This book is the result of collaboration between Susan Weese and Terri Wagner. Susan authored the book. Terri reviewed text, contributed some practice exam questions, and lent her experience and expertise to the overall project. We hope that you, the reader, will enjoy reading this book as much as we enjoyed writing it. Susan Weese, CBAP®, PgMP, PMP, PRINCE2, MSPM Susan is a management consultant, curriculum designer, and professional speaker specializing in project management and requirements development process development and implementation for complex information technology projects. She started her work career as a software engineer, designing and developing complex mathematical algorithms for satellite and radar systems. Halfway through her work life, Susan crossed to the dark side of technology and became actively involved with managing programs, projects, large consulting organizations, and business processes. She is still having a blast and has never looked back.
Susan founded Colorado-based Rhyming Planet, Inc., in 2000 to motivate, lead, and enable technical and business professionals to accomplish their program and project goals. Susan is also an adjunct faculty member at Colorado State University and the University of Phoenix, delivering courses on project management and the underlying competencies that make good managers into great managers. She is currently a PRINCE2 assessor for the APMG-US, auditing global training organizations and instructors developing and delivering certification courses in this project management methodology.
Terri Wagner, MA, PMP, CSM Terri Wagner has managed multi-million dollar project management office portfolios for international consulting clients. She has also led teams of project managers, business analysts, process specialists, operational groups, and trainers in the planning, design, development, and deployment of internal system and operational enhancements, as well as client-based solution initiatives. She has been honored as a creative thinker with the ability to successfully apply technology for the advancement of internal and external operational efficiencies and quality. Terri has taught business analysis, project management, portfolio management, business leadership, business acumen, communication, applying emotional intelligence, critical thinking, team problem solving, leadership and interpersonal skills, negotiation skills, general management, earned value management, quality management, time and efficiency management along with other topics to state and governmental agencies, corporate clients, and at the graduate level in the university system, and has developed a coaching program for first line through executive level for a Fortune 500 company.
Terri Wagner is the owner/managing member of Mentor Source, Inc., a Colorado-based coaching, consulting, and training company. She has delivered training, coaching, consulting, and project management in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Europe.
Congratulations on your decision to study for and take the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA ™ ) Certifi ed Business Analysis Professional (CBAP ® ) or Certifi cation of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA ™ ) exam. This book was written specifi cally with you in mind. The book also targets individuals who want a set of “ tried and true ”business analysis best practices and activities to use when performing business analysis work.
The focus and content of this book revolves around A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge ® (BABOK ® Guide) Version 2.0, published by the IIBA ™ headquartered in Toronto, Canada. We will refer to the BABOK ® Guide throughout this book and use its contents to drive our discussions on performing successful business analysis work across the project life cycle. In some cases, certain phrases are used verbatim to ensure strict conformance with the BABOK ® Guide. Both certifi cation exams focus on the contents of the BABOK ® Guide, and we recommend that you get a copy of the guide to assist you when you are using our book to prepare you for the exams.
The book contains many hints and tips about preparing for and passing the exam and using what you have learned in your everyday work. The fi rst tip for anyone wanting to become familiar with the BABOK ® Guide is that you need to learn its language. Speaking this language gives you a common business analysis language, regardless of the industry or organization you work in. The terms and defi nitions found there may be different from the terms and defi nitions you use at work. So, your fi rst step is to familiarize yourself with the terms and defi nitions so you are comfortable with BABOK ® Guide- speak.
This book covers all 16 of the techniques that the BABOK ® Guide identifi es as essential for all business analysts. You will see them introduced as one of the 16 essential techniques when that particular technique is covered in detail as part of a knowledge area chapter.
