PMI PBA Certification Solution Evaluation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'benefits realization' in the context of solution evaluation?
- The process of tracking and confirming that expected benefits are actually achieved after deployment (Correct answer)
- Identifying new benefits that can be added to the solution post-launch
- Calculating the financial return on investment during project planning
- Documenting benefits that stakeholders requested but were not implemented
Correct answer: The process of tracking and confirming that expected benefits are actually achieved after deployment
Benefits realization is the ongoing process of tracking, measuring, and confirming that the solution delivers the benefits defined in the business case.
Question 2: A solution is technically complete but adoption rates are very low. The MOST likely cause is:
- Inadequate change management and stakeholder engagement during deployment (Correct answer)
- The project was over budget and delivered late
- The requirements were insufficiently detailed during planning
- The testing phase identified too many defects before release
Correct answer: Inadequate change management and stakeholder engagement during deployment
Low adoption despite technical completeness typically indicates that insufficient change management and stakeholder preparation left users unwilling or unprepared to use the solution.
Question 3: Which tool helps a BA systematically identify why a solution is not delivering expected value by tracing problems back to their origin?
- Root cause analysis (fishbone diagram) (Correct answer)
- Requirements traceability matrix
- Stakeholder register
- Work breakdown structure
Correct answer: Root cause analysis (fishbone diagram)
Root cause analysis, often using a fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram, systematically traces observed problems back to their underlying causes to enable effective corrective action.
Question 4: What is the role of the business analyst during user acceptance testing?
- Facilitate testing activities, clarify requirements ambiguities, and ensure defects are documented and resolved (Correct answer)
- Write and execute all test scripts independently
- Make final acceptance decisions on behalf of the business
- Perform code reviews alongside the development team
Correct answer: Facilitate testing activities, clarify requirements ambiguities, and ensure defects are documented and resolved
During UAT, the BA facilitates the process, clarifies requirements questions for testers, and ensures defects are properly documented and tracked to resolution.
Question 5: A company launches a new CRM system. After 90 days, customer satisfaction scores have not improved as projected. What should the BA do FIRST?
- Analyze usage data and gather stakeholder feedback to understand why the expected improvement did not occur (Correct answer)
- Recommend replacing the CRM system immediately
- Conduct additional user training sessions
- Escalate to the vendor for a system performance audit
Correct answer: Analyze usage data and gather stakeholder feedback to understand why the expected improvement did not occur
Before taking any action, the BA should analyze usage data and stakeholder feedback to understand the root cause of the underperformance.
Question 6: Which factor is MOST critical to include when defining acceptance criteria for solution evaluation?
- Measurable, objective conditions that can be verified through testing or observation (Correct answer)
- The stakeholder's subjective satisfaction with the solution's appearance
- The development team's estimate of implementation complexity
- The project manager's approval of the final deliverables list
Correct answer: Measurable, objective conditions that can be verified through testing or observation
Acceptance criteria must be measurable and verifiable through testing or observation to provide an objective standard for evaluating whether the solution meets requirements.
PMI PBA Certification Solution Evaluation 3
What is 'benefits realization' in the context of solution evaluation?