The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) offers the Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) designation as a professional credential. The IIBA is a non-profit professional society dedicated to advancing the discipline of business analysis. Professionals who have worked in the area for a while may want to explore earning a business analysis certification to demonstrate their professional qualifications and experience.
Certification can be used to advance to a new position. This blog will explain what the CBAP is, what its benefits are, how it compares to alternatives, and what procedures you must follow to receive it.
CBAP certification explained
CBAP recipients are experienced professionals who have worked in the field for at least five years, met specific experience requirements, and passed the 120-question CBAP exam.
CBAP benefits
Becoming a CBAP can have a positive impact on a professional’s overall job prospects, salary expectations, and career standing. Some of the most common benefits include:
- Stand out to potential employers. In a crowded and competitive applicant pool, having the CBAP designation could help you stand out from other job applicants and land the position. In fact, according to research by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, professionals with a certification or license faced lower unemployment rates than those without either.
- Demonstrate your skill set, knowledge, and experience. In order to qualify for the CBAP, you must have at least five years (7,200 hours) of related work experience and pass an exam, which, consists of 120 questions covering everything from business analysis planning and monitoring to solution evaluation.
- Potentially increase your pay. According to research conducted by the IIBA for its Annual Business Analysis Survey, BA professionals with the certification earn 13% more on average than uncertified professionals.
How to become a CBAP
The path to becoming an IIBA CBAP is defined by a dedication to the study and practice of business analysis. Here’s what you’ll need to do to get started:
1. Complete the exam requirements.
To qualify for the Certified Business Analysis Professional exam, you’ll need to complete some key requirements first. According to the IIBA, applicants must:
- Complete at least 7,500 hours of BA work experience within the last 10 years.
- Of those 7,500 hours, at least 3,600 hours of them must fall within four of the six Business Analyst Body of Knowledge (BABOK) areas. The applicant must complete at least 900 hours for each of the four areas their work falls within.
- Over the last four years, the applicant must have completed at least 35 hours of professional development.
Who can become a CBAP?
While the CBAP is primarily geared toward senior business analysts, it’s also suitable for other professionals who use BA in their daily work, including project managers, product managers, quality assurance professionals, consultants, and testers.
2. Register for the exam.
Once you've gained the required experience to qualify for the exam, you can then register for it. In order to register, you’ll need to submit two professional references who can vouch for your qualifications, agree to the IIBA’s Code of Conduct and Terms and Conditions, and also pay the $145 application fee.
3. Study for the test.
Before the day of the test, make sure to schedule time for exam prep. The CBAP test includes 120 exam questions covering a variety of different subjects. According to the IIBA, here’s what you can expect from the exam:
- Business analysis and Planning - 14%
- Elicitation and Collaboration - 12%
- Requirements life cycle management - 15%
- Strategy analysis - 15%
- Requirements analysis and design definition - 30%
- Solution evaluation - 14%
Rather than just relying on your experience to ace the exam, use the time before it to study and prepare yourself with practice exams. While you likely address many of these subjects in your day-to-day work, testing environments differ considerably from the workplace.
4. Take (and pass) the CPAB exam.
You can take the CPAB exam in two ways: in person at a PSI test center or online through remote proctoring. When registering, pick the environment that works best for you to ensure that you do your best on the test. Whatever approach you choose, you will have 3.5 hours to complete the 120 exam questions.
5. Show off your credentials.
Once you’ve passed the CBAP exam, you will officially be a CPAB. Congratulations! You can show off your credential on your resume, LinkedIn, and other professional materials. This is a big accomplishment and one that shows the hard work you have put into your career and advancing your skills to stay relevant and competitive in the workplace.
Alternative certifications: CBAP vs. PMI-PBA
The CBAP isn’t the only certification for professionals looking to show off their business analyst abilities. The Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Professional in Business Analysis (PBA) certification is also popular among industry professionals.
The certification you choose will likely depend on your own preferences. While PMI has been around longer than IIBA, the CBAP has been around longer than the PBA, meaning that some employers might be more familiar with one organization or certification over the other. Nonetheless, both certifications are highly rated. In 2020, for example, Notable tech publication CIO named the CBAP and PBA as two of the top ten business analyst certifications.
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