Business Analyst Blog

Applying for the CBAP (IIBA BA certification) is a bit daunting. The application process requires that you show that you really do have more than 5 years business analysis experience. This is very important because we, as a profession, want the certification to be meaningful and strong. We know that simply memorizing a bunch of BA terms and techniques does not make a person a Business Analyst. It is our experience that makes us what we are.

So, be aware that the application itself is more important than the CBAP exam in determining your eligibility for certification. Below are some hints for developing an application that accurately describes your experience.

1. Be careful documenting your PM work. Although many of us have done PM work, that work does not count towards your BA experience. Be sure to describe planning activities that you have done as requirements planning, stakeholder analysis, scoping the area of study, or scoping the requirements elicitation process.

2. Be careful documenting your QA work. Although many of us have done QA work, that work does not count towards your BA experience. Be sure to describe testing activities that you have done as identifying test cases that assess business requirements met, tracing test cases back to business requirements, reviewing QA test plans, cases, scripts for adherence to business requirements, reviewing test results for adherence to business requirements.

3. Don't forget about usability work. Many of our organizations have just started using the word usability but most of us have been doing it for years. Whenever you have helped your team design a screen that is more intuitive for its users you are designing usability.

4. Don't be afraid of Enterprise Analysis. You have probably done more Enterprise Analysis than you realize. If you have discussed possible project ideas with your business stakeholders and helped them determine if the project was a good idea (feasibility, alignment with business goals and architecture), you have experience in Enterprise Analysis.

5. Don't detail descriptions of specific projects. Although fascinating to you and your project team, the IIBA application reviewers don't need to know details about the application that you worked on. Describe projects with short, clear names that an outside reviewer would understand. For example: instead of saying: "The DEFSSC project interfaced the INCC system with the EFT outlink." Say something like: "The project involved linking the existing customer purchase system with an outside credit card processing service."

6. Do give specific examples of the types of requirements that you have elicited, analyzed, documented, communicated, and helped to implement. This should be the core of your application. Example: I developed a detailed business model of the payroll processing area by: interviewing 10 business stakeholders; developing a workflow model including over 15 diagrams; presenting the workflow model to the stakeholders; revising the model based on feedback; and obtaining approval of the recommended workflow changes.

7. Do document all of the work you have done in the last 10 years. Showing more than the required 7500 hours allows for a few items to be rejected but your application to be accepted. Document everything that you can.

8. Do enjoy the writing! How often do you get to brag about your accomplishments? Don't dread the writing, enjoy it! Good Luck, Barb

B2T Training Tip

If you made it through the application process then you are half way home.  There is no need to get overly anxious about the exam.  But, since you are probably like me, you are still very anxious.  I hope the Q & A below helps relieve some of that anxiety.   

Q & A

Question: How many questions are on the exam and what is the format; multiple choice, true false, etc.?

Answer:  The exam consists of 150 questions and they are all multiple choice with four possible answers.  Only one answer is the correct answer and there are no multiple correct choices, i.e. one of the answers is not 'A and C.'

Q: How long are you given to take the exam?

A: You have 3.5 hours to complete the exam.  It took each of us at B2T Training between 2.5 and 3 hours to complete the exam.

Q: What version of the BABOK is the exam based on?

A: The exam is and will be based on version 1.6 of the BABOK until further notice.  As of 5/1/07 the IIBA does not plan on updating the exam until version 3.0 is released.

Q: Are all the questions taken directly from the content in the BABOK?

A: The short answer is no.  The test writers used the BABOK and the references listed in the BABOK to write the questions. 

Q: What question types were used?

A: The test writers used Bloom's Taxonomy as a basis to have varying levels of question difficulty. An overview of Bloom's Taxonomy can be found at http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/bloom.html.

Q: Were the questions tricky?

A: I would not say tricky, but a large percent of the questions had good distractors.  This means that two answers appeared to be correct.  You have to take your time reading each question to ensure you understand what the question is asking and that you select the best answer.

B2T Tip 

We created a CBAP study group to discuss the BABOK in our organization. Here's how we structured it and what we learned:

• Assign each Knowledge Area to one or two BAs - they will facilitate the session on their KA
• Schedule 1 1/2 hours per session
• Schedule dates/KAs ahead to give everyone time to prepare
• Require participants to read the Knowledge Area before the session
• Present BABOK tasks and ask for questions/issues
• Presenter(s) shares his or her experience with each task and technique

Since everyone in our group knows each other we are aware other's experiences. Our facilitators specifically pointed out ideas in the BABOK that were different than our experience.

Q & A

Q: What materials are used for the study group sessions?

A: We built PowerPoint slides with highlights of each task/technique. The Atlanta chapter has been sharing slides so we did not have to start from scratch. My advice is don't just copy text from the BABOK onto a slide. Paraphrase and summarize the concepts.

Q: How often should a study group meet?

A: Our group met every two weeks. The schedule should be geared towards when participants plan to take the exam.

Q: Is anyone "in charge?"

A: Yes. One person must be the coordinator. He or she makes sure that facilitators are ready for each session, reserves the conference room or conference bridge, and monitors the meeting time.

Q: Who decides how topics are covered?

A: We just started at the beginning of the BABOK and went through sequentially. Don't forget Chapter 1 - it has important foundational information.

Let us know if you have any questions about starting your own study group.

 Hot News

The IIBA has extended the application deadline for the Atlanta, Houston, and Minneapolis exams.  The new dates are:

• Atlanta - April 27, 2007
• Houston - May 7, 2007
• Minneapolis - May 7, 2007

B2T Tip

The application process may seem like a daunting task, but you can do it.  Break it down into small chunks and take it one step at a time.  The most challenging part will be documenting your work history.  Dedicate some uninterrupted time to try and tackle this task.  Don't go overboard with details.  Make sure to highlight the tasks you performed and the deliverables you created for each project.

Q & A

Question: What are the requirements to sit for the CBAP exam?

Answer:  You must have

• 5 years (7500 hrs) of business analysis work experience in the last ten years
• documented experience and expertise in at least four of the six knowledge areas of the BABOK
• a high school or equivalent education
• 21 hours of professional development in the last four years directly related to business analysis or the underlying fundamentals

Q: What information is required on the application?

A: There are six main categories on the application.

• Personal Information: Name, contact info, IIBA Member data
• Company Information: The name, size and primary business activity
• Work Experience: Project dates and description, contact information of someone who can verify the project and your work, organizational info, your total hours on the project, your total business analysis hours on the project, and a description of your business analysis activities (tasks and deliverables).
• Knowledge Area Expertise: Complete a task survey related for 4 of the 6 knowledge areas and underlying fundamentals covered in the BABOK.
• Education history
• Professional Development:  Information related to training meeting the necessary 21 hours of professional development. 

Q: How long does it take to complete the application?

A: Give yourself between 6 and 10 hrs to complete the application.  The number of projects you need to document is the key variable in the amount of time needed to complete the application.

Q: I am having a hard time finding contact information for a manager on a project.  What should I do?

A: You can list a project team member, project sponsor, or SME that can vouch for the project and your business analysis tasks and deliverables.

Q: Did the IIBA scrutinize the applicants?  Were any audited?

A: The application is a major part of your certification.  The IIBA ensures that qualified individuals sit for the exam.  I was asked to supply more information after I submitted my application.  I know of one person whose application was audited and the IIBA announced that some applicants were not approved for the first exam.

If you have any questions related to the IIBA CBAP exam application process please add a comment to this blog entry. 

Three of the sixteen Certified Business Analysis Professionals are B2T Training staff: Barbara Carkenord, Kevin Quilliams, and Kupe.  We are frequently asked about  our exam experience. And many people ask us a number of questions related to the IIBA CBAP exam and application process. Many of you may have similar questions and we thought it would be helpful to dedicate a series of blog entries to answer these questions and provide our expertise. 

There will be an entry covering each of the topics below:

• Application process
• Exam format 
• Exam preparation

I hope you find this set of blog entries useful in your pursuit of becoming the next CBAP.  I am sure you all have many questions.  Go ahead and ask by adding a comment to this blog. We'll start answering them in future blog entries.  We are here to help!