Thursday, May 5, 2016

Advance your Career with Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®) Certification



There was an interesting and exciting write about Business Analysts - The 21st century business analyst is a liaison, bridge and diplomat who balances the oftentimes incongruous supply of IT resources and demands of the business. Forrester's research found that those business analysts who were most successful were the ones who could "communicate, facilitate and analyze."

Business Analyst, as a role and title, is often connected with IT industry given its dominating presence and dependence in the scope of business. This is not to discount or discredit Business Analysis in other industries but this article’s premise is clearly IT.

It’s the customer who drives the business. The stakeholders help create the ecosystem and the principal players play their part to progress and ensure profit. The endeavor should end in business value. The eyes are set at the topline and bottom line, and any business venture should demonstrate capabilities to monetize. The bottom line is the backbone. We have always toiled to profit in any profession and in software parlance Solution, as a way of business, is created based on the customer’s problem statement.

In business, the most difficult part is to please is your customer. Try as you might, they are never content. It’s an uphill task and times, unreasonable too. It’s unwise and unfair to expect the customer will record the requirement in their Business Requirement specification. The specification is subject to change as it evolving in nature but the scope should be pinned right at the start for change in scope can prove catastrophic.   


Who is a business analyst and the importance of business analysis?

Mind Is always applying to matters and in that sense we are all analysts. Business Analysts is a specialized skill wherein a smart combination of strategic smartness as that of a diplomat and analytical approach of an intelligence community.

 A Business Analyst should be able to handle aspects of both functional solution and technical solution in response to the business need in proposing a solution that s holistic and realistic.

Requirement gathering can be done through conventional ways like elicitation, ideation, brainstorming, or employ modern tools like prototyping, wireframing drawing the big picture or the end-product.


Who knows the scope better than a Business Analyst?

Business Analysts are not just touch points but the interface between the organization and the customer, translating business needs and providing feasible solutions that can be implemented at the agreed cost – which effectively contains scope. As the primary window for requirement gathering the Business Analyst is better placed at a vantage point in assessing and analyzing the scope better. Continuous dialogue and constant touch helps in shaping up the specification to systematically document the scope and bring on record ‘the out-of scope’ aspects as well. The customer of today is more empowered with data points at their fingertips and fluent in system architecture and talk technology as good as your technocrat. So quintessentially Business Analyst ought to be 2 steps ahead to preempt the perils and possible scenarios. Its that sense of anticipation that heightens the alertness which really sells. In case of  scope creeps, it will become an undersell. Therefore, the best to identify the scope is left to the Business Analyst and contain will become imperative upon the executor (Project Manager).

Why Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®)?

As a professional, you need to establish credibility and build trust. CBAP® certification criteria make it a mandate to possess 7500 hours of hands-on business experience which makes it extensive in terms of learning in terms of time and talent. Its given to understand that CBAP® certified professionals are ‘experts in identifying the business needs of an organization in order to determine the best solutions’ as stated in iiba.org. Just like PMP® for Project Management following the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® ) Guide, organization these days are stressing on the significant of a CBAP® certification for Business Analyst which follows The Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK® Guide V2.0.) and is fast gaining currency as one of the best known benchmark for business analysis. CBAP certification enhances the human capital of an organization and builds competency in business analysis practice. Also the recognition and career advancement potential for the professional makes it a synergetic growth for the organization. It enables effective work with stakeholders associated and helps better understand the profession as an expert. 


As mentioned by iiba.org, CBAP® trained managers or provide CBAP trainings enjoy following benefits:

    CBAPs are acknowledged as competent individuals who perform a role which is increasingly recognized as a vital component of any successful project.
       CBAP can be identified as individuals with an advanced level of knowledge and qualifications
       CBAP follow established standards as outlined in the IIBA BABOK® Guide V2.0.
   CBAPs produce reliable, quality results with increased efficiency and consistency


Records sourced from IIBA.org states that there 6208 registered professionals and the number is growing at a staggering pace. There are 6 knowledge areas as prescribed in the BABOK® Guide V2.0.which you will have to become proficient to pass the certification. Our CBAP® certification course will provide the necessary training and learning based on BABOK® Guide V2.0.Some key modules are listed below for reference as part of the course agenda:

·         Introduction to CBAP
·         Enterprise Architecture
·         Developing A Solution Scope
·         Developing A Business Case
·         Stakeholder Roles and Responsibilities
·         Elicitation Techniques
·         Requirements Planning
·         Risk Analysis and Management Enterprise Analysis/Business Case
·         Enterprise Analysis Tasks
·         Requirements Management and Communication 
·         Managing the Solution Scope Requirements
·         Traceability
·         Inputs to the Solution Scope
·         Managing Requirements Changes
·         Risk Analysis
·         SWOT Analysis


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