The Certified Business Analysis Professional, or CBAP certification, is a way for professionals to describe their proficiency and knowledge in business analysis. It is usually required by senior business analysts and enterprise-level consultants. Whether the exam is hard or easy, it does not have a straightforward answer. CBAP training is mandatory to pass the exam with flying colors.
Without the proper preparation, every exam is difficult. Students should know specific tips to ace the CBAP exam. Apart from that, students also need to acquire adequate information about the exam. Let’s learn about the exam, starting with the exam pattern.
CBAP Exam Pattern
The CBAP exam paper contains 150 MCQs. Every student needs to achieve at least 500 to pass the exam. Some questions will be easy, but you will encounter some tricky ones.
Candidates get 3.5 hours to complete the paper. After passing the test, candidates become certified for a three-year cycle. Students must submit 60 CDUs per three-year cycle to keep their certification updated.
Most candidates who take the exam find it more difficult than they expected. Memorization skills are not that important to ace the CBAP exam. Instead, you need to prepare yourself for application-based questions.
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Around 40 questions in the CBAP exam are case studies. Each case study will be approximately 1-2 pages long and comes with 3-4 questions. The remaining questions in the paper are primarily based on scenarios. The CBAP exam consists of five domains:
1) Tools and Techniques,
2) Roles, Responsibilities, and Professional Development,
3) Processes and Techniques in the Context of an Enterprise: The BABOK Guide V3.0,
4) Organizational Issues in Business Analysis: The Challenge of Engaging Cross-Functional Stakeholders,
5) Leadership in Strategic Change.
What to study for the CBAP Exam
If you are wondering what to study for the CBAP exam, here are some suggestions:
● Understand the techniques
A lot of questions in the exam are related to techniques. You need to understand every model and technique before sitting for the exam.
● Review estimating and financial calculations
You will understand estimating and financial calculations in detail. You will find several numeral calculation questions in the exam. You should practice them well. The math word problems can require ROI and general calculations.
● Acquaint yourself with the KA tasks
For the exam should familiarize themselves with the KA tasks. You can use mnemonics to memorize the tasks. Enrolling in a prep class is beneficial for learning the KA tasks.
● Prepare “What to do next” questions
The CBAP exam will contain several questions about what you would do next. These types of situation-based questions require you to analyze the problems first. Once you grasp the situation, finding a solution won’t be too difficult.
● Prepare questions about stakeholders, perspectives, input, and outputs
Questions based on stakeholders, perspectives, inputs, and output often get questions. The questions are pretty interesting to answer. However, you must follow the BABOK 3.0 study tables for these questions. The study tables can help you understand which stakeholders should be involved in each task. You should also understand the outputs and inputs of every task. The BABOK guide can also help you gain top-notch reviews of perspectives.
Top tips to ace the CBAP Exam
The top tips to prepare for the CBAP exam are as follows:
● Allocate adequate time to the BABOK guide
Without reading the BABOK Guide, it is impossible to pass the CBAP exam. Read every line in the book and understand its meaning. It will help you draw parallels and retain the concepts better. After completing each concept, you need to reflect on your own experiences.
The terminology in the BABOK guide might not be similar to what you have used at your workplace. However, you will be able to correlate the terms with your existing knowledge. Candidates usually spend at least 8 hours reading the BABOK guide.
● Sit for practice exams
After going through the BABOK Guide, it’s essential to sit for practice exams. The practice exams will help you become more aware of the terminology of the questions. Several online training courses allow you to sit for practice exams.
In the first few practice exams, you might take time to understand the wording of the questions. You shouldn’t be surprised if you perform poorly in the first few practice tests. The key is to get better gradually.
Tracking your progress through the practice exams will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. You will learn to become more precise with your answers so that they are correct. Some practice questions will also help you focus on each task’s specific inputs and outputs.
Sitting for practice tests is also a great way to enhance your time management skills. You will learn to provide adequate time to each question. It will ensure that you don’t miss questions due to time constraints.
● Lather, rinse, and repeat
Read each chapter of the BABOK guide and write practice questions related to that knowledge area. Answering questions right after reading one chapter helps you grasp information better. It ensures that you are not just recalling your short-term memory.
Analyze your practice test results to find out how you performed. Spend a few minutes on each wrong answer to understand why you got it wrong. It will help you develop a better sense of appreciation for the correct answer rather than forcefully learning it.
● Final preparation
You should begin your last-minute preparations when only a few days are left for the CBAP exam. Use the last few days for revising the vital chapters. If you skipped any chapters, don’t try to soak them in the last few days. You can take one practice exam the night before the main exam. But don’t stay up too late reading the BABOK guide the day before your exam. You can do spot-reading of areas that you didn’t understand completely. You should have faith in your preparations and sit for the CBAP exam confidently.
Wrapping up
The key to success in the CBAP exam is understanding what it looks like. Start looking for a training course to learn the best techniques for performing well.
