Top Business Analysis Certifications 2024

The rate at which technology has evolved through human history has picked up the pace to exponential scales in the last century. The advancements are being made at a rapid pace and it is important for employees to keep abreast with these advancements to stay relevant.

This has brought forth a series of new job profiles with very lucrative market share, most of them focused on increasing the efficiency in various systems. It is important for an employee to keep updated with any advancements made in their field of work.

They are also expected to add multi-faceted skills to their armory to stay desirable in the job market. The need for constant up-skilling is present in the industry. This increases the job prospects for any employee.

Getting a certification in a field of interest from a governing body can go a long way in boosting the chances of any job seeker or anyone looking for new challenges.

This is the reason, the best business analyst course have emerged as a very popular option preferred by professionals looking to further their skill level. One such exciting new field of work is a Business analysis where CBAP certification is vital.

The science of business analysis is being used by multiple companies with each passing year. It has resulted in a demand for qualified analysts, especially with CBAP certification who can offer value to organizations. This demand has led to a lot of interest in this exciting new field of work.

What Is Business Analysis

Business analysis can be described as the science of analyzing and identifying business needs and coming up with a solution for the same. They operate in fields like software development, systems development, policy development, process improvement, etc.

The analysis is carried out by professionals trained in this aspect and are known as business analysts. Therefore, as inferable, business analysts aid an organization in upgrading their software, services, processes, and even products. They occupy the tight rope between information technology and the business part of the organization.

They are agile members of the organization and walk the tight rope using the data analytics skill in their arsenal in assessing the systems and determining requisites in order to offer data-driven strategy plans.

These reports are offered to the stakeholder and the executives of the organization and help the management make an informed strategic plan for future operations.

The analysts need to get across to the management as to how these recommendations formulated with help of data can help increase efficiency in various facets and help add value to the clients. The changes proposed may be to any of the facets of the functioning of the organization, including processes, services, hardware, software, and products.

However, analysts also need to make sure that the recommendations are viable and not just theoretical. For this purpose, they need to consider more than technical data while formulating these recommendations. They need to take into account major factors like the financial viability as well as the logistical viability of these recommendations.

Therefore, data analysts need to be aware of the practical feasibility, by looking at financials and logistics, and the technical analysis of data, before formulating any recommendations.

A major body of authority in this field is the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). This organization is the leading accreditation authority in this field and views the analyst as “an agent of change” for the organization.

This establishes the fact that to be a successful business analyst, one needs to have multiple skill sets and needs to be able to cater to multiple requirements. The foremost is the skill of analyzing data to spot patterns of problems and formulating solutions based on the same data.

Also, the analyst needs to have sensibilities of practical know-how to understand the viability of various options to move forward from a financial standpoint. And lastly, but very importantly, the skill of communication is required.

They need to have the ability to communicate these recommendations effectively to the management, outlining the need for the recommended changes. They also need to be able to make decisions and have a sense of leadership within as well to be capable of being decisive while making these recommendations.

Having all these skillsets, and earning a CBAP certification is the icing on the cake. With the current scenario, business analysts are in high demand everywhere in the technological world.

Why Get a Business Analysis Certification?

Despite being a relatively new job profile, there are ranges of CBAP certifications available for those who wish to prove their credentials as business analysts. This is because a lot of professionals are looking to show off their skill level with CBAP certification in order to attract recruiters by enrolling in a good business analyst course.

This is largely due to the growing market for business analysts. Many organizations, especially ones in the domain of software development, are turning to business analysis to fine-tune their efficiency and product value.

Any business is constantly faced with the prospect of taking a call on future strategy and ways to improve their output and use of resources. When taking a call, it makes sense to do so depending on quantifiable data rather than something like instinct. This is the reason for the growing demand for business analysts in the market.

Big data and analytics have completely revamped how companies strategize going forward, and the rising scope of this market stands as a testament to that fact.

The scope of the market for Business analysts has been rapidly growing ever since it entered the fray. According to Mordor Intelligence, in 2020 the market value was at 67.92 billion.

They further predict as per their own projections that the market will touch a whopping 103.65 billion by the year 2026. This is unbelievable growth for a job profile that was unheard of as recently as a decade and a half back.

This has given rise to the demand for qualified professionals with multi-dimensional skills with CBAP certification that can add value to organizations. Companies are willing to pay adequate compensation for a quality professional, especially for CBAP certification in this regard.

According to PayScale, the average compensation for a professional IT business analyst is $67,762 per year. This is only set to increase are firms are expected to wrestle it out for the best quality professionals in this field.

With the growing market demand and increase in the scope of compensation, it is becoming an obvious CBAP certification to pursue those with skills suited for this profile.

Getting a good certification in this regard can help one stand out to recruiters and can act as an assurance of your skill level at handling the responsibilities, and level of competency expected of a professional in this field.

Therefore, for any professional with relevant skills, getting business analysis certifications is the obvious way forward for a lucrative career.

Top Business Analysis Certifications

Once the decision has been made to pursue a business analysis certification, one is faced with the dilemma of choosing the right certification to pursue. Despite being a relatively new field, a number of quality certifications of the best business analyst course are offered here.

It becomes important to be clear of one’s roadmap in pursuing these best business analyst courses by understanding the business analyst course details.

You need to identify the best business analyst certification for yourself. The best business analyst course for you might be different from one application to another candidate.

Here we take a look at the top six courses that one can pursue to kick start their career in the field of business analysis. Most of the best business analyst course is offered by one governing body, IIBA. The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit and the leading authority and governing body for business analytics. They offer some of the most reputed certifications in this regard.

Here are the Top Six Courses for Business Analysis

ECBA Certification

ECBA is an acronym for Entry Certificate in Business Analysis. It is the initiation level certification that is made available by IIBA. This certification is designed for entry-level professionals. It helps establish the base level skills of an individual in being able to operate in business analysis. This is basically one of the best business analyst courses for business analyst certification for beginners.

The requirements of this course are meager. To be eligible, the candidate must have completed at least 21 hours of professional training in the four years prior to application. It is a sixty-minute exam and consists of 50 multiple-choice questions.

Although exact minimum pass requirements are not revealed by the IIBA, it has been noted that the candidate would have to get around seventy percent of answers correct to get certified.

The candidate may retake the exam in case of failure to do so. There is no need to renew this certification. But since it is an entry-level certification, candidates are expected to move on to higher certification levels.

CCBA Certification

CCBA is an acronym for the Certification of Competency in Business Analysis. It is the intermediate-level certification, one of the best business analyst courses offered by the IIBA. It helps establish the candidates understanding of applications of concepts in hypothetical situations that might arise in the order of the business. It is among the more popular business analysis certifications.

To be eligible, the candidate needs to have a minimum of 3,750 hours of work in business analytics that is aligned with BABOK (Business Analysis Book of Knowledge), from the IIBA in the preceding seven years. Furthermore, they need to either have 900 hours of experience in two of the six knowledge areas of the BABOK, or, 500 hours in four of the knowledge areas of BABOK.

Furthermore, they need to have completed 21 hours of professional development training in the preceding four years. And it goes without saying that they have to have achieved ECBA certification. They also require two professional references to appear for the exam.

The exam is conducted over two hundred and ten minutes and consists of 130 multiple-choice questions. The questions are scenario-based and require the skill of analytics. These questions cover key concepts and techniques. Knowledge of all six knowledge areas of BABOK would also be required. Candidates are required to get seventy percent of the answers correct to clear the CCBA certification.

The CCBA Certification Training Course, offered by Sprintzeal, will give you the best chance in being prepared to clear the requirements for obtaining this certification.

CBAP Certification

CBAP is an acronym for the Certified Business Analysis Professional. It is the third level in the line of business analysis certifications offered by IIBA. It is to certify the candidates with CBAP certification have extensive business analysis experience.

This would need a thorough understanding of case studies and the BABOK. It would need a very good level of experience working in the field for the professional to be able to clear it.

To be eligible, the candidate needs to have a minimum of 7,500 hours of work experience in the preceding ten years. The candidate is also required to have work experience of at least 900 hours in four out of six knowledge areas of the BABOK.

This is essentially a BABOK certification to establish competency in that regard. The candidate needs to have gone through 35 hours of professional development training in the preceding four years.

Candidates also require professional references to be eligible. This goes without saying that the candidate is required to have finished ECBA and CCBA to establish the credibility of competence.

The exam goes on for two hundred and ten minutes and consists of 120 multiple-choice questions. These questions are based on case studies. Candidates are expected to get seventy percent of the answers right in order to attain the CBAP certification. Furthermore, to maintain the certification, candidates are required, after getting the CBAP certification, to complete 60 hours of continuing development every three years.

The CBAP Certification Training offered by Sprintzeal can provide you with the right resources and training required to obtain the CBAP certification.

CAP Certification

CAP is the Certified Analytics Professional certification offered by INFORMS. It seeks to establish the candidate’s competency in drawing valuable insights from highly complex data. These insights are used to help build strategic business decisions which makes it one of the best business analyst courses.

It combines experience and education with a competitive exam to ensure the high capability of candidates who obtain the certification. This is one of the best business analysis certifications available and helps distinguish a candidate.

To be eligible, a candidate needs to have a master’s degree in a relevant field along with at least five years of work experience. Alternatively, they can have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field coupled with seven years of experience.

The candidates have the option of obtaining an associate-level certification, given as aCAP, if they have three years of work experience on top of their master’s degree. The exam is designed to test knowledge in the entire analytics process.

It is a 180-minute exam consisting of 100 multiple-choice questions. The questions test professional fluency in data projects. The typical passing percent hovers around 70. It is largely based on the JTA (Job Task Analysis) which is developed by subject matter experts and acts as the blueprint.

AAC Certification

This certification caters to the ever-growing market of agile practices. With the growth in agile, there has been a growing demand for business analytics curated specifically for that process. This is why IIBA came up with Agile Analysis Certification (AAC).

This certification is aimed at specializing in candidates who work in agile environments. This helps establish the ability of the candidate to adapt fast and respond to any rapid changes. This is a standalone certification and does not fall in the hierarchy of other business analysis certifications offered by IIBA.

There is no specific eligibility to be fulfilled by the candidates appearing for the exam. However, it is recommended, both by IIBA and recruiters, to have two-six years’ experience working in an agile environment prior to obtaining this certification.

The 120 minutes long exam is conducted by use of online proctoring and consists of 85 multiple-choice questions. These questions are scenario-based and test the ability to react to situations.

The questions are based on agile mindset, strategy, initiative, and delivery. The candidates would have to score 70 percent in order to pass. The certification is valid for three years and needs to be constantly renewed.

CBDA Certification

This certification is aimed at checking and ensuring the real-world application capability of the candidate. CBDA or Certification in Business Data Analytics is aimed at professionals who seek to prove their ability in executing analysis-related work in a business environment.

To get this certification, one must be able to examine a business problem from a real-world scenario and obtain data from relevant data sources to analyze and interpret the same.

The candidate needs to have the sensibility of using the reports so obtained in applications in company strategies. It is one of the most application-based Business analysis certifications.

The exam is for business analysts with two-three years of experience in executing analysis-related works. It is a 120-minute exam and consists of 75 multiple-choice questions. Candidates need to clear 70 percent of questions correctly to pass the exam. The credentials need to be renewed every year.

Roadmap for the Top six Business Analysis Certifications 

The pass marks change every year with every exam set but generally hover around this range.

Honorary mentions

- PMI PBA

- CFLBA

- CALBA

- CPRE

Conclusion

Business analysis certifications are proving to be a valuable skill indicator and an ideal place to kick start a lucrative career in business analysis. IIBA certifications, especially, are highly sought out among candidates by recruiters in the current market.

For anyone with the relevant skills for this role, it is a no-brainer to enroll in a business analytics online course. These online courses give you the flexibility of learning by getting the best business analyst course at your convenience. This aspect helps you obtain business analysis certifications with relative ease.

The available pool of resources for CBDA, IIBA, and CBAP certification offered by online courses is just an added bonus. Taking the help of a reputed and recognized training partner like Sprintzeal would give you able ground to prepare adequately.

The business analyst training provided by Sprintzeal would put you in great stead to obtain your Business Analysis certifications. Join Sprintzeal and pursue your business analysis certifications now!

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