Build, Acquire and Implement (BAI) Domain

Build, Acquire and Implement (BAI) Domain Overview - COBIT 2019 Foundation Guide

Understanding the BAI Domain in COBIT 2019

Why the BAI Domain is Important

The Build, Acquire and Implement (BAI) domain is fundamental to organizational success in the digital age. Here's why it matters:

• Technology Value Realization: The BAI domain ensures that organizations can effectively acquire, build, and implement technology solutions that deliver business value.
• Risk Mitigation: Proper governance of acquisition and implementation processes reduces the risk of project failures, cost overruns, and technology misalignment with business objectives.
• Competitive Advantage: Organizations that effectively manage their BAI processes can innovate faster and respond to market changes more efficiently.
• Resource Optimization: The domain ensures that IT investments are made wisely, resources are allocated effectively, and projects are delivered on time and within budget.
• Regulatory Compliance: Many regulatory frameworks require organizations to demonstrate control over their acquisition and implementation processes.

What is the BAI Domain?

The BAI domain is one of the four Governance and Management Objectives in COBIT 2019 (the others being EDM, APO, and DSS). It encompasses all processes related to:

• Identifying organizational needs for new or modified services and solutions
• Acquiring technology, applications, and infrastructure from external or internal sources
• Building or configuring solutions to meet specific business requirements
• Implementing and deploying these solutions into the production environment
• Managing changes and transitions during implementation

The BAI domain focuses on the lifecycle management of IT solutions from initial concept through deployment, ensuring that solutions are acquired, built, and implemented in a controlled, structured manner.

The BAI Domain Structure

The BAI domain comprises 5 key processes:

• BAI01 - Managed Programmes: Managing programmes and projects as portfolios to deliver desired business outcomes and benefits.
• BAI02 - Managed Requirements Definition: Defining business, IT, and stakeholder requirements for new or modified solutions.
• BAI03 - Managed Solutions Identification and Build: Identifying, designing, and building or acquiring solutions to meet defined requirements.
• BAI04 - Managed Availability and Capacity: Managing resources and capacity to ensure IT solutions can deliver required levels of performance and availability.
• BAI05 - Managed Organizational Change Enablement: Preparing the organization to effectively adopt and use new or modified solutions, including change management, training, and communication.

How the BAI Domain Works

The BAI domain operates through an integrated workflow that spans the entire solution lifecycle:

1. Initiation and Planning (BAI01)
Organizations identify strategic needs and define programmes and projects that align with business objectives. Projects are prioritized, planned, and resourced appropriately.

2. Requirements Definition (BAI02)
Detailed business, IT, and user requirements are gathered, documented, and validated. Stakeholders are involved to ensure all needs are understood and documented.

3. Solution Design and Build (BAI03)
Based on requirements, solutions are designed, built, or acquired from vendors. This includes making build-versus-buy decisions and ensuring the solution meets specifications.

4. Capacity and Availability Planning (BAI04)
The organization ensures it has adequate resources (hardware, software, people, budget) and infrastructure capacity to support the new solution.

5. Change Enablement (BAI05)
The organization prepares stakeholders for the change through training, communication, and change management activities, ensuring successful adoption and utilization of the new solution.

Key Characteristics of the BAI Domain

• Project-Focused: The domain emphasizes structured project management and governance.
• Stakeholder-Centric: Multiple stakeholders are involved throughout the lifecycle.
• Risk-Aware: Processes include risk assessment and mitigation strategies.
• Quality-Driven: Solutions are developed to meet defined quality standards and requirements.
• Change-Oriented: The domain recognizes the importance of managing organizational change.

How to Answer Exam Questions on the BAI Domain

Step 1: Identify the Question Type
Determine whether the question asks about:

• A specific BAI process (BAI01 through BAI05)
• General principles of solution acquisition and implementation
• Best practices in project and change management
• Roles and responsibilities in the BAI domain
• Integration with other COBIT domains

Step 2: Understand the Context
Read the scenario carefully to understand:

• What phase of the solution lifecycle is involved?
• Who are the stakeholders mentioned?
• What is the business challenge or objective?
• What specific outcome is expected?

Step 3: Map to the Right BAI Process
Once you understand the context, determine which BAI process is most relevant:

• If the question involves: Portfolio management, program prioritization, or project governance → BAI01
• If the question involves: Requirements gathering, specification definition, or stakeholder needs → BAI02
• If the question involves: Solution design, build decisions, vendor selection, or procurement → BAI03
• If the question involves: Resource planning, infrastructure capacity, or performance management → BAI04
• If the question involves: Training, change management, user adoption, or organizational readiness → BAI05

Step 4: Apply COBIT Principles
Consider how the BAI domain aligns with COBIT principles:

• Holistic approach: Solutions should integrate with existing systems and processes.
• Stakeholder-focused: All stakeholders should be involved and their concerns addressed.
• Governance framework: Solutions should be governed through established frameworks and processes.
• Value delivery: Solutions should contribute to achieving business objectives and delivering measurable value.

Step 5: Evaluate Answer Options
When selecting among multiple-choice answers:

• Eliminate answers that focus on operational management rather than build/acquire/implement activities
• Look for answers that emphasize planning, control, and governance
• Choose answers that reflect integrated and holistic approaches rather than siloed activities
• Prioritize answers that mention stakeholder involvement and change management

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on the BAI Domain

Tip 1: Remember the Five BAI Processes
Create a mental model for each process:

• BAI01: The Planning Process - Think "governance of programmes and projects"
• BAI02: The Definition Process - Think "what do we need?"
• BAI03: The Creation Process - Think "how do we build or buy it?"
• BAI04: The Capacity Process - Think "do we have the resources?"
• BAI05: The Adoption Process - Think "are people ready?"

Tip 2: Look for Keywords in Questions
These keywords typically indicate specific BAI processes:

• Keywords for BAI01: Portfolio, programme, project, governance, prioritization, stakeholder alignment, business case
• Keywords for BAI02: Requirements, specification, needs assessment, stakeholder engagement, definition, documentation
• Keywords for BAI03: Build, acquire, design, procurement, vendor management, configuration, customization, solution
• Keywords for BAI04: Capacity, resources, infrastructure, performance, availability, scalability, planning
• Keywords for BAI05: Change management, training, communication, adoption, readiness, organizational change, resistance

Tip 3: Understand the Sequence
Remember that BAI processes follow a logical sequence:

• First, programs and projects are managed (BAI01)
• Then, requirements are defined (BAI02)
• Next, solutions are built or acquired (BAI03)
• Capacity is ensured (BAI04)
• Finally, the organization is enabled to adopt the change (BAI05)

When a question presents a scenario, determine where in this sequence the issue occurs to identify the relevant process.

Tip 4: Focus on Integration with Other COBIT Domains
BAI domain processes interact with other domains:

• EDM Domain: Provides strategic direction and governance oversight for BAI processes
• APO Domain: Provides planning and organizational infrastructure support
• DSS Domain: Receives solutions from BAI for operational delivery and support

Exam questions may test your understanding of how BAI processes connect with and support other domains.

Tip 5: Distinguish Between BAI03 and BAI04
These processes are often confused:

• BAI03 focuses on what to build/acquire - the solution itself, design, configuration, and selection
• BAI04 focuses on ensuring resources exist - capacity planning, performance management, and resource allocation

A question about selecting a vendor or configuring software = BAI03
A question about ensuring sufficient infrastructure or budget = BAI04

Tip 6: Remember Change Enablement is Critical
Many exam questions test whether you understand that technical implementation is not enough. BAI05 reminds us that:

• People must be trained
• Organizational change must be managed
• Resistance to change must be addressed
• Communication is essential

If an answer option mentions these elements, it's likely correct for a BAI question.

Tip 7: Focus on Governance, Not Execution
Remember that COBIT is a governance and management framework, not an execution guide. BAI domain questions test your understanding of:

• How to plan and oversee solution acquisition and implementation
• How to manage risks in these processes
• How to ensure alignment with business objectives
• How to maintain stakeholder involvement

Answers focused on detailed technical execution are less likely to be correct than those emphasizing oversight and control.

Tip 8: Recognize Common Exam Scenarios
Look for these common BAI scenario types:

• Scenario: "Our IT team built a solution without understanding business needs" → BAI02 failure
• Scenario: "We selected a solution that doesn't integrate with existing systems" → BAI03 failure
• Scenario: "We don't have enough infrastructure to support the new system" → BAI04 failure
• Scenario: "Users are rejecting the new solution" → BAI05 failure
• Scenario: "Our projects consistently exceed budget and timeline" → BAI01 failure

Tip 9: Use the RACI Model
COBIT emphasizes clear roles and responsibilities. For BAI questions about who should do what:

• Responsible: Who executes the activity?
• Accountable: Who is ultimately accountable for success?
• Consulted: Who provides input?
• Informed: Who needs to be kept informed?

Good answers will reflect clear governance and stakeholder involvement rather than silos.

Tip 10: Practice with Real Scenarios
When studying, apply BAI processes to real-world situations you've experienced or can imagine:

• Think about projects you've known about
• Consider what went wrong in failed implementations
• Analyze what went right in successful deployments
• Map these experiences to the BAI processes

This helps you recognize patterns in exam questions.

Sample Exam Question Analysis

Question: "An organization is implementing a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. The IT team has finished development, but adoption is slower than expected because staff members are unfamiliar with the new workflows. What BAI process was inadequately executed?"

Analysis:

• The implementation is technically complete (BAI03 was done)
• The issue is organizational readiness and user adoption
• This indicates a failure in BAI05 - Managed Organizational Change Enablement
• The answer should involve training, change management, and communication activities

Correct Answer Characteristics: Any answer mentioning training programmes, change management strategies, stakeholder communication, or organizational readiness assessments would be correct.

Conclusion

The BAI domain is essential for understanding how organizations can effectively acquire, build, and implement IT solutions that deliver business value. By mastering the five key processes, understanding their sequence and integration, recognizing keyword indicators, and applying COBIT governance principles, you can confidently answer BAI domain questions on the COBIT 2019 Foundation exam. Remember that successful solution delivery requires not just technical excellence but also proper governance, stakeholder involvement, change management, and organizational enablement.