Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA) Certification Prep

Course Outline

I. Welcome to the class!

We'll start the ECBA™ Certification Prep Class with an overview of what the ECBA™ is, the process for applying, scheduling your test and, of course, passing it.  We’ll review sample questions provided by the IIBA and how the test questions are distributed over the 6 Knowledge Areas, Competencies, and Techniques in the BABOK®. We will also provide a preview of the ECBA™ course content and our process for delivering a valuable learning experience.

II. Business Analysis & Key Concepts Overview

Before we can focus on the BABOK®, 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 ECBA™ examination. What is business analysis?  Throughout this section, practice questions are reviewed.

1. The role and competencies of the business analyst
2. The Systems/Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
3. Project & Requirements Life Cycle Management
4. Requirements Engineering basics
5. Levels of requirements, tool and techniques
6. Perspectives, systems, processes, and actors

III. The Business Analysis Knowledge Areas

At the heart of IIBA certification is high level knowledge of the BABOK®. In this section of the class, we'll dive appropriately 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 ECBA™ 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 class will help you continue to increase your comfort and confidence with the examinations via realistic practice exercises throughout. Combined with the opportunity to discuss your questions, these activities will help you further refine your strengths and weaknesses with the material:

1. Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring
2. Elicitation & Collaboration
3. Requirements Life Cycle Management
4. Strategy Analysis
5. Requirements Analysis & Design Definition
6. Solution Evaluation

IV. Underlying Competencies

Having attained an appropriate understanding of the BABOK® Knowledge Areas, you must still understand and know critical business analysis fundamentals. This module takes a structured review of the underlying competencies you need to know for the ECBA™ certification:

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

V. Techniques

A Business Analyst employs a variety of tools and techniques during a project to ensure successful results. Throughout the course, we will review the Tools & Techniques in the BABOK® so that you have sufficient knowledge to respond to questions on the test:

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

VI. A Guide to Success on the Exams

At the end of this one day course, you will be provided a few final tips to improve your examination experience. In this final section, you'll get our best tips and have the opportunity to practice with a sample examination on your own.  The Study Guide provides practice test questions with answers and BABOK® references.  

1. Recommendations for next steps
2. Key tips to remember for the exam
3. Final test hints
4. Practice examination