101 Guide: How to crack IIBA? ECBA?

With the intention to be excelled in the Business Analysis career path, I was determined to obtain the International Institute of Business Analysis? (IIBA?) Entry Certificate in Business Analysis? (ECBA?) certification way back in 2018. This dream certification was on my bucket list for a few years, and I finally kicked off 2022 by making it a reality.

Friendly alert: You don't need to spend years to gain the certification. Due to my commitments and priorities, the delay happened. 

So right after gaining my certification, I was contacted by fellow professionals and colleagues. The frequently asked questions were like this.

•  How long does it take to prepare for the exam?
• Did I practice mock questions and how?
• What was the training course that I followed? 
• How to get ready for an online proctored examination? 

Now if you are right here in the article, that means you are determined to claim your IIBA? ECBA? certification and curious to know the exam tips that I followed. 

Let me make an honest note here. Firstly, this article is written solely based on my experience and what I followed. Therefore, this may not be the accepted or the best procedure. But I'm pretty sure this will help you to at least boost your confidence to take up the examination.

With that let me start:

How to crack IIBA? ECBA?

1. Set the right tone at the beginning of your IIBA? certification journey by doing your own research. Because having the understanding about why you are doing this certification or in simple terms the purpose of doing this really matters. 
2. Visit: IIBA? website; Then you can do your own research starting from there. Read about IIBA?, the certifications, and the benefits that you are going to gain in the time to come. 
3. Having the background understanding, now you can look up a training course by an accredited IIBA? training partner. In my case, I found my training partner via LinkedIn. As a practice, I did a quick background check, and I received a recommendation from a fellow Senior Business Analyst. Thankfully I trusted her and took the right decision. Then I decided to go with APPTRA Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd (Visit: APPTRA Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd)
4. Now the game is on. While following the training course you must ensure that you are understanding the structure of the BABOK guide (Business Analysis Body of Knowledge). Whenever there is a doubt, try to clear it out then and there. Based on your learning style you can decide how you are going to actively participate and grab the content. Personally, I rely a lot on my own notes, so I took notes. The course trainer will definitely give you focused attention during the class to ensure your active participation so make it an opportunity to sharpen your knowledge by asking questions. 
5. During the course, you will receive instructions on the areas such as how to register an account in IIBA?, how to get the IIBA? membership, update the portal, add Professional Development (PD) hours, submit the application, pay examination fees, and schedule the exam. You can read more about the afore-mentioned activities by visiting the IIBA? website (Visit: More information about ECBA?). Once you successfully complete your training course, you have earned enough and more PD hours for the ECBA?.  

Let me add another personal opinion here. If you followed the training course properly while familiarizing yourself with the BABOK. Just after the completion of the training course, you are bullet-proof to sit for the examination within 1-2 months of period. Unfortunately, I wasn't up for that challenge and so I had to face the consequences when I resume my studies in the last few weeks right before the examination date. Since I crave discounts, I grabbed the year-end IIBA? discount and scheduled my examination in a hurry. 

Below mentioned are the basic steps that I followed during those intense weeks prior to the examination. 

• I took a note on the IIBA? ECBA? Examination Blueprint (Refer: ECBA? Examination Blueprint)
• Revisited the training materials and notes that I took during the training course, just to get an idea about where I was standing.
• I started reading the BABOK chapter-wise and took short notes. I personally like adding colors to my study materials therefore I even highlighted my BABOK copy. Another honest reveal, previously I had two failed attempts at reading BABOK. Given the size of the book, I think it's quite understandable. Don't give up, once you understand the structure then you start to feel comfortable. 
• At the end of each chapter, I revisited my notes and took the practice chapter-end questions provided to me by the training course. This is a good checkpoint to see your chapter-wise performance. Make sure to align your performance to the examination blueprint.
• After finishing the first round of reading the BABOK, I referred to the highlighted areas in the book and my short notes. Then I tried the mock questions and tested where I was standing. After identifying the areas that I was lack in then I brushed up my knowledge on those areas by rigorously referring to the short notes.  
• I did my final test with a mock questionnaire. Then I was good to go. 
• On the examination day, you must carefully follow the instructions of the online proctored examination. 

Adding a few important tips here:

• Be mindful of the time because the registration process involves taking quite a number of photos. Set up your room accordingly at least before the examination day.
• Have the laptop or the PC that you are comfortable with and with a working microphone, speakers, and web camera. 
• No additional monitors are allowed.
• Mobile phones, calculators, smartwatches, or any type of device are not allowed.
• No food or drinks
• Disable all your firewalls, security options and stop all your applications that are running in the background.
• Have a stable internet connection and a backup connection plan as well.
• Getting nervous is acceptable because I also went through the same.
• But you can communicate with your proctor through the chat function available in the application and if there's a technical error, there will be a technical assistant to guide you. 

If you decided to get certified from IIBA?, you probably know the value addition that this certification can add to your career. I hope this article can shed some light on your way towards the certification. 

I sincerely apologize if I have missed any important points. Please let me know your feedback in comments and you can reach out to me via LinkedIn.

May your good luck be in your favor and your preparation bring fantastic outcomes! ??