Identify the missing words in the following sentence. A purpose of the Portfolio Benefits Realization Plan is to provide [?] against which to assess the benefits actually realized.

Question

Options

• Aa standard
• Ba strategy
• Ca baseline
• Da gap analysis

• A
  2% (1)
• B
  2% (1)
• C
  88% (36)
• D
  7% (3)

Explanation

A baseline is the correct answer because a Portfolio Benefits Realization Plan establishes a pre-agreed reference point - the expected benefits - so that actual outcomes can be measured against something concrete. Without a baseline, there's no objective standard for determining whether benefits were fully, partially, or not realized.

• A (standard) is too generic; a standard implies a rule or norm applied universally, not a project-specific expected outcome to measure against.
• B (strategy) describes an approach or direction, not a measurable reference point for comparison.
• D (gap analysis) is a tool used after comparison, not the reference point itself - it's the result of measuring against a baseline, not the baseline itself.

Memory tip: Think of a baseline as a "before photo" - you take it upfront so you can later prove what changed. In benefits realization, the plan captures the expected benefits (the before photo), and you compare actual results against it to show whether the portfolio delivered.

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