Interview Questions for Business Analysts and Systems Analysts


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INTERVIEW QUESTION:

What distinguishes a functional requirement from a solution or design constraint?

Posted by Adrian M.

Article Rating // 45 Views // 0 Additional Answers & Comments

Categories: Requirements Analysis (BABOK KA), Requirements Management and Communication (BABOK KA)

ANSWER

Functional requirements describe what the system must do, while solution or design constraints set the boundaries on how the system may be built.

Definitions

  • Functional requirement (FR): An externally visible behavior that satisfies a business need. Example: “The system shall calculate the total order price, applying state-specific sales tax and any active promotions.

  • Solution / design constraint (SC): A rule or limitation that restricts technology, architecture, process, or environment. Example: “The calculation must reuse the existing SAP tax engine and complete in ≤ 2 seconds.”

Key Differences

Aspect

Functional Requirement

Solution / Design Constraint

Purpose

Deliver a capability or service

Limit the implementation space

Focus

Outcomes, interactions, user value

Tools, standards, timing, budget, compliance

Validation

User acceptance tests, use-case walkthroughs

Design reviews, architectural conformance, audits

Flexibility

Multiple ways to meet the need

Narrows or eliminates options

 

Why It Matters

  • Clarity: Separating FRs from constraints prevents “design by requirement,” keeping the what independent of the how.

  • Innovation: Teams can explore creative solutions as long as they respect immovable guardrails.

  • Traceability & Testing: FRs map to user acceptance tests; constraints map to design or non-functional verification, reducing gaps at audit or release time.

Illustrative Scenario

A retailer wants faster checkout.

  • FR: “The POS system shall apply loyalty discounts and display the final total to the cashier.”

  • SCs:

    1. “The solution must run on existing Android POS tablets.”
       

    2. “Data transmission must be encrypted to meet PCI-DSS requirements.”
       

    3. “Discount calculation response time shall not exceed 1.5 seconds.”

The FR articulates the desired capability, leaving room for various algorithms or UI designs; the SCs fence those choices with technology, regulatory, and performance limits.

 

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Do your homework prior to the business analysis interview!

Having an idea of the type of questions you might be asked during a business analyst interview will not only give you confidence but it will also help you to formulate your thoughts and to be better prepared to answer the interview questions you might get during the interview for a business analyst position.  Of course, just memorizing a list of business analyst interview questions will not make you a great business analyst but it might just help you get that next job.

 



 




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