New CDMP Exam: Data Governance and Stewardship

The Data Management Association and ICCP have announced a new CDMP exam. This exam will be available for beta testing at no charge to DAMA Chapters and members from February 15, 2011 through June 30, 2011. For more information, see the DAMA Press Release page for the Data Governance and Stewardship Exam. The Data Governance and Stewardship exam addresses the Data Governance function of the DAMA Data Management Body of Knowledge (DAMA-DMBOK).

The DAMA / ICCP exam development team members have been diligently at work designing and developing this exam since Summer 2010, with many hours of volunteer time contributed over several exam development sessions. A big ‘thank you’ goes out to the following DAMA / ICCP team members: Francine Adams, Jan Chambers, Pat Cupoli, Kewal Dhariwal, Mahesh Harvu, Deborah Henderson, Mona Pomraning, Anne Marie Smith, Eva Smith, Loretta Smith, Elize van der Linde and John Whitehouse.

Reviewers Needed for DAMA Dictionary version 2.0!

DAMA members interested in providing comments on the next version of the DAMA Dictionary of Data Management can sign up to be a volunteer reviewer here.

Upon acceptance, you will be emailed with an invitation and link to the wiki site where the dictionary terms are posted. If you don't have a Google account, you will be asked to create one at that time so that you can participate in the the online collaboration.

PlEASE NOTE: The period for open review and comment ends on 1/16/11!

San Francisco DAMA Day offering CDMP Exams in December

Submitted by Dan Weller, CDMP

*Certified Data Management Professional

In conjunction with the San Francisco DAMA Day, the SF Chapter is sponsoring CDMP exams on December 8-9, 2010. There are still spaces available at all sessions of the CDMP exams. Exams will be given from 9:00 AM to Noon and 1:PM to 4:00 PM both days at San Francisco State University – Downtown Campus. Please follow the links below for more information or to register for the CDMP exams. http://www.sfdama.org/DAMADay2010/cdmp/cdmp.html

This is a great opportunity for you to start the CDMP certification process or to finish that one exam that you need to become certified. There are many study materials available to help you ace these exams.

However, it is interesting to note that not everyone encourages studying for the exams. Here is a statement on this concept from Mehmet Orun, MBA, CDMP (Mastery Level). Mehmet is a Sr. Manager of Data Architecture & Analysis at Genentech. He is also a past president and is currently the membership director of SF DAMA.

"I have a very different perspective on 'studying for the exams' as a manager of data professionals and spouse/son/son-in-law of educators. I prefer my staff to take the exam cold rather than studying DMBOK or other material first. This gives us a chance to review their scores and assess where their natural knowledge leaves them and based on their interest areas, we discuss what kind of training, mentoring, reading could further enhance their knowledge base."

Mehmet’s statement is partially based on the fact that each applicant receives a detailed analysis of how he/she did on each exam. This analysis can be used to assess strengths and gaps in different DM subjects. If you manage DM personnel, you can take advantage of these tests to help with the development of your staff. Or, if you are a DM professional, you can take the tests to determine the areas where you should focus your study and experience to help with future exams and to round out your resume. There is no charge for any test that you take but do not pass (your score is less that 50%).

Although these exams are being offered concurrently with the annual SF DAMA Day event, you do not have to register for any DAMA Day event to participate in the exams.

Please note that these are CDMP exams only. We will not have the tests for other ICCP certifications. If you are planning on attending any DAMA Day sessions, you can drop in and take an exam any time the tests are offered. The schedule can be found at the website link above.

All candidates are asked to register for the exams, even if you have already registered for DAMA Day by sending an email to webmaster@sfdama.org.

If you have questions, contact Dan Weller, CDMP.

Seattle Bootcamp 2010 a Success

Nine more Certified Data Management Professionals emerged from the Seattle 2010 exam review Bootcamp on October 28-29 at the Best Western Executive Inn. It was an intense two days as participants worked through review questions, researched and discussed exam topics and then sat for the Data Management Core, IS Core and Data Warehousing exams. By 5:00 pm on Friday afternoon all participants had passed the exams and had earned their CDMP credentials! Whew!

Congratulations to the new CDMPs! They are: Eliza Fox, Wendy Parker, Marcel Saleh, Roger Hill, Reeve Fritchman, Paula Spangler, Teresa Wylie, Ginny Davis and John Malczyk.

CDMP Beta Exam Available Until Sept 30, 2010

EXCLUSIVE DAMA CHAPTERS MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT

FREE BETA CDMP EXAM!

We still need people to take the new Data Operations (DBA) exam. The free beta period for this exam has been extended until September 30, 2010. This new data exam is aligned with the DAMA-DMBOK.

If you like your score, you can convert this exam towards the CDMP at a cost of $195 USD. If you already have a CDMP, you can use this exam for conversion ($195 USD) to recertification / professional development credits. For example, if you score 70% or higher on a beta exam, you can convert it to 60 recertification / professional development credits. A score of 60 – 69% earns 30 recertification credits; a score of 50 – 59% earns 20 credits and less than 50% earns no credit.

There are new exam requirements in 2010: IS Core (mandatory), Data Management Core (mandatory) and one data exam of your choice, e.g. Data Development, Data Operations (DBA), Data and Information Quality, Data Warehousing, Business Intelligence and Analytics, or Zachman Enterprise Architecture Framework². All exams (other than the Data Operations exam) are currently available at a cost of $285 USD per exam.

Chapter guidelines for sponsoring the beta exams:

1. One designated individual must be the volunteer exam coordinator and proctor for the beta exams at the DAMA Chapter meeting. Proctors must be qualified and acceptable to the ICCP and sign a proctor confidentiality agreement.
2. Determine when and where to hold the exam session. Some chapters will host exams as part of the chapter's meeting. Others hold sessions at night or on Saturdays.
3. A classroom arrangement (tables and chairs) is best with sufficient electrical outlets as the participants will be using their laptops to run the exams.
4. The exam coordinator must contact the ICCP office ahead of the exam session to order a number of beta exams to be given. ICCP contact information: office@iccp.org, 1-800-843-8227, or 847-299-4227.
5. Let the ICCP office know if other CDMP exams will be given at the exam session. Cost is $285 USD per exam. Payment information must be collected by the exam coordinator / proctor.
6. Note: there is no profit-sharing arrangement for beta exams or payment for proctoring. The profit-sharing arrangement between DAMA Chapters and ICCP applies to paid exams only.

Exam taker Information regarding the new beta exam:

7. Each exam taker must bring a laptop as an exam runs off a USB drive.
8. Each exam contains 100 multiple choice questions plus 10 extra beta questions to be completed in 90 minutes.
9. If you pass the exam and want to apply it towards the Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) designation, there will be a conversion charge of $195 USD (the regular exam price is $285 USD) payable to the ICCP.
10. The beta test is FREE. You will have to fill out an application, but no payment is expected unless you are taking other exams, applying this exam towards the CDMP, or applying this exam towards recertification credit.

Some technical requirements:

11. The exam software runs on all Windows platforms. It is best to use a Windows laptop rather than another laptop platform, e.g. Apple Mac.
12. The new version of the Exam Mechanic Presenter software requires .NET 3.5. If you get a message stating that your laptop does not run this version, then the proctor must bring up the older Exam Mechanic software that is on the USB in a separate folder.
13. If the laptop is a corporate laptop, the proctor needs to ask if it encrypts when saving files. If it does, then the exam taker needs to obtain another laptop to use or let the ICCP office know the password (if known). Otherwise, the ICCP office will not be able to read encrypted files.
14. Remote internet proctoring requires a webcam, headset with microphone and identification to show.

If there is no DAMA Chapter near you, remote proctoring is available through the ICCP office (office@iccp.org). Since the beta exams are free exams, you must start your exam between 9:00 am – 2:30 pm Central Time (US). The ICCP office requires two weeks notice for remote proctoring appointments. If you are taking a regular (non beta) exam at $285 each, you have more flexibility in scheduling.

Keep in mind that these exams are beta exams. The scores have to be reviewed and adjusted by the DAMA / ICCP team after all the results have been received. Scores may be adjusted upwards, but will NOT be adjusted downwards on review of the performance of questions.

Unadjusted scores are immediately available after the exam has been completed. Official scores will be available after the DAMA / ICCP team meets again – which is sometime after the beta exam period ends on September 30, 2010.

Further information can be obtained from the DAMA website (www.dama.org), the ICCP website (www.iccp.org), or by contacting the DAMA ICCP Directors at ICCP_Liaison@DAMA.org. Additional exam outlines are available at http://www.iccp.org/iccpnew/outlines.html#21. The DAMA-DMBOK can be ordered through www.amazon.com.

Patricia Cupoli, CCP, CDMP, CBIP

DAMA ICCP Director

Data Operations (DBA) Exam Subject Outline

1.0 Data Operations Management (56) Section 1 Total

1.1 Database Support (50)

1.2 Database Standards (6)

2.0. SQL Considerations (14) Section 5 Total

2.1 SQL Basics (2)

2.2. DDL - Data Definition Language (2)

2.3. DML - Data Manipulation Language (6)

2.4. DCL - Data Control Language (2)

2.5. Data Dictionary (Systables) (2)

3.0 Data Technology Management (15) Section 3 Total

3.1 Planning, Evaluation and Selection (9)

3.2 Implementing Data Technology (6)

4.0 Data Security Management (15) Section 3 Total

4.1 Data Security Principles (8)

4.2 Data Security Implementation (7)

Final Results for EDW10 CDMP Exams

The CDMP was a hot item at this year's Enterprise Data World in San Francisco! Four free beta exams were offered at the conference, with options to apply to the CDMP at a reduced price. Pat Cupoli's Exam Prep Session started the conference off on Sunday morning with over 40 attending this pre-conference workshop. CDMP was front and center throughout the conference with several different speaker sessions dedicated to certification and promoting the data management professsion. Three exam sessions during the week were filled to capacity, and even had to overflow into a second room to administer exams.

CDMP holders wore ribbons on their badges to identify themselves and at the closing session, all CDMPs were asked to stand and be recognized. Newly certified were also posted on Twitter, as each passed the required exams, for those following #EDW10.

A total of 110 exams were given, and 32 attendees attained the CDMP credential at this conference! Among these were*:

John Chadwick
Christine Ragan
Martha Brady
Susan Geuens
Ana Moreira
Gene Boomer
Gordon Everest
Shelley Stall
Nancy Stoebig
Thomas Mueller
Lindsey H. Lieto
Andrew Schulze
John Gray
Chris Allen
Todd Sicard
Christina Edwards
Lalit Thakur
Jon Feld
Bilal Hassan
George McGeachie
Mary Fox
Joseph Burco Jr.
Patrick Stewart
Wilma Van Dyk
Sharon Asmus
Rick Hudson
Christine Denney
Ted Louie (aka @tedlouie)
Daniel Dibble
B. Lori Halfacre
April Reeve (aka @datagrrl)
Dr. Salem F. Alrowaihi

Several international attendees were newly certified this year. Of special note were Sue Guens and Ana Moreira who are the first two DAMA members in South Africa to attain CDMP. They were so excited to get certification! They are already making plans to hold an exam prep class and begin proctoring exams for other members of the newly formed DAMA Chapter in South Africa. Also, Dr. Salem F Alrowaihi, was the first to get CDMP from Saudi Arabia.

Congratulations to all who earned CDMP at the EDW10 conference!

*Note: If you have achieved CDMP and would like to be highlighted on this blog, please send an email with your information to cdmpcommunity@gmail.com. We are also looking for stories!

Enterprise Data World 2010

Watch the activity here from the live Twitter Feed.