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^®) exam. You gain the skills to assure your exam preparedness and 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.

Who will benefit from this course?

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

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.

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 background do I need?

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

Work experience:A minimum of five years (7,500 hours) of business analysis work experience in the past 10 years. 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: Minimum requirement is high school or equivalent.

Professional Development: 21 hours of professional development in the last four years. Must be directly related to BA or its underlying fundamentals and be completed by exam application date. For the list of Learning Tree courses that count toward this requirement, please visit the Learning Tree website.

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

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.

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
• Employing flash cards to learn exam terms and definitions
• Building study references for key concepts and terms
• Completing detailed summaries for major elements of the six BABOK^® knowledge areas
• Designing personalized study techniques for the exam
• Reviewing relevant BA skills, tools and techniques
• Describing the role of the business analyst before, during and after the project

What is the difference between this course and Course 315?

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.

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.

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. Completion of this course provides 23 professional development units (PDUs).

What specific areas of the BA profession are addressed on the CBAP^® 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.

What additional related courses does Learning Tree offer?

Additional BA courses that may be of interest include:

• 211, Introduction to Business Analysis: Defining Successful Projects 
• 3503, Preparing for the IIBA® CCBATM Certification Exam 
• 212, Building an Effective Business Case 
• 447, Introduction to Modeling for Business Analysis 
• 3505, Introduction to Business Process Improvement (BPI)