Last year we considered some pros and cons of business intelligence certification. Along with a discussion of general considerations, there was information about CBIP, The Data Warehousing Institute’s certification program for Business Intelligence Professionals. CBIP is open to anyone who wants to prepare (and pay) for the three tests required—two broad-based exams (Core, Data Warehousing) that everyone takes, and one specialization exam (choice of Leadership & Management, Business Analytics, Data Analysis & Design, Data Integration, or Administration & Technology). Applicants can attain “Practitioner level” by scoring at or above 50 percent on each of the three exams, while “Mastery level” is awarded to professionals who score at or above 70 percent on all three.
The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) takes a different approach in their certification program. Applicants must have a set amount of professional experience in order to be accepted for testing. IIBA has been offering the Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) designation for quite a while, but the requirement for 7500 hours of experience—that works out to about ten years—means this certification will not be an immediate option for folks who are only a few years into their careers.
Not long after our last look at certification, though, IIBA announced a new designation: the Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA). This level requires just 3750 hours of experience, making it an option for those at an earlier point on the BA/BI career path. And there’s a fairly broad view of the experience that counts, so those working in systems analysis, requirements analysis or management, process improvement, and consulting may also be eligible for the program.
There are other requirements as well—for example, a “minimum of 21 hours of Professional Development in the past four years”—so this won’t be a fit for everyone. And it’s not a light undertaking, since qualifying and preparing for the IIBA exams can take quite a bit of time. But the CCBA definitely adds another option for the experienced professional seeking certification.
