BCS BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis V4.0 PC-BA-FBA-20 Exam Dumps: Updated Questions & Answers (October 2025)

 Amission statementdefines the organization's purpose and primary objectives, often focusing on what the organization does and how it operates in the present. In contrast, avision statementoutlines the long-term aspirations of the organization—what it aims to become in the future. The mission provided—"To meet or undercut all our competitors' prices"—is focused on price competitiveness, which is a tactical approach rather than a strategic aspiration.

Let’s analyze each option:

A. To offer the best value office fitting service:While this aligns somewhat with the mission, it is more of a value proposition or operational goal rather than a visionary statement. It lacks the aspirational and long-term focus that defines a vision.

B. To reduce the cost of office fitting by 5%:This is a specific, measurable objective, but it is too narrow and tactical to qualify as a vision. Visions are broader and not tied to specific metrics.

C. To increase the company's market share:Increasing market share is a strategic goal, but it is still an intermediate step toward achieving something greater. It does not capture the overarching ambition of the company.

D. To be the premier office fitting company:This option reflects a long-term aspiration and aligns with the characteristics of a vision statement. It expresses the desire to achieve leadership and excellence in the industry, which is consistent with the mission of being competitive on price while aiming for a higher status.

According to theBCS Business Analysis Framework, a vision statement should inspire and guide the organization toward its ultimate goal. Therefore,Dis the most appropriate choice.

Scenario analysisis an investigation technique used to explore and evaluate potential future scenarios or situations. It helps stakeholders understand how different factors might impact a business area or process.

Key Characteristics of Scenario Analysis:

Broad View:Scenario analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the business area by considering multiple possible outcomes.

Prototyping Basis:The insights gained from scenario analysis can inform the development of prototypes.

Tacit Knowledge Identification:By exploring real-world scenarios, it helps uncover implicit knowledge embedded in business practices.

Testing Scripts:Scenario analysis is not directly involved in preparing test scripts, which are typically created during the testing phase.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Provides a broad view of the business area under investigation:Scenario analysis evaluates multiple possibilities, offering a broad perspective.Conclusion:This istrue.

B. Provides a basis for developing subsequent prototypes:Insights from scenario analysis can guide prototype development.Conclusion:This istrue.

C. Helps identify tacit knowledge used in business practice:Exploring scenarios uncovers hidden knowledge and practices.Conclusion:This istrue.

D. Helps prepare the scripts that will be used to test the delivered solution:Preparing test scripts is part of testing activities, not scenario analysis.Conclusion:This isfalse.

Anorganization chartvisually represents the structure of an organization, including roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. By reviewing the organization chart, Sara can learn specific details about the sponsor of her project.

Key Considerations:

Position in the company hierarchy:The organization chart clearly shows where the sponsor fits within the company’s structure (e.g., senior leadership, middle management). This helps Sara understand their level of authority and influence.

Span of control:The chart also reveals how many teams or individuals report to the sponsor, providing insight into their scope of responsibility and decision-making power.

Culture within their team:While the chart may hint at team structure, it does not provide qualitative information about team culture, which requires direct observation or interviews.

Scope of their responsibilities:The chart outlines reporting lines but does not explicitly detail the specific responsibilities of the sponsor.

Preferred management style:Management style is a behavioral trait that cannot be inferred from an organization chart alone.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Their position in the company hierarchy:The organization chart explicitly shows the sponsor's position in the hierarchy, helping Sara understand their level of authority.Conclusion:This isrelevant.

B. Their span of control:The chart reveals how many people or teams report to the sponsor, indicating their span of control.Conclusion:This isrelevant.

C. The culture within their team:Team culture is not represented in an organization chart. It requires additional qualitative data.Conclusion:This isnot relevant.

D. The scope of their responsibilities:While the chart provides structural information, it does not specify the exact responsibilities of the sponsor.Conclusion:This isnot relevant.

E. Their preferred management style:Management style cannot be determined from an organization chart.Conclusion:This isnot relevant.

One of thekey principlesof business analysis is to present stakeholders withoptionsrather than prescribing a single solution. This approach ensures that stakeholders can make informed decisions based on their priorities and constraints.

Key Principles of Business Analysis:

Present Options Not Solutions:Business analysts should provide multiple viable options, allowing stakeholders to choose the best course of action.

Understand Symptoms:While understanding symptoms is important, it is part of problem analysis, not a key principle.

Focus on Requirements Definition Only:Business analysis encompasses more than just defining requirements; it includes understanding problems, analyzing options, and ensuring value delivery.

Integrate IT Changes:While integrating IT changes is valuable, it is not a universal principle of business analysis.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Present options not solutions:This is a fundamental principle of business analysis, emphasizing stakeholder choice.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

B. Understand the symptoms of the problem being defined:Understanding symptoms is part of problem analysis but not a standalone principle.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. Focus on requirements definition only:Business analysis involves more than just requirements definition.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. Integrate IT changes together with project requirements to improve efficiency:While integration is valuable, it is not a universal principle of business analysis.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Ause case diagramis a visual representation of how users (or systems) interact with a system to achieve specific goals.Actorsrepresent the entities (e.g., users or external systems) that expect to receive services from the system.

Key Elements of a Use Case Diagram:

Actors:Represent individuals or systems that interact with the system to achieve a goal.

System Boundaries:Define the scope of the system being modeled.

Users:While "users" may seem similar to actors, the term "actors" is the correct technical term in use case diagrams.

Entities:Entities typically refer to data objects or components, not those receiving services.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. Actors:Actors are the correct element used to indicate those who expect to receive a service from the system.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

B. System boundaries:System boundaries define the scope of the system but do not represent those receiving services.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. Users:While users may interact with the system, the correct term in use case diagrams is "actors."Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. Entities:Entities represent data objects or components, not those receiving services.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Aprocess modelis a visual representation of a business process or workflow, showing how activities are performed and how they relate to one another. It is commonly used in business analysis to understand, analyze, and improve processes.

Key Characteristics of a Process Model:

Graphical Representation:Process models visually depict workflows and subprocesses, making them easier to understand.

Cost Differences:Cost analysis is not the primary purpose of a process model.

Job Descriptions:Process models focus on workflows, not individual job roles.

Software Features:Informal descriptions of software features are unrelated to process modeling.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. A graphical representation of a business process or workflow and its related sub-processes:This accurately describes the purpose and nature of a process model.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

B. The cost differences between how a customer currently does something and how they would like to do something:Cost differences are analyzed separately and are not part of process modeling.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. The detailed job description of the work to be performed by an individual:Job descriptions are documented separately and are not part of process modeling.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. An informal, detailed, description of a software system feature derived from an end user's perspective:This describes user stories or feature descriptions, not process models.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Abenefits planoutlines how the anticipated benefits of a project or change initiative will be achieved, tracked, and managed. Its primary purpose is to ensure that benefits are realized as planned.

Key Considerations:

Tracking Changes to Requirements:A benefits plan focuses on benefits realization, not changes to requirements.

Quantifying Intangible Benefits:While intangible benefits may be included, the primary focus is on managing all benefits, tangible and intangible.

Tracking and Managing Benefits Realisation:The benefits plan provides a structured approach to monitor progress and ensure benefits are delivered.

Publishing to Shareholders:While stakeholders may review the plan, its primary purpose is internal management, not external communication.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. It provides a firm basis for tracking the benefits of making changes to requirements:The benefits plan focuses on overall benefits realization, not specifically on changes to requirements.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

B. It quantifies intangible benefits that could not be quantified when the business case was presented:While intangible benefits may be included, this is not the primary purpose of the plan.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. It provides a firm basis for tracking the business benefits and managing their realisation:This accurately describes the primary purpose of a benefits plan.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

D. It is published to shareholders to show that their investment made will result in tangible benefits for the organisation:The benefits plan is primarily for internal use, not external reporting.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

Final Recommendation:

The primary purpose of a benefits plan is:C. It provides a firm basis for tracking the business benefits and managing their realisation.

Abusiness process modelusesswimlanesto represent different roles, departments, or systems involved in a process. Hand-offs occur when responsibility for a task is transferred from one role or department to another.

Key Considerations:

Process Flow Lines Crossing Each Other:Crossing lines do not indicate hand-offs; they simply show the sequence of tasks.

Decision Point:A decision point represents a choice or branching in the process, not a transfer of responsibility.

Task Spanning Multiple Swimlanes:A single task spanning multiple swimlanes is uncommon and does not represent a hand-off.

Process Flow Crossing Swimlanes:When a process flow crosses from one swimlane to another, it indicates that responsibility for the task has been handed off to a different role or department.

Evaluation of Each Option:

A. By process flow lines crossing each other:Crossing lines are unrelated to hand-offs and may simply indicate parallel tasks.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

B. By a decision point:Decision points represent choices or conditions, not transfers of responsibility.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

C. By a task spanning multiple swimlanes:Tasks typically belong to a single swimlane, so this is not a valid representation of hand-offs.Conclusion:This isnot correct.

D. By the process flow crossing from one swimlane to another:This accurately represents a hand-off, as it shows the transfer of responsibility between roles or departments.Conclusion:This iscorrect.

Final Recommendation:

Hand-offs are represented:D. By the process flow crossing from one swimlane to another.