A requirements baseline document is the most valuable document for a business analyst to provide to the project sponsor to know which requirements will be implemented. A requirements baseline document is a version of the requirements specification that has been reviewed, approved, and formally established as the basis for further development and delivery of the solution. A requirements baseline document defines the scope of the project and the expected value of the solution. It also serves as a reference point for managing changes and measuring progress. A requirements traceability matrix is a document that shows the relationship between requirements and other project artifacts, such as design, test cases, or deliverables. A requirements traceability matrix can help to ensure completeness, consistency, and quality of the requirements, but it does not indicate which requirements will be implemented. A requirements management plan is a document that describes how requirements will be elicited, analyzed, documented, validated, and managed throughout the project. A requirements management plan can help to define the roles, responsibilities, processes, and tools for managing requirements, but it does not specify which requirements will be implemented. A reliability matrix is not a standard document in business analysis, but it may refer to a tool that measures the reliability or dependability of a system or a process. A reliability matrix can help to evaluate the performance or quality of a solution, but it does not determine which requirements will be implemented. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)Examination Content Outline1, page 13; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 76.

The type of requirements that do not trace to a business need are out-of-scope requirements. Out-of-scope requirements are the requirements that are not related to the project scope, objectives, or deliverables, and that do not contribute to the solution of the business problem or opportunity. Out-of-scope requirements are usually identified and excluded during the requirements analysis and traceability processes, to avoid wasting time, resources, and effort on unnecessary or irrelevant features or functions. Out-of-scope requirements can be caused by various factors, such as unclear or changing business needs, conflicting or unrealistic stakeholder expectations, poor communication or elicitation techniques, or lack of validation or verification methods. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)Examination Content Outline1, page 18; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 92.

According to the PMI Professional in Business Analysis objectives and content, a critical design review is a formal review that occurs after the completion of the design phase of a project. The purpose of a critical design review is to verify that the design specification meets the requirements and that the solution is feasible, cost-effective, and acceptable to the customer. A critical design review can help to establish an approved requirements baseline, which is a set of agreed-upon requirements that serves as a reference for further development and testing activities. References:
* PMI Professional in Business Analysis objectives and content: PMI-PBA Certification
* PMI Professional in Business Analysis reference list: PBA Reference List
* PMI Professional in Business Analysis study guide: PMI.com

The project life cycle is a key factor that drives the selection of business analyst activities to be included in the project. The project life cycle is the sequence of phases or stages that the project goes through from initiation to closure. The project life cycle can be selected based on various factors, such as the nature, complexity, size, and uncertainty of the project, the stakeholder preferences, the organizational culture, and the industry standards. The project life cycle can influence the approach that the business analyst and the project team use to plan, execute, monitor, and control the project, and to deliver the product or service. The project life cycle can also affect the type, level, and timing of the business analysis activities, such as elicitation, analysis, documentation, validation, and management of the requirements. References: PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)Examination Content Outline1, page 15; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide2, page 84.

A requirements traceability matrix is a tool that shows the relationship between each requirement and other project elements, such as objectives, deliverables, test cases, design components, etc. A requirements traceability matrix can help the business analyst to determine the impact for the specific requirement change by showing how the change affects other related requirements and project elements. A requirements traceability matrix can also help to assess the feasibility, scope, value, and risk of the change request. References: = PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)Examination Content Outline (2019), page 10; Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide (2015), page 40.