CAPM Business Analysis Frameworks Practice Question
A business analyst is creating a data model for a new human resources system. The BA needs to represent the relationships between employees, departments, and job positions. Which type of diagram is most appropriate for this purpose?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is selecting a process-oriented diagram like a swimlane or use case diagram when the requirement is to model data relationships.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Entity-relationship diagram (ERD)
An entity-relationship diagram (ERD) is the correct tool for modeling data entities and their relationships. In this scenario, the BA needs to represent employees, departments, and job positions as entities and define how they relate to one another. ERDs provide a visual representation that supports database design and ensures a shared understanding of data requirements among stakeholders.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use case diagram
Why it's wrong here
Use case diagrams model interactions between actors and a system, focusing on functional behavior rather than data structure. They are useful for capturing system requirements from a user perspective but do not represent data entities or their relationships. For modeling how employees, departments, and positions relate in terms of data, a use case diagram is not appropriate.
- ✗
Gantt chart
Why it's wrong here
Gantt charts are project scheduling tools that display tasks over time, dependencies, and milestones. They are not used for data modeling. The scenario requires representing relationships between data entities, which is outside the scope of a Gantt chart. Using a Gantt chart here would not address the BA's need to define data structures.
- ✗
Swimlane diagram
Why it's wrong here
Swimlane diagrams are used to illustrate business processes, showing the sequence of activities and the roles responsible for each step. They are process-oriented, not data-oriented. While they can show how data flows through a process, they do not model the static relationships between data entities such as employees, departments, and job positions.
- ✓
Entity-relationship diagram (ERD)
Why this is correct
An entity-relationship diagram (ERD) is specifically designed to model data entities and their relationships. Entities such as Employee, Department, and Job Position can be represented with attributes and connected via relationships (e.g., an employee belongs to a department, holds a job position). ERDs are the standard tool for data modeling in business analysis, making them ideal for this scenario.
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Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official PMI exam blueprint
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