Now that I’ve completed both TOGAF 9 tests, I am putting up a couple of quick posts on how I prepared for these Enterprise Architecture exams. Be advised that while TOGAF 9 is still very much alive, there is a new version, TOGAF 10, that’s available. Since I haven’t taken a TOGAF 10 exam, I can’t speak to it. Here is the information page link covering both TOGAF versions with respect to certification so you can make an informed choice.
The first TOGAF 9 exam is to achieve TOGAF 9 Foundation certification. Technically, you can attempt both Test 1 and Test 2 at the same time to get Certified all in one fell swoop. However, if you fail Test 1, you won’t be allowed to take Test 2 until you do.
For TOGAF 9 foundation, the study guide is well worth the price. I’ve linked to the PDF version because I know that when I received the paperback, I found that there was a misprint and some of the answers to the end of chapter questions were not in the book. Contacting support, they gave me the option of getting just a .PDF of the corrected pages or the whole PDF. I choose the whole PDF. However, this process took a day or two. Save yourself the trouble and buy the PDF version.
However, if your intent is to complete both tests and get TOGAF 9 Certified, I would recommend the study pack. It has both study guides, the TOGAF 9 pocket guide (I didn’t use this… I’ll explain shortly), practice exams, and some of the other referenced whitepapers and slides. This is what I ended up getting to prepare for the TOGAF 9 certified.
Second, download the TOGAF 9 standard itself. You’ll need it.
Third, work through the chapters in order. Do the Test Yourself Questions closed book, as Test 1 is a closed book exam. If you miss a question, go back and re-read that part of the chapter until you understand why the correct answer is correct. Remember, TOGAF is a framework and this is about building that knowledge base so you can apply TOGAF to enterprise architecture. A wrong answer that wasn’t the result of carelessness or misreading the question/answer means there’s a gap in your understanding.
Fourth, do the recommended reading for each chapter before moving on to the next one. This will mean you will be reading the applicable parts of the TOGAF 9.2 standard for each chapter. While the chapters themselves have a lot of word repetition from the standard, the review helps. Repetition reinforces and there are some differences between the study guide and the specification with regards to coverage and how information is presented.
Finally, take the practice exam in test-like conditions. That should give you confidence in taking the exam itself, which you’ve hopefully already scheduled. You can find what the test conditions are going to be like when you schedule, so try and match those as closely as possible. Familiarity breeds comfort and any certification exam is nerve-wracking. So anything you can do to offset that is best.