The Essential Guide to the ISEB Diploma

The ISEB Business Systems Development (BSD) qualifications are universally recognised as essential for any IT or business professional. ISEB awards two BSD diplomas, based on the accumulation of specific ISEB Foundation and Practitioner certificates. Both diplomas class as ISEB "Higher" qualifications.

The ISEB Business Analysis Diploma is an increasingly desirable addition to the CV of any aspiring business analyst, manager or consultant. It is also a requirement for anybody who wants to achieve the ISEB Professional Business Analysis Certificate.

The ISEB Systems Development Diploma is designed specifically for IT professionals, particularly those involved in developing, testing and implementing IT systems. This can include solution architects, designers and software testing managers.

Both diplomas are awarded on successful completion of five examinations: four written and one oral. Each exam is approximately one hour long, and the four written exams all follow a similar format (scenario-based essay-questions or multiple choice).

There are three core modules and five specialist modules for each of the two ISEB BSD Diplomas. Students must gain certificates in each of the three core modules and one of the specialist modules before registering for the oral exam. All three core modules, and most of the specialist modules are independent ISEB Practitioner qualifications.

The three core ISEB Business Analysis Diploma modules are:
• Business Analysis Essentials (3 day training-course)
o Developing a business strategy, learning business analysis techniques and applying these techniques to a business scenario.
• Organisational Context (3 day training-course)
o The legal basis, management and structure of organisations, legislation relevant to IS professionals, and business finance.
• Requirements Engineering (4 day training-course)
o Eliciting, analysing, documenting, validating and managing user requirements.

The three core ISEB Systems Development Diploma modules are:
• Systems Design and Implementation Techniques (3 day training-course)
o Covers all aspects of the user interface, as well as underlying issues regarding data and process design.
• Systems Development Essentials (3 day training-course)
o Fundamental systems development methodology and organisation, from systems investigation to systems review.
• Systems Modelling Techniques (3 day training-course)
o Construction and implementation of modelling systems from three key perspectives (structured, object-oriented and agile).