Exam CCBA topic 1 question 316 discussion

C. Decision making authority

BABOK Section 4.2: Conduct Stakeholder Analysis, it is crucial for the business analyst (BA) to identify stakeholders and understand their roles, responsibilities, and decision-making authority. The BA overlooked the need for approval from the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), who has the authority over budget approvals. Decision-making authority is critical in stakeholder analysis as it helps ensure that all necessary approvals are obtained from stakeholders with the appropriate authority. The need for budget approval from the CFO indicates that the BA did not fully account for the decision-making authority during the initial analysis. If this had been identified, the BA could have included the CFO in discussions related to budget and financial approval, avoiding delays in contracting with the vendo

Level of Power or Influence Understanding the nature of influence and the influence structures and channels within an organization can prove invaluable when seeking to build relationships and trust. Understanding the influence and attitude each stakeholder may have can help develop strategies for obtaining buy-in and collaboration. Business analysts evaluate how much influence is needed to implement a change compared to the amount of influence the key stakeholders can bring. If there is a mismatch between the influence required and the amount of influence the stakeholder has or is perceived to have, business analysts develop risk plans, responses and other strategies that might be needed to obtain the required level of support.