Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) — Question 104

A popular department store chain wants to make computer upgrades as well as conduct a major remodeling effort to increase revenue to all their 100 stores over the next 2 years. The remodeling will occur in two phases. The two phases are required at each store and can be completed in any order, but each phase must be fully completed before the next phase can begin. Phase 1 will take approximately 32 weeks and will not require a store to be temporarily closed. Phase 2 will take approximately 20 weeks and will require a store to be temporarily closed.
In order to keep inventory level and total revenue for the department store chain at an operational level, 75% of the stores must remain open to the public at all times. Against the board of director's advice, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) made a decision to start and complete the top 25 revenue-producing stores in the first year to get those stores remodeled and fully operational.
A business analyst (BA) has been brought in to help with planning the project and gathering requirements.
What activity should the BA do to determine which stores will be the first to start the renovations?

Answer options

• A. Perform document analysis for stores annual records
• B. Survey store managers for number of customers per day
• C. Conduct a focus group with store managers to determine which should be first
• D. Brainstorm with store managers on the current state of each store

Correct answer: A

Explanation

The correct answer is A because analyzing annual records provides concrete data on each store's revenue and performance, allowing the BA to make informed decisions about which stores should be prioritized for renovations. The other options, while valuable for gathering insights, do not offer the same level of objective data needed to effectively rank the stores based on revenue generation.