LADWP SYSTEMS ANALYST ACTUAL EXAM
PREP 2026 ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
ALREADY A GRADED WITH EXPERT
FEEDBACK |NEW AND REVISED
1. A systems analyst is gathering requirements for a new utility
customer information system. Which approach is MOST effective
for identifying differences between what users currently need and
what the existing system provides?
A. Increase server capacity
B. Replace the database immediately
C. Perform a gap analysis
D. Develop the user interface first
A gap analysis compares the current state with the desired future state
and identifies missing capabilities, process deficiencies, and functional
requirements. For a utility organization, this can reveal gaps involving
customer service, billing, outage communication, data integration,
reporting, and security.
2. Which requirement is the BEST example of a functional
requirement for a utility work-management application?
A. The system shall allow supervisors to assign work orders to field
crews
B. The application shall have 99.9 percent availability
C. The application shall encrypt sensitive data
D. The system shall respond within two seconds
,A functional requirement describes what the system must do. Allowing
supervisors to assign work orders is a specific system function.
Availability, encryption, and response time describe qualities or
constraints on how the system performs and are therefore
nonfunctional requirements.
3. A stakeholder says, "The system needs to be user-friendly." What
should the systems analyst do FIRST?
A. Interpret user-friendly as a response time of less than one second
B. Remove the statement because it cannot be tested
C. Convert it directly into a database requirement
D. Ask clarifying questions and define measurable usability criteria
"User-friendly" is subjective and cannot be adequately tested without
clarification. The analyst should determine what users mean, such as
intuitive navigation, limited training requirements, accessibility,
consistent terminology, or a specified task-completion rate.
Measurable acceptance criteria can then be created.
4. A business owner requests a new dashboard but cannot explain
which decisions it will support. What is the BEST response from the
systems analyst?
A. Build the dashboard immediately using every available metric
B. Ask the database administrator to choose the metrics
C. Conduct a brief discovery session to understand the business
decisions and define relevant KPIs
D. Defer the request until the owner provides a written specification
The analyst should facilitate a discovery session to understand the
business decisions the dashboard is intended to support. This allows
the analyst to define relevant KPIs and ensure the dashboard delivers
,actionable information rather than a collection of meaningless
metrics.
5. During requirements elicitation, two stakeholders provide
conflicting requirements for the same system feature. What should
the analyst do?
A. Choose the requirement from the higher-ranking stakeholder
B. Document both requirements, facilitate a discussion between
stakeholders, and escalate if resolution cannot be reached
C. Ignore both requirements
D. Implement both requirements simultaneously
The analyst should document both requirements and facilitate a
discussion to resolve the conflict. If the stakeholders cannot agree, the
issue should be escalated to the project sponsor or appropriate
decision-maker. Choosing arbitrarily or ignoring requirements creates
risk.
6. What is the PRIMARY purpose of a feasibility study in systems
analysis?
A. To determine whether the project will be profitable
B. To assess whether a proposed system is technically, economically,
operationally, and legally viable
C. To assign project team members
D. To create the project schedule
A feasibility study evaluates whether a proposed system is viable from
multiple perspectives: technical (can it be built?), economic (is it cost-
effective?), operational (will it be used?), and legal (does it comply
with regulations?).
, 7. A systems analyst is comparing three vendor proposals for a new
outage management system. Which factor is MOST important to
evaluate?
A. The vendor's marketing materials
B. Total cost of ownership, functional fit, integration capabilities,
and vendor stability
C. The number of employees the vendor has
D. The color scheme of the user interface
Total cost of ownership includes licensing, implementation, training,
and ongoing support. Functional fit ensures the system meets
requirements. Integration capabilities are critical for LADWP's
interconnected systems. Vendor stability ensures long-term support.
8. In the context of LADWP, what does OMS stand for?
A. Operations Management System
B. Outage Management System
C. Online Metering System
D. Operational Maintenance System
LADWP's Outage Management System (OMS) is the primary system
for capturing, managing, and recording all power outage events
reported through the Customer Contact Center or automated
Interactive Voice Response. It delivers real-time tracking of outage
events.
9. LADWP's Customer Information System (CIS) supports which
primary function?
A. Human resources management
B. Customer billing functions including Customer Care and Billing
(CC&B)
PREP 2026 ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
ALREADY A GRADED WITH EXPERT
FEEDBACK |NEW AND REVISED
1. A systems analyst is gathering requirements for a new utility
customer information system. Which approach is MOST effective
for identifying differences between what users currently need and
what the existing system provides?
A. Increase server capacity
B. Replace the database immediately
C. Perform a gap analysis
D. Develop the user interface first
A gap analysis compares the current state with the desired future state
and identifies missing capabilities, process deficiencies, and functional
requirements. For a utility organization, this can reveal gaps involving
customer service, billing, outage communication, data integration,
reporting, and security.
2. Which requirement is the BEST example of a functional
requirement for a utility work-management application?
A. The system shall allow supervisors to assign work orders to field
crews
B. The application shall have 99.9 percent availability
C. The application shall encrypt sensitive data
D. The system shall respond within two seconds
,A functional requirement describes what the system must do. Allowing
supervisors to assign work orders is a specific system function.
Availability, encryption, and response time describe qualities or
constraints on how the system performs and are therefore
nonfunctional requirements.
3. A stakeholder says, "The system needs to be user-friendly." What
should the systems analyst do FIRST?
A. Interpret user-friendly as a response time of less than one second
B. Remove the statement because it cannot be tested
C. Convert it directly into a database requirement
D. Ask clarifying questions and define measurable usability criteria
"User-friendly" is subjective and cannot be adequately tested without
clarification. The analyst should determine what users mean, such as
intuitive navigation, limited training requirements, accessibility,
consistent terminology, or a specified task-completion rate.
Measurable acceptance criteria can then be created.
4. A business owner requests a new dashboard but cannot explain
which decisions it will support. What is the BEST response from the
systems analyst?
A. Build the dashboard immediately using every available metric
B. Ask the database administrator to choose the metrics
C. Conduct a brief discovery session to understand the business
decisions and define relevant KPIs
D. Defer the request until the owner provides a written specification
The analyst should facilitate a discovery session to understand the
business decisions the dashboard is intended to support. This allows
the analyst to define relevant KPIs and ensure the dashboard delivers
,actionable information rather than a collection of meaningless
metrics.
5. During requirements elicitation, two stakeholders provide
conflicting requirements for the same system feature. What should
the analyst do?
A. Choose the requirement from the higher-ranking stakeholder
B. Document both requirements, facilitate a discussion between
stakeholders, and escalate if resolution cannot be reached
C. Ignore both requirements
D. Implement both requirements simultaneously
The analyst should document both requirements and facilitate a
discussion to resolve the conflict. If the stakeholders cannot agree, the
issue should be escalated to the project sponsor or appropriate
decision-maker. Choosing arbitrarily or ignoring requirements creates
risk.
6. What is the PRIMARY purpose of a feasibility study in systems
analysis?
A. To determine whether the project will be profitable
B. To assess whether a proposed system is technically, economically,
operationally, and legally viable
C. To assign project team members
D. To create the project schedule
A feasibility study evaluates whether a proposed system is viable from
multiple perspectives: technical (can it be built?), economic (is it cost-
effective?), operational (will it be used?), and legal (does it comply
with regulations?).
, 7. A systems analyst is comparing three vendor proposals for a new
outage management system. Which factor is MOST important to
evaluate?
A. The vendor's marketing materials
B. Total cost of ownership, functional fit, integration capabilities,
and vendor stability
C. The number of employees the vendor has
D. The color scheme of the user interface
Total cost of ownership includes licensing, implementation, training,
and ongoing support. Functional fit ensures the system meets
requirements. Integration capabilities are critical for LADWP's
interconnected systems. Vendor stability ensures long-term support.
8. In the context of LADWP, what does OMS stand for?
A. Operations Management System
B. Outage Management System
C. Online Metering System
D. Operational Maintenance System
LADWP's Outage Management System (OMS) is the primary system
for capturing, managing, and recording all power outage events
reported through the Customer Contact Center or automated
Interactive Voice Response. It delivers real-time tracking of outage
events.
9. LADWP's Customer Information System (CIS) supports which
primary function?
A. Human resources management
B. Customer billing functions including Customer Care and Billing
(CC&B)
