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hardBusiness Analyst interview question

Your company is buying an off-the-shelf ERP instead of building one. How does your analysis approach change?

What the interviewer wants to hear

  • Focus on business processes and outcomes, not detailed custom specs
  • Use vendor demos and scripted scenarios
  • Run fit-gap analysis against standard functionality
  • Challenge gaps and prefer process change over customisation
  • Consider configuration, integration, data migration and upgrades
  • Plan change management for adopting standard processes

Model answer

With packaged software, I spend less time writing detailed functional specs and more time understanding our key processes and outcomes. I would prepare realistic business scenarios and ask vendors to run scripted demos, which shows how each product really handles our work. After choosing a product, I would run fit-gap workshops: walk through each process in the standard system and record where it fits, where configuration solves it and where a true gap remains. I would challenge every gap by asking whether it gives us a real advantage or is required by law; if not, we should adapt our process. Customisation adds cost and makes upgrades harder. I would also focus on integrations, data migration and reporting, which are often underestimated. Finally, adopting standard processes is a big change for users, so I would work closely with change management and training.

Can you answer it under time pressure?

Take a timed hard round and get scored on every answer.

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