HomeBCS BA Found.Practice questionsDelivering the Requirements
BCS BA Found. · BCS · Delivering the Requirements · Bank updated 2026-07-03

BCS BA Found. practice questions: Delivering the Requirements

5 free questions from 7 on this area · answer and explanation for each · no sign-up

These 5 questions come from the Delivering the Requirements section of our BCS BA Found. bank (7 questions on this area, which carries 5% of the real exam). Every question is original, with the correct answer explained and linked to the source it is drawn from.

Start 6 free in study mode → All BCS BA Found. sample questions
1/5 · Delivering the Requirements · easy
Which delivery lifecycle approach requires each stage of development (such as requirements, design, build and test) to be completed and formally signed off before the next stage begins?
AThe linear (waterfall) approach
BThe iterative approach
CThe agile approach
DThe incremental approach
Show answer & explanation
A is correct. The linear (waterfall) approach moves through discrete stages in sequence, with each stage completed and approved before the next begins. This gives good control and clear definition of scope at each gate, but makes it difficult and costly to accommodate changes discovered later, and delays testing until late in the project.
↗ the BCS Business Analysis Foundation syllabus v4.1 + 'Business Analysis, 4th Edition' (Paul & Cadle, BCS 2020) — Delivering the Requirements
2/5 · Delivering the Requirements
A key characteristic that distinguishes the V-model from the basic linear (waterfall) approach is that the V-model:
AReplaces sequential stages with short, repeated cycles of development and feedback
BRemoves the need for a business case before development work begins
CAllows the agreed scope of the solution to be changed at the end of any stage without re-approval
DExplicitly pairs each development stage with a corresponding testing stage, planned from early in the project
Show answer & explanation
D is correct. The V-model extends the sequential nature of waterfall by explicitly linking each development stage to a corresponding testing stage that is designed at the same time, so that test conditions are derived directly from the matching specification. This improves early quality planning and traceability compared with a plain waterfall approach, though it retains waterfall's sequential, low-flexibility structure.
↗ the BCS Business Analysis Foundation syllabus v4.1 + 'Business Analysis, 4th Edition' (Paul & Cadle, BCS 2020) — Delivering the Requirements
3/5 · Delivering the Requirements
A project sponsor states that the requirements are already fully understood and stable, insists that design must not start until requirements are formally agreed and signed off, and wants a single go-live date with maximum control over the final scope and budget. No particular concern is raised about how testing will be organised. Which delivery lifecycle approach best matches these requirements?
AThe linear (waterfall) approach
BAn incremental approach
CThe V-model
DAn iterative or agile approach
Show answer & explanation
A is correct. The scenario describes stable requirements, mandatory sequential sign-off, a single release point and a strong emphasis on control over scope and budget — the classic profile for a linear (waterfall) delivery lifecycle. Incremental and iterative/agile approaches assume requirements may evolve or that value is released in stages, and the V-model's defining feature (paired test stages) is not what the sponsor is asking for here.
↗ the BCS Business Analysis Foundation syllabus v4.1 + 'Business Analysis, 4th Edition' (Paul & Cadle, BCS 2020) — Delivering the Requirements
4/5 · Delivering the Requirements · hard
A business analyst is weighing up an iterative/agile approach against a linear (waterfall) approach for a project where the true business need is not yet fully understood at the outset. Which statement correctly describes a genuine trade-off between the two approaches?
AAn incremental approach offers the least control of any lifecycle approach because none of the requirements are defined until the final release
BThe V-model provides a faster overall pace of delivery than any other lifecycle approach because testing overlaps with development
CThe waterfall approach delivers working software at a faster pace than an iterative approach because no time is spent revisiting earlier decisions
DThe iterative/agile approach can achieve greater clarity of the real business need through early and frequent feedback, but typically gives less up-front control over the final overall scope, cost and timescale
Show answer & explanation
D is correct. A genuine and commonly examined trade-off is that iterative/agile approaches improve clarity of the true business need through frequent stakeholder feedback, but this comes at the cost of reduced up-front certainty and control over the final scope, cost and delivery date compared with a linear (waterfall) approach. Claims about waterfall or the V-model being inherently faster, or incremental delivery having no defined requirements, misrepresent how each lifecycle actually manages scope and pace.
↗ the BCS Business Analysis Foundation syllabus v4.1 + 'Business Analysis, 4th Edition' (Paul & Cadle, BCS 2020) — Delivering the Requirements
5/5 · Delivering the Requirements
A regulator-facing programme has fully defined, stable requirements agreed by all stakeholders before funding was approved, and the supplier contract specifies a fixed price for a fixed scope to be delivered on a single go-live date. Which delivery lifecycle approach is MOST appropriate for this programme?
ANo formal lifecycle is required, because a fixed-price contract removes the need to document requirements before build starts.
BAn iterative lifecycle in which only a high-level requirements list is produced and detail is discovered during each build cycle.
CAn adaptive (agile) lifecycle, where requirements emerge and are re-prioritised in short iterations throughout delivery.
DA predictive (plan-driven) lifecycle, where requirements are fully specified and baselined before design and build begin.
Show answer & explanation
D is correct. The syllabus distinguishes predictive (plan-driven) lifecycles, where the requirement set is fixed and baselined before development starts, from adaptive/agile lifecycles suited to evolving or poorly-understood requirements. A fixed-price, fixed-scope contract with fully agreed requirements is the textbook trigger for a predictive approach, since the whole commercial arrangement depends on an accurate upfront baseline. Choosing an adaptive approach here would introduce unnecessary re-negotiation risk on a contract with no mechanism to absorb changing scope.
↗ the BCS Business Analysis Foundation syllabus — Delivering the Requirements
Practise all 7 Delivering the Requirements questions - start free → See the whole BCS BA Found. bank

Other BCS BA Found. areas

The same kind of free sample for every other section of the BCS BA Found. bank:

What is Business Analysis?9 qThe Competencies of a Business Analyst6 qThe Strategic Context for Business Analysis12 qThe Business Analysis Service Framework6 qInvestigating the Business Situation17 qAnalysing and Managing Stakeholders14 qImproving Business Services and Processes16 qDefining the Solution11 qMaking the Business Case9 qEstablishing the Requirements12 qDocumenting and Modelling Requirements13 qValidating and Managing Requirements6 qDelivering the Business Solution8 q

Study Delivering the Requirements with instant feedback

6 free questions · filter study mode by area and difficulty · error log with spaced repetition · no card, no dumps, no ads.

Create your free account →
Read next
ECBA vs CCBA vs CBAP: Which IIBA Certification Fits Your Experience Level? (2026) ECBA, CCBA or CBAP? The eligibility gate that picks for you, what the 2026 ECBA rewrite changed, and each credential's three-year cost, verified against IIBA. PMI-PBA vs CBAP: The Business Analysis Certification Decision, Settled with Data PMI-PBA ($405-555, 36 months of experience) vs CBAP ($495-650 all-in, 7,500 hours plus references): eligibility, exam mechanics, three-year cost, salary data.
ExamDeck is an independent study tool, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by BCS. BCS BA Found. and related marks are trademarks of their respective owners, used for identification only. Exam facts checked against official BCS materials (as of August 2026); always confirm current details with the vendor before booking.