BCS BA Found. · BCS · Defining the Solution · Bank updated 2026-07-03
BCS BA Found. practice questions: Defining the Solution
5 free questions from 11 on this area · answer and explanation for each · no sign-up
These 5 questions come from the Defining the Solution section of our BCS BA Found. bank (11 questions on this area, which carries 7% of the real exam). Every question is original, with the correct answer explained and linked to the source it is drawn from.
1/5 · Defining the Solution · easy
What is the primary purpose of carrying out a gap analysis when defining a business solution?
ATo compare the current (as-is) business environment with the future (to-be) business environment across the POPIT elements and identify what must change to close the difference
BTo highlight requirements missing from the requirements catalogue before sign-off
CTo calculate the financial shortfall between the project's cost and its expected return on investment
DTo identify gaps in stakeholder engagement previously mapped on the stakeholder wheel
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2/5 · Defining the Solution
During the shortlisting stage of developing options for a new solution, a business analyst must reduce a long list of ten possible options to a manageable number for detailed evaluation. Which approach is MOST consistent with BCS practice?
AApply a small number of high-level criteria, such as feasibility, indicative cost, and alignment with business objectives, to eliminate clearly unsuitable options
BKeep every option that has any technical merit at all for full, detailed evaluation regardless of cost or strategic fit
CChoose the options that require the least documentation effort from the business analyst
DRetain only the options proposed by the most senior stakeholder present, to avoid disagreement
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3/5 · Defining the Solution · hard
A team using design thinking has created a low-fidelity prototype of a new solution and tested it with users. Feedback from evaluating the prototype reveals that the original problem statement was framed too narrowly, missing an important user need. What is the MOST appropriate next step?
AProceed directly to create the final solution, since a prototype has already been produced and revisiting earlier stages would waste time
BReturn to the define stage to reframe the problem statement in light of the new insight, since design thinking stages are iterative rather than strictly linear
CRepeat only the empathise stage, because the ideate and define stages cannot be revisited once prototyping has begun
DAbandon design thinking altogether and switch to a purely gap-analysis based approach because the prototype has failed
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4/5 · Defining the Solution · easy
In the BCS approach to defining a solution, gap analysis is primarily carried out in order to:
AConfirm during acceptance testing that a delivered system satisfies its agreed non-functional requirements.
BCompare the current business situation with the required (future) business activity model to identify the differences that a solution must address.
CDecide which documented requirements should be classified as 'Must have' rather than 'Should have' or 'Could have'.
DCalculate the projected financial return on investment of a specific proposed IT system.
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B is correct. Gap analysis is the technique of comparing the current business situation against the required future state (often expressed as a business activity model) to identify differences that need to be closed. Its output frames the scope for identifying and evaluating business options, rather than selecting a solution, prioritising requirements, or testing a delivered system.
↗ the BCS Business Analysis Foundation syllabus — Defining the Solution
5/5 · Defining the Solution · hard
During a complaints-handling redesign project, an analyst completes a gap analysis and identifies three areas where the current process falls short of the required business activity model. The project sponsor, keen to move quickly, asks the analyst to skip straight to writing a final business case recommending one preferred solution. What is the most appropriate response, given the recognised sequence for defining a solution?
AAgree with the sponsor, because once gaps have been identified through gap analysis, the solution and business case are effectively already determined.
BAdvise that gap analysis is an optional step once a business activity model exists, and the business case should be built solely on stakeholder opinion.
CExplain that the identified gaps should first be used to identify a range of business options and assess their feasibility (business, technical and financial) before a preferred option is recommended in a business case.
DAdvise that a formal business case is unnecessary here because the gap analysis output already provides sufficient justification for investment.
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C is correct. The recognised sequence for defining a solution moves from gap analysis (identifying differences between current and required situations) to identifying and evaluating a range of business options against feasibility criteria, and only then to recommending a preferred option within a business case. Treating gap analysis output as if it already constitutes the solution or the business case skips this evaluation step and is a common misconception.
↗ the BCS Business Analysis Foundation syllabus — Defining the Solution
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