All about IIBA Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA® CBDA)
Analytics is a high growth area, and IIBA foresees this trend to continue. CBDA recognizes a Business Analyst Practitioner’s ability to effectively execute analysis related work in support of business analytics initiatives and is an indication of one’s commitment, passion, and competency in performing business analysis on analytics initiatives. Soon, CBDA will become the most sought-after certification for business analysts engaged in Data Analytics initiatives to excel in the corporate world. The IIBA®- CBDA exam is closely aligned to the Guide to Business Data Analytics and tests one’s ability to answer questions focused on real-world scenarios.
Here are some of the benefits of becoming IIBA-CBDA:
- The analytics approach has gained tremendous popularity over the last decade
- Enables one to derive better insights from data and guides in better and informed decision making
- Recognizes a BA’s competency in the analytics space
- Better job prospects
- Better salary
- PD Hours can be used for CBAP / CCBA recertification
Target Audience
This certification is suitable for BA professionals with mid-level experience, possessing the skills to effectively perform business data analytics initiatives and can demonstrate experience in:
- Translating business problems into questions that analytics can answer
- Using analytics results to identify viable options
- Explaining technical results to non-technical stakeholders
- Visualizing data and translate results via data storytelling
- Building and demonstrating empathy for the customer
Source: Influencing Decision Makers with Business Data Analytics
However, IIBA has not provided any eligibility criteria for this exam and anyone can take this examination – Business analysts, Consultants, Trainers, Project managers, Testers, Developers, Current CBAPs and CCBAs
IIBA CBDA Exam Pattern
The IIBA-CBDA exam comprises of questions from six blueprint domains out of which 5 domains are discussed in IIBA’s Introduction to Business Data Analytics: A Practitioners View and one domain are discussed in IIBA’s Introduction to Business Data Analytics: An Organizational View.
Here’s a high-level overview of the 6 domains covered in IIBA-CBDA:
| # | Domain | Description |
| 1 | Identify Research Questions | Decide what research questions need to be answered. The research questions provide the focus for the data analytics team and shape the work to follow. |
| 2 | Source Data | The Source Data domain is a top-down exercise to determine the right data needed for a given research problem/question. |
| 3 | Analyze Data | Analyzing data involves deciding how data analysis will be performed, which models and mathematical or statistical techniques will be used. |
| 4 | Interpret and Report Results | Involves using results obtained from data analysis to glean business insights from the data collected and determining how to best communicate and report the outcomes to relevant stakeholders. |
| 5 | Use Results to Influence Business Decision Making | Use Results to Influence Business Decision-Making involves using the analytics results to make decisions that generate value for the enterprise. |
| 6 | Guide Company-level Strategy for Business Analytics | Explores how enterprises can embed analytics initiatives into the enterprise architecture and overall decision-making framework. |
Here’s the % distribution of questions from each domain
| # | Domain | % Distr. | # of Q |
| 1 | Identify Research Questions | 20% | 15 |
| 2 | Source Data | 15% | 11 |
| 3 | Analyze Data | 16% | 12 |
| 4 | Interpret and Report Results | 20% | 15 |
| 5 | Use Results to Influence Business Decision Making | 20% | 15 |
| 6 | Guide Company-level Strategy for Business Analytics | 9% | 7 |
More Details about IIBA CBDA Exam pattern:
- 2-hour long remote online proctored exam
- 75 multiple-choice questions.
- Scenario-based questions.
- Mostly IIBA checks for success in each domain area and overall
- It is a competency-based exam and is aligned with IIBA’s Introduction to Business Data Analytics: A Practitioners View/An Organizational View
IIBA CBDA Exam location/ Mode
You can take the CBDA certification exam from home with PSI Online Exams. You just need to have a video camera and internet connectivity in your PC/Laptop. More information can be found here – https://www.iiba.org/certification/exam-preparation/
The link to register for your exam is – Registration Form
IIBA CBDA Certification Cost
IIBA CBDA Certification Cost has the below components:
| IIBA Member | Non-Member | |
| Membership fee | As per country of residence | |
| Exam Fee | $250 USD | $400 USD |
| Retake Fee | $195 USD | $350 USD |
| Recertification fee
(to be done 1 year from certification date) |
$30 USD | $50 USD |
The IIBA membership and hence the overall IIBA CBDA certification cost varies as per the country of residence. This is available at adaptiveus.com/iiba-membership-fees.
The ‘Do Not's of the CBDA Certification Exam
- Do not expect many direct questions from IIBA’s Introduction to Business Data Analytics: A Practitioners View/An Organizational View
- Do not attempt until you have mastered the fundamentals, understood the various analytics domains, and completed the self-assessment.
- Do not attempt until you have successfully answered typical analysis-related outcomes and activities-related questions in the sample quiz.
- Do not expect the exam to be easy
- Do not expect to have the luxury of time
If you desire to gain competency in using data to help organizations achieve meaningful business outcomes, wait no further. Get started today.