Technology changes every day, and I consider that is part of my obligations as an Engineer to stay aware of the latest trends.
Some companies even demand that you should have certifications to backup your experience. Is not the same to say that you know WCF, as showing that have a certification my MS indicating that you at least know all the basics of WCF.
I have done some certifications in the past for MS and Sun (well now Oracle Java), and I want I have done is usually to research for documentation online or buy some books on the subjects of the certification exam. I have even bought guide books that prepare you for a certification test.
Recently the people from uCertify approached me and they let me evaluate one of their Certification PrepKits (at least that’s the way they call them).
Well this are my observations on the product.
The uCertifiy PrepKit is small application that you have to download to your computer. Once there is provides a personalized browser to an information portal.
You have to provide your email and license to be able to access your PrepKit. Once you do you will be presented with a page showing your current progress.
I think that must annoying thing about certification test is not knowing if you are ready or not (you do not want to pay for the test and do not pass it)
And the PrepKit is great for that. It provides a set of tests you can apply to yourself to verify your knowledge.
For example if you already know about the subject and what to know if you can pass a the test, give it a try to the diagnostic test:
All test in the prepkit provide some level of customization. So you can decide to take a quick 20 minute test of a longer 45 minute test.
Test mode is nice because sometimes you can feel very confident about a subject but during the test you miss some questions, so the test mode will leave you see which were the right answers.
I think is nice to start with the Diagnostic Test and then review a little about the subject. The prepkit provides study material. Just go to Notes\Study Notes and you will have access with several pages with information about the certification. This is very nice, because usually I have to look for a good page that provides information that I can use for a test. Certification test questions are very tricky they will ask about attribute combinations and configurations that you might not use very much so this notes can be a great help.
There are 4 predefined tests A, B, C and D and you can create your own test.
The best feature for me, is the ability to track your current progress.
Using the tests differs from buying a book or just using a web site, because they are more interactive.
You can write down your notes, you can make links to your info, and easily review your errors.
Conclusions
I had never used one of this PrepKits before, but they are a great experience. They are not cheap but I think they worth their price. Some years before I would have thought that I could just take my time and look for my own material on the web for my certifications, but now I’m a very busy professional, father and dog owner, so time is important for me, and keeping ahead in my career too. Thinks I would improve: better navigation, and little overhaul of the interface.