On 11/10/2019, I earned my CDMP (Certified Data Management Professional) certification! This certificate comes from an organization called DAMA which I’ve recently written about. Today’s post is more about the preparation and experience of taking the Data Management Fundamentals Exam. I would recommend starting by reading out what DAMA is and circle back here if you are unfamiliar with it.
Contents hide
3 What I wish they would change about the test:
4 Would I recommend this exam?
5 In the end, here was my time breakdown:
Update: 9/1/2020
I have added a F.A.Q towards the bottom of the article as I have received many questions about this certification. I would also like to add as a very important update that the test is open book. Apparently it was always an open book exam, but it was not well advertised and there was some ambiguous information sent with the test. I have emailed DAMA about the open book policy and they have been very open and are working to increase awareness about the open book policy on their site.
Knowing the book is now open source, it would change my process. I would say apart from everything I had done, I would also use the book on the exam. I would feel confident passing, possibly even master status using my study regime along with the book on the test. It’s possible I may work to pass more of their exams in the future, but for now, I am still focused personally on other certifications.
Here is the response from DAMA about the open book policy:
The Honorlock statement, about looking up answers, specifically refers to search engine use.
Their software can detect any phrase from a question that is typed into a search engine. If, however, you are using a digital version of a text then this would have already been downloaded. You would not be typing a search into an online search engine.
The statement about using a secondary source refers to the context of trying to avoid detection when accessing a search engine on the internet, by using a second device. This does not refer to using a text such as the DMBoK2 that is already downloaded onto a second device.
We have configured the Honorlock settings so that you can use one text for your ‘open book’, plus notes and scratch paper if required. The notes do not count as another text.
If your text is in a digital form then it must be on a separate device such as a phone or ipad. You can’t switch back and forth between the text and the exam on the same monitor, nor can you use two monitors.
DAMA have stipulated that you can only use one text in an exam, but you can actually choose any text that you wish. Most people choose the DMBoK2, since this is what the exams are based on, but that is up to you. You may also use any notes you have taken.
CDMP Support
I began by buying the DAMA-DMBOK2 study guide back in June and read through the book cover to back over the next five months. Once I finished reading the entirety of the book, I reviewed their diagrams for about two hours which you can find on their website. (Overall, I spent about 38 hours reading and 2 hours studying the diagrams by the end.)
This is when I purchased their exam. To reiterate some details, the exam is $300 and it includes a practice test and passing the exam provides initial membership. If you take the test online, you will need to pay another $11 for the proctor fee once you begin taking the test. This test is mostly online based but they do allow for test-taking at specific events. 60% is a pass, but you can obtain different levels of badges by scoring at least 70% and also 80%. There are additional tests you can take which are also $300 and include a practice test, these will be necessary to get to the other levels of membership.
Here is a screenshot of the levels and their requirements:
Note: When buying the exam, it sends you an email after your purchase. This email lets you create a login to Canvas Catalog which hosts the exam. Once you login to the Canvas Catalog system, you will enroll in the test that you purchased. Now you will be in the catalog, this gives you the ability to take the primary test or the practice test. I was a little confused initially at checkout, some of the wording on the page made it seem like you had to take the test as soon as you bought it. You definitely get to purchase the exam and then pick when you take the exam.
I took the practice test which is 40 questions. Overall I got 70% on the practice exam. I wish they categorized the questions or offered a better breakout analysis of my practice exam. It would have been nice to have more practice questions too. This is where I really like the practice tests from MeasureUp. The MeasureUp practice tests had multiple modes to pick from, 160 test questions, and a breakdown by category. Reviewing your answers was also much more in-depth and they explained why an answer was correct. The DAMA DMBOK2 practice exam just tells you the right/wrong answers and which ones you got wrong along with the time you took.
Here is a breakout of what is covered on the test:
- Data Management Process – 2%
- Big Data – 2%
- Data Architecture – 6%
- Document and Content Management – 6%
- Data Ethics – 2%
- Data Governance – 11%
- Data Integration and Interoperability – 6%
- Master and Reference Data Management – 10%
- Data Modelling and Design – 11%
- Data Quality – 11%
- Data Security – 6%
- Data Storage and Operations – 6%
- Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence – 10%
- Metadata Management – 11%
I tried to categorize the questions the best I could from the practice exam. From there I found Data Quality, Master Data Management, and Metadata Management were the areas I fell the shortest. Each of those subjects are 11% of the actual test. So I focused on 32% of the content that I did the poorest on. I went back and re-read those chapters and also decided to go back over Data Modeling too just in case. (I did not do badly on this section (80%), but with it worth 11% of the questions, I decided a quick overview was a good idea.)
It was at this point I decided to give the actual test a whirl. I went back over the material because I really wanted to get at least 80%. I really did not want to pay $300 to take the exam a 2nd time in case I decide to go for the later levels of certification in the future.
Starting the test
I took the test on Sunday when I had little to no obligations. I wanted to wake up naturally, eat a nice breakfast, and then hunker down for the test. Funnily enough, I ran into someone at the Blue Bird Cafe during breakfast who was studying their DAMA-DMBOK2 book. I’ve never actually seen another person with this book before since this is kind of a niche test. So if you’re reading this Gary, I hope you pass your exam and do well too!
I moved my book and notes out of the room I settled into for the test. I cleared my immediate work area at my desk, otherwise, I didn’t do too much else to prepare the room. I made sure it was going to be quiet and distraction-free though.
To start the test, I needed to install a Chrome plugin that monitors my internet session. It turns on my webcam/microphone and it records your video/audio as well as what is on your computer screen. I run a check on the software and it verifies I can take the test. So I get ready to take the test, it asks for a credit card for the $11 proctor fee. Then it takes your picture, then it takes a picture of your driver’s license or other ID. I had a hard time getting it to take a picture that worked with my ID. Eventually, I had to ask the proctor for help, they recommended to hold up the ID so it took the entire webcam view. (Instead of holding it up to line up to the ID rectangle on the screen.)
After that picture of my ID went through, the test kicked off.
My overall reaction to the test is better than anticipated. I read from another user that there were misspellings and even questions edited that looked like they were included on accident. There were a few spelling mistakes, but nothing nearly as glaring as the other user suggested. It was about as hard as the practice exam which was nice, I’d say the practice exam is a relatively good indicator of how you will do on the actual test. In the end, I only managed to get 72%. I’m disappointed with the results as I was hoping for the 80%, but I’m glad to have passed. As with the Microsoft exams, you know immediately what your score was and if you passed. You also get access to a badge proving you obtained your CDMP. The badge is linked to their site which verifies your credentials.
In the end, I don’t know if reading the book any further would have really helped my score. I thought some questions were done well and could have practical applications in real life. Other questions seemed more like a memorization piece. Some of those memorization questions don’t have any practical application in real life in my opinion and added fluff to help keep the test to 100 questions. Some questions were obviously narrowed down to a few answers and they were annoyingly similar. You definitely need to pay attention to the context of the question and what you believe they want you to answer. In the end, I had about 4 minutes out of 90 left when I submitted my exam.
I liked that I could mark questions to come back to them. I made sure all questions were answered and I had time to go back over the questions I had marked. I marked any question I didn’t know after reading the question or ones I had to double think about. I wanted to fill out all the answers possible and then review my time limit for the questions that required more time to think. There is the ability to track what you have answered / not answered and what is flagged if you scroll to the very top of the test. When you click on the number in this test box, it would jump you to the question you clicked on. I wish this box moved with the test as I scrolled down, but that’s relatively minor.
What I wish they would change about the test:
- The questions sound like they are better written for application than previous iterations of the test. I’d like to see this progression continue so it’s less about memorization and more about knowledge and practical application.
- There needs to be a way to flag questions easily to give feedback to the testers. (X question is misspelled, or perhaps there is something wrong with the question.)
- At the end of the test, it is great that you get immediate feedback about your score. I really wish it would give you a categorization breakdown of how well you did on each topic in the test so I can go back and review the areas I was weak in. This is a primary driver for me when I take tests. Tests to me are indicators of where I need to refocus my energy to improve and this is a critically lacking feature. You won’t get to know which questions you got wrong or right after the exam is over and you won’t know what areas you were weak in.
- Linking your exam to your DAMA account individual membership is not straight forward, but I also don’t see many benefits to doing so. This should be something more valuable or at the very least, the individual membership should include the DAMA DMBOK2 PDF.
Would I recommend this exam?
I would recommend to take it to earn the CDMP title. The act of studying and learning for the exam is where all the real benefit comes from. There is a lot of fluff to this framework and there is no way any organization can follow it 100%. There is a lot of great takeways, solutions, and ideas in this framework that can definitely aid any maturing organization. As I said, there are some good questions on the exam that apply experience and knowledge. I really prefer the Microsoft exams though, so I wouldn’t recommend going for every level of cert offered from DAMA. I think the feedback you get from Microsoft exams actually allows you to better your skills whereas this cert is more about the reinforcement that you memorized many pieces to the framework.
In the end, here was my time breakdown:
- 38 hours reading DAMA-DMBOK2
- 2 hours studying diagrams
- 4 hours studying types of keys and types of normal form
- 1 hour on the practice test
- 2 hours on the final exam
- Overall: 47 hours spent to achieve CDMP
Instead of working towards additional levels of this exam, I plan on finishing my MCSE (Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert) in Data Management and Analytics, working on my SAFE (Scaled Agile Framework) certificate, and my TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework) certificate. Maybe once I’ve earned all of those I may re-evaluate if it’s worth the effort to dive into the deeper levels of CDMP certification.
Something else factored in my decision, is the amount of jobs that request this certificate. Here’s some info I got from Indeed.com on 11/12.
- Data jobs in the USA – 866,792 jobs
- Data jobs in the USA that mention MCSA – 1432 jobs
- Data jobs in the USA that mention MCSE – 2313 jobs
- Data jobs in the USA that mention TOGAF – 667 jobs
- Data jobs in the USA that mention SAFE5 – 634 jobs
- Data jobs in the USA that mention CDMP – 94 jobs
And while these slim postings look abysmal for the CDMP, the majority are in leadership, architecture, or management. This is a higher-end certificate that can be expected after you have advanced through many years of experience. So maybe this is more of a quality over quantity scenario? Maybe it’s completely irrelevant? I just wanted to point out that even though there are significantly fewer job postings wanting the qualification, they seem to be many higher-end positions.
Final advice
Once you have read through the exam book, I think you can purchase the test (it comes with the practice test) and then see where you land. If you can pass the practice test with 85-90% on your first try, you should feel very confident. If you land below 80%, it will be some work to get that 80% passing mark and I don’t have great advice for studying to pass at that rate. It would probably be worth looking for an official DAMA group study camp/conference where they host exam study sessions to break that threshold.
Nicole Janeway Bills of Atlas Research has also started a Facebook study group for users looking to collaborate learning and working towards their CDMP. This resource was not around when I was looking to take my exam, but I wish it had been! I would recommend taking a look and seeing if it helps with your studies.
Study plan
This is a more recent update to this post (5/31/21) as the world of data has continued to evolve. Since achieving my CDMP, hundreds of people have reached out to network, collaborate, comment, learn and embolden their careers as data professionals.
Nicole Janeway Bills of Data Strategy Professionals has become a pinnacle in this community as you have probably seen by the study group listed above. She has done so much more than just start a study group, she has also compiled helpful resources and responded back to others in the community who have questions or need support. Both of us have reached out to DAMA to find answers for folks where that content was just not easy to find.
In addition to all of these resources, she has put together a study plan specifically for the CDMP. I feel this has been a sorely needed resource that there is not an abundance of. If you are looking for study plans for AWS, Microsoft, Oracle, or other mainstream technologies, there is a surplus of materials.
The study plan is a 90-day journey that details how, when, what, and where to prepare yourself for the exam. I personally reviewed every email, link, and reference throughout the guide and can verify it is a labor of love. The painstaking detail in the guide is apparent as is its value. I’ve already passed the exam, but I learned even more from reviewing the study plan. If you’ve chosen to pursue your CDMP, then I’m sure you know it’s about much more than a test score. Nicole recognizes this and the study plan also features interview questions and thought-provoking external resources like videos, articles, and books related to each chapter.
The study schedule is designed to take advantage of primacy and spaced repetition so that you can maximize your time and energy while studying. By following this approach, you’ll put the most important chapters first and prioritize your review. The plan also features nine science-backed study tips that will help you attain the CDMP and whatever certification you choose to pursue next.
As a disclaimer, this is a paid affiliate link. But if this guide was around when I was preparing, it would have boosted my confidence going into the exam and it would have improved my own exam score. Nicole is a knowledgeable and strong resource in the data community, and this guide is definitely a great alternative to trying to piece together a study method yourself.
Nicole Janeway Bills’ CDMP Study Plan
As of February 2022, I have found that Nicole now offers a set of fundamental notes regarding the CDMP exam as well as practice questions. I have not reviewed the materials, but I imagine they are very high quality and I would not hesitate to use those as resources for the exam if they were within my means to purchase. The CDMP exam is a costly one compared to some exams and I would feel more confident having great study material to assist. Unlike the more mainstream certifications like AWS or Microsoft, it is more difficult to find quality material to work with and everything I have seen from Nicole has been phenomenal.
F.A.Q
Is the exam open book?
Absolutely it is open book, but there is some lack of clarity on their website. I asked the DAMA organization about this. Specifically, I asked:
1. Can the Honorlock verbiage be changed so it is less ambiguous?
Here is the verbiage: “You are required to use Google Chrome as your browser. You will be prompted to add the Honorlock Chrome Extension, which is required to take your exam. Then you will need to take a picture, show your ID, and scan your room. Honorlock will be recording you VIA webcam and they will be recording your screen. They also have an integrity algorithm that can detect search-engine use, so do not attempt to cheat or look up answers, even if it’s a secondary device.”
2. Can the e-book or physical book be used?
3. Can you use any material for the exam?
Here was the response back from DAMA:
The Honorlock statement, about looking up answers, specifically refers to search engine use.
Their software can detect any phrase from a question that is typed into a search engine. If, however, you are using a digital version of a text then this would have already been downloaded. You would not be typing a search into an online search engine.
The statement about using a secondary source refers to the context of trying to avoid detection when accessing a search engine on the internet, by using a second device. This does not refer to using a text such as the DMBoK2 that is already downloaded onto a second device.
We have configured the Honorlock settings so that you can use one text for your ‘open book’, plus notes and scratch paper if required. The notes do not count as another text.
If your text is in a digital form then it must be on a separate device such as a phone or ipad. You can’t switch back and forth between the text and the exam on the same monitor, nor can you use two monitors.
DAMA have stipulated that you can only use one text in an exam, but you can actually choose any text that you wish. Most people choose the DMBoK2, since this is what the exams are based on, but that is up to you. You may also use any notes you have taken.
CDMP Support
What is the best study tip while reading the book?
This is going to be based on the individuals, but I think adding to the book via sticky notes, highlighting, writing, (including via the digital version) are the most advantageous personally. With the exam being open book, there is a strength to the digital version because you can use the ctrl + f function to FIND key words as necessary. So really when reading, it’s going to come down to how you learn best.
How many times can you try the practice exam and are the questions always the same?
You can try the practice exam as many times as you like. I did a review of their website and they have changed their practice exam. When I took it, there were 40 questions which were static. They were always the same. Their site now shows it pulls 40 questions out of 200. I’m unsure if they change or will remain static.
When you purchase the exam, what is the deadline to take it?
After you have purchased an exam you have an unlimited time to access that exam. Should the fee for the exams increase, before you actually take the exam, you would not be required to pay the difference.
Please note, however, that there is a 3 year DAMA membership included with your first exam. The 3 years is calculated from the time of purchase. You must have a current DAMA membership to achieve CDMP certification.
Do the questions in the practice test appear in the real exam?
I want to adhere to the integrity of the test and organization so I will not reveal content or information that is on the actual exam. In addition, the exam changes over time, so what I had on my exam may not be what is in yours.
Can you send me a list of questions from the exam or recommend any brain dumps?
I want to adhere to the integrity of the test and organization so I will not reveal content or information that is on the actual exam.
I can’t find the practice exam on MeasureUp, where do you purchase it?
The practice exam for the CDMP is actually through Canvas which is the same host as the actual exam. When you purchase the exam at this link, it includes the CDMP practice. You’ll get instructions on how to access the practice exam and take the final exam once you make the purchase for the CDMP test. You have unlimited time to take the test after you purchase it.
There are so many exams! Which one do I book?
You will notice there are five exams:
1. Data Management Fundamentals
2. Data Governance
3. Data Quality
4. Data Modeling and Design
5. Metadata
I recommend you start with the Data Management Fundamentals as this is the basis for their exams and also nets you the primary certification. The others are considered electives to reach higher levels of certification.
Hi Jon, this is an excellent review of your cdmp journey. Great data analysis as well on the jobs asking for it.
I have several associates who are considering it and I thought you might be able to answers some questions from them to provide some additional guidance.
So here goes with 2:
What was your best study tip while reading the book? Highlighting the book, Taking notes, making flash cards, etc. There is just so much detailed material…
Is the test open book?
Hi David,
The primary way I studied was to use the book for my current position. I have (and am still currently working on) many projects that directly relate to the DAMA framework. So not only am I reading the material, but I’m constructing new material that utilizes its information to guide our data maturity. Obviously to implement the framework completely is not recommended or even realistic. So for the portions that I am not currently using in my daily life, I would re-read those sections one more time. Overall, it was mostly just reading through the book 1.5 times, taking the practice test, and then jumping into the primary exam.
Exactly as you stated, there is just so much material and the exam has so many questions. The best advice I can give is to take the practice test, try and categorize the areas you did the worst, and focus on studying in those areas. I personally think flashcards would be a great way to study, the problem you’ll have is that you don’t know what to make flashcards of. So that’s why I’d suggest picking the areas you performed the worst (and make up the majority of the test).
The test is not an open book exam and it is mostly online. They will have someone watching you through the webcam, the test is recorded, you must pivot your camera around the room and take a picture of your workspace. They are also recording your screen as you take the test and there is software that runs which will identify what software is currently running. All plugins need to be disabled as well.
Thanks for sharing Jon, i was trying to find the practice tests on measureup but couldnt see, have they removed them? if u can please share the link?
Hi Neha, the practice tests are through DAMA and are included in purchasing the exam. You can also purchase it separately.
https://cdmp.info/exams/
Really a good and helpful write up.
Thank You.
Hi. Nice job!!! Please tell me:
1. How many times can I try PRACTICE EXAM and are the questions always the same?
2. Can I pay now for Data Management Fundamentals exam and start the exam next year?
end one more question. In order to obtain CDMP Associate I must pass two exams?: Data Management and Fundamentals exam?
Bob,
1. You can try the practice exam as many times as you like. I did a review of their website and they have changed their practice exam. When I took it, there were 40 questions which were static. They were always the same. Their site now shows it pulls 40 questions out of 200. I’m unsure if they change or will remain static.
2. I did not see anything on their site that would indicate you could not take the test next year if you purchased it today, but this is a good question.
3. In order to obtain the CDMP Associate, you only need to pass the Data Management and Fundamentals exam. The wording is ambiguous, but it is a single test of 100 questions. You need 60% to earn your Associate level. I recommend trying to get as close to 80% as possible because after you hit Practitioner, you will be required to have an 80% to climb to the higher levels if you’d like to go that route.
Since I could not answer your questions 1 and 2 in great detail, I’ll reach out to DAMA and see if they can help shed some light on those questions.
Thank you 🙂 There is no time limit to pass the exam. I checked it out.
You are right Bob, here is the email back from the DAMA folks.
Thank you for the review of your experience with the test! I am preparing to take mine soon as well, and I had a question for you. Would you say that a lot of the questions from the practice exam show up in the real exam? Or are they completely different?
Hi Lynn. I can’t speak to the actual content apart from what is advertised on the site as that would be against the rules of the exam. I can say that it looks like they have changed the practice questions from the set I had when I took it last. At the time, it felt like it was a good representation of what I was going to achieve score wise on the actual exam. I hope that helps!
I tried to search for CDMP practice exam in the measureUP website but nothing comes up ! Do you have direct link for that ?
Hi George. The practice exam for the CDMP is actually through Canvas which is the same host as the actual exam. When you purchase the exam at this link, it includes the CDMP practice. You’ll get instructions on how to access the practice exam and take the final exam once you make the purchase for the CDMP test. You have unlimited time to take the test after you purchase it.
I have 14 years of experience in Database management systems (OLTP ,OLAP and BigData) and also I am certified TOGAF. can I give CDMP exam instead of practitioner exam?
Do we need special training to clear the exam and DMOBOK2 will Sufficient?
what’s the demand of this certification in current market or Only specialized certificates like Data Governance is enough ?
Good morning Uma. The CDMP exam has multiple levels. To achieve CDMP master, you will need 80% on the exam. I would recommend reading through the DAMA-DMBOK2, if you understand that material very well you will likely pass. The demand currently for this cert is very niche, but it does hold weight in those positions. I’d recommend to combine this with other certs like Data Governance if that fits your career path. I’ll be looking to other certs not from DAMA to pair with this.
Thank you for your detailed review! I get to know the certification because a job I try to apply has this in their requirements. Your article is very helpful!
I’m trying to book an exam and I’m baffled as to which one to book ! There are five exams as listed below each costing $300. Dama website has also published what percentage of questions will be asked from each knowledge area in DMBOK. So how can you have five different exams and the same proportion of questions ?
1) Data Management Fundamentals
2) Data Governance
3) Data Quality
4) Data Modelling and Design
5) Meta Data
Hi George. You should probably book the Data Management Fundamentals exam, this is the primary one that is needed for every level of the certification. It covers a lot of area and is 100 questions. The other 4 your listed (2-5) are specific exams that also have 100 questions, but these are optional exams that can help you obtain a higher level of CDMP. The percentages you talk about are in the Data Management Fundamentals. I haven’t taken the others, but they are supposed to be questions specific to those topics. I hope that helps!
Hi Jon,
Your blog is really helpful for preparing CDMP certification. Is DAMA-DMBOK Version 2 enough for preparation and giving all three exams, if planning to achieve higher level of CDMP certification?
Hello Yahya, I’m not too sure about the additional exams but it was enough to pass the fundamentals exam. I’d recommend using their practice tests on those other exams to gauge the content. I know they have additional recommended reading and it may be necessary to read that material to pass the other exams.
Thanks Jon, will focus on fundamentals for now.
Hi Jon, Nice detail information, Thank you for sharing.
With very little preparation i have taken the exam and failed with 4 less to pass.But realized later i should have spend a month or some on DAMA V2.
But actually with practice test we can not depend, the reason is i have taken 4 times on practice test and crossed 34 to 36 between in real exam i failed.
So its better to go through complete book as you suggested .
Hi Jon,
Great detail, I had a lot of questions which were either covered by your blog or your responses to the questions asked by the other blog visitors.
Thanks again, I have just purchased by DBMBOK 2 pdf, I will be studying it in detail for the next week or so and try the practice exam.
Thanks for your review Jon. Can we get a sample set of questions somewhere online (like what we get for some popular certifications like ITIL) before booking a test to get a feel of the test?
Hi Kiran, when you purchase the test, you also will get the practice exam which has example questions. You have unlimited time to take the exam after you purchase the exam with the practice test. I’d recommend to finish the DAMA DMBOK2 book first, make sure you know it well, then review the practice test.
Hello Jon,
Many Thanks for your detailed information about DAMA-CDMP Exam.
When I had plan to prepare for this exam I searched online for some more info and came across your blog. Your blog was really useful to plan for the preparation.
I’ve now passed the exam with ‘Practitioner level’.
Here is my exam preparation experience. I thought of sharing, so that it will add more value to your blog and also could help others who prepares for the exam.
Book & Preparation: I have bought the DAMA DMBOK v2 paper book and studied for 4 weeks. I’ve given a good effort to read and understand all 14 chapters.
Practice Exam: When I felt that I’m ready for the exam, I paid for the exam and that enabled me to do Practice Exams[Duration:36 minutes; Questions: 40], on the first Practice exam I have got only 67.5%,so I’ve taken one more week to gain main more knowledge.
After a week I’ve taken few more practice exam, but every time 40 questions are generated out of their question bank, so I realized some of the questions were repeated.
In total I’ve given 5 Practice exams, on the last try I have got 40 out 40 though there were some repeated questions. Then I decided to give main exam.
Main Exam: [Knowledge gained from the DMBOK v2 book + Practice Exam experience = Pass with ‘Practitioner level’]
Though the main exam was little bit tough for me, but the knowledge from the DMBOK v2 book along with the experience of Practice exam experience I can able to answer most of the questions correctly and passed the exam with ‘Practitioner level’.
Thanks again and all the best for those who prepare for this exam.
Thank you for sharing your insights and tips. May I ask whether you had IT/data background prior to taking the exam? I do have minimal data management experience and trying to guage which level I should aim for? TIA.
Hi Janice. My background was extremely technical, I started as an IT generalist to sys admin to DBA. I don’t think you need a strong technical background here but it helps. This is more of an enterprise level view of the material. You won’t go into the weeds with optimizing indexes or identifying the best partition strategy. It’s more about knowing how to guide your business to strategic growth through proper data enablement. That said, knowing how to apply this to real world scenarios appropriately is the key.
Hello Jon
I apreciated your post, it clarify some questions I had. I has been preparing my certification exam but the Cdmp Info page is not very clear about the test. I found some tips in your post useful for my study strategy, so I’m going to put them in practice. Thank you
Hi,
Can you clarify whether you used the DMBOKV2 or the Guide to the DMBOK ?
I found there are two different books –
1. DMBOKv2 – https://www.bookdepository.com/DAMA-DMBOK-Dama-International/9781634622349?redirected=true&utm_medium=Google&utm_campaign=Base1&utm_source=UK&utm_content=DAMA-DMBOK&selectCurrency=GBP&w=AFC7AU96S2UGD2A8VC6P&pdg=pla-293946777986:cmp-10333021322:adg-104437772098:crv-443151537351:pos-:dev-c&gclid=CjwKCAjwmf_4BRABEiwAGhDfSSUaAyJK12xQTSBbJ_GX2vSQzxTYEGERl5pEI83v2hx_3spK-cA6JhoCrOUQAvD_BwE
2. Guide to DMBOK –
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=dama+guide+to+data+management+body+of+knowledge+dmbokv2&sxsrf=ALeKk03oXrlmQLZ9B1vb94S70ZbcuBa4zA:1595936177438&source=lnms&tbm=shop&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjd0sLH7e_qAhVbilwKHUCiDU4Q_AUoAXoECA4QAw&biw=1536&bih=722#spd=3947052516399429803
Hi Dipanjan, I used the DMBOKv2 which you first linked. It’s the big blue book that has 2nd edition printed on it, which was my primary source for studying. Good luck!
Thank you
Hi Jon,
Thanks so much for this detailed article about your experience with CDMP – very helpful!
Looking at the breakdown of related certifications across Indeed job postings, I am unfamiliar with ARC SAFE. Haven’t been able to find much on Google either. Can you provide additional info?
Hi Nicole,
Good catch and I’m glad the article helped! I am also unfamiliar with ARC SAFE and I don’t know what I was thinking back then. I’ve corrected the post though, it is short for Scaled Agile Framework. Doing an Indeed search today showed me 1098 job listings for “Scaled Agile Framework”. Here is a link to their site / certification: https://www.scaledagile.com/
Hi Jon
In DAMA website they mentioned the exams are open book.
Was it an open book at the time when you took the exam?
Hi Ali, that is an excellent question. I found on their web page that the exam is currently open book. It may not have been open book when I took the exam as that was my understanding. But here is the link where it specifically states that the exams are open book currently. I personally think I would have been able to get close to a 100% with the book as a resource, but it is possible they have also changed the test since then. So it may be more difficult while open book.
When I took the exam, I received an email from CDMP Exam Platform <payments@cdmp.info>. In the email there was a pdf “DMF-90-Exam-enrolment-and-instructions”. Specifically on page 1, here is what led me to believe it was not open book at the time:
So it is possible that it was an oversight in the email, but today it is indeed open book! Good luck and happy studying!
Thanks John for sharing helpful responses with everyone.
Hey Jon,
Knowing now that the test is open book, how would that have changed your studying approach? How many hours would you estimate are required to become sufficiently well versed in DMBOK?
Thanks,
Nicole
Hi Nicole, as for how I would have studied if it were open book, “it depends”. If it were the same test I took, I’d have read the book once, take the pretest, and probably dive right into the exam. I felt it was more memorization based rather than application focused like the Microsoft exams.
So being able to look up things would drastically alter how I’d have studied if the content was similar. If the exam has changed at all, then most of my information may be invalid.
I’d recommend to know where the content in the book is and possibly take notes or make marks about obscure but good tidbits. Some of the chapters have some fluff with golden nuggets nestled away.
Thanks Jon – appreciate the detailed answer!
Hi Jon,
I’ve just taken the main exam and after seeing your blog and the ‘open book’ message on the website I was hoping it would be the case.
However… on starting the honorlock process it very clearly states that the exam is NOT open book, along with all the other expected restrictions.
Obviously this is a bit confusing so I’d recommend others don’t go into the exam hoping to refer to the book.
Fortunately I was prepping based on not using it and came out with 84% so quite happy!
Andrew, I’ve reached out to DAMA to find out:
1. Can they change the wording on the Honorlock emails?
2. Can we use the e-book and/or physical book during the exam?
3. Can we use any source including notes during the exam?
I plan on updating my post afterwards and will add a F.A.Q. section later.
Hi Andrew, I just wanted to confirm the website is updated and I added information related to the open book if that helps. Have a great day!
There is less than a minute to answer each question in the tests, so it pays to reserve use of the book for a select few. Also, I understand a proportion of the questions are deliberately not directly answerable from the information in the book. These are designed to test the candidates’ experience and overall mastery.
Hello –
Thanks for your insights. It has helped me with my exam prep. I passed my exam at the master level. Similar to you, I read the book thoroughly and took practice tests before taking the rest. I relied heavily on my work experience and existing knowledge in data management as well.
My thoughts on this certification is that it’s intended for management audience. Especially well suited for data management consultants who want to work in data governance. Personally, I found the benefits of this certification is that it reminds you and provides a 360 view of the knowledge areas when trying to solve or frame out solutions in data management.
The exam itself is of medium difficulty. I agree with you DAMA should provide a breakdown of the results by knowledge area. I got no feedback .
Thanks
Hello Jon,
Thanks for taking time to write detailed information about the exam. It is very useful.
One question to you and/or anyone in this group:
Has anyone bought the practice exam ($40)separately apart from the main exam ($300) which also comes with practice exam? Are they different or same?
Hi Mani, I did not buy it separately but it’s the same practice exam.
Hi Jon
Thanks for this useful information.
I just wanted to know, if you write the fundamental exam and would like to continue to write the other exams e.g. Data Governance etc. Is there another book for that or you use the same DMBOK but focus on that chapter for that exam (in this case data governance)?
Hi Sifiso,
I am not planning on taking the additional exams that are offered by DAMA as there are some other certifications I feel are better suited for my career path at the moment. Specifically, I’m looking at TOGAF, SAFE, and my MCSE. Since I do not have experience with those exams, I cannot give you great advice on what book is best to use for those exams. I would use their recommended reading list and likely use my DAMA-DMBOK as a reference on the exams. Here is their recommended reading list:
https://dama.org/sites/default/files/CDMP%20Self%20Study%20Extra%20Reading%20Recommendations.pdf
Jon,
Fundamentals exam alone will not get you practitioner level. That requires two specialist exams or one specialist exam plus one eligible substitution. So how did you earn that badge?
Hi George, the Practioner badge I have is specific to the Data Fundamentals exam. There is ambiguity with their naming convention, but it conveys I achieved a minimum of 70% and maximum of 79% on the exam. This is separate from a badge indicating I’m a CDMP Practioner as my level is CDMP Associate as you noted, I would need to pass at least two other specialist exams with a minimum of 70% to have a CDMP Practioner badge.
I’m planning to take the exam this weekend. Do I need to notify Dama about it ? Do they permit taking the exam any time of the day or night ?
Hi George, the exam is monitored by a company called Honorlock. I was very certain you could take the test at any time on any day, but I wanted to confirm. Looking at their website, it looks as though you are able to take the exam at any time on any day you would like and they offer 24/7 support. So you will not need to notify Dama, after you purchase the exam, you can take it whenever you wish without notifying anyone. Good luck!
I completed my CDMP fundamentals and Data Governance exam and got 81 points for the Fundamentals exam.
Preparation
Took one full week off from work , so that gave me 7 days starting from Friday evening and I managed to read most of the DMBOK V2 during that time. Every day I attempted the free practice exam supplied by DAMA and by the seventh attempt I managed to score 40/40. One of the questions I had asked Jon in this blog was the practice exam that he took from measureUp. MeasureUp no longer has any practice exams for CDMP, however I found one in Udemy for $13 by using a burner email id. Here is the link for that https://www.udemy.com/course/cdmp-dmbok2/
The questions in the Udemy practice exams are poor quality ( explanation for each correct answer is – refer to page x in DMBOK !) and are more like flashcards and somewhat same as the actual exams. Two differences between the Udemy exam and the actual one are that there are no True or False questions in the actual exam and no multi-select correct answers. In the actual exam you will be asked to pick one answer( radio button , not check box) out of 5 choices . The DMBOK exams lack a good study guide, compared to similar BOKs like PMBOK and BABOK which have excellent study guides and practice exams like Rita Mulcahay’s PMP guide or Watermark Learning’s CBAP exam prep etc. These study guides help in explaining practice philosophies and practical applications of concepts described in the BOKs.
I consider the actual exam to be of moderate difficulty , I work as a systems analyst in Data Warehousing project, so my background helped me a lot in understanding many concepts mentioned in DMBOK. This is a good segway to mention a few things about the DMBOK V2
DMBOK – The Incoherent Amalgamation of Jargon
For an organization that’s been around for 15 years now the second version of their flagship body of knowledge- DMBOK V2 is a POORLY EDITED document. While reading through many sections what becomes clear is that more than one person submitted content and the editor simply copy pasted few lines from one submission and one or two lines from the other without bothering to see if they are related and together it made sense. You get this feeling of watching jump cut edited scenes from a Hollywood thriller. The main feeling I got from reading through the book is the lack of a coherent narrative. I have read through Project Management Body of Knowledge ( PMBOK) and Business Analysis Body of Knowledge ( BABOK) for my PMP and CBAP certifications and those two have recurring themes and philosophies that tries to give you a coherent narrative. Another issue I found is the dumping of technical jargon without proper explanations. Following are few instances out of the many I found in DMBOK to substantiate my grievances :
There is no proper definition of data cubes used by BI tools although cubes are mentioned several times including page 392 under data storage areas.
The first paragraph written under 2.5.2 match tool to user requirements in DWH and BI knowledge area is pure fluff.
section 2.6.3 Monitor and Tune Load Process , there is an unnecessary sentence ” Archiving is a difficult subject”
The definition of MOLAP -in page 407
Recursive reference to principles in page 71
I could go on and on. All these issues, prompted me to check the “acknowledgements to contributors” starting at page 611 and found that the chief editor of the document passed away in 2015 . ( I hope it was not from the weight of the jargon that had to be stitched together into a body of knowledge) and scrolling down at the bottom of page 613 DAMA has delivered their poetic justice to this criticism prophetically by including my name also as one of the contributors !!
Bottom-line
Inspite of its shortcomings I think DMBOK V2 is a very good reference material for people engaged in data governance initiatives . If your organization is starting to roll out one , there is a lot of material you can use from this. The preparation for CDMP exam will ensure that you will be aware of these resources. Another very useful thing are the local chapters, Covid-19 has thrown water on chapter activities, but once its back in action its a superb platform to network with people engaged in data management work an also to listen to some of the experts in the field.
CDMP Data Governance Exam – DG 90
I wrote this exam and managed to get a score of 74 out of 100
This exam is clearly is a bit more difficult than the fundamentals exam. The questions in this exam are not from the single knowledge area Data Governance but from all knowledge areas as governance is required while performing activities in each knowledge area. The exam being open book helped a lot as I could do CTRL+F in the pdf and narrow down the correct answer. Unlike the fundamentals exam where there is clear contrast between the available choices for each questions the Data Governance exam has more confusing choices or two answers that look equally correct.
The quality of the questions and some of the answers are spotty , two questions were the same ! and few questions were present in the fundamentals exam as well. A number of questions were from the chapter Ethical Handling of Data.
I would like to thank the owner of this blog Jon Shaulis for the wonderful job he has done in collating all the information regarding the DAMA exams , his follow ups with DAMA clarifying what they mean by open book exam etc. and proving a platform for sharing our experience writing the exams. I hope my experiences will help others who plan on writing the DAMA exams.
Congratulations on passing George! Thanks for adding your feedback to the post, I’m sure others will appreciate the information as there doesn’t seem to be as much on this exam as there are for the other more prevalent exams like Microsofts.
Thanks, Jon and George.
This blog helped me to get more info than the parent site itself.
George,
Did you take the Data Governance Cert. only?
Did the site not ask for the fundamentals exam?
I took the fundamentals exam and the following day the Governance exam
Thanks, George, So in that case we have to pay for the 2 different certificates.
I was wondering if I could only take the Data Governance for the first and then go deep if needed.
Hello. Could I do CTRL+F on the same device on which I do the exam?
If on another device, it means the camera needs to see the screen of this device?
If you plan to do CTRL+F on DMBOK PDF you cannot do that on your exam taking laptop . At the onset of the exam you are required to pan the entire room using webcam, including your desk and laptop # 2 with DMBOK pdf open
Hi Bob, as George stated, you would want a 2nd device with the digital book and you could use CTRL + F there. Here is the feedback from DAMA that I received:
“We have configured the Honorlock settings so that you can use one text for your ‘open book’, plus notes and scratch paper if required. The notes do not count as another text.
If your text is in a digital form then it must be on a separate device such as a phone or ipad. You can’t switch back and forth between the text and the exam on the same monitor, nor can you use two monitors.”
Hi Jon,
This is quite detailed content on CDMP, also most of questions which I have are being answered in the conversations above.
Will just try to summarize them in below points, please correct me if understood it well
1. Buy DMBOK 2
2. Start studying with your pace
3. Book Exam (Data Management Fundamentals is first and Must!, later you can opt for other given exams)
4. Practice tests from official source or can opt third party (as George opted Udemy)
5. Try to achieve at least 80% in practice test.
6. When comfortable take the test any time within 3years of your CDMP membership which comes in process of purchasing the exam.
7. You can have second laptop open with DMBOK book (since its is an open book exam)
8. Give the exam! 100 questions in 90 minutes and score at least 60% to pass it
Hi Rajat, as a heads up, the CDMP comes with a practice test that you can use as well. Once you pass your exam, then you will obtain your CDMP membership. This will require a renewal every 3 years.
Hi Jon,
Thanks for the heads up.
I’ve written two articles about my experience passing the CDMP Foundational exam in early October with a score of 87/100.
https://towardsdatascience.com/best-data-science-certification-4f221ac3dbe3https://towardsdatascience.com/cdmp-exam-d65e1255016b
I also manage an informal Facebook study group to help people prepare for the CDMP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/346145433213551
Hope these resources are helpful to you guys!!
Hello,
what happens if you take an exam and score 70%, then you will retake the exam trying to reach 80% but in the second attempt you will reach 65%. Is your result kept at 70% or 65% ? Thanks a lot for the detailed information on how to prepare to the exams.
Borys, I asked DAMA about this, and here was their reply:
They also had some more interesting points referring to the payment when it came to retakes:
Jon, can you please explain what it means when DAMA says that you get 3 years if membership when you book the exam. Does it mean that I won’t have to buy individual membership?
Hi Arun, the 3 year membership is the individual membership and comes with purchasing the exam. You will not have to purchase this if you purchase the exam. You can see the benefits of the individual membership here:
https://www.dama.org/cpages/dama-international-individual-membership
Hi Jon, do you recommend learning from the book “Navigating the Labyrinth: An Executive Guide to Data Management” as well?
Hi Praveen, I have not read the book myself but I do work with some folks who have. It’s on my reading list and was recommended. I don’t know if it will help you earn your CDMP, but it is a book worth reading.
Hi there,
I completed the DMF exam this morning and have achieved associate-level certification with a score of 88%. I have accessed my badge, and I believe the certificate is to be emailed next week. I am not a DAMA member but was under the impression that membership was included with certification – is this still the case? and if so, how do I access the membership and link my certification to a DAMA account?
Thanks!
Hi Ash,
I had a similar issue after achieving my certification, I could not obtain my DAMA membership. I wrote an email under their contact page and within ~1 week they had synced me up. I’d recommend reaching out to them via their contact information, describe the situation, and they should get you fixed up. You can see the DAMA international membership is included on their FAQ.
https://cdmp.info/faqs/
(Contact form below on FAQS)
My email sent to support@cdmp.info:
Greetings, I recently passed the Data Management Fundamentals exam and I was wondering how I was able to link up my exam certification with my dama.org account for my DAMA Individual membership?
Response back:
I have cc’d the member email as they do this.
members@dama.org
Thanks so much! I did contact them as per your suggestion and they replied very quickly, with the following…
Thank you for your email.
You are correct about the certificate process. It is refreshing to discover someone who actually reads that part of the exam blurb! Thank you.
The 3-year membership with DAMA International dates from the purchase of your first exam.
We send the exam purchase information to DAMA with the monthly report. This happens usually sometime in the first half of the following month.
So DAMA are not able to verify your information until after they receive that.
I suggest you wait until the end of April, by which time DAMA will have received the report for March and had time to process this.
When you contact the DAMA office please include the order number and date of your first order, as this will speed up the process at their end.
Please contact us again if we can assist you further.
Hi Jon
Thanks for the details and I have a question for you. The DMBOK book has 17 chapters while CDMP website mentions only 14 when they gave the breakdown of the exam questions. Do we get any questions from chapters 15, 16 and 17 or not. You have also provided the breakdown of only 14 chapters.
Hi Parul, I would recommend reading through all the chapters in the DMBOK. It is open book as well, so it is worth making notes in specific chapters for concepts you would want help remembering.
Hi Jon,
First, I am very appreciative of your website and the information you’ve provided! I have been studying the DMBOK2 for a few months and plan to take the exam in the near future.
I also have the executive guide to data management (“Navigating the Labyrinth”). I’m wondering if you have read this book as well? If so, do you think it would be a beneficial study source for the exam?
It contains very similar (or the same) information at DMBOK2 but summary level (150 pgs instead of 600). Referencing both materials during an open book might become too confusing/time consuming, which is my primary reason for asking.
Thanks!
Hi Michael,
I have not read the book Navigating the Labyrinth but it is on my list! I think it is a good secondary resource to read, but you definitely want to read the DMBOK2 all the way through. While it may contain a summary or similar information, the test is very correlated to the DMBOK2 book. I would strongly recommend reading through the DMBOK2 and using that as your reference. While the test is open book, you can only use one book during this test. (So I’d say make sure it’s the DMBOK2!)
Thank you so much Jon for sharing your experience!!
Thank you all visitors for your questions!
Thanks for the tip.
Thanks so much for the wealth of information.
Question – If i am using one laptop, am i allowed to keep the pdf version of the BMBoK open and search in the pdf? I know we cannot se the search engine.
I won’t have the hard copy of the book. I was wondering if i am ok to use the pdf version for search. Thanks
Hi Vin,
You can use the pdf but you need a second device like a phone or ipad. Here is the full statement by DAMA, I have highlighted the part relevant to your question.
Thanks Jon. Assume i can use a 2nd laptop where i can search the DMBoK pdf?
Hi Vin, their reply is slightly ambiguous because they state no second monitor but you can have a second device like an iPad. So I’m not sure if the laptop counts as a second monitor or not. I’ll send them an email and update you and this page when I hear back.
Hey Jon, This Honorlock setting will be done on both of my laptop, the one i will use it to write the test and other one for Open book(Digital copy of my DAMA Book).
Thanks Jon
Hi Vin, here is the response from DAMA.
The second device can be whatever you happen to have – phone, tablet, laptop, PC.
The main things are –
That it is not connected to the first device in any way
That it is not connected to the internet.
If both of these requirements are met it does not really matter what device you use. That is up to you.
Thanks so much. You are awesome.
Hello Jon,
I found your webpage by chance and have a question about CDMP Practitioner level certificate
Do I need to pass CDMP Fundamental exam and the 2 Specialty exams to be awarded the CDMP Practitioner level certification?
On this page you only talk about the Fundamental exam, hence the question?
Another question, is BoK2 helpful for the Specialty exams as well or would you suggest reading any other book?
Hi Sandeep,
In order to achieve the Practioner level as a CDMP, you will need to complete two additional tests as well as the fundamentals.
I am sure the DAMA-DMBOK2 is helpful for the specialty exams, but I have not taken them and cannot comment on what would be good material to cover the exam.
Hi Jon,
Thank you for sharing your experience.
I have a question about how many attempts I can take to pass the exam. I checked their website, but they mentioned a retake. Is that mean it is only two times.
Best
You made some pretty hard effort in explaining your certification journey. Perhaps this certification's name is now changed to Data Management Fundamentals (D.M.F.). I passed my C.D.M.P. Certification Exam and then updated to D.M.F. certification later. I would like to know if you took the D.M.F. Certification Exam too. And if yes, then I would love to hear about your experience.
Your resources are also quite helpful. And if you are interested in taking the D.M.F. Certification Exam anytime sooner, I suggest you take the DAMA DMF-1220 practice test to prepare quickly.
Hi Michael,
The Data Management Fundamentals is the primary exam offered by DAMA. It’s their general knowledge cert, but they also offer specialized ones: Data Modelling and Design, Metadata, Data Quality, Data Governance, Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence, Reference and Master Data Management, and Data Integration and Interoperability. Each of the exams would earn you a CDMP, so saying CDMP honestly is pretty generic vs saying Data Management Fundamentals or Data Quality which would specify your credentials.
Thank you for the link! I need to renew my cert this year so I’ll give it a try!
Hi Jin, Thanks so much for the wealth of information.
Hi Jon,
Thank you for putting together so much detailed information regarding the CDMP Data Management Fundamental exam. I’ve just bought the DAMA DMBOK2 and started preparing for this exam. This post has clarified most of my queries. I am just curious whether you have taken up any specialist exams (e.g. Data Governance, Data Quality) yet? If yes, can you please share your experience?
Hi Swarup, I’m glad you found the post helpful! I have not taken the specialist exams so unfortunately I do not have much experience to share with you.