IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional CBAP Question # 91 Topic 10 Discussion

 The first step for the BA is to understand the current state of the service provider’s business operations and the root causes of the reduced profit margin. This will help the BA to identify the problems and opportunities for improvement, as well as to establish a baseline for measuring the effectiveness of the proposed solutions. The BA can use various techniques to conduct the current state analysis, such as document analysis, interviews, observation, surveys, and SWOT analysis. The other options are not the first step, as they are either focused on the future state or the solution, without understanding the current situation and the underlying needs. References:

CBAP / CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Chapter 3: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring, Section 3.2: Plan Business Analysis Approach, p. 93-94

A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), Version 3, Chapter 5: Strategy Analysis, Section 5.1: Analyze Current State, p. 106-109