Crack Your ECBA Certification Now!

Top Strategies Used by ECBA certified professionals to surpass the exam in the first attempt.

For individuals just starting up on their career, ECBA certification can prove to be a perfect step towards a successful BA domain. It is basically targeted at freshers, professionals looking to switch over to a BA career, and any professional graduates looking to develop their career in the same.

While experience is a significant factor in taking a BA role, having the ECBA on your resume effectively strengthens your credibility when you lack or have minimal experience.

This article will explain the preparation strategy for passing the ECBA certification exam. Though people have different ways of preparing for the exam. However, this is a basic form you can follow to pass the test on the first attempt.

Before that, let us know what this certification is, why it is crucial, and how it is exam format and other related subjects.

What is an ECBA Certification?

An ECBA (Entry Certificate in Business Analysis) is the first level in the business analysis certification framework from the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). The ECBA certification demonstrates the core knowledge and competencies in Business Analysis. It earns recognition as the accreditation is by the leading governing body IIBA.

Unlike the higher-level IIBA certifications, the ECBA doesn't need expertise experience to sit for the exam, which opens a wide range of opportunities for BA enthusiasts.

The accreditation is aimed at entry-level BAs that focus on modelling, requirement analysis, requirements life-cycle management with sound knowledge of tools and concepts.

Is ECBA Certification Worth It?

With more than thousands of certifications available to shape your career in the market, it is common for people to get confused about why ECBA certification is worth it or why it is essential to your career? 

Here are a few top benefits to substantiate the claim:

• Better job prospects
• High pay-scale
• More market opportunities 
• Enhancement of overall performance
• Be recognized for your competency, insight and knowledge of the BA principles and industry best methodologies
• Personal satisfaction of gaining the first step in BA careers
• Individuals with domain experience can shift to the IT sector by becoming a BA professional

What is ECBA Exam Pattern?

ECBA covers the fundamentals of approaching BA according to the BABOK® Guide. This offers individuals a solid base for entering into the BA profession and assists with global certification.

Last year, IIBA changed the syllabus for ECBA, where three out of six knowledge areas have a weightage of 65% and the techniques section has 17.5%. Good news: With the recent update from IIBA on the ECBA syllabus, you can entirely skip two of the knowledge areas because of its 0% weightage.

                                                                             ECBA Syllabus

ECBA exam pattern include:

• Duration: 1-hour (60 minutes)
• Exam type: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
• No. of Questions: 50
• Type of Questions: BABOK knowledge areas and key concepts
• Negative Markings: No
• Passing Score: Above 70% (Score based on individual marks in all knowledge areas)

How to Pass ECBA Exam in First Attempt?

Step1: Familiarize BABOK Terminology

When learning new material, one must understand the primary keywords in the context before understanding the entire content. A glossary review will help in retaining the information better. Familiarizing yourself with BABOK terminology is vital to pass the ECBA exam if you are new to the BA field.

Remember that glossary review alone won't get you passed in the first attempt. The ECBA exam might have a few terms used throughout the BABOK Guide; however not defined in the glossary. Hence it is ideal for reviewing an extensive BABOK glossary created by an IIBA-certified training provider.

Step2: BABOK Content Proficiency

For those new here, BABOK Guide consists of more than 500 pages. Shocked? That's right but if the thought of reading through these pages is intimidating you, then make use of BABOK Guide material from an IIBA-certified trainer. A good and neatly specified detail guide will be much more concise and less tedious than the actual one.

Step3: Take an ECBA Exam Training Course

An ECBA training course is essential for enthusiasts who require more discussion and structure during the study process. Some may find the material covered in the BABOK Guide simple. At the same time, the exam format makes it critical to gain deep conceptual knowledge.

One of the advantages of getting trained before attending the exam is that you get good advice on where to focus for the ECBA exam. This will further increase the chance of getting yourself a great score on the first attempt.

When it comes to the selection of ECBA training course few things have to be kept in mind:

• Search and skim for the best among different IIBA endorsed trainers before settling down with one.
• Ensure the coach is IIBA certified and is familiar with BABOK Guide v3.
• Search for facilitators who are in active participation with IIBA
• Ensure that the trainer offers information that is best-suited and understandable to you
• An ECBA course with simulation exams is best

Step4: Take BABOK Simulation Exams

This is the most vital factor in passing the ECBA exam. A good set of simulation questions will help you understand the question types. The explanation of answers given during the test results will help you identify the strengths and weaknesses and focus on important BABOK Guide information.

Things to look for in ECBA simulation exams:

• Get simulation questions written by people that are active with IIBA
• Get hold of simulation questions that offer details answer explanations
• Obtain question bank from IIBA-certified trainer
• Ensure questions are as per IIBA exam format
• Ensure that full simulations do have 50 questions to manage time, making it beneficial for the actual exam

Step5: Understand Simulation Answer Explanations

To better understand the exam question type, it is advisable to collect a few complete simulation exams and create a list of all the exam question explanations. This applies to questions that you have answered, correct or wrong, and understand them.

To the list of explanations, you will add why your answers were correct or incorrect. If you go through a few simulations, you will get a list of 100-200 explanations to study, thus understanding how the test writers interpret the BABOK material.

Step6: Create BABOK Study Tables

Similar to the advantage of creating a periodic schedule table, the BABOK study table also helps in organizing and viewing BABOK material information that helps in recognizing patterns and trends.

If you prefer to get study tables already created, then look for tables developed by an IIBA-certified trainer.

Step7: Read the Entire BABOK Guide Once

Though there are several ways, you could gain knowledge within BABOK. However, it is highly suggested to go through the entire BABOK Guide content at least once and other study guides.

The introduction chapter in the BABOK Guide defines the crucial components of each chapter that helps you dive through the knowledge areas and tasks without being intimidated. Within a month, read the complete guide with a rigid time allotted schedule. It is better to do before taking the complete simulation tests.

ECBA Exam and Certification Fees

ECBA Certification Training

The only requirement for taking the ECBA certification exam other than creating an IIBA login is completing IIBA training of 25 hours named Professional Development (PD) in the 4 years leading to your application.

IIBA outlines what sort of training courses qualify your PD hours:

• They must be facilitated by a trainer who leads participants through the material.
• There must be measurable learning goals directly applicable to enhance BA skills
• Participants must be able to interact with provided materials by asking queries making the training insightful
• They must be permitted to practice the objective presented and assessed by the trainer
• The subject content must be aligned with BABOK Guide
• IIBA doesn't provide training courses, but you can choose from its list of endorsed education and training providers.

Why iCert Global?

This is subjected to the course offered in India. We do offer our training services across the world. For more visit our website: https://www.icertglobal.com/ or Contact US by email: info@icertglobal.com or Request a Call Back

iCert Global, an IIBA endorsed ECBA certification training provider, helps candidates identify and recognize business needs with the practical implementation of best solutions to generate quality results.

Key features:

• Intense classroom training
• 2 full-length simulation tests
• Complimentary e-learning for all participants
• Course completion certificate
• 24x7 customer support
• Instructor-led online project mentoring sessions
• Interactive sessions by an expert trainer
• Instructor led training
• 21 Contact Hours Certificate

What is our ECBA Course Objectives?

• Improving your potential to handle complex projects, work with shareholders to define, and control their business needs.
• Recognizing your proficiency in multiple domains.
• Prominent senior knowledge and professional competence.
• Allows you to drive business workflows, lead the BA effort and determine opportunities to achieve better results.

Practical Skills Obtained After the ECBA Course Completion

iCert Global’s training focuses on shaping your potentials to be an expert Business Analyst. You will develop the following business analysis practical skills:

• Planning
• Monitoring
• Shareholder engagement approach
• Information management
• Performance enhancements
• Current state analysis
• Shareholder collaboration management
• Risk assessment
• Measure solution performance and more.

ECBA Certification Salary

IIBA offers some salary information that suggests a CBAP can improve your pay. According to IIBA Business Salary Survey 2020, compared to non-certified peers, ECBA professionals had a salary hike of 11%.

According to Glassdoor.com, the average annual salary of ECBA professionals in a few countries are:

India - INR 7,89,000

US - $77,218

Canada - CAD 71,011

Australia - AUD 94,000

Germany - €54,539

Final Thoughts

Your ECBA certification exam must be taken seriously, especially when considering the time and effort put behind its preparation. Preparing yourself before sitting for the exam and on that exam date is significant. It all leads to success and stops you from falling short of your potential.

Once you pass the exam on the first try, ECBA certification will open more doors helping you choose among the best career for future development. Moreover, it also encourages you to get hold of more challenging projects while causing you to be a better BA professional in the market.

About Us

iCert Global is a one-stop solution offering certification training courses in a wide variety of techniques that will give you a head start in this competitive world.Our company conducts both Instructor-led Live Online Training sessions and Instructor-led Classroom training workshops for learners across the globe. We also provide Corporate Training for enterprise workforce development.

iCert Global website: https://www.icertglobal.com/