Do we need PMI-PBA?

Just over a year ago I made the move to formalise my Business Analysis skills, and capabilities. To do this I turned to one of the globally recognised associations that support and promote the discipline of Business Analysis – the International Institute of Business Analysis (known as the IIBA). ... View More

Just over a year ago I made the move to formalise my Business Analysis skills, and capabilities. To do this I turned to one of the globally recognised associations that support and promote the discipline of Business Analysis – the International Institute of Business Analysis (known as the IIBA). The IIBA have been in existence since 2003, and have created the BABOK (Business Analysis Body of Knowledge). This incorporates current business analysis knowledge, into a framework with associated activities, tasks and techniques. I have found the BABOK a wonderful tool. It has provided some structure and formality to BA activities that I have been undertaking for years (without knowing that they were BA activities.) Alongside the IIBA, there exists BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. BCS also offers BA certification. I have not been involved with BCS, but I believe that their offering is also very good. (I’m not going to get into a “this one is better than that one” discussion here). And a search on the Internet will return several offers for BA training and certification. Now – there also exists an association for the professional Project Manager – the Project Manager institute, or PMI. This exists to provide best practices, and certifications for project managers. This is something that is worthy of a future blog post, but from what I can see, Business Analysts and Project Managers have different focuses in projects. They are interchangeable. Taking into account the alternatives to the IIBA, it surprised me when I received an email from the Acting President of the IIBA stating that the PMI were planning on introducing a certification for business analysis within a project environment, and that the IIBA “do not take PMI’s entry into this market lightly“. Read more information here : http://www.excella.com/blog/do-business-analysts-need-another-certification/ Now it’s your turn: whats your thought? what have you read or heard about the PMI-PBA? Are you planning to get certified?