CBAP and BABOK

1. CBAP and BABOK Presented to the Albany Capital District Chapter of the IIBA February 3, 2009

2. Mission: To develop and maintain standards for the practice of business analysis and for the certification of its practitioners • The IIBA is an international non-profit professional association for business analysis professionals

3. March 2004 • 37 members • 2 countries (Canada & US) • December 2008 • 7,791 members • 81 chapters • 68 countries • 462 CBAP’s (Certified Business Analysis Professional)

4. Business Analysis • Business Analysis is the set of tasks, knowledge and techniques required to identify business needs and determine solutions to business problems. • Solutions often include a systems development component, but may also consist of process improvement or organizational change. International Institute of Business Analysis – Body of Knowledge (BABOK)

5. A Business Analyst works as a liaison among stakeholders in order to elicit, analyze, communicate, and validate requirements for changes to business processes, policies, and information systems.

6. Business Analysis Body of Knowledge • The BABOK is the collection of knowledge within the profession of Business Analysis and reflects generally accepted practice • Describes business analysis areas of knowledge, their associated activities and tasks and the skills necessary to be effective in their execution • Provides the basis for the CBAP certification

7. CBAP Certification • Qualified practitioners will receive the designation – Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) • This certification is designed for individuals with an advanced level of knowledge and experience • The IIBA is considering a secondary certification to meet the needs of less senior Business Analysts • Membership in the IIBA is not required to take the certification examination

8. CBAP • A recognized expert in identifying the business needs of an organization in order to determine business solutions • CBAPs are acknowledged as competent individuals performing a role which is increasingly recognized as a vital component of any successful project

9. Benefits of CBAP Certification • Validation of skills and capabilities by a recognized external authority • Recognition by peers and management as qualified and experienced to practice business analysis • Confirmation of competence in the principles and practices of business analysis • Advanced career potential by creating a separate and distinct career path within the information technology industry and business community

10. Certification Requirements • 5 years (7,500 hours) of business analysis work in the last 10 years • Demonstrated experience and expertise in at least 4 of the 6 BABOK Knowledge Areas • Minimum high school diploma or equivalent • 21 hours of BA professional development in the last 4 years • 2 professional references

11. Work Experience • Acceptable activities include: • Hands-on business analysis activities (as per BABOK) • Coaching or mentoring Business Analysts with respect to business analysis activities • Development of an organization’s business analysis methodology and/or best practices • Development of business analysis training courses

12. Work Experience • Activities that will not apply include: • Non-supervisory management of business analysis activities (e.g., resource management, status reporting, performance management, etc.) • Teaching business analysis training courses • Selling requirements tools/software • Project Management • Testing • Programming

13. Knowledge Areas • Enterprise Analysis • Requirements Planning and Management • Requirements Elicitation • Requirements Analysis and Documentation • Requirements Communication • Solution Assessment and Validation

14. Professional Development • Directly related to business analysis or its underlying fundamentals • IIBA endorsed education provider courses qualify – note if EEP course • IIBA will review course outline to determine if other courses qualify • Project management, programming, or testing courses will not qualify

15. References • Must be provided by a: • Career Manager (person who is responsible for your annual performance review) • Internal or external client • Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)

16. The Certification Process • Submit application including: • Application form and application fee • References • Code of Conduct form • Examination fee (due at least 60 days prior to exam date) • IIBA reviews to determine if requirements are met – notifies via e-mail within 30 days

17. Register for Exam • Approved applicant has one year to successfully pass the exam • Within a month of approval, e-mail from Castle Worldwide with user ID and password to register online for a test center and test date • If exam is passed – granted CBAP certification • If exam is not passed – may retake the exam once after three month wait if still within one year eligibility

18. Current CBAP Exam Blueprint

19. Certification Fees • Initial fees • $125 application fee that is non-refundable • $325 exam fee for IIBA members • $450 exam fee for non-members • Rewrite fees • $250 for IIBA members • $375 for non-members

20. Recertification • Recertification is required every 3 years • Require 60 Continuing Development Units (CDUs) to recertify • Renewal fee - $85 for IIBA members and $120 for non-members

21. Latest Developments • IIBA is piloting an online application process which includes payment of the application fee - plans are to launch the process in March • BABOK v2 expected to be released in March • Plans are to begin working on the next version of the CBAP exam in March or April 2009 • New Career Center on IIBA website for job seekers and employers

22. BABOK v2 Knowledge Areas

23. BABOK • Identifies currently accepted practices • Recognizes business analysis is not synonymous with software requirements • Defined and enhanced by the professionals who apply it • Captures the sum of the knowledge required for the practice of business analysis as a profession

24. What the BABOK is NOT • It is NOT a methodology nor does it prescribe or favor a methodology • It is NOT a “how to” business analysis instruction manual

25. Tasks • Applicable to all business analysis efforts • “Necessary” components of business analysis • May be executed as often as necessary • Consistently defined inputs and outputs

26. Techniques • Cover different methodologies or approaches • BPM (business process management), Agile, Iterative, waterfall, etc. • Usage depends on the purpose • Understand when techniques are appropriate

27. Example Task & Techniques • Task: Conduct Elicitation Activity • Techniques: • Brainstorming • Requirements Workshop • Interview • Prototyping • Etc.

28. Future Plans • Publication of BABOK v2 • Release of electronic copy in late March 2009 • Free for IIBA members, nonmembers will be charged • IIBA is investigating print options • Future editions – expected every five years

29. Knowledge Sharing • Suman Akula has successfully completed his application to sit for the CBAP exam and is willing to answer questions about his experience • Is there anyone else here who has completed or is in the process of applying to take the exam?