ECBA® · IIBA · Strategy Analysis · Bank updated 2026-09-17
ECBA® practice questions: Strategy Analysis
5 free questions from 47 on this area · answer and explanation for each · no sign-up
These 5 questions come from the Strategy Analysis section of our ECBA® bank (47 questions on this area). Every question is original, with the correct answer explained and linked to the source it is drawn from.
1/5 · Strategy Analysis · easy
What is the primary purpose of the Strategy Analysis knowledge area in BABOK v3?
ATo collaborate with stakeholders to identify a need of strategic or tactical importance, enable the enterprise to address that need, and align the resulting strategy with higher- and lower-level strategies
BTo assess the performance of a deployed solution and recommend changes
CTo verify, validate, and prioritize requirements and designs
DTo elicit, confirm, and communicate detailed requirements from stakeholders
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A is correct. Strategy Analysis describes the business analysis work performed to collaborate with stakeholders to identify a need of strategic or tactical importance (the business need), enable the enterprise to address it, and align the strategy with enterprise strategies above and below it.
↗ BABOK v3 — Strategy Analysis
2/5 · Strategy Analysis · hard
Three stakeholders give a business analyst different starting points for a change: the CFO cites "profits are 15% below target," a manager cites "our scheduling tool keeps crashing," and a director cites "we should adopt the new platform everyone is using." According to BABOK v3, which is the most appropriate framing of the underlying business need?
AAdopting the new platform everyone is using, because aligning with peers reduces risk
BAll three are equally valid business needs and should each be carried forward unchanged
CThe problem of profits being below target, because it is expressed as a condition to be addressed rather than as a solution or symptom
DFixing the scheduling tool that keeps crashing, because it is the most concrete and actionable item
Show answer & explanation
C is correct. Business needs can be identified from the top down (a strategic goal), bottom up (a problem in current operations), from middle management, or from external drivers. BABOK cautions that a need framed as a desired solution or as a symptom can mislead the analysis; the analyst should express the need as the problem or opportunity to be addressed.
↗ BABOK v3 — Strategy Analysis
3/5 · Strategy Analysis
When defining the future state, a team states that the projected benefits depend on the belief that a third-party payment gateway will remain available and that adoption rates in pilot markets will hold steady. These beliefs are currently unproven but are treated as true for planning purposes. In BABOK v3 terms, what should the business analyst record these as?
AAssumptions
BRisks that have already been mitigated
CSolution constraints imposed by the sponsor
DBusiness objectives for the future state
Show answer & explanation
A is correct. Define Future State explicitly addresses assumptions: factors believed to be true that have not yet been confirmed. Because the realized value of a future state often hinges on such beliefs, recording them lets the team monitor whether they hold and reassess if they prove false. Unaddressed assumptions are a common source of later risk.
↗ BABOK v3 — Strategy Analysis
4/5 · Strategy Analysis · hard
In defining the future state, a sponsor insists the change will 'obviously be worth it' but cannot articulate what improvement the enterprise actually gains. To make the future state complete and decision-ready, what must the business analyst ensure is described alongside the new capabilities?
AThe full set of low-level system test cases
BThe potential value the future state is expected to deliver to stakeholders
CThe day-to-day task assignments for the project team
DThe complete vendor contract terms and conditions
Show answer & explanation
B is correct. Define Future State requires describing not only the desired capabilities and boundaries but also the potential value the future state is expected to deliver. Without an articulated value, stakeholders cannot judge whether the change is worth the cost and effort, leaving the future state incomplete for decision-making.
↗ BABOK v3 — Strategy Analysis
5/5 · Strategy Analysis
Strategy Analysis focuses on defining value for an enterprise across what range of change horizons?
ABoth strategic (longer-term) and tactical (shorter-term) value
BOnly long-term strategic value spanning multiple years
COnly the technical design of the chosen solution
DOnly immediate operational tasks completed within a single sprint
Show answer & explanation
A is correct. Strategy Analysis describes the work to identify a business need of strategic or tactical importance, enabling the enterprise to address that need and align the change with higher- and lower-level goals. It deliberately spans both longer-term strategic and shorter-term tactical change rather than a single horizon or technical design alone.
↗ BABOK v3 — Strategy Analysis
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