ISEB Certificate in Organisational Context... Done!!

I was able to snap up the last available space on the OC course on the 28th-29th March 2009. I am very glad that I did. Still, I predict that this course will be the hardest of the lot. OMG!!! i refuse to believe that BAs do that much accounting and all them financial stuff. I couldn't be presented with more cash-flow, balanced, and expenditure sheets. I fell ill just sitting there! I tell you!!! One of the already working BA there said he never does this kind of thing at work, he says there is always a financial/accounts person in the project team. Oh well, its done now and I passed!!

Course Overview:
Organisational Context provides Business Analysts with a good grounding in the basics of business. The course examines various types of businesses and their management structures. Key areas such as Financial and Management accounting, Budgeting and Legal issues are also covered.
Holders of the ISEB Certificate in Organisational Context should be able to:
-Describe the range and type of business organisations in the UK.
-Describe the advantages and disadvantages of a range of management structures operated within organisations.
-Demonstrate an understanding of the work carried out by key functions found within organisations.
-Explain legislative issues affecting information systems.
-Understand the range of activities carried out by financial and management accountants.
-Apply investment appraisal, costing and cash flow forecasting techniques

I did enjoy the course, the case studies and hearing the other delegates experiences relating to the subject but I must admit, this one took the biscuit!

ISEB Certificate in Organisational Context
Course Syllabus
1. Law and Government
o Criminal and civil law
o The legislative process in the UK
2. Business organisations
o Public sector organisations
o Private sector organisations
o Not-for-profit organisations
o Start-up organisations
o Business drivers
3. Organisational structures
o Departmental
o Project
o Matrix
4. Functional areas
o Functional divisions within organisations
o Sales and marketing
o Production/service delivery
o HR
o IT
o The finance function - the role of finance and the use and interpretation of the balance sheet and profit and loss account
5. Management accounting
o Investment appraisal
o Budgeting
o Cash flow forecasts
o Costing approaches
6. Costing
o Fixed and variable costs
o Absorption and marginal costing
o Standard costing
7. Financial reporting and analysis
o Profit and loss account
o Balance sheet
o Financial ratios
8. Legislation
o Anti-discrimination
o Software contracts and liability
o Intellectual property rights
o Data protection, privacy and freedom of information
o Internet issues
o Computer misuse