I have just completed the CBAP and would like to share some of my thoughts about the process involved and the exam as I experienced it. I am based in Ireland and sat the final exam by CBT with Castle Worldwide.

Exam Preparation

In my case I had to study alone for the examination. I would have liked if there was a study group locally but unfortunately that was not one available. I had to devote a lot of my time and attention to my preparation mainly on weekends. To help with my study I purchased the IIBA™ CBAP Exam Prep Study Guide from B2T Training. The study guide consisted of practice questions for all six knowledge areas and also provided an overview of the structure of the exam. This really helped me to focus my efforts in conjunction with the BABOK™.

I used cards as study tools for exam terms and definitions of each knowledge area and also tried to memorize the tasks and activities within each knowledge area - the input and output of each activity across all knowledge areas. I also did the full-blown practice examination in the book beforehand so that the real ones would not appear so daunting.

Examination Itself

In the exam itself there were some 150 questions and you have 3.5 hours to complete the exam. The exam is geared toward senior business analysts with a fair bit of experience. The CBAP™ certification exam is taken via CBT, and is graded immediately. In terms of sitting for the exam the main thing is to well prepared and rested. You will be sitting for a long time. The week before the exam, go to the exam centre and make sure you know how to get there. The night before the exam, try to get a good night's rest as it is three-hour-long and being focused and alert is the best thing you can do for to give yourself the best chance. Allow time the morning of the exam to get there on time. Also treat yourself to a good breakfast on the day to get your energy levels up.

The main thing during the exam itself is to try to put everything you've learned to use and take your time. You probably cannot overemphasise this. You're not scored on how quickly you complete the exam and rushing can lead to costly mistakes. If you do not pass the exam, you must then wait three months before you are allowed to re-take it. Once you push the "I am finished " button, the computer grades your test and notifies you of your pass/fail status within the longest 30 seconds of your life.

Certainly the examination can be daunting but is very fair in all respects. The main thing is to prepare well and try to think of what the BABOK™ mindset is in terms of the answers expected.

Post-Exam

Celebrate! The CBAP™ is a real measure of your professional achievement as an Analyst. Good luck with your studies.