BCS BAPv5 BCS Practitioner Certificate in Business Analysis Practice v5.2 Exam Practice Test

CATWOE is a technique for exploring stakeholder business perspectives by identifying six elements: Customer, Actor, Transformation, Worldview, Owner and Environment. It helps to understand how different stakeholders perceive a business situation or problem and what they expect from a solution. Therefore, option A is the correct answer, as it identifies which specific areas of CATWOE are they considering respectively. Customer is the element that describes who benefits from or is affected by a business situation or problem or its solution. It helps to identify who are the recipients or users of value or satisfaction from a business situation or problem or its solution. George and Laura are considering customer, as they have different views on who should be the target market for their products (people aged over 50 vs people aged 30-60). Owner is the element that describes who has the authority or power to start or stop a business situation or problem or its solution. It helps to identify who are the decision makers or influencers of a business situation or problem or its solution. George and Laura are considering owner, as they have different views on who should be responsible for marketing activities (outsourced vs in-house). Option B is not a correct answer, as it does not identify which specific areas of CATWOE are they considering respectively. Actor is the element that describes who carries out or performs a business situation or problem or its solution. It helps to identify who are responsible for implementing or delivering a business situation or problem or its solution. George and Laura are not considering actor, as they have no views on who carries out their products (although this may be related to owner). Transformation is the element that describes what changes or processes take place in a business situation or problem or its solution. It helps to identify what inputs are converted into outputs in a business situation or problem or its solution. George and Laura are not considering transformation, as they have no views on what changes or processes take place in their products (although this may be related to customer). Option C is not a correct answer, as it does not identify which specific areas of CATWOE are they considering respectively. Transformation is the element that describes what changes or processes take place in a business situation or problem or its solution. It helps to identify what inputs are converted into outputs in a business situation or problem or its solution. George and Laura are not considering transformation, as they have no views on what changes or processes take place in their products (although this may be related to customer). Environment is the element that describes the external factors or constraints that affect a stakeholder’s perspective or limit their options. It helps to explain what factors or constraints are beyond the stakeholder’s control or influence. George and Laura are not considering environment, as they have no views on what external factors or constraints affect their products (although this may be related to customer). Option D is not a correct answer, as it does not identify which specific areas of CATWOE are they considering respectively. Customer is the element that describes who benefits from or is affected by a business situation or problem or its solution. It helps to identify who are the recipients or users of value or satisfaction from a business situation or problem or its solution. George and Laura are considering customer, as they have different views on who should be the target market for their products (people aged over 50 vs people aged 30-60). Actor is the element that describes who carries out or performs a business situation or problem or its solution. It helps to identify who are responsible for implementing or delivering a business situation or problem or its solution. George and Laura are not considering actor, as they have no views on who carries out their products (although this may be related to owner).

The documentation defines Critical Success Factors (CSFs) as the few key areas where “things must go right” for the business to flourish and for managerial goals to be attained. The key points are that CSFs are few, they are key, and they are musts—not just “nice-to-have” activities.

Given the objectives, CSFs should be chosen that directly drive market share growth, customer loyalty, and expansion into new markets. Option A aligns strongly to “increase market share in key demographics” because pricing competitiveness is often a critical lever in apparel retail: if pricing drifts out of line with competitor positioning or customer value expectations, share and loyalty can rapidly erode. A CSF framed around continuously monitoring competitor pricing and responding in a controlled way supports both market share and profitability—key for sustained growth.

Option D aligns strongly to “expand product lines and reach new markets.” Establishing new distribution channels (marketplaces, stores, partnerships) is frequently a make-or-break capability for expansion: without the right channels, new product lines won’t reach target segments effectively. That makes it a credible “must go right” area.

Option E (follower count) is not necessarily critical—engagement can matter, but “follower count must remain high” is too narrow and can be a vanity metric. Options B and C may be important hygiene or internal factors, but they are not as directly tied to the stated objectives as A and D.

The guidance distinguishes Payback and Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) by whether they account for the time value of money. Payback uses current values of incoming and outgoing cash flows and does not adjust for the declining value of money over time. DCF, by contrast, explicitly discounts future net cash flows back to today’s value, producing measures such as Net Present Value (NPV).

A key practical reason to use DCF is when the discount rate (reflecting the cost of capital and prevailing financial conditions) matters. The documentation explains that management accountants determine the discount rate by studying factors including the likely movement of money-market interest rates in the coming years. If interest rates are expected to increase, the cost of capital and the opportunity cost of money can rise, making future cash inflows less valuable in today’s terms and potentially reducing project attractiveness. DCF is designed to reflect exactly this broader financial context through discounting.

Option A (“cost of raising capital is nil”) would reduce the importance of discounting rather than increase it. Option B is about the desired level of detail, not financial appropriateness. Option D (“deposits earning no interest”) does not indicate rising rates or a need to adjust for changing time value; if anything, it suggests a lower opportunity cost at present. Therefore, the factor that indicates DCF should be used is C.

The documentation describes the power/interest grid as a technique for analysing stakeholders, then using the analysis to plan management actions. It states that it is important to plot stakeholders where they actually are (not where you would like them to be), and then to explore strategies for managing them in their current positions or for moving them to more advantageous positions. It also emphasises that stakeholder analysis must be a continuing activity throughout the project, with the team watching for changes and re-evaluating strategies accordingly—this supports regular review of the grid.

Where option D differs is that it describes implementation of engagement strateggement actions is part of stakeholder management execution, which follows from the analysis rather than being a step “in conducting the analysis” itself. The text makes this separation clear: after plotting positions, up for managing stakeholders and the approach to take; the subsequent engagement is what the team then does based on that plan.

So A and B are explicitly in the technique guidance, and C aligns with the “continuing activity” requirement. D is the step that moves beyond the analysis activity into carrying out the management actions, making it the best choice for “not typically involved in conducting the analysis.” ION NO: 65

A business case has been developed for the introduction of a new customer service platform. In the “Impact Assessment” section, which key factor should the business analyst highlight to communicate the potential organisational changes resulting from the platform’s implementation?iomer service efficiency and employee workflow.

B. Discuss the usability of the recommended application and software requirements.

C. Review potential vendors including past experience in the industry and their financial stability.

D. Detail the operating system and solution architecture of the new platform.

Answer: A

The business case “Impact assessment” section is used to explain what will happen to the organisation if the proposed option is adopted—not just the financial costs and benefits. The documentation states that, in addition to costs and benefits, the business case should explore organisational impacts, some of which may have costs attached and some of which are simply consequences of change. It gives concrete examples such as changes to organisation structure (e.g., reorganising departments, creating new roles like a single customer point of contact, or moving from specialist to generalist roles) and the effects on interdepartmental relationships and working patterns.

Option A best mause “customer service efficiency and employee workflow” directly communicates the operational and people/process impacts that typically accompany a new customer service platform—how work will be performed, how staff will interact, and what the service outcomes may be. This is exactly the kihange decision-makers need surfaced in an impact assessment so they can plan mitigation and change management (e.g., handling disruption, new responsibilities, revised collaboration).

Options B and D focus on technical solution detail, and C focuses on vendor evaluation—none of these are the core purpose of an “impact assessment” section as defined in the business case guidance.

 A partial CATWOE analysis of this situation from Imran’s perspective would identify Donald as the customer, Alan as the actor, and Imran as the owner. Donald is the customer because he is the beneficiary of FairCrops’ products and services. Alan is the actor because he is the one who implements FairCrops’ approach in the South American regions. Imran is the owner because he is the chief executive of FairCrops and has the authority to make decisions about its direction and purpose. Option A is the correct answer.

CATWOE is a technique that helps to understand different perspectives of a situation by analyzing six elements: Customers, Actors, Transformation process, Worldview, Owner, and Environmental constraints. Shelly could use CATWOE to improve her understanding of the IT and finance director’s views on the future direction of the business, by identifying who are the customers, actors, owners, and so on for each option (organic growth or acquisition), and how they differ. Option A is the correct answer.

The documentation explains that CSFs are the areas where things “must go right,” and KPIs are the measures that show whether progress is being made toward achieving a CSF. KPIs should focus on specific performance areas and should be defined so they are SMART and monitored regularly.

For a CSF of “excellent customer service,” appropriate KPIs should reflect customer experience outcomes and customer loyalty/retention. Option C (“number of customers who post negative feedback”) is directly linked to service quality: negative feedback is a clear indicator that customers perceive service failures. Tracking it (and ideally setting a target such as “no more than X per month”) provides a measurable signal of whether service is improving.

Option D (“percentage of customers who renew their annual subscription”) is also strongly linked to customer service because renewal rates are a widely used indicator of customer satisfaction and loyalty: customers who experience consistently good service are more likely to continue their membership. As a KPI, it is measurable, trendable over time, and can be given SMART targets.

The other options are not direct indicators of customer service quality: restaurant ordering (A) is sales/upsell behaviour, fitness improvement (B) is an outcome of training/programming rather than service, and payment method (E) is an administrative preference. Therefore, the best KPIs for this CSF are C and D.

The elements of PESTLE that are identified in this email are Economic, Environmental and Legal. Economic factors are related to the costs and prices of the business and its competitors. In this email, Nastya mentions that their competitors have lower costs and that they need to secure a better component price and negotiate with their energy supplier (B). Environmental factors are related to the natural resources and sustainability of the business and its impact on the environment. In this email, Nastya mentions that she wants a full review of the biodegradability of the packaging of all their products and that she is mindful of the costs of renewable power (E). Legal factors are related to the laws and regulations that affect the business and its operations. In this email, Nastya mentions that their employment regulations need revisiting due to changes in pension rules and paternity/maternity rights (L).

Technical feasibility is the extent to which a proposed business change or solution is possible and realistic from a technical perspective. It helps to assess whether a proposed business change or solution can be developed, implemented and maintained using the available or required technology. Therefore, option A is the correct answer, as it describes the areas of technical feasibility mentioned in the report. Proven is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution has been tested and verified by previous or existing users or applications. It helps to ensure reliability and quality of the technology. An example of proven in the report is the new payment method has not yet been widely adopted although it has the backing of all the big phone brands. Compatible is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution can work or integrate with other existing or required technologies. It helps to ensure interoperability and functionality of the technology. An example of compatible in the report is our current payments system will be upgraded next month to take payment as part of a scheduled release. Secure is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution can protect or prevent unauthorised access, use, modification or disclosure of data or information. It helps to ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability of the technology. An example of secure in the report is cyber security testing is encouraging. Scalable is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution can handle or adapt to changes in demand, volume or performance. It helps to ensure efficiency and flexibility of the technology. An example of scalable in the report is trials have shown that the technology will scale to our customer base. Option B is not a correct answer, as it does not describe all the areas of technical feasibility mentioned in the report. Timely is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution can be developed, implemented and maintained within the available or required time frame. It helps to ensure punctuality and speed of the technology. There is no example of timely in the report. Option C is not a correct answer, as it does not describe all the areas of technical feasibility mentioned in the report. Reliable is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution can perform consistently and accurately without errors or failures. It helps to ensure dependability and accuracy of the technology. There is no example of reliable in the report. Architectural alignment is an area of technical feasibility that relates to whether the technology used for the proposed business change or solution can fit or align with other existing or required architectures, such as business, data or application architectures. It helps to ensure consistency and coherence of the technology. There is no example of architectural alignment in the report. Option D is not a correct answer, as it does not describe any of the areas of technical feasibility mentioned in the report.

Design Thinking is an approach for solving complex problems by focusing on human needs and desires. It involves five stages: empathise, define, ideate, prototype and test. Therefore, options B, D and E are correct answers, as they suggest good techniques to help with the different stages of Design Thinking. Empathise is the stage where the problem is explored from the perspective of the users and their emotions, motivations and pain points are understood. A good technique to help with this stage is Customer Journey Map, which is a visual representation of the steps and emotions that a user goes through when interacting with a product or service. It helps to identify the pain points and opportunities for improvement in the user experience. Create is the stage where the users are represented by creating personas, which are fictional characters that embody the characteristics, goals and needs of a typical user group. Personas help to empathise with the users and design solutions that suit their preferences and expectations. Define is the stage where the problem is clearly defined and articulated based on the insights gained from the empathise stage. A good technique to help with this stage is Current user needs or problems, which is a statement that summarises what the users need or want to achieve and what prevents them from doing so. It helps to focus on the core problem and set the direction for ideation. Option A is not a correct answer, as Prototype is not a stage of Design Thinking, but a technique that can be used in the Prototype stage. Prototype is the stage where the ideas are turned into tangible and testable prototypes that can be used to demonstrate and evaluate the solutions. A good technique to help with this stage is Scenario Analysis, which is a technique that explores how different scenarios or situations could affect the outcomes of the solutions. It helps to test the feasibility and desirability of the prototypes. Option C is not a correct answer, as Evaluate is not a stage of Design Thinking, but a technique that can be used in the Test stage. Test is the stage where the prototypes are tested with real users and feedback is collected and analysed to refine and improve the solutions. A good technique to help with this stage is Mind Mapping, which is a technique that organises and visualises information in a hierarchical and associative way. It helps to capture and structure feedback and identify patterns and insights.

A consensus BAM is a conceptual model that depicts the agreed view of what the organisation does or should do. It shows the high-level activities and the logical dependencies between them. By comparing the consensus BAM with the current situation, a gap analysis can identify where the organisation is not performing as desired or where there are opportunities for improvement. Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

The pair of techniques that Elizabeth should use first to understand the concerns of operational staff and line managers are interviews and rich pictures. Interviews are a way of eliciting information from stakeholders by asking them open-ended questions and listening to their responses. Interviews can help Elizabeth to explore the views, opinions, needs, and expectations of the staff and managers regarding the process improvement project. Rich pictures are a way of capturing complex situations in a visual form by using symbols, icons, cartoons, or diagrams. Rich pictures can help Elizabeth to illustrate the current problems and issues faced by the staff and managers, as well as their emotions and relationships. Option D is the correct answer.

A high level Business Case is a document that provides a preliminary rationale and justification for a proposed business change or solution. It helps to establish the feasibility and desirability of the project and secure initial approval and funding for further investigation and development. Therefore, option A is the correct answer, as creating a high level Business Case would be the best activity to undertake at this point for introducing a new procurement system. A high level Business Case would help to define the problem or opportunity that motivates the project, identify and compare different procurement solutions based on their expected benefits, costs, risks and impacts, and recommend the preferred option for further analysis and evaluation. A high level Business Case would provide a solid foundation for proceeding with the project and preparing a detailed Business Case later on. Option B is not a correct answer, as creating a detailed Business Case would not be an appropriate activity to undertake at this point for introducing a new procurement system. A detailed Business Case is a document that provides a comprehensive rationale and justification for a proposed business change or solution. It helps to confirm the viability and worthiness of the project and secure final approval and funding for implementation and delivery. A detailed Business Case would require conducting extensive research and analysis on the preferred procurement solution and presenting its definitive benefits, costs, risks and impacts. A detailed Business Case would be premature and unnecessary at this point, as it would depend on the outcome of the high level Business Case first. Option C is not a correct answer, as it is too early to work on the Business Case would not be an appropriate activity to undertake at this point for introducing a new procurement system. Working on the Business Case is an essential activity for any project that involves significant business change or investment. It helps to provide evidence and support for the project and ensure its alignment with the organisation’s strategy and objectives. Working on the Business Case would not be too early at this point, as it would help to establish the feasibility and desirability of the project and secure initial approval and funding for further investigation and development. Option D is not a correct answer, as confirming with the directors the costs and benefits would not be an appropriate activity to undertake at this point for introducing a new procurement system. Confirming with the directors the costs and benefits would require preparing a high level Business Case first to estimate and compare the financial implications of different options and recommend the best one for further development and implementation. Confirming with the directors the costs and benefits without preparing a high level Business Case first would risk providing inaccurate or incomplete information that may not reflect the value or feasibility of the project.

The documentation defines gap analysis as exploring the differences between a current state (“as is”) and a desired future state (“to be”). The emphasis is on understanding where the organisation wants to be and, by comparing with the current situation, identifying what needs to change to reach that target state. It also states that the outcome of gap analysis is a list of business requirements to be delivered—typically phrased at the “what” level rather than prescribing detailed solutions.

In this scenario, the retailer’s desired future state includes a more capable online experience and integration with inventory and other applications—this is fundamentally a change in capability. Therefore, identifying new and improved business capabilities (and capturing them in a target view such as a Target Operating Model) is exactly the kind of work performed in gap analysis: it clarifies what the future business system must be able to do, so gaps against the current capabilities can be identified and addressed.

By contrast, a Gantt chart (A/B) is delivery planning, not gap analysis; a RACI matrix (C) is a responsibilities definition; and brainstorming (D) is an idea-generation technique that may help option creation but is not the core “compare as-is to to-be and identify gaps” activity.

An organisation chart is a diagram that shows the structure and relationships of an organisation. It helps to identify who are the members, roles, levels and units of an organisation and how they are connected or related. Therefore, options A and B are correct answers, as they are the information that Sara is likely to have learnt about the sponsor from the organisation chart. Option A is a correct answer, as their position in the company hierarchy is the information that Sara is likely to have learnt about the sponsor from the organisation chart. Their position in the company hierarchy is the level or rank of the sponsor within the organisation’s structure. It helps to indicate their authority, status and influence within the organisation. Option B is a correct answer, as their span of control is the information that Sara is likely to have learnt about the sponsor from the organisation chart. Their span of control is the number of people or units that report directly to the sponsor within the organisation’s structure. It helps to indicate their responsibility, workload and management style within the organisation. Option C is not a correct answer, as their culture within their team is not the information that Sara is likely to have learnt about the sponsor from the organisation chart. Their culture within their team is the shared values, beliefs, norms and behaviours of the sponsor and their team members within the organisation. It helps to indicate their motivation, satisfaction and performance within the organisation. Option D is not a correct answer, as their scope of responsibilities is not the information that Sara is likely to have learnt about the sponsor from the organisation chart. Their scope of responsibilities is the range or extent of tasks or activities that the sponsor has to perform or oversee within the organisation. It helps to indicate their objectives, outcomes and deliverables within the organisation. Option E is not a correct answer, as their preferred management style is not the information that Sara is likely to have learnt about the sponsor from the organisation chart. Their preferred management style is the way or approach that the sponsor uses to lead or direct their team members within the organisation. It helps to indicate their communication, delegation and feedback skills within the organisation.

A RACI chart (linear responsibility matrix) clarifies who does what for key deliverables and tasks, using the categories Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. The text defines Responsible as the person or role responsible for creating/developing the product or performing the task. It defines Accountable as the person who will “carry the can” for the quality and ultimate ownership of the product or task—often a senior role such as the project sponsor being accountable for the business case.

In this scenario, the graphic designer has been assigned the work of designing the promotional materials. That is direct execution: they are the person performing the task and producing the deliverable. Under the RACI definitions, that makes them Responsible.

“Accountable” would typically be held by the person who owns the outcome and is answerable for whether the promotional materials meet campaign objectives and brand standards—commonly the marketing lead, product manager, or campaign owner—rather than the specialist producing the asset. The RACI model is used precisely to prevent confusion between “doing the work” (Responsible) and “owning the outcome” (Accountable).

Therefore, the graphic designer’s typical role in the RACI matrix for this task is Responsible (A).

The Business Change Lifecycle in the documentation comprises five stages (shown in the lifecycle figure and described as the “key areas of activity” needed for successful business change). Business case work is not confined to a single moment; instead, it is revisited through the change effort at multiple decision points. The guidance illustrates this with “decision gates” where the business case is: produced initially, then confirmed after detailed requirements, confirmed once development costs are estimated, revisited before deployment, and later used to check benefits realisation once the new processes/systems are operating.

That pattern means business-case-related activity normally touches every stage of the lifecycle. Early on (Alignment and Definition), the business case is shaped and refined as understanding of problems, scope, and requirements improves. During Design and Implementation, the business case is validated and updated as costs, feasibility, and delivery plans become clearer and as the organisation prepares for change. In Realisation, the business case is used as the baseline for benefits review and to identify follow-up actions where benefits are not yet achieved. Therefore, “5” is the best answer.

CATWOE is used to explore stakeholder perspectives by examining six elements: Customer, Actor, Transformation, Worldview (Weltanschauung), Owner, and Environment. The Environment element captures the external constraints and conditions that influence what the business system can do, regardless of internal preferences. The text illustrates “environment constraints” as factors outside day-to-day control that shape feasibility and behaviour (e.g., conditions that affect whether customers will buy in a particular way).

In this question, the stakeholder’s concern is about a potential change in government and the introduction of taxes on imported goods. This is not a “Transformation” (the conversion of inputs to outputs), nor is it a “Customer” definition. It also is not primarily a “Worldview,” which in the text is described as the stakeholder’s underlying belief system about why the organisation exists and how success is achieved. Instead, import taxes are an external political/legal constraint that would alter the economic assumptions of the business and could force a business model review.

This aligns squarely with the idea of external environmental influences described in the strategy analysis material (for example, political factors such as government policies and trade regulations/tariffs). Therefore, the stakeholder’s concern should be captured under Environment in CATWOE.

A Business Activity Model (BAM) is a high-level view of the business activities that take place within an organisation. It shows how activities are related to each other and how they contribute to achieving business objectives. A BAM consists of five types of high-level activities: directing, enabling, doing, monitoring and controlling. A BAM can also show dependencies between activities using arrows to indicate which activity depends on another activity to start or finish. Therefore, option A is the correct answer, as it shows the dependencies between the four activities on the BAM correctly. Activity c (define lending policies) is a directing activity that sets the rules and guidelines for lending e-books to customers. It depends on no other activity and precedes all other activities. Activity b (establish licensing arrangements with publishers) is an enabling activity that secures the rights and permissions to lend e-books from different publishers. It depends on activity c and precedes activity a. Activity a (lend books) is a doing activity that provides e-books to customers according to their requests and preferences. It depends on activity b and precedes activity d. Activity d (monitor lending usage) is a monitoring activity that tracks and records how customers use and return e-books. It depends on activity a and follows all other activities.

The technique that best supports identifying root causes of problematic attitudes is the rich picture. The documentation explains that many problematic business situations have “human and cultural aspects” that traditional structured models (like process or data models) cannot capture well. These aspects include differing viewpoints, misunderstandings, stress, dissatisfaction with management, frustration at inadequate resources, and other “people” factors that can directly affect outcomes. A rich picture explicitly enables the analyst to document these human factors alongside information flows and other issues, because it is intentionally unstructured and allows a “brain dump” of what is happening and how people feel about it.

The guidance also positions rich pictures as particularly useful in messy situations with multiple causes, helping the analyst see connections between issues and progressively enrich understanding as new information emerges. This matters in the scenario: complaints about the UI may reflect deeper causes such as poor navigation, unclear content, inconsistent interaction patterns, internal constraints, or misalignment between user expectations and design choices—plus stakeholder tensions about priorities. A rich picture is designed to surface and connect these causes and perceptions early in investigation.

A mind map can help structure information, but the rich picture is explicitly highlighted as the technique that captures the essence of the whole situation, especially where attitudes and cultural factors are significant.

The documentation categorises costs and benefits using two dimensions: whether they are tangible (a credible, usually monetary, value can be predicted) or intangible (a credible value cannot be predicted). It also notes that benefits are often a mix of tangible and intangible, and gives examples of intangible benefits such as improved job satisfaction, improved customer satisfaction, and related “people” outcomes that are difficult to value in advance.

In the extract, the £1600 per calendar month rental rate is explicitly a tangible cost because it is a direct monetary figure. The “loss of productivity” during the phased move is a cost of the change; while it might be measurable in some cases, the extract does not quantify it, and it is presented qualitatively as an accepted impact—this aligns with an intangible cost as described in the framework.

The statements about staff feeling “in a stable environment,” having “greater flexibility,” and more opportunities to communicate are clearly intangible benefits: they are positive outcomes, but no credible monetary value is given or implied.

What is not described anywhere in the extract is a tangible benefit—there is no quantified saving, revenue increase, headcount reduction, or other measurable financial gain stated. Therefore, option C is correct.

 A vision statement is a concise and inspiring statement of what the organisation aspires to be in the future. It should reflect the organisation’s core values and purpose, and provide direction and motivation for its stakeholders. A vision statement should not be too specific or focused on the current state of the organisation, but rather on the desired future state. Therefore, option A is the best choice, as it expresses a clear and aspirational vision that aligns with the company’s mission of meeting or undercutting all its competitors’ prices. Option B is too narrow and does not capture the essence of the organisation’s purpose. Option C is too vague and does not indicate how the organisation will achieve its goal. Option D is too generic and does not differentiate the organisation from its competitors.

A Business Activity Model is a conceptual model showing what an organisation should be doing (the set of expected business activities) rather than a process model that shows how work is performed. For a start-up, there may be limited “as-is” process evidence, so the most effective starting approach from the options given is A: using industry reports and best practice to identify the likely “core” activities an e-commerce business must perform (e.g., plan, enable, do, monitor, control). The documentation explains that creating a BAM requires the analyst to think about the activities implied by a stakeholder perspective, and that early work often produces one BAM per perspective, later consolidated into a consensus view.

Option C focuses on existing workflows and structure, which is closer to process modelling and “how it does these things,” not the conceptual “what activities should exist” that a BAM is designed to show. Option B (customer surveys) supports understanding needs and preferences, but it does not on its own define the full internal set of business activities across the enterprise view. Option D outsources the modelling rather than applying the stakeholder-perspective approach and collaborative consensus-building described for BAM creation.

To identify underlying causes, the analyst needs a technique that helps them explore what is happening in practice and uncover where breakdowns or inefficiencies might be occurring. The documentation describes scenario analysis as “telling the story of a task or transaction,” and explains it is useful when analysing or redesigning processes because it helps staff and analysts work through the steps required, visualise them clearly, and understand what triggers the work and what actions must be completed to achieve a successful outcome.

In a retail setting, declining sales can result from failures or friction in key customer-facing scenarios (e.g., browsing, ordering, returns, stock availability, customer service escalation). By building and walking through scenarios end-to-end, the analyst can pinpoint where delays, handoffs, rework, unclear decision points, or system constraints occur—each of which can contribute to poorer customer outcomes and, ultimately, sales decline. Scenario work also creates a concrete basis for validating hypotheses with stakeholders and for identifying what evidence and data should be gathered next.

The other options are less directly “cause-finding” for the stated problem. A customer journey map focuses on experience and touchpoints (useful, but it may not expose operational root causes in enough detail). Use case diagrams define system interactions for requirements, not root cause diagnosis. A business activity model gives a conceptual “what activities exist” overview; it is valuable for gaps, but scenario analysis is the technique explicitly positioned to walk through transactions to reveal where problems arise.

The business analysis guidance makes it clear that a business case is not a “one-and-done” document that stops being useful at implementation. Instead, it is revisited at multiple decision gates through the lifecycle, including points after development estimates are known, before deployment, and later during operation when benefits realisation is checked. This directly contradicts statement A, because the business case remains relevant beyond implementation to confirm assumptions and verify whether expected benefits were actually achieved.

Statement B is also incorrect. The guidance explicitly states that the “do nothing / maintain the status quo” option should always be considered and will usually appear in the business case. It may sometimes be rejected due to unacceptable consequences, but it should still be included so decision-makers understand the risks of inaction.

Statement C is correct because the business case should consider both tangible and intangible benefits. The documentation explains that many benefits (for example improved customer satisfaction or staff morale) can be intangible, meaning they cannot be credibly valued in advance. While organisations vary in how they treat intangibles, the framework recognises them as legitimate benefits (with the caution not to overstate them or assign “spurious” values).

Gap analysis is a process of identifying and assessing the differences between the current state and desired state of an organisation or project. It helps to determine what needs to be done to achieve business objectives or solve business problems. Gap analysis typically involves three main steps: understand the existing situation, compare the desired situation and existing situation, and consider possible actions to address the gaps. Therefore, options A, B and C are correct answers, as they cover these steps in gap analysis. Option D is not a correct answer, as defining solutions to close gaps is not part of gap analysis itself, but rather a subsequent step that follows gap analysis. Gap analysis helps to identify what needs to be done, but not how it should be done. Option E is not a correct answer, as delivering solutions to close gaps is not part of gap analysis itself, but rather a final step that follows defining solutions. Gap analysis helps to identify what needs to be done, but not how it should be done or implemented.

 The role of a business analyst (BA) is to analyse business situations and problems, identify and evaluate potential solutions, and facilitate change within an organisation or project. A BA works with stakeholders at different levels and with different interests and perspectives to understand their needs and expectations and ensure they are met by suitable solutions. Therefore, option C is not likely to be used by George’s manager in describing his role as a BA in resolving this problem. To negotiate with stakeholders to reach resolution implies that George has to persuade or compromise with stakeholders to agree on one solution or approach. This is not part of the BA’s role, as the BA does not have the authority or responsibility to make decisions or impose solutions on stakeholders. The BA’s role is to analyse and evaluate different solutions or approaches objectively and present the findings and recommendations to stakeholders for their consideration and approval. Option A is likely to be used by George’s manager in describing his role as a BA in resolving this problem. To understand and challenge the stakeholders means that George has to elicit and validate the stakeholders’ views and needs and question their assumptions and rationale. This is part of the BA’s role, as the BA has to ensure that the stakeholders’ views and needs are clear, consistent, realistic and aligned with the organisation’s strategy and objectives. Option B is likely to be used by George’s manager in describing his role as a BA in resolving this problem. To facilitate the discussion to allow the stakeholders to find a way forward means that George has to organise and conduct meetings or workshops with stakeholders to explore and evaluate different solutions or approaches and help them reach a consensus or agreement. This is part of the BA’s role, as the BA has to enable effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders and help them resolve conflicts or issues. Option D is likely to be used by George’s manager in describing his role as a BA in resolving this problem. To record the meeting and the resulting decision means that George has to document and communicate the outcomes and actions of the meeting or workshop with stakeholders and ensure they are understood and accepted by all parties. This is part of the BA’s role, as the BA has to ensure that there is a clear and accurate record of what has been discussed and decided by stakeholders and that there is a shared understanding and commitment among them.

 A Business Activity Model (BAM) is a technique for modelling business activities within an organisation or project at a high level of abstraction. It helps to understand what an organisation does, how it does it, who does it, where it does it and why it does it. Therefore, option D is the correct answer, as a BAM would help the business analyst to identify underlying causes of a problem with declining sales. A BAM would help to analyse how different activities within an organisation contribute or relate to sales performance and identify any gaps or issues that may affect sales performance. A BAM would help to compare current and desired situations or problems and identify what changes or improvements are needed to achieve desired situations or problems. Option A is not a correct answer, as customer journey maps are not a technique for identifying underlying causes of a problem with declining sales. Customer journey maps are a technique for visualising customer experiences with an organisation or product across different touchpoints and stages. They help to understand customer needs, expectations and emotions and how they are met or influenced by an organisation or product. Option B is not a correct answer, as scenario analysis is not a technique for identifying underlying causes of a problem with declining sales. Scenario analysis is a technique for exploring how different scenarios or situations could affect outcomes or impacts of an organisation or project. They help to test feasibility and desirability of different options or solutions under various circumstances or assumptions. Option C is not a correct answer, as use case diagram is not a technique for identifying underlying causes of a problem with declining sales. Use case diagram is a technique for modelling functional requirements of a system or product at a high level of abstraction. They help to understand what functions or features are required or provided by a system or product and how they interact with actors or users.

The bullet points describe taking candidate solutions and testing them, then collecting feedback to learn and decide what to do next. In design and change approaches, that is the essence of evaluation: trialling options (pilots) and assessing their suitability using stakeholder input and evidence.

The business analysis guidance places this kind of work in the “evaluate options / evaluate solution” part of the lifecycle: after a need is understood and options are generated, the next step is to assess them by considering feasibility, benefits, impacts, and risks, using structured stakeholder engagement such as workshops. Workshops are explicitly identified as an investigation technique used to gather and validate information collaboratively, which fits “workshops to capture feedback” from pilots.

Within a Double Diamond–style design process, developing multiple pilot solutions aligns with exploring the solution space, and then running pilots and gathering feedback aligns with converging by evaluating what works in practice and what should be refined, scaled, or discarded. That activity is best represented by Evaluate rather than Empathise (understanding users), Define (clarifying the problem), or Create (generating ideas without yet testing them).

Therefore, the stage present in the bullet points is Evaluate (Option C).

The documentation defines a workshop/meeting as a facilitated session with a prepared agenda, where the facilitator elicits information and views, and where actions and decisions are recorded. In addition, stakeholders with high power and high interest are described as key players who require positive, active management, including frequent meetings and discussions about the direction the project is taking.

Given that context, the most appropriate response is to allow the stakeholder to explain the proposed feature and its potential impact, while capturing the details. This ensures the facilitator is actively managing a high power/high interest stakeholder (rather than shutting them down), and it also supports good governance by making sure the idea is captured clearly enough to be assessed properly later (e.g., as a change request or option).

Option A is better than ignoring the point entirely, but it risks appearing dismissive and could undermine engagement with a key stakeholder. Option B captures notes but fails to explore impact, which may be critical when the request is “urgent.” Option D is inappropriate because it disregards input from a stakeholder who can significantly affect the project.

Therefore, C best balances facilitation discipline (capturing information and controlling the meeting) with effective stakeholder management for high influence stakeholders.

The guidance on prior research for business analysis work states that analysts should first study relevant background material to gain an “entry point” into the domain before undertaking deeper investigation. For projects focused on specific processes (such as re-engineering a customer-facing process with excessive handoffs), the documentation explicitly recommends studying procedure manuals and current system documentation to understand what the process is supposed to be and how it is documented. It also recommends studying the organisation chart to understand reporting lines, functional groupings, and where responsibilities and handoffs may occur—particularly important here because the goal is to reduce handoffs and support remote working practices.

Financial statements and annual reports can be useful for strategic or corporate-level analysis, but the scenario is operational and process-focused (re-engineering a process linked to declining customer satisfaction). The most direct “initial analysis” sources, aligned with the prescribed prior-research approach for process-oriented work, are therefore procedure manuals/documentation and organisation charts.

Crucially, the guidance cautions that documentation may become out of date and can reflect “what we thought it ought to have been,” so these sources support orientation and preparation, but they must be followed by proper investigation techniques (e.g., interviews, observation, workshops, and quantitative methods) to confirm what actually happens in practice.

In a SWOT analysis, the “strengths” and “weaknesses” are internal factors (within the organisation), while “opportunities” and “threats” are external factors (arising from outside the organisation). The documentation is explicit: strengths and weaknesses are found within the organisation, whereas opportunities and threats arise from outside and can often be identified using external analysis tools (for example PESTLE or Porter’s Five Forces).

Applying that rule to the options:

A (high-quality locally sourced ingredients) is an internal capability and therefore aligns with a strength.

D (lower staff morale) is an internal people/culture issue, therefore a weakness.

B (being asked to collaborate on distribution) is an external development that could create growth or access advantages, so it is more consistent with an opportunity.

C (a large chain bakery entering the area) is a change in the external competitive environment that could reduce the bakery’s market share, pricing power, and customer footfall. That fits the definition of a threat because it originates outside the bakery and could negatively affect performance.

Therefore, the correct external threat is C.