PMI CD-BA study guide
PMI CD-BA · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® is a specialized certification offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI) that validates expertise in business analysis within project environments. It is designed for professionals who work with stakeholders to define business needs, elicit requirements, and ensure solutions deliver value. The exam covers five domains: Needs Assessment, Planning, Analysis, Traceability and Monitoring, and Evaluation. These domains reflect the business analysis lifecycle from identifying business problems through solution evaluation. The PMI CD-BA study guide has 5 sections and about 1,569 words.
01Needs Assessment
Needs Assessment is the front end of business analysis. The exam tests whether you can define the business problem or opportunity before a solution is chosen: assess the current state, describe a measurable future state, identify gaps and options, and build a business case that supports a go/no-go decision.
346 words, about 2 min02Planning
Planning covers how the business analysis work will be done. The exam tests your ability to tailor a business analysis approach, plan stakeholder engagement, set governance and decision rights, and define how requirements will be elicited, documented, prioritized, approved, and changed.
316 words, about 2 min03Analysis
Analysis is the largest domain. The exam tests elicitation and the conversion of raw stakeholder input into verified, validated, prioritized requirements and models that developers and testers can use.
298 words, about 1 min04Traceability and Monitoring
Traceability and Monitoring tests whether requirements remain connected to their sources, designs, tests, and business value as the project changes. The exam expects you to establish traceability, monitor requirement status, manage changes through impact analysis, and communicate the resulting state.
309 words, about 2 min05Evaluation
Evaluation tests whether the delivered solution actually meets the business need and delivers value. The exam covers acceptance, transition to operations, post-implementation review, benefits measurement, and lessons learned.
300 words, about 2 min