Our readers know that "We Love BPM". Therefore, we are always happy to see new initiatives trying to spread the word about BPM. One recent initiative is the OMG certification program for BPM experts. This official certification program consists of several levels and registration for the fundamental level will be available soon. As a contributor to the certification program I am not allowed to release any of the questions (sorry guys!), but I can give you some hints what you can expect from the program.
The OMG Certified Expert in Business Process Management (OCEB) is a professional certification program developed by OMG. Most of you might know OMG as the standardisation body developing the UML notation. However, OMG is also developing BPMN and they have shown clear interest in such softer topics in recent years. Besides BPMN, they are also working on standards for business rules management and business architecture definition.
It is good to have an independent organisation like OMG providing such a certification program, because that ensures that the questions and program is vendor neutral. In fact, you won’t find a single question directly referring to a product or vendor framework. Instead, the questions focus on public standards. The certification program is structured in three levels:
OCEB Fundamental
OCEB Intermediate
OCEB Advanced
You can only do the OCEB Intermediate exam if you successfully took the OCEB Fundamental exam. Interestingly, there are two different flavours of the intermediate and advanced exam. One is focusing on technical BPM and the other one on business BPM. That is very important, because there are two different understandings of BPM available in the market and OMG addresses that by distinguishing those two different qualifications. This is a much better solution than mixing questions in one exam.
Each exam is done as a multiple choice test. You have to go to a local test centre and click through the questions in front of a computer. The questions are designed so that there is only one correct answer for each question. While preparing questions for the different exams, I was really surprised how much effort OMG puts into creating high quality questions. I as an author entered my questions into a database. Each question was reviewed several times by OMG before it got accepted. For example, a very experienced psychologist reviews every question to find misleading answers or confusing sentences. Such a careful review is needed, because creating a well balanced multiple choice test is not an easy task. After all questions were finished a beta test was done. This beta test analysed all questions to find those questions done wrong by most people. Those questions were removed from the final version of the exam.
Registration for the OCEB fundamental exam will open on the 27th of October. So it might be a good idea to start bugging your employer to get the budget for taking the exam. The value is of course not in taking the exam, but in preparing for it. OMG provides a detailed reference list for each exam so that you know what you need to study to be well prepared. In my personal view, the OCEB fundamental exam is still relatively easy. You will need a broad overview of most topics, but it is not necessary to go into detail. So for example you have to know the main elements of BPMN, but you don’t have to know each syntactical piece to pass this part of the exam. There are also some OCEB contributors providing trainings for the exam. Of course, you have to decide if you prefer to study on your own or sign up for such training.
A certification program can never be perfect and you will certainly find some questions very strange. However, you don’t have to pass all questions to pass the exam. I am convinced that OCEB is a good thing to formalise a little bit the body of knowledge in business process management and to create awareness of the different perceptions of BPM. Please also share your experience while preparing for the test and after you took it so that we can improve the test in the future.
But , I think there is not a lot of study material .
I am a BPM software developer. I have some knowledge about how to model a bussiness process with BPMN 1.1 and i follow the research and the publication in the field of BPM.
I have a wonderfull book :”BPMN Modeling and Reference Guide
Understanding and Using BPMN” . I think this book help a lot in a preparation of this certification.
@Nabil: You are right, the number of study material is very limited. However, this is by purpose :-) If you read all the study material, you will be able to pass the exam. But of course you can other books or trainings. The idea is just to provide a list of references everybody can rely on. Unfortunately, there is no single book covering all so that we could say we have the official OCEB reference book.
@Oscar: I’m not sure if I understand your question correctly. The OCEB training is just released so at the moment nobody officially took it yet. So we have to wait a little bit till the first people conduct the trainings and exam and see how they like it.
@Andres: Yes, there are test centres all around the world. OMG is not maintaining its own infrastructure, but instead relying on a provider. See the OCEB page (http://omg.org/oceb/) for details. It has links to the provider and you can locate a test centre, too.
The problem in this way of preparation is there no ultimate approch to BPM.
In the process design ,we can say YES because we have a standarisation and BPMN are growin like standard (1.0==>1.1==>2.0==>BPDM…) but BPM is not only a process dsign, it’s also enactement , monotoring , evaluation …
in this side there is no standarisation ,there is only vendors and tools , and every tools has his own approch .
What I want to say , OCEB is an OMG certification about BPM , what a person like me must read to prepare it ? Only document how are recommended by OMG ?
@Nabil: You are right, we don’t have standards for all aspects of BPM. Still, there are ideas, which are well accepted like compliance management, statistical process control, continuous improvement, etc. Those things are not depending on a single vendor, because software tools can only support you in doing it. Here, OCEB really tries to highlight those ideas behind the tools.
To your question about references: The reference list provided by OMG is the bare minimum to read. It is important that people know how to prepare for it. Of course you are invited to study everything in more detail!
For me, it is obvious, that the trend goes to more analyzing / modeling and less programming. Therefore it is necessary that we are able to think and design in higher abstraction layers. The design of processes will become a key qualification for industries.
In my opinion the OCEB certification program might become a really big importance in the future (almost like the UML concerning software development).
For example there is a german Xing-Group (https://www.xing.com/net/oceb/) where interested persons and content developers of the certification come together and discuss latest questions.
السيّد نبيل بلكبير, تحيّة طيّبة. أنا طالب ماجستير في مجال الادارة الصناعية بجامعة شفيلد. أرجو تزويدي ببعض عناوين الكتب الجيّدة وأفضّل أن تكون إصدارات جديدة في هذا المجال وبالتحديد التي تُعنى بالمجال التقني مثل برامج ARISوغيرها
@Riyad: Hi, it took us some time to translate your comment, so sorry for the late reply. Yes, there are of course many publications on ARIS. For example, take a look at the many different books from IDS Scheer’s found Prof. Scheer. You can find an overview of his books on the following website: http://www.professor-scheer-bpm.com/
Are there any BPM online or individual trainings available in india?
I appeared for OCEB fundamental Beta & Intermediate exams, awaiting results. But am looking for guidance/training to appear for Advance exams. Any inputs?
@Ankit and Nitesh: I don’t know if there is already specific training available in India. Please check the official OCEB page (http://omg.org/oceb) for such details.
Sebastian Stein: Ok I will contact them. But My question was not fees discount. But can I skip any of the levels as I am OCUP already. For OCRES I guess some credits you get, may be I am wrong. If know this , please let me know.
@Suren: I don’t expect that you will be allowed to skip some levels, because BPM is totally different the other more technical certificates. Anyway, ask them and let us know!
I guessed so. Even UML(OCUP) is both business/technical. Only thing came up in my mind is activity diagrams that can be used. But may be I am wrong I was looking at BPMN notations they are more expressive then UML activity diagrams.
I would like to know about those who already successed the Exams, how was the experience, the kind of questions you face it, how long you took for prepare yourself for the Exam, any routemap for the preparation period???
I appeared for all exams except Advanced Technical that is due. It was a great experience appearing for these exams. I learned a lot through reading & appearing exams. I found business exams more theoretical & easy, while the technical intermediate was real tough. I realized there is still lot to learn & prepare appearing for these exams. Hope i could pass atleast the fundamentals which i believe i did very well. Results due on 14th Jan. Does anyone know when are OMG OCEB certification exams(not the beta) are going to begin?
@Sagar: Well, first take a look at the OCEB page. You will find a list of references and points, which you should study. Also make sure you become very familiar with the BPMN notation.
You can also check if there is a training service provider in your region. Several companies and freelancers now start to provide such trainings.
It’s such a shame that this is so technically focused. BPM is a practice, a method, a discpline. It has nothing to do with BPMN or UML which are IT relations of BPMS, completely different.
Even the ‘business’ exam and certificate tracks are mixed with IT.
And, as pointed out, “we don’t have standards for all aspects of BPM”, so how can you test and certify ?
You don’t have a common body of work to reference either, so your certification rests on the OMG interpretation of other people’s work. How can that possibly work as a principle and offer value or recognition other than it has the OMG stamp ?
understanding BPM is a complicated issue, because there is no common definition as you know.
Of course OMG focuses more on executable processes, because they come from the software engineering domain. Still, there is much in those exams focusing on business BPM topics like compliance management & strategy definition. Personally, I was surprised that OMG divided the exams in two tracks. That shows to me that they are aware of the distinction between both definitions of BPM.
You are right, there are no standards. On the other hand, we could wait forever to get standards, but this doesn’t help people now. So I think OCEB is a good starting point, even though it must be improved in the future.
I am not too concerned that OCEB has a too strong OMG stamp. Of course they rely on several of their standards like SVBR, but there are also several other contributors like me, who have no long affiliation with OMG.
I am planning for the certification i just want to know what could be the reference material for my preperation,could you please help me in this,also how hard/easy is the foundation level exam.
i have a few questions though on the eligibility criteria if any for this certification.I have just worked about two months into BPM and like the subject very much so want to pursue this certifications,do you have any suggestions for teh same.
Hello Sebastian, Looking at your suggestions i am now interested to take up Fundamental exam. Right now i am working for a Bank and i hold Process Analyst position using Aris Tool. Will this help me to go for the exam i am intended. Your help and suggestion please.
Hard to say. OCEB contains many questions about public standards such as BPMN. Even though you are a knowledged process analyst, it might be that you will fail the exam, because you are probably not aware of all standards available. I suggest that you prepare yourself for the exam by studying the basics of BPMN and also digging through the reading list provided on OCEB's webpage.
Im currently working oracle fusion middleware product line including oracle BPM suite and SOA suite as well as Thomas ERl' SOA methodology for service designing prior to implement soa components. my question is , getting OCEB technology certification useful for me in future progress? normally the person who completed OCEP certification expecially technological level suitable for which position in organisation?
If someone have the basic degree with 1 or 2 years of business process experience is enough. You can reach me at marubadiatgmaildotcom for further queries. I will help you to get this certification. Thanks SK
