Posts Tagged ‘CBAP exam’

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.

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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®.

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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.

Continue Reading: South Africa Journal #5 – IIBA Cape Town – Aug 10, 2011

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.

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BABOK Techniques to Know for the CBAP/CCBA Exam: Part 7

Posted: July 18th, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »

Rich here. It’s been a while since I’ve written about BABOK techniques you need to know to pass the CBAP or CCBA exam. If I’m going to try and finish covering all 34 general and 15 task-specific ones by the end of the year, I have to get back to it.

In past blog posts I featured all the task-specific techniques and four of the general techniques: Data Modeling, Observation, Scenarios and Use Cases, and State Diagrams. Next I want to explore Acceptance and Evaluation Criteria Definition with an excerpt from our book CBAP Certification Study Guide.

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Top Five Reasons to Get your CBAP (or CCBA)

Posted: May 19th, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »

There are many reasons to obtain your CBAP or CCBA credential. I’ve given this considerable thought and talked to numerous people about it over the years. There is considerable work in the preparation for it and more than a bit of stress in achieving it. Here are the top five reasons in my opinion for getting your certification, in reverse order.

5. Obtain Better Assignments. I hear more and more stories from CBAPs who tell me about getting more satisfying and higher-profile assignments once they have obtained their CBAP. The numbers this has happened to are split fairly evenly between internal employees and external consultants. For an interesting perspective of one consultant, Brian Hunt, and what the CBAP has meant to him, see his article How CBAP® Helps You Become a Better Consultant.

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Common Questions for the CBAP and CCBA Applications

Posted: March 11th, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »

I just finished another application writing session for the IIBA Phoenix chapter. It was a good exchange, with many challenging questions.

First of all, nearly everyone preparing for the CBAP questions the BABOK^® and how it may or may not be “real life.” What I tell people is that everything in the BABOK is somebody’s real life! That may or may not be a comfort, but it does put it in perspective.

Most of the topics at my recent session pertained to the CBAP and CCBA application. Here are some notable questions that came up and my answers. Hope this helps you.

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Task-Specific BABOK® Techniques to Know for the CBAP Exam: Part 6

Posted: February 22nd, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »

Prioritization Techniques

One of the most difficult things for many decision-makers is to prioritize their needs. It is far easier to say “everything is an A priority” than to rationally sort through the many features of a project and make tough decisions. It is frustrating to project teams to deal with this type of stakeholder, and fortunately there are techniques that can help.

There are three techniques mentioned in the BABOK® specifically to support prioritizing requirements. Some of the techniques are in wide use, and one of them is more a guideline than a technique. If you are studying for the CBAP® or CCBA™ exams, there is a good chance of being tested on one of these because of their importance.

Continue Reading: Task-Specific BABOK® Techniques to Know for the CBAP Exam: Part 6

Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Earning your CBAP® or CCBA™

Posted: February 4th, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »

I’ve helped many people achieve their CBAP®, and I’ve seen a number of approaches. Most have been successful I’m happy to say. A few others have not been, either because candidates stressed out or were underprepared. Below is a summary of the top mistakes people have made in working towards their CBAP®.

Not enough study time. A major mistake is not studying enough. According to our research, successful CBAP® candidates spent an average of around 100 hours studying for their CBAP®. Give yourself at least several weeks and spread that time out before you take your exam.

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Task-Specific BABOK Techniques for the CBAP and CCBA Exams: Part 5

Posted: January 18th, 2011 by RichLarson. Comments »

Problem or Vision Statement and Feasibility Analysis

This week I’m writing about two specialized and powerful techniques that are useful not only for business analysis, but project management and other disciplines. These two come up in context of Enterprise Analysis, which deals with understanding business needs, devising proposed solutions for those needs, and building a business case for getting it done. I’m writing about BABOK® techniques not only to help people pass the CBAP® or CCBA™ exam, but because they are useful on the job, too.

Problem or Vision Statement

Continue Reading: Task-Specific BABOK Techniques for the CBAP and CCBA Exams: Part 5