Preparing for the IIBA^® CBAP^® Certification Exam

What is this course about?

This course prepares you for The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA^®) Certified Business Analysis Professional^TM (CBAP^®) certification exam. Not only do you gain the skills to assure your exam preparedness, you also thoroughly review the six business analysis knowledge areas and the underlying fundamentals. This course helps you align your business analysis experience with Business Analysis Body of Knowledge^® (BABOK^®) terminology and definitions. Demonstrations and practice quizzes reinforce the concepts and provide the framework for a personalized study plan for exam success.

What is the CBAP^®?

The CBAP^® is the preeminent formal certification for business analysis professionals from the International Institute of Business Analysts (IIBA^®). A CBAP^® is a recognized expert in identifying the business needs of an organization in order to determine business solutions. CBAP^®s are acknowledged as competent individuals performing a role that is increasingly recognized as a vital component of any successful project.

The certification is based on the best practices contained within the BABOK^®. The CBAP^® credential recognizes the experience and skills required to effectively perform business analysis activities before, during and after the project life cycle within an organization.

Who will benefit from this course?

This certification exam preparation course targets experienced business analysts, project managers, systems analysts and team members who are interested in achieving this certification. Those who hold this designation are recognized as experts in their field.

Do I need to pass any other certifications to qualify to take the CBAP^® exam?

No. IIBA^® does not require any other certifications in order to qualify to take the CBAP^® certification exam.

What background do I need?

Anyone preparing for the CBAP^® exam should meet, or should be close to meeting, the exam eligibility criteria established by IIBA^® in the CBAP^® Application Handbook. These requirements include:

Work Experience: You should have a minimum of five years (7,500 hours) of business analysis work experience in the past 10 years prior to taking this course. This work experience must include tasks specifically related to the knowledge areas as defined within the BABOK^®.

Knowledge Area Experience: You must demonstrate experience and expertise in a minimum of four of the six business analysis knowledge areas defined within the BABOK^®

Education: The minimum education requirement is high school or equivalent education. There is no reduction in the required work experience for applicants possessing additional post-secondary education, such as a bachelor's or master's degree.

Professional Development: You should have 21 hours of professional development in the last four years. The professional development content must be directly related to business analysis or its underlying fundamentals and be completed by the exam application date. For the list of Learning Tree courses that count toward this requirement, please visit the Learning Tree Web site.

References: Two references from a career manager, client (internal or external) or CBAP^® are required.

How much time is spent on each topic?

How much of this course is spent in workshops?

Approximately 65 percent of this course is spent in workshops, which include the following:

• Taking daily CBAP^®-style practice exams and cross-referencing answers
• Employing flash cards to learn exam terms and definitions
• Building study references to assist you in learning key concepts and terms
• Completing detailed summaries for major elements of the six BABOK^® knowledge areas
• Designing personalized study techniques for your exam success
• Reviewing relevant business analysis skills, tools and techniques
• Describing the role of the business analyst before, during and after the project

What specific areas of the business analysis profession are addressed on the CBAP^® certification exam and in the course?

The BABOK^® version 2.0 is a best practices reference for professional business analysis knowledge and provides the basis for the CBAP^® certification. The BABOK^® is composed of six knowledge areas plus underlying fundamentals.

The six knowledge areas are Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring; Elicitation; Requirements Management and Communication; Enterprise Analysis; Requirements Analysis; and Solution Assessment and Validation.

The underlying fundamental skills include communications, leadership, problem solving, business knowledge and Information Technology knowledge.

How many and what kind of questions are on the exam?

The CBAP^® exam is made up of 150 multiple choice questions with four possible answers. Some questions are based on comprehension (e.g., definition, recall, etc.) and others are based on situational analysis (e.g., Given a scenario, which is the best course of action?) where the applicant must perform analysis to arrive at the answer.

The exam blueprint based on v2.0 of the BABOK^® is as follows:

• Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring 19.33%
• Elicitation 14%
• Requirements Management and Communication 16%
• Enterprise Analysis 15.33%
• Requirements Analysis 19.33%
• Solution Assessment and Validation 16%

What is the application process I have to follow in order to achieve CBAP^® certification?

To be eligible for CBAP^® certification, you must meet the applicant requirements and complete the CBAP^® application form. Your application forms should be assembled and submitted to IIBA^® as a package or you can apply online at http://www.theiiba.org. The application includes the following components:

• The completed CBAP^® Application Form.
• The two completed sealed CBAP^® Candidate Reference Forms.
• The signed and dated CBAP^® Code of Ethical Conduct & Professional Standards Form.
• The CBAP^® Exam Special Accommodation Form (if required).
• The application fee (required) and the exam fee. The exam fee can be paid after your application is approved.

Which version of the BABOK^® does this course cover?

This course is based on version 2.0 of the BABOK^®.

Are the instructors IIBA^® certified?

Yes. All Course 913 instructors are IIBA^® certified and are qualified to teach the latest version of the IIBA^® CBAP^® exam. Furthermore, all instructors meet strict Learning Tree instructor criteria, are practicing professionals in the field of business analysis, and possess up-to-date knowledge of the latest version of the CBAP^® certification exam.

If I am approved by IIBA^® to take the exam, how long do I have to sit the exam?

You have one year from the date of your application approval and exam eligibility e-mail to successfully pass the exam.

Are there requirements for maintaining my certification?

All CBAP^®s are required to meet continuing proficiency requirements in order to maintain their CBAP^® designation. CBAP^®s are required to report at least 60 continuing development units (CDUs) and submit a renewal fee every three years.

Additional details can be found in the CBAP^® Recertification Requirements Handbook found on the IIBA^® Web site: http://www.theiiba.org.

What if I fail my first exam attempt?

You may retake the exam once within your one-year eligibility period after waiting three months from your first examination attempt.

What is the difference between this course and Course 315: Developing User Requirements: The Key to Project Success?

Course 913: Preparing for the IIBA^® CBAP^® Certification Exam, offers an in-depth review of the six knowledge areas included in The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA^®) Certified Business Analysis Professional^TM (CBAP^®) certification exam.

Course 315: Developing User Requirements: The Key to Project Success, provides the skills to write well-formed, testable, verifiable user requirements. You learn to enhance your requirements development processes and develop individual skills for getting the right information from your stakeholders.

How is this course different from Course 3503: Preparing for the IIBA^® CCBA^TM Certification Exam?

Although the study materials for both courses come from the BABOK^® Guide, Course 3503: Preparing for the IIBA^® CCBA^TM Certification Exam, gives more of a factual overview of the six knowledge areas and underlying competencies with some emphasis on application of the BABOK^® Guide content. Course 913 also provides the factual information but places much more emphasis on the application and synthesis of the content in the BABOK^® Guide.

Will I receive any study guides to take home with me?

Yes! You receive the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge^® (BABOK^®) v2.0, a set of flash cards for studying basic terms and concepts, and more than 300 practice exam questions.

Is this course endorsed by the IIBA^®?

Yes. Learning Tree is an Endorsed Education Provider (EEP^TM) by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA^®). This course has been approved by the IIBA^® as supporting core concepts and knowledge outlined by IIBA^®'s Business Analysis Body of Knowledge^® (BABOK^®). Completion of this course counts as 23 continuing development units (CDUs) that will assist you in qualifying for or maintaining the Certified Business Analysis Professional^TM (CBAP^®) certification. For more information about CDUs and how to register them with the IIBA^®, please see the Learning Tree IIBA^® EEP^TM Q&A or http://www.theiiba.org.

The IIBA^®, an independent, nonprofit professional association for business analysts, created the BABOK^®, which is a collection of knowledge for professional business analysts. The BABOK^® reflects generally accepted practices and describes business analysis areas of knowledge, their associated activities and tasks, and the skills necessary to be effective in their execution.

Is this course applicable toward a Project Management Institute (PMI) certification?

Yes. Though this course is not designed as preparation for an exam, it is beneficial to anyone working toward, or maintaining, a PMI certification. Most PMI certifications require a specific number of PDUs in order to obtain and maintain the credential. Completion of this course provides 23 professional development units (PDUs).

Learning Tree offers several courses that help you prepare for PMI certifications, including Course 276: Preparing for the Project Management Professional (PMP)^® Exam, which prepares you for PMI's most popular certification. For more details on these courses and PMI certifications, please see the Learning Tree PMI Registered Education Provider Q&A.

What are some other Learning Tree courses that cover related topics?

Additional BA courses that may be of interest include:

• 211: Introduction to Business Analysis: Defining Successful Projects 
• 901: Introduction to Business Intelligence: Designing a Successful BI Program 
• 912: Creating a High-Impact Work Plan for Business Analysts 

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