D3 RichardLarson Panel

Enhanced Performance. Enduring Results.1

Richard Larson, PMP, CBAPRichard Larson, PMP, CBAPRichard Larson, PMP, CBAPRichard Larson, PMP, CBAP

President and FounderPresident and FounderPresident and FounderPresident and Founder

Watermark Learning Watermark Learning Watermark Learning Watermark Learning

BASSABASSABASSABASSA

4 September, 20134 September, 20134 September, 20134 September, 2013

WatermarkLearning.com

Enhanced Performance. Enduring Results. ©

� Training organisation established in 1992, offering private and public classes in a broad range of training programs:• Business Analysis

• Project Management

• Business Process Management

• “Influencing Skills”

� Numerous clients in many industries

� Industry Partnerships• An “original” PMI® Global Registered

Education Provider

• A Charter IIBA® Endorsed EducationProvider

• Strategic partnership with FTI, South Africa’s leading provider of Business Analysis and Project Management training

• Offering BA and PM Masters Certificateprograms through Auburn University

WatermarkLearning.com


� List a 7-step plan to become CBAP® or CCBA®

certified, and be ready to apply it to your own

plan to become certified.

� Describe how to overcome the daunting

application process and have your application be

accepted by IIBA®.

� Put the BABOK® into perspective for how it will

help with certification preparation.

After this presentation you will be able to:


� Panel Discussions

• Lesley Blencowe, CBAP

• Francois Combrinck, CBAP

• Sandy Labuschagne, CBAP

• Janet Wood, CBAP

� Plan Overview

� Plan Details: Seven Steps to Getting Certified

Step 1 - Obtain and Skim the BABOK

Step 2 - Apply for the Exam

Step 3 - Read the Entire BABOK

Step 4 - Absorb the BABOK

Step 5 - Take Practice Exam Questions

Step 6 - Do Final Preparation

Step 7 - Take and Pass the Exam

©

� Certified Business Analysis Professional

� Granted by the IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis)

� Requirements Highlights• 7500+ Hours of BA Experience

• 900+ hours of experience in 4+ Knowledge Areas

• High School or College Degree

• 21 Hours of Professional Development Training

• 2 References

• Passing a rigorous 3.5-Hour, 150-Question Exam

©

� Certification of Competency in Business Analysis

� Granted by the IIBA

� Requirements Highlights• 3750+ hours of BA Experience

• 900+ hours of experience in2+ BABOK Knowledge Areas, or 500+ hours in 4 of the 6 KAs

• High School or College Degree

• 21 Hours of Professional Development Training

• 2 References

• Passing a rigorous 3.5-Hour, 150-Question Exam


Why did you

Obtain your

CBAP?

DiscussionDiscussionDiscussionDiscussion

©

� “Plans are useless, but planning is

indispensable.”

Dwight Eisenhower

� “A plan is only as good as its

execution.” Unknown

©

� Foolproof: only if you follow it

� Our Advice:

• Listen to our thoughts

• Think about our “foolproof” plan

• Create your own.

©

� Take your Learning Style into Account

� Basic Styles1 (details next page):

• Blue - Let me Study!

• Red - Get to the Point!

• Yellow - Get me Involved!

• Green - Let me Review!

1 Andrew Lothian, Insights, Copyright 2000

www.insightsaustin.com or

www.insightsworld.com


1Andrew Lothian, Insights, Copyright 2000

www.insightsaustin.com or


©

InitiatingInitiatingInitiatingInitiating

MonitoringMonitoringMonitoringMonitoring ExecutingExecutingExecutingExecuting

ClosingClosingClosingClosing

PlanningPlanningPlanningPlanning

©

� Stakeholders

• You are the sponsor, the PM, and the BA on this one…

• Family members and co-workers, too

� Charter

• Your charter (to yourself) is to become a Certified

Business Analyst

• Benefits to your “sponsor” (you) are:

� Sense of accomplishment

� Career enhancement/advancement

� Increased Knowledge

� Attractiveness to employers

©

� Charter (cont.)

• Benefits to other stakeholders are:

� Employers can hire with more confidence

� Shows a commitment to the BA profession

� Demonstrates a high level of professional knowledge

� Family members are proud (and relieved ☺)

� Product Deliverables

• CBAP or CCBA Credential…


Hi Mom,Hi Mom,Hi Mom,Hi Mom,

Guess what? I just got my CBAP certification today!Guess what? I just got my CBAP certification today!Guess what? I just got my CBAP certification today!Guess what? I just got my CBAP certification today!

Love, JohnLove, JohnLove, JohnLove, John

John Doe, CBAP

From: M Hubbard From: M Hubbard From: M Hubbard From: M Hubbard [mailto: [email protected]] [mailto: [email protected]] [mailto: [email protected]] [mailto: [email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 201x 4:20 PMSent: Wednesday, August 12, 201x 4:20 PMSent: Wednesday, August 12, 201x 4:20 PMSent: Wednesday, August 12, 201x 4:20 PMTo: John DoeTo: John DoeTo: John DoeTo: John DoeSubject: How did your big exam go?Subject: How did your big exam go?Subject: How did your big exam go?Subject: How did your big exam go?

1) Logo 1) Logo 1) Logo 1) Logo to use:to use:to use:to use:

2) Initials2) Initials2) Initials2) Initials(for emails, (for emails, (for emails, (for emails, business business business business cards)cards)cards)cards)

©

� Work Products

• CBAP or CCBA Application

• 2 References

• BA Education hours

• BABOK and Study Guide notes

• Practice exams

• Flashcards and other study aids

• Watermark Learning CBAP/CCBA project hours template1

• Watermark Learning CBAP/CCBA study plan template2

1. Available on the Watermark Learning web site – see later slide

2. Provided to Watermark Learning CBAP or CCBA Prep class students

©

� Scope Statement

• Features in Scope� CBAP or CCBA credential

• Features out of Scope

� Non-BABOK knowledge or skills

� Comparing the BABOK to your experience

©

� Major Milestones:

1.Getting your application approved by IIBA

2.Scheduling the Exam

3.Finishing your Exam preparation

4.Passing the CBAP or CCBA Exam

Get a free Roadmap on CBAP-

Resources page– see later slide

©

� WBS - Task List

Step 1 - Obtain and Skim the BABOK

Step 2 - Apply for the Exam

Step 3 - Read the Entire BABOK

Step 4 - Absorb the BABOK

Step 5 - Take Practice Exam Questions

Step 6 - Do Final Preparation

Step 7 - Take and Pass the Exam

©

� IIBA members: free PDF

� Non-members: small

charge

� Hard copy on Amazon.com

� Why do this first?

©

� Download CBAP/CCBA project hours on

Watermark Learning website

� Visit the IIBA Application page on IIBA.Org

as your “home” for applying for the

CBAP/CCBA

� Start your online application

• Complete the CBAP/CCBA Candidate

Reference section first

• Brief your references on the BABOK KAs

©

� Online application (cont.) • Complete the Personal Information and

Education sections

• The Work Experience section is extensive - use a

template

• Applications require a $125 USD fee (non-

refundable)

• Later also an exam fee of $325 USD (members)

or $450 USD (non-members of IIBA)

©

� Online application (cont.)

• Agree to the IIBA Code of Conduct

• Submit your application

• Pay your fee, and then …

• Wait for approval

©

How did you approach these

Foolproof Plan Steps?

1.Obtain BABOK

2.Apply for the CBAP/ CCBA



� Yes, the whole thing!

� Before you do other preparation

� Have a broad understanding of the entire BABOK to

start

• Seven Knowledge Areas (KAs)

• 32 Tasks

• 34 General Techniques

• 15 Task-specific Techniques

• 40 Inputs and 35 Outputs

• Many more KA-specific techniques and elements

©

Knowledge AreaBABOK

Chapter

Number

CBAP

Percent1Approximate

Questions2CCBA

Percent1Approximate

Questions2

General3 1 no % stated ~3 no % stated ~3

BA Planning and

Monitoring

2 19.33% 27 20% 29

Elicitation 3 14% 20 13.33 18

Requirements

Mgmt & Comm.

4 16% 23 16 23

Enterprise Analysis 5 15.33% 22 15.33 22

Requirements

Analysis

6 19.33% 27 19.33 27

Solution

Assessment

7 16% 23 16 23

Underlying

Competencies3

8no % stated

~5no % stated

~5

TOTAL 100% 150 100% 150

1 As given by IIBA.

2 Computed from percentages.

3 No stated number of questions; number listed is an estimate.

©

� BABOK Knowledge Areas and Tasks

� Underlying Competencies KA has no Tasks

©

� BABOK General TechniquesNbr Technique Name Nbr Technique Name

9.1 Acceptance and Eval Criteria Definition 9.18 Observation

9.2 Benchmarking 9.19 Organization Modeling

9.3 Brainstorming 9.20 Problem Tracking

9.4 Business Rules Analysis 9.21 Process Modeling

9.5 Data Dictionary and Glossary 9.22 Prototyping

9.6 Data Flow Diagrams 9.23 Requirements Workshops

9.7 Data Modeling 9.24 Risk Analysis

9.8 Decision Analysis 9.25 Root Cause Analysis

9.9 Document Analysis 9.26 Scenarios and Use Cases

9.10 Estimation 9.27 Scope Modeling

9.11 Focus Groups 9.28 Sequence Diagrams

9.12 Functional Decomposition 9.29 State Diagrams

9.13 Interface Analysis 9.30 Structured Walkthrough

9.14 Interviews 9.31 Survey/Questionnaire

9.15 Lessons Learned Process 9.32 SWOT Analysis

9.16 Metrics and Key Performance Indicators 9.33 User Stories

9.17 Non-functional Requirements Analysis 9.34 Vendor Assessment

©

� There is a LOT to absorb!

� Study Groups

� Classes

� Individual Study

©

� Depending on your

learning style, plan techniques that

work best for you

� Basic Styles:

• Blue - Let me Study!

• Red - Get to the Point!

• Yellow - Get me Involved!

• Green - Let me Review!

Blue Red

Green Yellow

©

Learning PreferenceLearning PreferenceLearning PreferenceLearning Preference Study Mode IdeasStudy Mode IdeasStudy Mode IdeasStudy Mode Ideas

BlueBlueBlueBlue - Let me Study! • Read BABOKRead BABOKRead BABOKRead BABOK• Study Guide• Practice Exams

RedRedRedRed - Get to the Point! • Practice ExamsPractice ExamsPractice ExamsPractice Exams• Classes• Study Guides

YellowYellowYellowYellow - Get me Involved! • ClassesClassesClassesClasses• Study Groups• Flashcards• Read BABOK

GreenGreenGreenGreen - Let me Review! • Study GroupsStudy GroupsStudy GroupsStudy Groups• Classes• Practice Exams• Read BABOK

©

� Rated the #1 preparation aid in recent poll

� Provide the ultimate “test” of your preparedness for the Exam

� Two good ways to use them:

1. As you study each Knowledge Area

2. Taking a simulated set of 150 questions like the actual Exam

©

� Example:

What do you as a business analyst also deliver

when documenting your elicitation results?

a. Unstated and stated requirements.

b. Stated requirements, stakeholder concerns.

c. Elicitation results, stakeholder concerns.

d. Functional and non-functional stated

requirements.

b. Stated requirements, stakeholder concerns.


� After absorbing the BABOK, you’re on the home

stretch

� Focus now on learning and memorizing areas you

need to work on

• Flashcards, Mnemonics, and Memorization

• More practice Exam questions

• Re-read portions of the BABOK

• Last-Minute prep – resting, eating, relaxing, dry run to the

site, etc.


Learning PreferenceLearning PreferenceLearning PreferenceLearning Preference Study Mode IdeasStudy Mode IdeasStudy Mode IdeasStudy Mode Ideas

BlueBlueBlueBlue - Let me Study! • ReReReRe----Read BABOKRead BABOKRead BABOKRead BABOK• Writing Notes• Practice ExamsPractice ExamsPractice ExamsPractice Exams• Study Notes

RedRedRedRed - Get to the Point! • Practice ExamsPractice ExamsPractice ExamsPractice Exams• Re-Read Study Guides• Mnemonics

YellowYellowYellowYellow - Get me Involved! • Flashcards with a Flashcards with a Flashcards with a Flashcards with a ““““buddybuddybuddybuddy””””• Practice ExamsPractice ExamsPractice ExamsPractice Exams• Audio Flashcards

GreenGreenGreenGreen - Let me Review! • Practice ExamsPractice ExamsPractice ExamsPractice Exams• Flashcards• Review Notes


� The day arrives…

� It’s time to drive to the test site…

� Don’t panic - you’re well-prepared,

right?

� Exam day tips

• Eat a healthy breakfast

• Do something to relax you - take a walk, listen to music,

work out, etc.

• Arrive early

• Limit your liquids - bathroom time counts against you!

©

� Exam-Taking tips

• Start with a “brain dump”

• 1st Pass: skip questions you are not sure of

• 2nd Pass: complete questions

• Don’t change your answer

• Hard questions can be broken into two answers…usually.

©

How did you handle the

final Foolproof Plan Steps?

6.Do Final Preparation

7.Take and Pass the CBAP/ CCBA

Exam

�General Q&A



� List a 7-step plan to become CBAP® or CCBA®

certified, and be ready to apply it to your own

plan to become certified.

� Describe how to overcome the daunting

application process and have your application be

accepted by IIBA®.

� Put the BABOK® into perspective for how it will

help with certification preparation.

Now that we’re done, you should be able to:


Visit our web site for valuable and freeindustry resources:

www.WatermarkLearning.com/Resources

�Articles

�Webinars On-Demand

�Templates

�Bibliographies

�And more!

Register or sign in here


BibliographyA Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide), © 2009, IIBA

CBAP® Certification Study Guide, © 2009-2012, Richard Larson and Elizabeth Larson


Richard Larson

[email protected]

www.WatermarkLearning.com

linkedin.com/in/bapmtraining

Rich_Larson

D3 RichardLarson Panel

Documents

Transcript of D3 RichardLarson Panel