Business Analyst
Requirements
easy
What's the difference between a process flow and a data flow diagram?
Asked at
CognizantCapgeminiInfosys
Framework
human-visible vs system-visible
Model answer
Process flow shows the sequence of activities and decisions (who does what, when). Data flow shows where data originates, transforms, and lands (systems and stores). Use process flow for stakeholder alignment, data flow for engineering handoff.
What great candidates actually do
- Process flow uses swim lanes; DFD uses source/sink/store/process notation.
- A good BA produces both for any non-trivial workflow.
- Tools: draw.io, Lucidchart, Miro, Whimsical — pick one and stay fluent.
Traps to avoid
- Naming the solution before the problem — always restate the goal in one sentence first.
- Answering without structure — pick a framework out loud, then execute it.
- Skipping the trade-off — every strong answer names what you would NOT do and why.
Related questions
Requirements
Walk me through the last BRD you wrote — how did you structure it?
Read answer →Requirements
What's the difference between a BRD, FRD and SRS — and when would you use each?
Read answer →Stakeholder
How would you elicit requirements from a senior stakeholder who won't give you time?
Read answer →
Practice with a human
Rehearse this out loud.
Book a 1:1 mock interview. Detailed feedback sheet + scoring on the exact rubric hiring managers use.
Book a mock interview