CAPM Business Analysis Frameworks Practice Question
A business analyst is facilitating a requirements workshop for a new customer relationship management (CRM) system. Several stakeholders from sales, marketing, and customer support are present. The BA wants to generate a large number of ideas quickly, encourage creativity, and avoid early criticism. Which technique is most appropriate?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming any group discussion technique generates ideas rapidly, when structured techniques like Delphi or nominal group technique actually trade speed for consensus or reduced bias.
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
✓
Brainstorming
Brainstorming is the best fit because it deliberately separates idea generation from evaluation, allowing a diverse group to produce many CRM feature ideas quickly. The other techniques either require anonymity and multiple rounds, impose silent writing and voting, or focus on perceptions rather than generating a broad set of requirements ideas.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Brainstorming
Why this is correct
Brainstorming is designed to produce a high volume of creative ideas in a short time while suspending judgment. In this workshop, it lets sales, marketing, and support contributors propose CRM features freely. The BA captures all ideas without debate, then later groups and evaluates them. This matches the goal of rapid idea generation and reduced criticism during divergent thinking.
- ✗
Nominal group technique
Why it's wrong here
Nominal group technique asks participants to write ideas silently, then share and vote on them. It reduces dominant-voice bias and helps prioritize, but its structured voting rounds slow down idea generation. The scenario emphasizes generating many ideas quickly and encouraging creativity without criticism; nominal group technique is better suited to ranking or selecting among a smaller set of options after ideas already exist.
- ✗
Focus groups
Why it's wrong here
Focus groups bring together pre-qualified participants to discuss perceptions, attitudes, and needs, often led by a moderator. They are excellent for exploring user sentiment and reactions to a concept. However, they are not primarily an idea-generation technique for requirements and can be dominated by a few voices. The BA's stated goal of rapid, creative idea generation is better served by a dedicated divergent technique.
- ✗
Delphi technique
Why it's wrong here
The Delphi technique gathers anonymous expert opinions through iterative questionnaires until consensus emerges. It is useful when experts are geographically dispersed or when dominant personalities must be neutralized. However, it is slow and does not generate a large number of ideas quickly in a live workshop. Here, the BA needs immediate, broad input from a co-located group, so Delphi is a poor fit.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official PMI exam blueprint
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