ECBA Certificate Preparation

Do you want to get certified in business analysis but are new to the field? Whether you are fresh out of college and have little to no project experience or are simply looking to understand the business analysis profession better, this course will provide you with not only the preparation you will need to pass IIBA’s ECBA exam, but also a foundation for a career in business analysis. 

Participants will learn invaluable tips and tricks needed to pass the ECBA certification exam. This course follows IIBA's ECBA exam blueprint based on the BABOK^® Guide v3.0. It also includes the use of Watermark’s acclaimed online exam simulator, which provides detailed explanations of why incorrect answers are wrong and why the correct answer is right.

This course conforms to and aligns with the BABOK® Guide version 3.0 of the IIBA® (International Institute of Business Analysis).

WHY TAKE THIS COURSE

• Increase your confidence and improve your chances of passing the ECBA certificate exam.
• Streamline the massive amounts of information required to pass the test.
• The small-class environment, group exercises, and sample exam questions keep you engaged and aid in your retention and learning.
• Learn from experts. The course is designed and taught by CBAP^® Recipients with extensive knowledge of the BABOK® Guide, some of whom also contributed to its development.
• Dedication. We have 7 CBAP® Recipients on staff, ready to help you pass the exam.
• Trusted. Study with a firm that has helped hundreds of people pass the ECBA^™, CCBA®, CBAP® exam, and thousands pass the PMP® exam. We know how to combine learning with test preparation in an engaging way!
• Complete.  Earn 21 CDUs, enough to apply for the ECBA^™ exam.

We guarantee that you will pass the ECBA certification exam if you follow our study advice and take the exam within 3 months of the class.

Special offer: We are dedicated to the certification goals of our customers. If you would like a refresher or do not pass your exam, you can retake the class at no charge (space permitting and travel not included). You are responsible for all materials for the retake. If you took our class covering the previous exam version, you may take our new class for the cost of the new materials. Please notify us in writing if you would like to schedule a retake.

1. We recommend students skim the BABOK^® Guide prior to class.
2. Complete the ECBA^™ application during or shortly after the completion of this prep course.
3. For maximum preparation value, students should be prepared to take the exam within 3 months of taking the course.

People wanting to move into a BA role who have had little to no training in business analysis.  Anyone who is seeking a career in Business Analysis or desires to have a better understanding of business analysis and the role of a business analyst.

To assimilate the vast amount of information needed to pass the ECBA^™ exam, there is a mixture of lecture, discussion, and exercises in the course. You will also learn methods of recall and retention to help retain critical information needed to pass the ECBA^™ exam. 

WHAT YOU’LL RECEIVE

Both our Traditional and Virtual classes use the same materials.

• A handy reference book “How to Talk BA” created to help students and practitioners grasp or refresh their understanding of the main terminology in business analysis.
• PDF (virtual) or hard-copy (in-person) of the BABOK® Study Tables, an overview of the BABOK® Guide in a comprehensive, detailed, and highly visual package.
• 90-day subscription to our ECBA^™Online Study Exam simulator with over 500 questions.
• A PDF of the IIBA’s BABOK® Guide.
• A list of Exam Mnemonics to help students remember the vast amount of information.
• A Concurrent Solutions Modeling Diagram laminate which covers the 4 key modeling areas a business analyst most consider.
• An Elicitation Techniques Trifold  that lists the most common elicitation techniques, strengths and limitations of each and when to use each technique.
• A list of common modeling techniques, with a description of each, key elements found in each model, and when to use them.

CONTENT

Welcome & Student Introductions 

ECBA Exam Information & Tips

Completing the application
Exam information
Studying for the exam
ECBA prep resources

An Introduction to Business Analysis and the BA Profession

Business analysis and the business analyst
Career path of a business analyst
IIBA & BABOK overview
An overview of the BABOK structure
An overview of the BABOK knowledge areas & focus areas

Key Business Analysis Concepts

A review of key themes in the BABOK
An understanding of the Business Analysis Core Concept Model^TM
A review of key terms in the BABOK
Classification of requirements
A review of key stakeholders found in the BABOK

Underlying Competencies: Business Analysis Competencies for Success

Analytical thinking and problem solving skills
Behavioral characteristics
Business knowledge
Communication skills
Interaction skills
Tools and Technology

Strategy Analysis: Understanding the Business Need to Create a Change Strategy to Move from Current State to the Desired Future State

Strategy analysis overview
Analyze the current state
Define the desired future state
Assess risks to move to desired future state
Define change strategy (A plan to transform the organization from the current state to the future state)
Common techniques used in understanding the business need and creating a change strategy

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring: Planning for the BA Work Effort

Business analysis planning and monitoring overview
Plan the business analysis approach (predictive vs adaptive)
Plan stakeholder engagement
Plan business analysis governance
Plan business analysis information management
Identify business analysis performance improvements
Common techniques used in planning and monitoring the BA work effort

Elicitation and Stakeholder Collaboration

Elicitation and stakeholder collaboration overview
Prepare for elicitation
Conduct elicitation
Confirm elicitation results
Communicate business analysis information
Manage stakeholder collaboration
Common techniques used in elicitation and stakeholder collaboration

Requirements Analysis and Design Definition

Specify (document) and model requirements
Verification of requirements
Validation of requirements
Define requirements architecture
Define design options
Determine potential value of each design option and recommend solution
Common techniques used in analyzing requirements and defining design options

Requirements Life Cycle Management: Managing Requirements and Changes to Them

Trace requirements
Maintain requirements
Prioritize requirements
Assess requirements changes
Approve requirements
Common techniques used to manage requirements throughout the life cycle

Solution Evaluation: Measuring and Maximizing Solution Value

Measure solution performance
Analyze performance measures
Assess solution limitations
Assess enterprise limitations
Recommend actions to increase solution value
Common techniques used to evaluate the solution’s value

Techniques Review

A review of the 50 techniques found in the BABOK

APPENDIX

Exercise Answers

HANDOUTS

How to Talk BA (book)
Study Tables
Top Exam Mnemonics
Access to a 90-day OSE (online study exams)
Concurrent Solutions Modeling Diagram
Elicitation Techniques Trifold (list of techniques and when to use them)
List of common modeling techniques and when to use them

Watermark Learning constantly improves its course offerings to ensure the best training possible and to keep you abreast of the latest industry trends. As a result, this outline is subject to change.