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Curious about which Certification to focus on next?
So you have gotten your Cisco® or Microsoft® technical certifications to prove that you have mastered the technology; you've earned your Project Management Professional® to prove that you can plan and execute work effectively; what's next? For many of us it will be the Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP). This credential will help prove that you can identify business needs and find solutions to business problems.

What is the IIBA?
In 2003, the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) was founded. This non-profit, professional association is focused on developing the role and professional recognition of the business analyst. The IIBA identifies the organization's aim is: "to be the leading world-wide, professional association that develops and maintains standards and growth-oriented environment for the practice of Business Analysis and the certification and recognition of its practitioners."

One of the first steps for the IIBA was to establish standards for the business analysts. An all-volunteer committee has been working on the IIBA Body of Knowledge (BOK), for years and it is now in Release 1.6. The IIBA BOK identifies the knowledge areas, associated tasks and activities, and professional skills needed to be an effective business analyst.

The IIBA BOK Knowledge Areas
In the IIBA BOK, there are currently six knowledge areas and two supporting topics. The six knowledge areas are:

Enterprise analysis
Requirements planning and management
Requirements gathering
Requirements communication
Requirements analysis and documentation
Requirements implementation
The two supporting topics are underlying fundamentals and a common glossary of terms for analysts. There are five underlying fundamental areas, including:

Communication skills
Leadership skills
Problem solving skills
Business knowledge
Information technology knowledge

IIBA Certified Business Analyst Professional
The Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP) is the credential developed by the IIBA. This certification is the first professional association credential for business analysts. The certification will comply with the ISO 17024 and ANSI Standards. The first test was offered November 10, 2006.

What is a Business Analyst?

A Business Analyst is defined as the person "responsible for identifying the business needs of their clients and stakeholders to help determine solutions to business problems." CBAP states: "A Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) is 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."

The requirements to take the CBAP exam are as follows:

Five years (7,500 hours) professional experience in the last seven years
Experience in four of the six knowledge areas
Experience in three of the five underlying fundamentals
High school diploma
Two references (manager, client, or CBAP)
Twenty-one (21) hours of professional development on business analysis or underlying fundamentals in the past four years

For More Information
For more information on the standards for business analysis, visit the IIBA.

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