02-22-2016 - CBAP Certification Prep Boot Camp - Houston, TX

I. Welcome to Boot Camp!
We"ll start the CBAP® / CCBA™ Certification Prep Boot Camp with an overview of what "Certified Business Analysis Professional™" means—what it is and what it isn"t. Under your instructor"s guidance, you"ll have a chance to discover some of the most important philosophies and aspects of the CBAP® and CCBA™ examinations, setting the tone for this fast-paced and interactive learning experience. And to get you ready for the workshop to come, we"ll give you a preview of the CBAP course content and our process for delivering a valuable learning experience.

1. Components of the CBAP® certification
2. Components of the CCBA™ certification
3. Introduction to the CBAP® and CCBA™ examinations
4. Philosophy of the exams
5. Overview of CBAP® and CCBA™ exam content
6. Overview of the CBAP®/CCBA™ Prep Boot Camp

II. CBAP® /CCBA™ Certification: The Credentials
Armed with a sense of what the certifications are and a taste of the examination experience, you and your fellow CBAP course participants will then receive a guided tour of the CBAP® and CCBA™ certification. We"ll explore the certifying body—the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA)—and the requirements for certification. The CBAP course will take you through the application and examination processes, including tips, tools, and best practices for packaging your Business Analyst experience and education on the application. Next, we"ll familiarize you with the professional standards and ethics of the CBAP® and CCBA™certification. And we"ll conclude this module with a look at how the examination is structured and show you the best way to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your exam preparation.

1. The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA)
2. The CBAP® certification
3. The CCBA™ certification
4. The certification application processes
5. The examination processes
6. The professional code of conduct
7. The examination structures

III. Business Analysis Overview
Before we can focus on the Body of Knowledge, we will need to cover critical foundational material on the topic of business analysis. We"ll start by providing an overview, including common terms, concepts, techniques, and models that all business analysts must know to pass the CBAP® or CCBA™examination. During this overview, you"ll have numerous chances to demonstrate your own knowledge, learn from your fellow Boot Camp participants, and gain useful insights from your instructor. You"ll also practice exam questions to test your mastery, help you identify weaknesses, and effectively plan for further study on these important and often underemphasized exam topics.

1. What is business analysis?
2. The role and competencies of the business analyst
3. The Systems/Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
4. The Project Management Life Cycle and the process groups
5. Project roles and competencies
6. Requirements engineering basics
7. Levels of requirements
8. Systems, processes, and actors

IV. The Business Analysis Knowledge Areas
At the heart of IIBA certification is demonstrated knowledge of the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK®). In this section of the Boot Camp, we"ll dive deeply into each Knowledge Area. As we cover each of these six subject-matter areas, we"ll share the essential information you need to know for the CBAP examination. You"ll come to understand the structure of the BABOK® and discover some practical tips for remembering what you need to know. And of course, the Boot Camp will help you continue to increase your comfort and confidence with the examinations through realistic practice exercises. Combined with the opportunity to discuss your questions, these activities will help you further refine your personalized preparation plan.

1. Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring
2. Elicitation
3. Requirements Management and Communication
4. Enterprise Analysis
5. Requirements Analysis
6. Solution Assessment and Validation

V. Underlying Competencies
Having attained a deep knowledge of the BABOK® Knowledge Areas, you must still understand and know critical business analysis fundamentals. This module takes a detailed, structured look at the underlying competencies you need to know for the CBAP® / CCBA™ certification.

1. Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving
2. Behavioral Characteristics
3. Business Knowledge
4. Communication Skills
5. Interaction Skills
6. Software Applications

VI. Techniques
A Business Analyst employs a variety of tools and techniques during a project to ensure successful results. Throughout the course, we will examine and study a number of these tools and techniques and learn the best time and place in which to use each.

1. Elicitation techniques
2. Diagramming and modeling techniques
3. Root cause analysis techniques
4. Acceptance and evaluation definition techniques
5. Post-project assessment techniques

VII. A Guide to Success on the Exams
By this point in the Boot Camp, you"ll have a clear understanding of the application and examination processes. Using our specially developed tools, you"ll be ready to map out your experience and knowledge and know what you personally need to do to complete a successful application. You"ll also have an individualized study plan to help you prepare efficiently and effectively for either examination. All that remains are a few final tips to improve your examination experience. In this final Boot Camp section, you"ll get our best tips and tricks and have a chance to practice with a sample examination. As we wrap up our four-day journey, you"ll put the finishing touches on your personal exam preparation plan so that you can quickly and easily study for your own examination.

1. Review of key topics
2. Key tips to remember for the exam
3. Final test hints and tricks
4. Practice examination
5. Your personal preparation plan