CAPM Business Analysis Frameworks Practice Question
During requirements elicitation, a stakeholder suggests a feature that is out of scope and would significantly increase project cost. What is the best action for the business analyst?
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
✓
Record the suggestion in the issue log and continue with planned elicitation
The business analyst should document out-of-scope suggestions in the issue log for future consideration, keeping the focus on the current scope and avoiding disruption of the elicitation session. Option A is incorrect as it prematurely changes scope without proper assessment; Option B is too dismissive and may discourage stakeholder input; Option C is premature because the sponsor should only be involved after a proper evaluation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Immediately update the project scope statement
Why it's wrong here
Editing the scope statement directly bypasses the integrated change control process, so no impact analysis, approval or baseline update occurs. It is tempting because the scope statement is the document eventually revised, but only after an approved change request, not during elicitation when the idea is first raised.
- ✗
Reject the idea and explain it is out of scope
Why it's wrong here
Rejecting outright closes the dialogue and skips evaluation against the scope baseline and change control, so the suggestion never reaches the sponsor or change board. It is tempting because scope creep must be resisted, and flat rejection would be defensible once a formal change request has already been assessed and declined.
- ✗
Ask the project sponsor for approval to include the feature
Why it's wrong here
Escalating for approval bypasses the business analyst's duty to first assess the request against the scope baseline and document its cost and benefit impact through change control. It is tempting because the sponsor does authorise scope changes, but only after the request has been analysed and formally submitted.
- ✓
Record the suggestion in the issue log and continue with planned elicitation
Why this is correct
Recording the suggestion in the issue log preserves the out-of-scope request without expanding scope or cost, satisfying the constraint that the feature would significantly increase project cost. Elicitation then continues against the approved requirements, and the logged item is escalated later through integrated change control for a formal decision.
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