BABOK

I am getting ready to start a study group for the CBAP exam and I sent participants email about the schedule and ground rules. One of our ground rule is to read the section that we are going to cover in advance. I am thinking,... we are all set. Wrong!!! I assumed that everyone knows what the BABOK is and where to get one. Shame on me!
IIBA released a book called The "Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge". This book is the "sum of knowledge within the profession of Business Analysis and reflects what is considered currently accepted practice." It contains a lot of information about the Business Analysis field. If you are not sure what a BA does, you should pick up the BABOK and read it.
It is broken down into 6 knowledge area + BA fundamentals
- Enterpise Analysis
- Requirement Planning & Management
- Requirement Elicitation
- Requirement Analysis and Documentation
- Requirement Communication
- Solution Assessment and Valitation
Each of these knowledge areas are broken down by activities, tasks and techniques that the BA does or should be doing to add value to their organization.
In order to get a copy, you can click on the links above. You should be able to get a free copy if you are a member of IIBA.
Membership fee is only $95 per year. It's really a bargain compared to PMI, TAG and other organizations out there.
With IIBA membership, you get:

• Discounted Fee for the Certified Business Analysis Professional™ (CBAP^®) exam
• Access to IIBA Members-only content, including job postings
• Early access to changes to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge^® (BABOK^®)
• Personal Use of the Membership Logo and Trademark as a "Member of the International Institute of Business Analysis”
• Eligibility to join a local IIBA Chapter
• Access to fellow IIBA Members on community networks such as Catalyze and LinkedIn
• Networking opportunities with other Business Analysis professionals
• Opportunity to influence and contribute to the profession and service of Business Analysis
• Access to Endorsed Education Providers (EEP^TM) so members may improve their skills
• Access to forums for sharing your expertise, expressing your professional opinion, and building a reputation within the industry
• Access to the IIBA Webinar Series featuring a range of Professional Development topics
  

So if you are interested in advancing your career as a Business Analyst, take the time to get you a copy of the BABOK and read it!