It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since Watermark Learning opened for business! Yes, 1992 was a very good year. As the founder, I taught the first classes and was a solo act for a few years. Watermark mostly taught programming back then, with a few selected BA classes to complement them. My wife and co-owner, Elizabeth, actively joined full-time in 1996 and launched our PM classes and strengthened our BA offerings. Starting any business is a risky proposition, and we had no idea whether it would last 20 weeks or 20 months, much less 20 years.
Author Archive
1992 – It Was a Very Good Year
Posted: January 9th, 2012 by RichLarson. Comments »
Ask the CBAP/CCBA Experts
Posted: December 13th, 2011 by RichLarson. 2 Comments »
Are you thinking about getting your CBAP® or CCBA™? Struggling with the application? Currently preparing for the exam? Almost ready to take it?
We can help! Join us monthly for a free, live CBAP®/CCBA™ Q&A session. Each month a CBAP®-certified expert from Watermark Learning will be available online to answer your questions. We have seven CBAP instructors on our staff to give you the most complete information possible on the CBAP®/CCBA™ process, application tricks, and preparation tips. In our jobs and relationship to the IIBA®, we encounter a great deal of information. Let us share that with you live and direct! We are dedicated to helping you apply for and pass the CBAP® or CCBA™ exam.
Why Spend Time on Use Cases in Agile Projects?
Posted: December 2nd, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »
Someone at a recent conference asked me how to respond to project stakeholders when they say that Use Cases take too long in an agile environment. I was presenting a talk on “BA Toolkit for an Agile Project (or any other for that matter).” Here are my answers with some added depth. (Thanks to Justin Roebuck for the great question.)
CBAP Success – The Second Time Around
Posted: November 10th, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »
Not every road to certification is the same, and some don’t go the way we plan. It’s gratifying to hear from people who have passed, and we get spontaneous notes frequently from successful CBAPs and PMPs. We love hearing from you! We also get emails from unsuccessful candidates, and do our best to offer advice or when appropriate, coaching or other tutoring. Here’s a success story that started off with hours of study, but a failed CBAP® exam, and ended with a successful 2nd attempt and obtaining the CBAP®.
South Africa Journal #5 – IIBA Cape Town – Aug 10, 2011
Posted: August 22nd, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »After a few days of enjoying the scenery of the southern coast, and the fun of whale watching every day, we ventured back to Cape Town. The Southern Right Whales had begun their migration 
up from Antarctica – what a sight!
The local branch of IIBA hosted a presentation on “CBAP/CCBA Application Tips and Tricks.” There were 30 interested, motivated BAs present and asking great questions about their applications and qualifications for the CBAP or in some cases a few CCBAs.
South Africa Journal #4 – Classes End – Aug 5, 2011
Posted: August 19th, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »The time has flown by, and class ended today. Both Elizabeth and I noticed we had very little jet lag – that will probably hit us when we return home. Our delegates (notice I adopted some local terms) worked hard and made good progress. 
The CBAP candidates said they were more motivated to complete their applications and dig into their studying so they can take and pass their exams. Several of them had been in study groups in Cape Town and were very ready for a class to give them their final launch towards their exam.
South Africa Journal #3 – IIBA Meeting – Aug 4, 2011
Posted: August 18th, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »Our visit coincided with the South African chapter of IIBA’s Annual General Meeting. Steve Erlank, our host, is also the President of the chapter, and he gave a lightning-fast review of the past year. They have found it more beneficial to have one national chapter, with satellite chapters in the major cities of Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, etc. They face the same challenges as IIBA chapters around the world – membership, volunteers, meeting locations, etc. We took a photo opp with some of the current and future board members.
South Africa Journal #2 – Classes Began – Aug 3, 2011
Posted: August 16th, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »
I’m posting this late, mainly due to challenges in Internet access, and being super busy on our trip to South Africa. I wrote some entries on the plane ride back home.
Our first classes in South Africa got underway Aug. 3. The students – delegates as they are called here – were very similar to those in the US. It’s refreshing to work with like-minded people from such a distance away. It reminds me that business in general and business analysis in particular around the world are quite similar. The biggest difference I noticed was our various accents. I’m sure mine made me hard to understand at times like I found some of theirs. The more Afrikaans-influenced inflections were harder for me to understand than the British-oriented ones. My hearing isn’t what it used to be, so that didn’t help!
Arrived in South Africa – Aug 1-2, 2011
Posted: August 4th, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »Elizabeth and I arrived in Cape Town on Monday, and basically crashed due to the long, 18-hour flight. The trip over the Atlantic seems short compared to the Amsterdam to Cape Town flight.
We were literally at the bottom of Africa, at the point where two oceans meet: Atlantic, meet Indian. We started our trip by flying straight to Johannesburg on Tuesday. After getting settled, we visited the Joburg office of our South African partner, Faculty Training Institute. The head of FTI, Steve Erlank, showed us around and we got to see their preparation. Very impressive with three training rooms, offices, a kitchen, and huge cafeteria for students.
CBAP Can Lead to Job Promotions
Posted: July 21st, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »Rich here again. In working with CBAP (and now CCBA) candidates, 
I run across people with a variety of motivations for getting their credential. Some people get certified for recognition, others want it for the personal satisfaction or increased stature it brings. And, we all would not mind if the CBAP lead to extra income, and the IIBA has released a study showing that CBAPs earn higher salaries.
In a conversation with a CBAP candidate last week I found out AXA Equitable Insurance recognizes the CBAP as an element in deciding on promotions. She said “For me, it is a critical factor to being promoted in my company. It is a critical step needed for me to move from Senior to Lead BA in a mature BA practicing company.”
