In this article, I want to share with you my secret to help you successfully plan, prepare and pass the CBAP exam.
Perform a gap analysis of your knowledge
As a BA, we are taught to understand the As-Is before jumping in to build the desired product. I like to apply the same concept when studying for a major exam. First you want to know what you know or don't know. This is done by taking test that challenges your understand of business analysis as defined in the BABOK.
Read the BABOK
Reading the BABOK is key to your success as a CBAP. You should read the BABOK a few time before deciding to sit for the CBAP. And by reading, I don't mean the same type of reading you do when you read a novel. Reading the BABOK should be done in an investigative manner. Investigative reading is about understanding more than what is being written. It's about learning the when, how and why as well. So when reading about the task "Conducting Stakeholder Analysis", you would want to know what this task is about as well as when is it performed, how and why.
Link your understanding with your experience
A great way to memorize with little effort is to find ways to reference what you are learning. You can do this by associating an experience you may have had with what you are learning in the BABOK. This would apply by first learning the concept and recalling a situation that you faced where you applied a technique or when you had to perform a task as define in the BABOK. This method has proved to be very effective among our students.
Test your knowledge
After going through the BABOK, you want to ensure that you retain the information in it and that you can easily apply this information in any given situation. Continuous testing of your knowledge is key to reinforcing your learning while preparing you for test taking and ensuring that you the knowledge sticks to your memory.
Seek mentoring or practice what you've learned
If you can't recall a situation or even an example from a peer of the usage of a task or techniques, it's time that you seek help outside of your own memory. You can ask the help of another peer who has gone through the situation you are seeking to learn from. Ask them to tell you more about the situation (how, when, where, why... etc) as well as the outcome of the situation. Or you may decide to pick up a book, read it and volunteer your knowledge/skills to the desired situation/project (even as an assistant) in order to gain experience.
The key to passing the CBAP is for Business Analysis tasks and techniques to become second nature to you. Where you know how to solve business problems by using the right technique or task. This approach to studying the CBAP will help you not only earn your certification but also increase your knowledge as a Business Analyst professional.
