WebLearning Certified Business Intelligence Professional

WebLearning CBIP is an education-based certification which enables you to advance your career development through a well-rounded, formalised educational curriculum. Participants in this program earn credits in five clearly defined disciplines of required and elective courses that are offered at WebLearning educational events.

Students who enrol in the WLN CBIP program receive two credits for each full-day course and one credit for each half-day course in the curriculum. Students who have completed a total of 18 credits in a discipline will receive a WebLearning Certificate of Education.

Course requirements and electives change over time, and we can help to evaluate your On-Track status. We’ll provide you with a list of courses you have taken and an evaluation of what you need to take to complete an On-Track discipline and receive your certificate.

Specialty Areas

Leadership and Management
Business Analytics
Data Analysis and Design
Data Integration
Administration and Technology

Certified Business Intelligence Professional (CBIP)

WebLearning, a member of leading associations for business intelligence and data warehousing professionals, offers the industry’s most comprehensive certification program available: the Certified Business Intelligence Professional (CBIP). CBIP, a true test-based certification program, is offered in five key specialties for Business Intelligence success:

Administration & Technology,
Business Analytics, Data Analysis & Design,
Data Integration,
Leadership & Management

These specialties are aligned with WebLearning’s learning paths and WLN CBIP, a well-defined curriculum program that directly ties learning objectives with job roles and responsibilities.

The CBIP exams are based on your knowledge and experience within a particular specialty. Prior study is not required although it is recommended if you need to update or expand your current knowledge. The CBIP Examination Guide serves as an excellent way of identifying those areas where you might need additional study and/or work experience. For more information on the guide and other study options, please click on the CBIP Examinations link.

Levels of Certification

Practitioner Level: CBIP certification at the Practitioner Level is awarded to professionals who score above 50 percent on each of three exams. Practitioner Level certification demonstrates a working knowledge of concepts, skills, and techniques within a specialty, as well as the ability to assume leadership responsibilities in the area of specialization at the project level.

Mastery Level: CBIP certification at the Mastery Level is awarded to professionals who score above 70 percent on each of three exams. Mastery Level certification demonstrates that concepts, skills, and best practices have been mastered within a specialty, as well as the ability to lead a team effectively at the project and program levels, and the skills to mentor others.

Recertification

The CBIP credential remains current for three years. To maintain the credential you may either renew your certificate by retaking exams or through ongoing professional development before the end of the third year, and again during each subsequent three-year period. To administer the recertification program there is an annual $75.00 non-refundable fee due to the ICCP. For more information on the recertification process, go to Recertification Requirements on the ICCP Web site www.iccp.org.

About ICCP

The CBIP credential has been developed and delivered in partnership with the Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP), a non-profit organization established in 1973. ICCP has a broad network of resources and has strong relationships with DAMA, IEEE, CIPS, and many other IT professional organizations. For more information, visit www.iccp.org.

Building a Business Intelligence Career

Business Intelligence (BI) is a field that is rich with career opportunity. More than any previous information systems endeavour, BI brings together business and technology in an inseparable way – the line becomes blurred and it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between the two fields. While adding complexity for both business and IT organizations, this evolution offers new career horizons for professionals in both domains. The challenge lies in reaching those horizons.

Meeting the Challenge

Building the BI career is an undertaking of vision and focus. BI is too broad a field to become a “BI generalist.” Determine the disciplines in which you want to develop and specialize. Know the roles that you want to fulfil in a BI team and the value and contributions that those roles bring to a BI program. Then apply your time and energy to acquire the right combination of education, experience, and credentials to be among the best at fulfilling those roles.

Career development is a process of acquiring the right skills to effectively fulfil chosen roles. The key elements include:

· Understanding the disciplines needed to be successful with BI.

· Choosing roles for which you are well suited based on your knowledge, experience, aptitude and interests.

· Acquiring skills needed for the roles through education and experience.

· Establishing credentials that attest to your qualifications by resume of experience and certification in related disciplines.

Focus on BI Disciplines

The field of BI logically segments into five core disciplines. As a practical matter, only the most experienced are prepared to perform at the highest level in more than one or two of these disciplines. Objective self assessment of past experience, personal interests, innate aptitude, pace and ease of learning, and other personal variables is important to make your choices – both specific disciplines and the number of disciplines to pursue – among the following:

· Business Analytics focuses on effective use of data and information to drive positive business actions. The body of knowledge for this area includes both business and technical topics including concepts of performance management, definition and delivery of business metrics, data visualization, and deployment and use of technology solutions such as OLAP, dashboards, scorecards, analytic applications, and data mining.

· Leadership and Management is a key success factor for BI programs and projects, with strong focus on effectively integrating people, processes, and technology to deliver business value. The field requires depth of process knowledge including development methodology, program management, and project management as well as organizational and team-building skills. An understanding of business topics such as Business Performance Management (BPM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Supply Chain Management (SCM) is also needed. High-level technical understanding of BI applications and data warehousing concepts is also part of the Leadership and Management body of knowledge.

· Data Analysis and Design provides the foundation for delivery of BI applications. Analysis concentrates on understanding business needs for data and information. Design focuses on translating business information needs into data structures that are adaptable, extensible, and sustainable. Core skills include information needs analysis, specification of business metrics, and data modelling. Solid understanding of data warehousing concepts, architectures, and processes is also essential.

· Data Integration is fundamental to data warehousing and is a vital process for a rich and robust data resource to deliver BI solutions. Integration includes all of the activities necessary to acquire data from sources, and to transform and cleanse the data. The body of knowledge includes concepts and skills for source data analysis and source qualification, data profiling, source/target mapping, data cleansing and transformation, and ETL development.

· Administration and Technology covers those areas related to managing the infrastructure and ensuring continuous operation of data warehousing and BI solutions. Technology architecture, technology planning and configuration, system and network administration, capacity planning, growth management, database administration, system and network administration, and access and security administration are essential skills in this area.

Each discipline demands knowledge of both business and technology. The balance of business and technical literacy, however, is variable depending on the discipline. Figure 1 illustrates a practical balance between business and technical literacy for each of the five disciplines. An ideal business analyst, for example, attains a body of knowledge and skill that is approximately seventy percent business focused and thirty percent technically focused. An administration and technology professional, by contrast, has a strong bias to technological knowledge with sufficient business knowledge to apply and manage technology in a meaningful business context

Ten Reasons to Be a Certified Business Intelligence Professional

1. Business Intelligence Career Advancement – Surveys consistently suggest increased salary and career advancement opportunities for certified individuals.

2. Professional Opportunities – Hiring managers and recruiters take certification seriously. A respected and widely accepted certification proves to prospective employers that your business intelligence expertise is confirmed by a recognized organization in the industry.

3. Proven Professional Achievement – Documented evidence of your professional achievement leads to recognition and respect for your abilities as a business intelligence professional.

4. Greater Adaptability – Validating technical knowledge without ties to a specific vendor or product means CBIP professionals are more flexible and maintain a substantial advantage in rapidly changing business and technology environments.

5. Increased Credibility - CBIP credentials increase your standing in the business intelligence community by attesting to the integrity of your knowledge and skills and the reliability with which you can apply them.

6. Employer Confidence – CBIP certification helps employers match skills to job requirements and provides confidence that employees have the right skills for the job.

7. Industry Recognition – The high-integrity examination and certification process ensure that CBIP is the standard for business intelligence and data warehousing certification.

8. Recognised Specialties – In a broad field that demands many skills, CBIP recognizes specialization in several distinct skill areas ranging from Leadership & Management to Administration & Technology.

9. Validated Real-World Experience – Certification goes beyond conceptual and theoretical knowledge. CBIP demands real-world experience and the demonstrated ability to apply your skills pragmatically.

10. Continued Professional Growth – Recertification requirements, combined with a variety of learning resources, ensure that your knowledge keeps pace with a rapidly changing field

Administration and Technology

Administration and Technology covers those areas related to managing the infrastructure and ensuring continuous operation of data warehousing and business intelligence solutions. Technology architecture, technology planning and configuration, system and network administration, capacity planning, growth management, database administration, system and network administration, and access and security administration are essential skills in this area.

These skills are demanded for the roles of technical architect, technology specialist, data warehouse systems administrator, and warehouse database administrator, metadata administrator, and quality administrator. This body of knowledge is valuable for those with business intelligence customer service, support, and training responsibilities.

In addition to the Core and Data Warehousing exams, there is a specialty exam required for certification in Administration and Technology. You have two exam options: the Systems Security exam or the Database Administration exam. Both exam outlines are provided below with extended outlines available in the CBIP Examination Guide.

Systems Security Exam Outline

Risk Assessment

· Organisation

· Systems and Data Asset Valuation

· Threat Characteristics

· Risk Assessment

· Dealing with Risk

Recovery from Information Service Interruptions

· Recoverable Storage Management

· Business Continuity Planning

· Disaster Management

Information and System Security

· Telecommunications

· Database Security

· Cryptography

· Operating Systems

· Microcomputers and Local Area Networks

· Physical Security

Security in System Design

· System Security Objectives and Functions

· Data Integrity Assurance

· Life Cycle Approach

Security Management

· Policy Setting, Implementation and Administration

· Security Awareness

· Information Ethics

· Personnel Issues

· Evaluation of Security Measures

Database Administration Exam Outline

· Database Administration Function

· Planning

· Organization

· Roles & Responsibilities

Database Management Systems (DBMS) Environment

· Planning for the DBMS Environment

· Tools and Technology Types

Database Design

· Data Modelling

· Data Access Methods

· File Organization Methods

· Distribution Design Considerations

· Performance Modelling

Database Operation

· Database Standards

· Distributed Data Management

· Performance Tuning

· Backup and Recovery

· Database Processing Logic

· Data Storage Management

SQL Considerations

· DDL - Data Definition Language

· DML - Data Manipulation Language

· DCL - Data Control Language

· Data Dictionary (Systables)

Business Analytics

Business Analytics focuses on effective use of data and information to drive positive business actions. The body of knowledge for this area includes both business and technical topics, including concepts of performance management, definition and delivery of business metrics, data visualization, and deployment and use of technology solutions such as OLAP, dashboards, scorecards, analytic applications, and data mining.

Business intelligence roles that demand business analytics knowledge and skills include business sponsor, business subject expert, knowledge worker, data steward, business requirements analyst, and developer of business analytics systems. Roles with broad scope of responsibility such as business intelligence architect, metadata administrator, quality administrator, and customer service personnel also benefit from a solid foundation in business analytics.

In addition to the Core and Data Warehousing exams, the Business Information Systems exam is required for certification in Business Analytics. The exam outline is provided below with an extended outline available in the CBIP Examination Guide.

Business Information Systems Exam Outline

Business Information Systems Applications

· Financial Planning/Decision Support

· Accounting

· Organisational Performance

· Marketing and Sales

· Materials Management

· Production and Distribution Management

The Business Information Systems Environment

· System Analysis/Design Function

· Data Base Design Function

· Application Programming Function

· Computer Operations Function

· Systems Programming Function

· Quality Control Function

· Information Centre Function

Business Information System Considerations

· User/IS Relations

· Business Economics

· IS Resource Management

· EDP Equipment Use

· Software Development Environment

Data Analysis and Design

All business intelligence applications depend on quality Data Analysis and Design. Analysis concentrates on understanding business requirements for data and information. Design focuses on translating business information into data structures. Core skills include information needs analysis, specification of business metrics, and data modelling. Solid understanding of data warehousing concepts, architectures, and processes is also essential.

Common roles in this area include data steward, information architect, data modeller, source data analyst, and database developer. A few roles that are broad in scope—business intelligence architect, metadata administrator, and quality administrator also benefit from this body of knowledge.

In addition to the Core and Data Warehousing exams, the Data Management exam is required for certification in Data Analysis and Design. The exam outline is provided below with an extended outline available in the CBIP Examination Guide.

Data Management Exam Outline

Data Management Function

· Planning

· Organisation

· Roles & Responsibilities

Data & Metadata Infrastructures Creation / Maintenance

· Planning for Data & Metadata

· Tools and Technology Types

Data Analysis and Modelling

· Data / Metadata Analysis & Design

· Data Model Components

· Data / Metadata Model Management

Data / Metadata Infrastructure Management

· Standards, Policies, Procedures, Guidelines

· Data Security and Privacy

Information Quality Management

· Information Quality Principles

· Information Quality Assessment / Audit

· Information Quality Improvement

Data Integration

Data Integration is fundamental to data warehousing and is a vital process for a rich and robust data resource to deliver business intelligence solutions. Integration includes all of the activities necessary to acquire data from sources, and to transform and cleanse the data. The body of knowledge includes concepts and skills for source data analysis and source qualification, data profiling, source/target mapping, data cleansing and transformation, and ETL development.

Data integration skills are essential in roles such as data steward, data acquisition architect, source data analyst, and ETL developer. These skills are valuable in broader roles such as business intelligence architect, metadata administrator, and quality administrator.

In addition to the Core and Data Warehousing exams, the Systems Development exam is required for certification in Data Integration. The exam outline is provided below with an extended outline available in the CBIP Examination Guide.

Systems Development Exam Outline

Systems Analysis

· General System Theory

· Preliminary Studies

· Definition of Objectives

· Data Gathering and Analysis

· System Requirements

Systems Design and Implementation

· Alternative Systems Design

· Logical Design

· Detailed Design

· Privacy, Security and Controls

· System Implementation

· System Evaluation and Maintenance

The Systems Analyst as a Professional

· Organisational Roles of the Systems Professional

· Interpersonal Roles of the Systems Professional

· Communications Skills

· Identifying Key Individuals

Leadership and Management

Leadership and Management is a key success factor for business intelligence programs and projects, with strong focus on effectively integrating people, processes, and technology to deliver business value. The field requires depth of process knowledge, including development methodology, program management, and project management, as well as organizational and team-building skills.

An understanding of business topics such as Business Performance Management (BPM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Supply Chain Management (SCM) is also needed. High-level technical understanding of business intelligence applications and data warehousing concepts is also part of the Leadership and Management body of knowledge. Roles that require this knowledge include program manager, project manager, and business intelligence architect.

In addition to the Core and Data Warehousing exams, the Management exam is required for certification in Leadership and Management. The exam outline is provided below with an extended outline available in the CBIP Examination Guide.

Management Exam Outline

General Management and Organisational Concepts

· Business Functions

· Business Economics

· Management Systems

· Management Functions

· External Stakeholders

· Business Ethics and Organisational Values

Project Management

· Project Staffing and Roles

· Defining Project Objectives

· Determining Project Activities

· Estimating

· Planning and Scheduling

· Monitoring and Control

· Project Evaluation

· Tools for Project Management

· Consultants

Information Systems Management

· The Information Systems Organisation

· Technical and Client Services

· System Performance Criteria

· Capacity Planning and Procurement

· Security, Protection and Controls

· Contingency Planning

· IS Human Resource Management

· Strategic Role of Information Systems

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