Here’s the revised Certified Business Analyst (CBA) study plan with detailed tasks and a structured approach incorporating effective learning methods like the Pomodoro Technique and Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve. The focus is on making the tasks clear, actionable, and goal-driven to maximize learning efficiency.
Study Goals
- Develop a deep understanding of the six core knowledge areas of CBA:
- Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring
- Elicitation and Collaboration
- Requirements Life Cycle Management
- Strategy Analysis
- Requirements Analysis and Design Definition
- Solution Evaluation
- Learn to apply key tools and techniques like RACI matrices, SWOT analysis, gap analysis, prototyping, and RTM.
- Complete three phases of spaced repetition for long-term retention and mastery.
- Use learning techniques to optimize study sessions:
- Pomodoro Technique for focused, manageable study blocks.
- Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve for scheduled reviews and reinforcement.
Study Timeline
- Duration: 6 weeks (5 study days per week).
- Daily Structure: 3–4 Pomodoro sessions (25 minutes of study + 5 minutes break per session).
- Weekly Structure: 4 days for new content, 1 day for review and reinforcement.
- Revision Phases: Reinforce knowledge after 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month to combat forgetting.
Week 1: Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring
Goals
- Understand the concepts and processes for planning and monitoring business analysis activities.
- Learn to create analysis plans, define stakeholder roles, set communication plans, and establish performance metrics.
Daily Tasks
Day 1: Core Concepts
- Task 1: Read and summarize the definition of Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring.
- Task 2: Study different approaches (Agile, Waterfall, hybrid) and when to use them.
- Task 3: Learn how to define roles and responsibilities using a RACI matrix.
- Deliverable: Create a sample RACI matrix for a small project.
Day 2: Planning Techniques
- Task 1: Study how to create a business analysis plan (inputs, outputs, and key steps).
- Task 2: Research and document best practices for stakeholder identification and analysis.
- Task 3: Draft a communication plan for a hypothetical Salesforce project.
- Deliverable: Write a one-page communication strategy.
Day 3: Metrics and Tracking
- Task 1: Learn how to define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for business analysis.
- Task 2: Practice setting up measurable goals for a business analysis activity.
- Task 3: Draft a simple performance tracking template in Excel or Google Sheets.
- Deliverable: Present a KPI list and tracking sheet for monitoring progress.
Day 4: Practice and Application
- Task 1: Take a quiz or practice test on Business Analysis Planning.
- Task 2: Review quiz results and note down key areas of improvement.
- Task 3: Create a summary sheet of planning tools and templates.
Day 5: Review and Reinforcement
- Task 1: Use the Forgetting Curve method to review all key concepts from Days 1–3.
- Task 2: Revisit the RACI matrix and KPI list for reinforcement.
- Task 3: Test yourself by summarizing the core processes without looking at notes.
Week 2: Elicitation and Collaboration
Goals
- Master elicitation techniques like interviews, surveys, workshops, and prototyping.
- Develop collaboration skills such as active listening, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement.
Daily Tasks
Day 1: Elicitation Basics
- Task 1: Learn the inputs for elicitation, including business goals and stakeholder needs.
- Task 2: Study how to conduct structured interviews to gather requirements.
- Task 3: Draft interview questions for a Salesforce dashboard design scenario.
- Deliverable: Write a set of 10 interview questions for stakeholders.
Day 2: Advanced Techniques
- Task 1: Learn how to conduct workshops for collaborative requirement gathering.
- Task 2: Practice writing user stories using a template: "As a [role], I want [requirement], so that [goal]."
- Task 3: Create a flowchart of a business process using Lucidchart or Miro.
- Deliverable: Document 3 user stories and their corresponding flowchart.
Day 3: Collaboration Skills
- Task 1: Study techniques for active listening and asking open-ended questions.
- Task 2: Practice documenting meeting notes and confirming requirements with stakeholders.
- Task 3: Role-play a facilitation scenario to resolve conflicting requirements.
- Deliverable: Write a meeting summary with clear, confirmed requirements.
Day 4: Practice and Testing
- Task 1: Take a practice test on elicitation and collaboration techniques.
- Task 2: Review results and identify weak areas.
- Task 3: Revise notes and refine techniques for stakeholder engagement.
- Deliverable: Create a checklist of elicitation techniques with example use cases.
Day 5: Review and Reinforcement
- Task 1: Use spaced repetition to review user stories, flowcharts, and collaboration techniques.
- Task 2: Redo practice test questions for areas of weakness.
- Task 3: Summarize the week’s key learnings into a one-page cheat sheet.
Week 3: Requirements Life Cycle Management
Goals
- Understand the life cycle of requirements, including creation, tracking, maintenance, and change management.
- Master the design and use of a Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM).
Daily Tasks
Day 1: Lifecycle Basics
- Task 1: Study the key phases of requirements creation and maintenance.
- Task 2: Practice writing a functional and non-functional requirement for a Salesforce system.
- Deliverable: Write a document with 3 functional and 3 non-functional requirements.
Day 2: Traceability
- Task 1: Learn how to map requirements to project phases (design, development, testing).
- Task 2: Practice creating a Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM).
- Deliverable: Design an RTM for a sales report feature.
Day 3: Change Management
- Task 1: Study the process for handling requirement changes (change request forms, approvals).
- Task 2: Practice evaluating a sample change request for a Salesforce project.
- Deliverable: Write a sample change request form and decision rationale.
Day 4: Practice and Testing
- Task 1: Take a practice test on requirements life cycle management.
- Task 2: Identify and address weak areas, focusing on traceability and change management.
- Deliverable: Revise and improve your RTM and change request documentation.
Day 5: Review and Reinforcement
- Task 1: Revisit key concepts using spaced repetition.
- Task 2: Summarize the life cycle of a requirement in a process flow diagram.
- Task 3: Create flashcards for key definitions and concepts.
Week 4: Strategy Analysis
Goals
- Master processes for assessing the current state, defining the future state, and performing gap analysis.
- Learn and apply tools like SWOT analysis, gap analysis, and value chain analysis.
Daily Tasks
Day 1: Assess Current State
- Task 1: Read and summarize the definition and purpose of assessing the current state.
- Task 2: Study how to evaluate business capabilities, processes, and technology.
- Task 3: Use a hypothetical project (e.g., a legacy CRM system) to identify strengths and weaknesses.
- Deliverable: Write a one-page assessment of the current state for a fictional company.
Day 2: Define Future State
- Task 1: Learn how to define business needs and align them with organizational strategies.
- Task 2: Study methods to describe SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
- Task 3: Practice drafting future state objectives for a Salesforce implementation.
- Deliverable: Write a future state document with at least 3 defined objectives.
Day 3: Perform Gap Analysis
- Task 1: Learn the steps of performing a gap analysis and how to identify improvement areas.
- Task 2: Use a template to compare current and future states for a specific case study.
- Task 3: Propose at least 2 strategies to close identified gaps.
- Deliverable: Complete a gap analysis worksheet for a CRM enhancement scenario.
Day 4: Practice and Testing
- Task 1: Take a practice test focused on strategy analysis concepts and tools.
- Task 2: Analyze incorrect answers and refine understanding of SWOT and gap analysis.
- Task 3: Summarize key takeaways in a strategy analysis flowchart.
- Deliverable: Create a visual summary of the strategy analysis process.
Day 5: Review and Reinforcement
- Task 1: Use spaced repetition to revisit SWOT analysis and gap analysis methods.
- Task 2: Revisit the fictional company example and refine your current and future state definitions.
- Task 3: Consolidate notes into a 1-page cheat sheet on strategy analysis.
Week 5: Requirements Analysis and Design Definition
Goals
- Understand how to prioritize requirements and design solutions that align with business objectives.
- Master tools like use case diagrams, flowcharts, and prototyping.
Daily Tasks
Day 1: Requirements Prioritization
- Task 1: Study prioritization techniques such as MoSCoW (Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, Won’t Have).
- Task 2: Practice prioritizing a list of requirements for a Salesforce dashboard.
- Task 3: Learn how to analyze interdependencies among requirements.
- Deliverable: Create a prioritized requirements list with reasoning for each item.
Day 2: Solution Design Basics
- Task 1: Study how to develop solution models, including use case diagrams and ERDs (Entity Relationship Diagrams).
- Task 2: Use Lucidchart to draw a use case diagram for a Salesforce automation feature.
- Task 3: Practice defining data requirements for a simple process.
- Deliverable: Complete a use case diagram for a sales report generation process.
Day 3: Prototyping
- Task 1: Learn how to create low-fidelity prototypes using tools like Figma or Balsamiq.
- Task 2: Design a prototype for a Salesforce dashboard, including key user interactions.
- Task 3: Learn best practices for validating prototypes with stakeholders.
- Deliverable: Present a low-fidelity prototype of a CRM dashboard.
Day 4: Practice and Testing
- Task 1: Take a practice test on requirements analysis and design.
- Task 2: Review mistakes and focus on tools like flowcharts and ERDs.
- Task 3: Create a checklist of solution design best practices.
- Deliverable: Draft a document summarizing common pitfalls and solutions in design definition.
Day 5: Review and Reinforcement
- Task 1: Use spaced repetition to revisit use case diagrams, prioritization methods, and prototypes.
- Task 2: Revise your Salesforce dashboard prototype based on hypothetical feedback.
- Task 3: Summarize this week’s learning into a single infographic or cheat sheet.
Week 6: Solution Evaluation
Goals
- Evaluate implemented solutions to ensure they meet business needs and deliver expected value.
- Master feedback collection methods, performance measurement, and continuous improvement techniques.
Daily Tasks
Day 1: Performance Measurement
- Task 1: Study how to define and use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for evaluating solutions.
- Task 2: Learn how to collect and analyze actual performance data from tools like Salesforce Reports.
- Task 3: Create a list of KPIs for a Salesforce automated lead assignment process.
- Deliverable: Write a KPI evaluation report for a hypothetical CRM project.
Day 2: Feedback Collection
- Task 1: Study quantitative and qualitative feedback methods (e.g., surveys, interviews).
- Task 2: Create a Google Forms survey to collect user feedback on a solution.
- Task 3: Practice conducting a feedback interview role-play.
- Deliverable: Submit a survey template and a summarized feedback report.
Day 3: Optimization and Improvement
- Task 1: Learn how to identify unmet needs and propose enhancements based on feedback.
- Task 2: Study case studies of iterative improvements in solution design.
- Task 3: Write recommendations for improving a Salesforce automation feature.
- Deliverable: Draft an improvement plan based on a given case study.
Day 4: Practice and Testing
- Task 1: Take a practice test on solution evaluation, focusing on feedback collection and optimization.
- Task 2: Analyze test results and review key concepts where mistakes were made.
- Task 3: Write a summary of how to address common challenges in solution evaluation.
- Deliverable: Create a performance measurement and feedback flowchart.
Day 5: Review and Reinforcement
- Task 1: Revisit KPIs, feedback tools, and optimization methods using spaced repetition.
- Task 2: Redo a feedback and performance evaluation exercise.
- Task 3: Consolidate notes into a one-page quick reference guide for solution evaluation.
Final Week: Comprehensive Review
- Consolidate all notes, diagrams, and templates into one comprehensive study guide.
- Schedule a review session for each knowledge area, focusing on weak points.
- Take two full-length practice exams under timed conditions.
- Review mistakes and adjust strategies for the final exam.