IIBA Certifications Process - A Step by Step Approach

IIBA Certifications are the most sought-after certifications for business analysts to excel in their careers. IIBA certifications have proven results in terms of salary benefits, career growth, and opening up new opportunities in the global markets. The IIBA certification examinations need one to understand BABoK in-depth and applying BABoK concepts to various business analysis scenarios. IIBA has three core business analysis certifications:

Benefits of IIBA Certifications

• IIBA Certified BAs on average earn 26% more as per the IIBA salary survey of 2022.

• The expected salary increase can be in the range of 15 - 20% for most certified BAs.

• Established credential and be globally recognized BA certification.

• Better career growth. Better skilled in the BA domain.

• BA is the fastest-growing career opportunity for IT professionals.

In this blog, we describe how one can become an IIBA Certified BA in a time-bound manner of 12 weeks.

#1. Week 1 - Determine Eligibility

Before one begins IIBA certification, one needs to ascertain the right certification level. Let’s find out eligibility for the core IIBA certifications. None core certifications such as CBDA, CCA, and IIBA AAC do not have any prerequisites for these certifications’ examinations.

Eligibility for CBAP

CBAP being the 3rd level certification from IIBA, has the toughest eligibility criteria. Following are the eligibility criteria for CBAP certification:

• 7500+ hours of BA experience in the last 10 years, 900+ hours in 4 knowledge areas.

• 35 hours of Professional Development (training aligned to BABoK Version 3) in the past 4 years. Adaptive US is an authorized EEP of IIBA®, its training will provide you with the desired professional development (PD) hours for all the IIBA certification examinations.

• Two references from a career manager, client, or another CBAP

• A Signed Code of Conduct

Eligibility for CCBA

CCBA being the 2nd level certification from IIBA, has medium eligibility criteria. Following are the eligibility criteria for CCBA certification:

• 3750 hours in the last 7 years, 900+ hours in 2 knowledge areas or 500+ hours in 4 knowledge areas

• 35 hours of Professional Development (training aligned to BABoK Version 3) in the past 4 years

• Two references from a career manager, client, or another CBAP

• A Signed Code of Conduct

• Eligibility for ECBA

The eligibility criteria for the ECBA Certification examination are as follows:

• 21 hours of verifiable professional development in the last 4 years.

• Agreement with the ECBA™ Code of Conduct.

#2. Week 2 to 3 - Choose Your IIBA Training Partner

Very often we are asked by prospective IIBA certification aspirants, "Why should I join a formal IIBA certification training when there is so much free content on the internet?" This is indeed a valid question. Here are 5 key reasons why you should join a formal IIBA prep course.

1. A self-managed process is slow, denying many opportunities and prone to failure

Statistics prove that participants of a prep course tend to adhere to the set study plan and thus have a higher chance of success. We hope these reasons give you ample information and aid you in making an informed decision of joining a formal IIBA prep course. To ensure that you pass the certification exam on your first attempt, it is essential that you attend a formal IIBA Prep Course. IIBA itself strongly recommends undergoing proper training from an EEP (Endorsed Education Provider) by seasoned IIBA Certification trainers. This increases the chances of passing in the very first attempt and in the shortest possible time.

Apart from mental agony, humiliation, the tangible cost of failing in the examination can be upwards of 10,000 USD on lost opportunities. Attending a formal IIBA prep course with an EEP will also give you the needed PD hours during the preparation process itself. 

2. Free content is humongous and not reliable

These days there are all kinds of information and resources available online. In fact, there are a plethora of free resources available for people who want to get certified from IIBA. The problem is there is no way to check the quality of these available resources. You do not have the luxury of time (since most have a job to cater to) while preparing for the exam. You simply can’t be spending your time on endless skimming of information to find the right resource, if at all.

This is where a formal prep course makes the difference. The course content is designed by mentors and coaches who have expertise in the BA field and have full knowledge of the IIBA certification exam pattern. The experts spend a great amount of time and effort creating the content as required by IIBA and periodically review it and make changes as needed.

Time is a critical factor to success, and a formal IIBA prep course allows you to spend most of it on things that matter like actual preparation rather than gathering information and verifying its authenticity and worth. IIBA strongly recommends undergoing proper training from an EEP (Endorsed Education Provider) under a seasoned BA coach/mentor. This will help increase the chances of passing in the very first attempt and in the shortest possible time.

3. No support in clarifying your doubts

Another important reason why joining a formal prep course makes sense is the help you get from a mentor/coach. When you join a formal prep course, you have the advantage of a mentor who can answer your queries and resolve your doubts. This is something which is not possible when you are studying on your own.

Our mentors' experts in the BA field and are key contributors to IIBA standards and certifications. BABoK contains more than 200,000 words and close to 500 pages of dense documentation. The sheer size of BABoK (which one needs to study while preparing for the certifications) makes understanding it without any faculty guidance extremely difficult. Most IIBA prep courses provide a study guide based on the BABoK, which, along with the help from the faculty makes understanding BABoK much easier than doing it all by yourself.

4. No support when you hit a wall with the IIBA application process

Another important reason is that a formal IIBA prep course provides comprehensive support. They provide you with all the support you require, from filling up the form to your giving the exam. They form your support system throughout your preparation time. This allows you to concentrate on what is most important for you, studying for the exam.

Attending a formal IIBA prep course with an EEP will also give you the much-needed PD hours during the preparation process itself. You also get tips and suggestions from past certified professionals who have taken the course. You can follow their tips and improve your chances of succeeding on the first attempt.

5. Internet-based content is often dubious in quality

The information available free on the internet is unverified and unstructured. You might just end up wasting your time and effort on something which will give you zero result. When you prepare under a formal IIBA prep course, you get the benefit of curated content like study-guide, question banks, exam simulators, exam tips & prep plans, video & audio learning, etc. Learning hours are reduced by at least 50% as an instructor ensures participants pay attention to the course. Adaptive’s course content also evolves according to the needs of the candidates and changes incorporated by IIBA for the course, thereby helping the candidate prepare in a better and more structured way.

Choosing the right BA training partner

While choosing your training partner, consider the value of your time and the consequences of not being successful in the certification. The training sessions should give you clarity of concepts related to BABoK in such a way that it not only makes the IIBA certification exam easier for you but also makes you a better BA in your day job. Hence choosing the right trainer or mentor is very important for this task.

The ideal IIBA Certification training partner MUST have:

• Must stand shoulder to shoulder in your success and failure

• Faculties who are real BA and BABoK experts

• Have proven approaches

• Excellent study aids

Why Adaptive is a great Partner for your IIBA Certification training?

Adaptive is the only training organization that provides IIBA certification training with 100% Success Guarantee or 100% Refund promise if you met Adaptive Success Guarantee terms. If you do not succeed in your first attempt, we will pay your retake fees. If you fail 2^nd time, your entire fees will be returned.

Adaptive IIBA certifications examinations course content is designed by mentors and coaches who have expertise in the BA field and have full knowledge of the IIBA certification exam pattern. The experts spend a great amount of time and effort creating the content as required by IIBA and periodically review it and make changes as needed.

Adaptive’s first attempt success rate is more than 97%. This is indeed the best success rate for any training institute. Take a look at our past successful participants on our website. Also, take a look at our participant feedback-  AdaptiveUS.com/reviews. Adaptive’s trainers have been part of the IIBA BABoK development team and exam setting committees. You can view our faculty profiles at AdaptiveUS.com/our-experts. Adaptive’s BA learning platform, Suxeed, comes with 5000+ certification model questions, 100+ videos on BABoK, the world’s most compact BABoK study guide, audiobooks, flashcards, Exam prep tips, personalized exam preparation Plan, Exam Alerts. 

The reassuring feedback from one of our IIBA Certified BA reconfirms this-

“While preparing for CBAP, I realized it’s a tough nut to crack and the questions were tricky. A friend suggested adaptive simulation tests for practice. I joined the adaptive workshop and cleared my exam within one month after my last session. The sessions from LN, Peter, Lora were helpful in understanding the BABOK terminology better. Though I have good BA experience, it’s important to practice the simulation tests and understand how to manage time during the exam. The simulation tests and presentations from adaptive were close to the real exam so we can decode the questions well. Adaptive also has lots of other blogs, study material that’s helpful in this profession. I would recommend the adaptive workshops for anyone who is looking for CBAP preparation. Thanks to Adaptive and LN for taking up my questions in email even after the sessions and guiding me through my prep” - Bhavana K, CBAP.

Several other such feedback on the Adaptive US Reviews.

Have confidence in yourself and stay focused. Adaptive US has 1500+ professionals who are now IIBA Certified using these IIBA certification tips and steps and you should be the next.

#3. Week 4 to 8 - Undergo IIBA Certification Prep Training

Attend all faculty-led sessions diligently. As the faculty completes sessions, revisit the session recordings. Study appropriate chapters from the study guide and BABoK. Attempt assigned quizzes.

#4. Week 9 - Get Your Application Approved by IIBA

Then comes the task of the IIBA application filing, this can get a bit confusing since one needs to gather experience across the knowledge areas over the last 10 years. Pick up an IIBA application filing template that simulates the IIBA application filing format and helps you gather the experience throughout the Knowledge areas and guides you with the expectations of IIBA. Refer to IIBA certification cost.

Once your application is approved, schedule your exam.

#5. Week 9 to 12 - Study BABoK and Practice Model Questions

Good preparation leads to good results. And for good preparation, you need to follow the right path towards your certification goals. If you are committed to the IIBA certification goal and ready to put in at least 100 hours of effort towards the same then this is an achievable target. A practical approach will be to take up a target date between 10 to 12 weeks’ time frame and work backward. Set up a plan towards the target. (Please take into account your family and work commitments while chalking out the plan).

#6. Week 12 - Take the test and be an IIBA Certified BA

All IIBA Certification Exams can be taken online from anywhere. All you need is a computer, microphone, webcam, and working internet connection. IIBA exam results are intimated at the end of the exam.

All the best for your preparation. May you pass your exam with flying colors and become an IIBA Certified BA.

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