A business analyst (BA) is defining the decision-making process for changes raised during a project and wants to understand the decision making…

A focus group is a technique for eliciting information from a group of stakeholders who have

knowledge or experience on a specific topic. It involves asking open-ended questions, facilitating

discussions, and capturing feedback. A focus group can help the BA to gather information about the

decision making authorities within the company by engaging with the relevant stakeholders, such as

project sponsors, managers, directors, or board members. The BA can use the focus group to

understand the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of the decision makers, as well as the

criteria, methods, and processes they use to make decisions. The other options are not suitable

techniques for gathering this information. A market analysis is a technique for researching and

analyzing the external factors that affect the demand, supply, and opportunities for a product,

service, or solution. A survey is a technique for collecting quantitative or qualitative data from a large

number of respondents using a predefined set of questions. A cost benefit analysis is a technique for

comparing the costs and benefits of alternative solutions or courses of action. Reference: CBAP /

CCBA Certified Business Analysis Study Guide, 2nd Edition, Chapter 5: Elicitation and Collaboration,

p. 164-165, 168-169, 171-172; A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK Guide),

Version 3, Chapter 4: Elicitation and Collaboration, Section 4.2: Prepare for Elicitation, p. 94-95;

Chapter 10: Techniques, Section 10.15: Focus Groups, p. 378-379.