Today we’re furthering our quest to unearth the potential value of professional growth opportunities by exploring CBAP® prep courses.
I define a CBAP prep course to include the following:
Post sponsored by BAMentor
- Targeted study of the BABOK with the purpose of complete assimilation.
- Assistance in preparing for exam logistics.
- Real-world advice from someone who has passed the exam.
- How to avoid common pitfalls that cause exam failure.
- Practice answering exam-like questions to determine if I’m ready or not.
Exam preparation is just one step of becoming a CBAP. Personally, it’s one I’m not yet ready for as I don’t feel I have completed my tour of duty of BABOK comprehension. Nonetheless, it’s an important step in becoming a CBAP and one you might be ready to take. You don’t necessarily need a course to complete this step. Other possibilities include exam simulations, study guides, and flash cards.
Why now? Well, BAMentor happens to be offering a free CBAP prep course for one Bridging the Gap reader. This offer includes a 6-week course + a full collection of preparation materials, from study guides to flash cards to exam simulations. Check out the details. (affiliate link)
The course starts on August 24, so we don’t have much time for this contest. Here’s what you need to do.
- Leave a comment below. Tell us how you perceive the value of a CBAP preparation course and collection of preparation materials.
- Be specific. How would such a package help you take the next step in your business analyst career and what would you do to make the most of the opportunity?
I’ll be randomly selecting one commenter who leaves a thoughtful, on-topic comment below to receive the CBAP prep course and materials. I’ll be closing the contest on Wednesday, August 18, at 9 am MST. At that time I’ll announce the winner and close the comments on this post. The comments will remain visible to help others that follow along in your path evaluate a CBAP prep course as part of their professional development plan.
Why do a comment contest? Well, for one thing, I care about your opinions and I’m trying to best help business analyst professionals advance their careers. Your comments will help me do that. And for another, leaving comments is one of the easiest ways for you to get involved in the Bridging the Gap community. I’m hoping that by commenting today, you’ll be more likely to comment on another post sometime soon. 
Update 8/18/2010: I’m excited to announce that Larry Reams has won this CBAP Prep Course from BAMentor.
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By Laura Brandenburg. Laura Brandenburg is passionate about business analysis. She's found her niche helping aspiring business analysts find transferable skills and position themselves in the BA job market. To stay up-to-date on the latest from Bridging the Gap be sure to sign-up for our free email course and weekly eNewsletter. View more blog posts by Laura Brandenburg |
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For me, a prep course is valuable as a systematic overview of BABOK topics, not all of which I have perfected in my professional experience or are techniques I don’t often practice. It’s also a challenge to expand knowledge acquired by experience and previous study/training. Moveover, getting used to the exam format and type of questions is a very imporant factor for feeling comfortable to take the exam.
As far as getting the most from a prep course for my future career… I think that exposing skills and areas that are less familiar is always good and can either spark interest for in-depth follow up study or highlight neccessary areas for furhter study. Good notes and summaries from such an organized approach to learning are always useful for quick reference in future, too.
Thank you for all that you are doing to promote the career path for Business Analysts!
I see tremendous value in being afforded the opportunity to receive instruction in the BABOK methodology and to advance to CBAP. I am the only Business Analyst employed in my firm and I welcome the opportunity to be part of such a large network of professionals that will share experience and best practices. We are strong as a community and I find that with the absence of peers to bounce ideas and strategies off on, that this is crucial to my success. No longer will I be a team of one, but a member with a support network.
Having access to the prep class will allow we to sharpen my skill sets, apply new ideas that I have not previously learned along the way and to permit me to mentor others in the industry. I lack formal training in my career and through prep for the CBAP exam and certification I will immensely increase my value to my organization, the BA community and personal self.
Thank you for this opportunity.
Cheryl
The value of a CBAP Preparation Course may be a bit different for me than for some people. I’ve just started a position with a company that is very supportive of CBAP, and in fact, has made it a prerequisite for permanent employment. I have all the other requirements for the CBAP in place and have been approved to sit for the exam. I tend to learn much better in an classroom situation than when I do self-study. Being a captive audience helps! Having a family and a career does not leave much time or energy for self-study either. There are also benefits of learning from others in the same career and networking. Being in a structured organized classroom or virtual classroom setting would also be instrumental in helping all the pieces of the BABOK fall into place in my head.
I think you’ve defined the objectives behind the CBAP prep course pretty accurately. For me, I’m the first person I know to even consider CBAP and following BABOK (I have to admit though that getting to local chapter meetings is difficult for me). Having read the BABOK it resonates really well with my own thinking on what makes for good business analysis. Hence, I want to understand it properly and put it into practice. Not just for my own work but as the general BA framework at my workplace.
I also really want to pass the exam so I can gain that extra little bit of credibility/validation that I do understand BABOK and am in a position to pass knowledge onto others, to encourage wider adoption of the framework.
I can probably get by with just exam simulations, but I respond well to instructor-led and interactive training. Especially from a practitioner and not just an academic.
The CBAP Prep course just may the the nudge I need!
I have read the BABOK cover to cover. I have completed an Associate’s Certificate in Business Analysis through an IIBA certified provider. I have logged in and started to complete my CBAP application. But, other priorities seem to draw me away. It is time to bite the bullet, get the application in and write this exam!
I have completed several insurance industry exams acquiring two designations. The most helpful tools for studying were the exam prep guides. Sample exam questions along with direction on where to focus my learning were invaluable. When it came time to write those exams, it felt like just another prep session. This was what I hope to attain through the CBAP Prep course.
With an actual course instead of a guide, I will have the added bonus of being accountable to a time schedule. This is exactly the push I need right now.
I have applied the BABOK Guide for several years and use it as a reference quite often however the CBAP Preparation course will likely solidify my understanding and provide an important overview of BABOK topics and terms I’ve been using. The formal instruction and getting familiar with exam questions will give me the confidence to completing the course with positive results.
Hi Laura,
Lalita here! Before putting across my comment, First let me thank you for such an excellent opportunity to connect with you.
The CBAP preparation material and course to me is like a door to the world of tremendous opportunities. I feel, that I
can make a difference with my Business analyst knowledge and these trainings and materials would ensure
that I am on the right track and feeding my brain with all right concepts in a systematic fashion. Also, I would have someone
to look at my mistakes and help me correct them immediately. I want to have to take a deep dive in this world of business analysts and I think, this is the best forum for it.
To make the most of this opportunity, I would focus on following points.
1. Absorb everything from the course with an open mind.
2. Apply a thought process everyday to make it a part of my instinct.
3. Explore various areas, where I can apply this knowledge.
3. Share this knowledge with all like minded people, so that we grow and expand as a strong community by encouraging views, questions etc from other people.
4. Continuously sharpen my skill sets by applying new ideas.
My career has informally led me to the path of the business analyst. Previously, I certified as a payroll professional. I studied very hard for that certification, purchased the payroll equivalent to the PMBOK or the BABOK, joined a local payroll chapter, and an online and in person study group to prepare for my certification. The body of knowledge you need for certification in this area is quite broad and deep. Had it not been for the additional help of prep courses and material, certification would have been much more difficult for me, not having yet been exposed to the practical application of all payroll practices. For me, the value of a CBAP prep course would likewise be huge, as I’ve not yet in practice been exposed to all that a business analyst should know.
Certification boosts your self confidence while showing others that you have mastered the body of knowledge important in your field. Certification opens many doors and makes you perceived as more valuable. This package would help me personally, as I’m looking for ways to grow in the business analyst profession. Preparing for this certification would expose me to many aspects of business management and analysis that I might not otherwise be exposed to at this point in my career. I will become a better analyst and manager through obtaining this certification. To make the most of this opportunity, I will apply myself and prepare well for my exam.
Thanks for the opportunity!
A prep course not only gives you the overview and test taking tips that you need to succeed – but it also lets you connect with your peers that are pursuing the same goal. The networking opportunities and experiences that you can share in these classes is just as valueable as the certification itself.
Really great comments so far. Thank you to everyone for your contributions. I can see we have many different ideas of what benefits we’d receive from such a course and I think my own assumptions may have been a bit narrow coming into this post. Just under 24 hours left until the contest is closed!
Hi Laura, thanks for this great opportunity. After being caught in the economic downturn in 2009 – and finding ways to continue my love of business analysis by volunteering, attending seminars and webinars – I find myself at the crucial step of choosing my next challenge which is the CBAP certification. I have always thought it was way out of my reach but after the last 18 months I know I can do anything!
Clearly working through the BABOK with a team of like minded people is exciting to me. I know you all think I am nuts but although I know these methods – it is great to talk through it and become intimately involved in the detailed and charted rules of working as a BA. I have heard many things from many people about how scary this exam is and I believe that if you have a group of people with the same goal, great teachers then you can all pass. The collective ability to learn and grow together is powerful. Although I have worked with someone who has passed the exam – to learn from someone who has and learn all the ups and downs would be the best.
Having tools such as flash cards, application worksheets, exam worksheets, webinars and one on one training would be invaluable to me. I want to be successful in my exam and I would like to work with a team that has the tools and the knowledge to help me get there.
If you want something badly enough, you will work hard and find ways to help yourself through coaching and learning.
Michelle
Also just wanted to say thank you for the thank yous, but this is really the power of all Bridging the Gap readers at work. We wouldn’t be getting this wonderful donation from BAMentor if you all haven’t been so responsive to the information we’ve been putting out there. Thanks really go to Linda Erzah and the BAMentor team for their donation and to everyone who’s been a part of contributing to the CBAP-related discussions here at Bridging the Gap.
Thank you Laura for your great blog and for giving everyone an opporunity to share their thoughts and possibly win a free CBAP prep course. Obviously, everyone who’s posted a comment here realizes the value of it and therefore wants to be the lucky winner who gets the course free.
For me CBAP prep course will do three things
1. Make sure I cover all important aspects of the BABOK and CBAP by leveraging someone else’s experience in this regard
2. Keep me on track in terms of days and level of preparation required. Some could take the exam in 10 days of studies and others might spend 10 months.
3. Help me get real life examples and make the BABOK a little more interesting and less dry reading material.
Good luck to all!
The value of a structured CBAP course is Focus, Structure, and Interaction.
Instead of you trying to separate the wheat from the shaft, the course guides you through an organized learning path. The availability of an instructor allows for interaction with a subject matter expert and an ability to dig deeper to understand concepts or review items that you ‘just aren’t sure about’.
It is 1:31 AM, pretty late to go to bed but not late at all to tell how important it is for me to have a CBAP certification course! One has to be open to new opportunities, but only the prepared gets it. I have always wanted to be a BA and accomplished it partially by doing MBA and working in that area. The other part of it will be completed when I get my CBAP certification. My busy life with work and my twins did not allow me to have too much time to do self-study:Being in a structured environment will help me to accomplish this other part of my goal. Taking this class will not only help me in my CBAP test but also to sharpen my BA skills such that I can be a better contributor to the projects and help the other BA’s that need help. I have tried several times reading the BABOK , it is dry. There are so many inputs, outputs that you get lost in which is which and retain that knowledge by just self-study. Help! I need someone that can teach it in some meaningful way! I think having a class like this will help me drastically to organize my thought process, provide opportunities to ask questions, use the materials that is provided during the class not just for the exam but throught my career. It will also provide me the best way to get ready for the exam, especially by practices that will allow me to know what I do not know. It will enable me to see where my weak points are so that I can improve them. I am ready for the challenge! Will you provide the opportunity?Thanks! Even thinking about the possibility of being chosen makes me excited…this may still keep me awake for several hours to come.
1:31 AM is my time here…
Economic times are tough, and the key to survival is to become as professional as possible and rapidly as possible. There’s no longer time for slow learning by osmosis. It’s time for accelerated assimilation, and building the ability for rapid recall.
The CBAP Prep Course provides the vehicle to reach these objectives. Along with the structure of the BABOK itself, the course’s focus and pre-built, proven mnemonics provide a framework for memorization and recall – both for the test and in practice. Interaction with the instructor and other students provides opportunity to “flesh out” the material in the BABOK through the experience of others. Learning through a time-bound course puts it in a project that demands performance and eliminates opportunity for procrastination. The flashcards and exam simulations provide a way to measure and demonstrate improvement to others and myself. Seeing success with interim goals provides confidence for test time, and more importantly enhances the professionalism I need to deliver to my customers.
The opportunity for structured learning like this doesn’t come often. If I’m able to take the CBAP Prep Course, I plan to jump on the opportunity, giving it the time it deserves and deferring interruptions. It’s time to excel. I can’t wait!
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