Certified Business Analyst Professional IIBA CBAP certification
The International Institute of Business Analysis or better know by their acronym, the IIBA, have two Business Analysis Certifications which you can apply for. These Business Analysis certifications are:
- Certified Business Analyst Professional or IIBA CBAP certification
- Certified Competent Business Analyst Professional or IIBA CCBA certification
What is the Certified Business Analyst Professional IIBA CBAP?
The Certified Business Analysis Professional certification is a Business Analysis certification which is internationally recognised by many organisations in many countries. It is the most senior Business Analysis certification in the market and requires at least 5 years of pure Business Analysis experience. The certification is underpinned by the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge, the BABOK Guide which was developed by the International Institute of Business Analysis, or known as the IIBA.
Who should do the Certified Business Analyst Professional IIBA CBAP?
People who have been Business Analysts or who have performed Business Analysis tasks for at least 5 years in total can apply to get the CBAP certification.
A few important points to know about the IIBA CBAP:
- The five years of Business Analysis experience must be counted in hours. This equates to approximately 7500 hours of experience.
- The Business Analysis experience must have been gained during the last 10 years of when you apply to the IIBA to sit the CBAP exam.
Why should you do the IIBA CBAP ?
This is a very well recognised and important certification for Business Analysts who want to progress in their careers, gain credibility in the job market and claim recognition for achievements in Business Analysis. It is fast becoming an almost mandatory certification to have if you want to progress your Business Analysis career either internally or externally to your organisation.
What are all the requirements to do the IIBA CBAP?
There are some criteria that you must go through when you apply to do the Certified Business Analyst Professional CBAP certification but ultimately there are two steps:
Step 1: Your Application to sit the IIBA CBAP exam
In order to be considered to sit the CBAP exam you must complete an application with the IIBA.
This application will ask you for the following information:
The IIBA specific criteria for the Business Analysis experience you capture is:
- You need a minimum 900 hours in four of the six knowledge areas of the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) Guide. You must have at least 7500 hours of experience to a guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge, the BABOK Guide.
The completed online application form which will capture all your Business Analysis experience on a project or company basis over a period of time. Make sure you have all the project details, such as topic, dates and contact people ready when you start completing this application. You will be asked to break down your Business Analysis experience as per the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) and assign a number of hours spent on that project doing that knowledge area type of activity.
You also need to adhere to the following criteria:
- You need a minimum of 35 PD hours (Professional Development hours) gained during the last 4 years. You can gain these PD hours with IIBA Endorsed Training. See training offered by Business Analysis Excellence to meet this requirement.
- You need 2 references from a Career Manager, a Client or a Recipient of the CBAP Designation.
- Sign the Code of Conduct
Top tips for completing your application:
- Make sure you record more than the minimum total hours for each knowledge area to ensure that if there is a discrepancy on what the reviewer believe is BABOK based experience and what you have captured, that you have more than what is required.
- Another key recommendation is that you use BABOK terminology wherever you have to provide descriptions about your Business Analysis experience.
As part of your application to the IIBA you must also make an application payment. This fee is currently (2014) set at US$125 and it is non-refundable (regardless of the outcome of this decision). If you are approved the sit the CBAP exam you will be asked to pay another CBAP Exam fee of US$450 (if you are not an IIBA member) and $US325 (if you are a member)
Value for Money Tip!
It is recommended that you first apply for IIBA membership (cost of US$125 for an annual membership) and then you only pay the $325 exam fee. This way you have the benefit of an annual membership as well as a result of the application.
How long do you have to wait before you know whether you can sit the CBAP exam?
You can hear your application result anything from 24 hours to 3 weeks after submitting your application. So it is a little hard to be clear on this time frame.
Step 2: Do the IIBA CBAP exam
Okay, now that you have received your permission to go sit the exam, it is time to really start preparing in earnest for the exam! It is recommended that you do some structured learning in the form of mock exam questions and online study programs however, everyone has a different learning style.
You must get very familiar with the content, terminology and practical application (very important) of the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge or BABOK before attempting to sit the exam. The exam is primarily based on the BABOK guide but they also recommend you do some further reading (refer to BABOK guide references). Make sure you also understand how to practically apply the concepts and theory within the BABOK prior to sitting the exam.
Most countries will be offering the online exam format which means you can look up the closet exam center by simply following the link to the CBT Locations on the IIBA website.
