Quick Comparison: PMP and CBAP Certification

Shivali Sharma | Updated on 10 Apr, 2016 |

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Both PMP^® and CBAP^® have been around from many years. After gaining certain years of work experience in Project Management or Business Analysis, many professionals think of getting a certification. Sometimes, with more than 7 to 10 years of work experience, many professionals wonder which certification – PMP^® or CBAP^® - will be apt for them. This article will list down the features of both certification exams which would help them to decide which certification is suitable for them.

pmp and cbap

A quick glance at CBAP^® and PMP^®

CBAP^®: Certified Business Analysis Professional^TM (CBAP^®), offered by International Institute of Business Analysis^TM (IIBA^®), is a professional certification for the professionals who are into the field of Business Analysis.

PMP^®: Project Management Professional (PMP^®), focuses on the methodologies and practices to streamline the various processes of a project; make them smooth, and deliver the expected result.

	CBAP^®	PMP^®
What it is?	It is based on six knowledge areas of BABOK^® (Business Analysis Body of Knowledge) guide	It is based on 10 Knowledge Areas and 5 Process Groups of Project Management Body of Knowledge^® (PMBOK^® Guide)
Knowledge Areas	The 6 knowledge areas are Business Analysis, Elicitation and Collaboration, Strategy Analysis, Requirements Life Cycle Management, and Requirement Analysis & Design Definition	The ten knowledge areas are Project Integration Management; Time Management; Scope Management; Risk Management; Quality Management; Cost Management; Human Resource Management; Stakeholder Management; Communications Management, and Procurement Management.The five Process Groups are Planning; Initiation; Execution; Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing.
Most suitable for	CBAP^® certification is ideal for the following professionals:· Analysts· Systems Analysts· Business Analysts· Specialists - Process Improvement · Consultants · Managers - Process Improvement	PMP^® certification is best suited for Project Managers who want to enhance their project management knowledge.
Eligibility Criteria to earn the certification	· Work experience as Business Analyst with a minimum of 7500 hours.· At least 21 hours of Professional Development in the past four years · Two references · Implementation of Business Analysis Body of Knowledge^® (BABOK^® Guide) in the last 10 years · At least 900 hours of experience in four of the six knowledge areas	• A secondary degree or the global equivalent• Minimum of five years of experience in project management• 35 hours of project management education• 7,500 hours of directing and leading projects Or • A four year bachelor degree or equivalent • 35 hours of project management education • 4,500 hours of directing and leading projects

Conclusion:

For professionals whose work will only entail hard core Business Analysis, CBAP^® is the best option. Similarly, if the role of Project Managers involves only project management, PMP^® is the best option. However in many organizations, the line between Project Management and Business Analysis is blur. To be specific, the Project Manager’s profile may entail business analysis and hence in such case, acquiring both PMP^® and CBAP^® certifications will be useful. Similarly, if Business Analyst’s work entails project management roles then completing PMP^® certification will help the individual to move up the corporate ladder.

Preparation for Certification exam through PMP^® Course

Preparing for a certification exam by oneself without any guide is a difficult task, and hence, getting a help in form of PMP^® certification online training from a reputed organization will be useful.

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About the Author

Shivali Sharma

Shivali is a Senior Content Creator at Multisoft Virtual Academy, where she writes about various technologies, such as ERP, Cyber Security, Splunk, Tensorflow, Selenium, and CEH. With her extensive knowledge and experience in different fields, she is able to provide valuable insights and information to her readers. Shivali is passionate about researching technology and startups, and she is always eager to learn and share her findings with others. You can connect with Shivali through LinkedIn and Twitter to stay updated with her latest articles and to engage in professional discussions.