The GAQM CBAF-001 exam is intended to evaluate the knowledge on assessing a business and identifying its IT requirements and then coming up with suitable solutions. As you know, it is a requirement to pass before you earn the entry-level Certified Business Analyst Foundation certificate or just CBAF that validates that candidates can effectively collect and document business requirements and translate them into system design specifications for successful implementation by IT development teams.

Who It Targets

Business analysts act as a link between the business and the IT department. They are responsible for studying the business and pointing out changes that need to be made to meet IT needs. As it is a foundational designation, anyone is welcome to take the test. However, it is best suited for professionals who are in the system or business analysis space. At the same time, product managers, project engineers, and even business owners are also encouraged to take the CBAF-001 evaluation.

Exam Details

Thus, on the scheduled day, candidates will go through 40 multiple-choice tasks within 1 hour. A score of 70% is required to pass and be awarded the certification. You should know that this proctored evaluation has no requirements that interested parties have to fulfill before they are allowed to register for the CBAF-001 exam. However, applicants are advised to attend the official training course before taking the closed-book test.

Regarding the enrollment cost, you should purchase the exam voucher for $128. It is used to register for the online supervised test at ProctorU. You can also take advantage of special offers from GAQM. For example, the standard package for $85 will give you 20 days’ access to the corresponding course but requires the purchase of an exam voucher separately. At the same time, the premium package for $175 includes a voucher and 40-day access to training.

Skills Measured

The first thing every candidate should know is what awaits him/her at the final exam. So, the CBAF-001 test is designed to check the presence of several skills as well as the knowledge that is relevant to business analysis. It includes the six modules below:

• Module 1: Business process analysis overview

  The first domain targeting the CBAF-001 exam covers the basic concepts of business process analysis. Thus, candidates should understand the reasons that justify this analysis purpose in any organization. They also have to know what functions business analysts perform plus their responsibilities. The other areas they have to be knowledgeable in are the core concept encompassed in business analysis, and how adaptation occurs within various domains.

• Module 2: Planning for business process analysis plus stakeholder management

  According to the second domain, candidates should know what organization of analysis of a business process is all about alongside the management of stakeholders. It also includes knowledge about the activities that are performed during BPA. Also, the CBAF-001 evaluation demands that they master how to schedule communication in the organization as well as monitor and assess how business analysts are performing and carrying out estimations. Test-takers will also prove their competence in identifying stakeholders and managing them. An outstanding comprehension of the RASCI matrix plus details about the stakeholder spreadsheet is also included.

• Module 3: Management of business needs

  The third topic regarding the CBAF-001 evaluation verifies candidates' knowledge of the concept of business requirements including their elicitation and management processes. Further, exam-takers should know how to organize, prioritize, plus communicate requirements in their organization.

• Module 4: Analysis of the organization

  Next, candidates of the CBAF-001 exam should be able to analyze and manage risks that a company faces. This domain encompasses the various analysis techniques such as root cause, GAQP, SWOT, alongside analysis of decision and strategy. These techniques are useful in identifying IT requirements that are necessary to execute in order to minimize risks.

• Module 5: Evaluation of business solutions as well as deployment

  In the following subject area, the CBAF-001 test-takers must demonstrate their knowledge of business solutions. So, candidates should be able to assess and validate them. After that, they are supposed to know how their evaluation works and the importance of this step. And the last area applicants should be knowledgeable in entails is the deployment of the solutions they have chosen. As you can see, this is an important topic as business analysts should be able to implement cost-effective solutions that meet the requirements of their organization.

• Module 6: Capabilities of the business analyst

  The last domain for the CBAF-001 evaluation considers the capabilities that a business analyst possesses such as leadership and effective management of suppliers. The next skill examined incorporates how to manage conflict in an organization. And finally, candidates are required to be in the know how business communication works and is carried out.

Career Prospects

Demand for business analysts has increased over the past few years. The reason for this growth is the rise in the migration of business functions to the cloud. Organizations require savvy specialists to assess their business and identify changes that need to happen in the IT department to mitigate risks. Another reason for this is that as technology advances, so do the threats that companies face. In the recent past, organizations have been plagued by hackers penetrating their computer systems and holding them hostage unless they receive payment. Therefore, the duty of business analysts is to identify where their IT solutions are vulnerable and come up with effective solutions.

That’s why there are many employment opportunities available for certified business process analysts and they command decent pay. For instance, PayScale.com points out that the average salary they earn in a year is $61,922. There are also several jobs vacancies posted on this website which shows that there is a demand for these professionals. Anyway, passing the CBAF-001 will make your CV more visible to employers and recruiters.

Career Path

As you can see, the CBAF-001 exam is best suited to beginners who are venturing into the business as well as system analysis space. However, once you pass, it is important that you find opportunities to put your expertise into practice to gain experience. It is also essential that you improve yourself by gaining more skills which will bring you more prospects. And the best next step after earning the CBAF certificate is to pursue the Certified Business Professional Analyst (CBPA) designation. Afterward, you can go for the Certified Critical Thinking and Research Analyst or just CCTRA. These GAQM qualifications will indicate to employers how much you are motivated and dedicated to this sphere.