My CBAP experience in 22 slides, I tried my best to explain what I underwent. Hope it helps someone who is demotivated or thinking to get a CBAP certification.

1. Durga Prasad , CBAP®, CSM®

2. 
 Watermark learning study guide, exam simulation
 IIBA Business Analysis Body of Knowledge 3.0
 You Tube – for specific topics
 https://www.slideshare.net/maddyiscrazy/babokv3-
tasks-techniques
 https://www.slideshare.net/maddyiscrazy/babok-v3-
tasks-input-output
Pls note : There are other study aids also available, I used WM
learning for my CBAP preparation.
I confirm that I don't endorse any vendors here.
Study Aids

3. 
 Get yourself a membership from IIBA, Canada. It
may cost you around $50 if you are from India.
 Fee depends on the region you live in, IIBA
categorised countries as Region 1 , Region 2, Region 3
 Find more details here
http://www.iiba.org/Membership/global-membership-fees.aspx
Step by Step to CBAP

4. 
 Get hold of an IIBA Endorsed Education Provider in
your town to attain 35 PDUs (Professional
Development Units)– will discuss this in next Slide
 Visit IIBA Chapter in your town speak to people
there to understand the schedules of Study groups
 Enrol in a study group or start one by pooling
people, IIBA Chapters are very co-operative
Before you Jump in

5. 
35 PDUs are mandatory in order to get your application
approved by IIBA
How to get these?
1. Approach an Endorsed Education Provider – They
regularly conduct 2day sessions which may cost you but
they can grant PDUs straight away
2. Keep attending IIBA webinars and participate in Study
groups – This is a cost free way to get PDUs ( 1PDU is
awarded for 1 webinar and 12 for a Study Group( This
may also vary from chapter to chapter)
35 PDUs

6. 
As you are an experienced BA – Pls visit IIBA website
to find out the application process…
This document will run out of scope if I start discussing
application process…
Lets get back to learn how to crack CBAP
Application

7. 
 Print BABOK 3.0 and get a spiral bound or clip
chapter-wise (WBS)
 Get one dairy or notes to pen your learning
 Alarm clock/ alarm in mobile
 If possible a white board (I tried to avoid this first
but in the last moment I bought one because you got
to memorise and recollect all those input and
outputs for task in each knowledge area.
 Clean room ( No distractions) You are vulnerable
now like a baby – may get distracted very easily
Prepare for the war

8. 
 Pls be aware you will undergo lot of stress and
frustration after reading the first chapter, I bet you
will look at the last page and start counting pages.
 Most of the people I know left this halfway, keep
motivating yourself.
 Devote 2hrs daily after work or before work
 Stick to the timings (set an alarm for two hrs)
 Watch Motivational videos to boost your morale
Mind Management

9. 
 CBAP can be cracked in 6months or less depending
on your dedication
 Read BABOK for minimum 5-6 times – this may
sound weird but CBAP exam only tests your BABOK
knowledge not your professional experience.
 I promise you will fall in love with BABOK after 5
rounds
 Don’t neglect BABOK glossary
Important Information

10. 
 Don’t read any other material or books apart from
BABOK initially
 Don’t take any test unless you completed 5 rounds,
you can attempt but don’t lose hope if you fail
 Start identifying KAs and Task numbers as well,
they are very important
 Make your own mnemonics to identify Tasks and
techniques
Important Information

11. 
 You should train your mind in such a way that you
should keep using BABOK terminology in your daily
work life
 Whenever you find time keep writing Tasks, Input
and output on rough papers – this activity will keep
your subconscious mind react in needy time (Will
tell you about this in coming slides)
 Download slide share docs mentioned in study aid
page in this document, print the document on A3
keep these handy for quick reference
Important Information

12. 
Water mark learning is pioneer in CBAP exams,
I am not endorsing any vendor here, Their system is so well
designed that it gives 1000+ questions to prepare and also
your progress can be tracked.
Only sign-up if you are ready to test your knowledge, WML
is premium
! Warning:
Pick WML subscription wisely, I opted 120days with
greediness and ended up using it for hardly 25days. So be a
better judge!
Exam Simulation

13. 
Where are you?
The above stats can be found on IIBA website

14. 
 Treat this as a mission, don’t give up! I started with
34member group in that only 6 are CBAPs now…
 CBAP is not a cakewalk , if you really want to be one
among those few thousands in the world who made
it then take it up!
 You will feel the difference both personally and
professionally
 Daily 2 hrs for 6months is not difficult if you
seriously want to be a CBAP
Final Word

15. 
I found CBAP on someone’s LinkedIn profile contacted and learned more
about it, by then I heard its difficult to crack and thought not my cup of tea. I
found an EEP of IIBA met them, understood the difficulty and took the
challenge, attended their 2days session and was not that great but an eye
opener that I burnt my money for 35 PDUs. I started studying BABOK…
My feelings at various round of BABOK
Round 1: Why is this book so dry?
Round 2: I think I wasted my money and time
Round 3: I find something new every time I read
Round 4: I think this book isn’t making any sense to me
Round 5: I have completed 5 rounds but not sure what’s happening with me ?
I tested my Knowledge I badly failed here
I tore my book into pieces and was so annoyed
My Experience

16. I left BABOK for 3 weeks almost, I came to know about one guy who cracked the
exam after reading BABOK 10times…
I was like what??
I called him and asked his experience , he gave me some motivation and also about
the IIBA Chapter’s study group without any second thought I signed up for a study
group.
I attended the study group and met many people there and some even worst than
my preparation.
I paired up with one buddy there and he helped me in getting my understanding
correct and he used to appreciate my efforts and so do I. We used to catch up for
10mins daily on phone to discuss about topic we covered that day. My motivation
went to the next level…
I started my rounds again
My Experience

17. 
My feelings at next rounds of BABOK
Alarm Rings!!! 4am ( used to study from 4:30 am to 7:30 am)
Round 6: Refresher of forgotten chapters
Round 7: Able to recognise tasks and I/O diagrams
Round 8: Can guess what topic is in the next page
Round 9: Perfection! I can tell if the term exists in BABOK or not
Started to take WML simulation tests daily and meanwhile I paid my exam fee. I
wrote all the topics where I failed and revisited that topic on the go.
Round 10: Took this at a very high speed two days before exam
My Experience

18. 
1 week before exam :
Touched almost all questions in WML simulation and reduced the speed as I was
little confident because my buddy cleared his CBAP in that week.
I stopped my test 4 days before and only read the topics where I failed.
Had a very good sleep the day before
On the D day!
I went 3 hrs before my exam which is foolishness but I want to get rid of this CBAP
notes and messy room with lot of papers.
Finally they called me in , did a stringent security check
Put me into a cubical which had a camera right on my face (may differ from place to
place), I was eager like a bull waiting for door to open!
My Experience

19. 
A screen appeared with lots of instruction and navigation details– I couldn’t resist
to click on I agree, I read it fully and clicked on proceed to test. Don’t overlook this
part VERY IMPORTANT
Exam began!
Candidates are allowed to write some rough notes and stationary is provided by
the prometrics centre.
I started writing all my memorised mnemonics but clock was ticking and my heart
was pounding, so left it and started to attempt the exam.
It was a nervous situation initially…First question was a bouncer to me, I clicked on
review later. Second one was straight forward , I answered it with a smile…
I used to finish WML simulation in 90-120 mins like a Pro, so I was a bit confident
initially but after looking at some A4 size questions I thought I may run short of
time! I did, indeed…
By end of 2nd hr I had answered only 90plus in that 40plus are for review… Failure
feeling hit me hard!
My Experience

20. 
I did my best in attempting all 150 question by end of 2.5 hrs and only 30 mins in
hand to review and answer 50 questions( number increased)
Most of them were correct! But here is the catch never change any answers unless
you are sure, because you may overthink and end up with a wrong answer.
The input / output exercise which I was practicing on rough papers worked here,
my subconscious mind helped me answering straight forward questions at ease!
Beware of the spellings and topics out of BABOK
Timer appeared ! On my screen with 10mins ( My mind voice was like… another
10mins to die)
I took this exam so serious that everything had a logic and meaning to me…
I have submitted my answers and closed my eyes hoping to see a failure message
because most of the questions I answered in the last moment were clueless…
My Experience

21. 
Instructor came to my place and tapped me… I opened my eyes and found that I
cleared CBAP!!
I was so relived that I don’t need to wake up and read or worry for something that
is haunting from past 8 months… I felt so happy that I started explaining my pain
to the instructor and the amount of hard work I put to clear this certification!
She gave a look “ WHO CARES!” , I realised and took my copy of the result to
celebrate this victory!!
I am a CBAP!! I proudly place those four letters after my name like a PHD
My Experience

22. 
Dear Reader,
If you find anything that shouldn’t be disclosed here please write to me. The only
intention of this document is to help CBAP aspirants crack the exam. I am not
against / endorsing any institutions or service providers.
Please provide your feedback @ daaripaka@gmail.com
Regards,
Durga Prasad, CBAP , CSM
Disclaimer