the interviewee to expand on topics freely, uncovering unexpected insights?
- Unstructured interview (Correct answer)
- Structured interview
- Closed-ended interview
- Formal interview
Correct answer: Unstructured interview
Unstructured interviews use open-ended questions and allow conversation to flow naturally, making them ideal for early discovery phases.
Question 4: A facilitated workshop brings together stakeholders to elicit requirements. What is the PRIMARY advantage of this approach over individual interviews?
- Consensus building and immediate conflict resolution (Correct answer)
- Lower cost
- Less preparation time
- More detailed individual responses
Correct answer: Consensus building and immediate conflict resolution
Workshops allow diverse stakeholders to negotiate differences and reach consensus in real time, which individual interviews cannot achieve.
Question 5: Which elicitation technique uses a working model of a system to gather stakeholder feedback before full development?
- Prototyping (Correct answer)
- Document Analysis
- Benchmarking
- Interface Analysis
Correct answer: Prototyping
Prototyping creates a tangible representation of the solution so stakeholders can react to something concrete rather than abstract descriptions.
Question 6: When a business analyst reviews existing documentation such as process manuals and system specs to understand the current state, this technique is called:
- Document Analysis (Correct answer)
- Benchmarking
- Root Cause Analysis
- Brainstorming
Correct answer: Document Analysis
Document analysis involves reviewing existing artifacts to extract relevant information about the current business environment.
Which elicitation technique involves observing stakeholders in their natural work environment to understand current processes?