pmi-pba

What is the best strategy to prepare for PMI-PBA?

Project Management / By

Business Analyst domain is picking up in the market very quickly. This has emerged as one competency which compliments Project Management and enhances the Project Success. In IT sector, Business Analyst has role is also highly regarded and demanded. The professional growth path is also defined for this track in the organizations from Business Analyst to Senior Business Analyst, System Analyst, and Analyst consultant etc.

PMI PBA Coupon

All this calls for a certification in Business Analyst domain for aspirants looking forward to enhance their career in this path. What’s better than a certification by PMI – Project Management Institute, the most reputed Project Management certifications provider? In this article, we shall have a look at strategy to prepare for PMI-PBA (Professional Business Analyst) certification offered by PMI.

Strategy to prepare for PMI-PBA Certification

Requirement gathering is a skill and inaccurate requirement gathering/understanding is one of the top three reasons for the project failures. PMI-PBA as certification covers in-depth details of the same. PMI-PBA certified individual is regarded as well mature Business Analyst.

Let’s look at the step-wise approach/strategy to prepare for PMI-PBA certification

pmi-pba

Understand eligibility, Exam content

Many aspirants might already know about it, however, there is a chunk of people who don’t know about it and start getting information in bits and pieces. Those information has problems like it’s not true, create confusion, and make a false image of certification and exam. One has to go through the eligibility criteria and exam content given by PMI and make oneself well versed with it. Below link can be used for all this information. There is a link to handbook for PMI-PBA at the same link. As a first step, download it and give a quick read to it.

https://www.pmi.org/certifications/types/business-analysis-pba

At a high-level eligibility of PMI-PBA is as below:

 

  • Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or
  • 7,500 hours of business analysis experience
  • 2,000 hours working on project teams*
  • 35 contact hours of education in business analysis

OR

  • Bachelor’s degree or the global equivalent
  • 4,500 hours of business analysis experience
  • 2,000 hours working on project teams*
  • 35 contact hours of education in business analysis

*Project experience can include your business analysis experience. A current PMP® or PgMP® will satisfy this requirement but is not required for the PMI-PBA.

Make a high-level Plan with targets

This is a human tendency that we don’t work without an end goal and a path forward to that goal. As it’s said also that nothing works without deadlines or time-boxing. If you keep yourself flexible in terms of PMI-PBA exam writing date, you will keep on pushing it and parking it to the next available break you can afford and prepare for it. It’s very important to set the target date/month for the exam and plan backward from that date. If there is no hurry set this date as X+5 months where X is current day.

Take PDU training:

Training is anyway required from exam eligibility perspective (35 contact hour’s education). Another benefit of training is it will set you right for your preparation. That trigger to start preparation and getting overview works wonders for few.

One more perspective for taking training is, after giving a quick read of one prep book before taking this. My view on this is, if you have that much time and a clear focus approach, go for it, it will help you during your training but if you are struggling to finish reading and pushing your training, don’t delay it.

At Whizlabs, we provide both Training options:

PMI-PBA® FREE EXAM SIMULATOR
PMI-PBA® MOCK EXAM SIMULATOR

Complete exam preparation guide:

This is the most exhausting step where you will be reading exam preparation guide. For PMI-PBA certification the most important books you need to go through are:

  • PMBOK® – Project Management Body of Knowledge
  • Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide

Both these are published and authored by PMI®. This step will consume time and also distract you but sticking to plan is very important for completing this step. Many aspirants find PMBOK hard or theoretical because of which they are not able to focus and complete this step. In that case, training material can help. Also, PMI has provided a reference list in case the certain topic is not getting in, you can refer the books from the list at below link:

http://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/certifications/professional-business-analysis-reference-materials.pdf

Give mock:

After the extensive read of PMBOK and other references, this is the time to test the learnings. In this step, aspirants have to go for full mock tests. These mocks are not going to test the knowledge and leaning but also the stamina for 4 hours test.

It will take 1–2 mock tests to set your stamina for sitting for a long time and focusing on questions. These mocks will get you ready for exam in multiple respects. Next step has to be repeated after every mock test

Note the gaps and refer material:

Mocks without proper analysis will not be fruitful. To make full use of the mock test, after every mock test, identify the gaps and areas where you have scored less, else the purpose of mock test is gone. Identify the areas where you need revision or where your answers were not correct. Work on it before attempting next mock. Refer internet, YouTube, LinkedIn, blogs etc..all the channels required to make sure yourself understand the concepts which are not clear.

As per my experience after 3-4 mocks, you will be clear on your weak areas and you will be prepared for it.

Repeat mocks till you get 90% for 2 consecutive tests:

This step is just a pointer and automatically after 2-3 mocks, you will be clear and start scoring in the mocks. 90% is the final target, but even if it’s less it should be fine. If you score between 85 to 90 % for 2 consecutive mocks you are ready else you need to continue working on your gaps and attempting it. This step may be repeated multiple times and this is what will give you confidence and readiness check.

Conclusion

Focusing and following this plan is not tough. Here and there little-bit tweaking and flexibility can be easily accommodated. The primary aspect of any plan is, one needs to adhere to it. PMI certifications sound hard because aspirants read one chapter then break for a quarter and again restart, which is where the rigor disappears. Just be focused and follow these steps as the placeholder for you to a reality check. You will be good and attain your PMI-PBA credentials very soon.

About Aditi Malhotra

Aditi Malhotra is the Content Marketing Manager at Whizlabs. Having a Master in Journalism and Mass Communication, she helps businesses stop playing around with Content Marketing and start seeing tangible ROI. A writer by day and a reader by night, she is a fine blend of both reality and fantasy. Apart from her professional commitments, she is also endearing to publish a book authored by her very soon.

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