Exam development
About exam development
Microsoft Certification exams are carefully developed with input from industry professionals to reflect the skills needed to be successful in critical job roles that leverage Microsoft technology to support an organization’s digital transformation objectives.
These are the steps we take as we develop each exam:
- Define the skill domain. Experts identify the critical tasks performed within specific job roles or functions that leverage Microsoft technologies and solutions.
- Define the distribution of skills on the exam. The skills identified in step one are evaluated by additional technical and job experts from around the world. Their evaluation becomes the blueprint that defines the distribution of questions across the skill domain.
- Write the exam questions. Subject matter experts (SMEs) write exam questions to measure the critical skills according to the distribution defined by the blueprint created in step two.
- Evaluate the accuracy, clarity, appropriateness, etc. of each question (alpha review). A panel of experts who did not write the questions reviews each one for technical accuracy, relevance, and alignment to the skill domain during the alpha review.
- Beta test the questions. The alpha-reviewed questions are then pilot tested in an exam-like situation known as a “beta exam.” This ensures that only the best content is included in the live exam. Visit: Beta exams for more information.
- Finalize the question pool. The results of the beta exam are psychometrically analyzed for factors such as difficulty, ability to differentiate high and low performers, reliability, and more. Only those questions that meet Microsoft’s psychometric criteria will appear on the live exam.
- Set the cut score. A panel of experts works with Microsoft’s psychometrician to determine a passing score. This score is based on the skills needed to be considered competent in the skill domain in relation to the difficulty of the questions included on the exam.
- The exam is available worldwide through our exam delivery partners who administer the certification exam. The exam can be taken at testing centers worldwide or through online proctoring where available.
- Sustain/maintain over the life of the exam. Microsoft monitors the psychometric performance of the exams throughout their lifetime, ensuring that they continue to be valid and reliable measures of the skill domain. Questions that no longer perform psychometrically are removed, and new questions are added as features and functionality are updated and/or to replace questions removed for psychometric reasons or because of changes in the technology. Sometimes exams are retired. Visit: Exam retirement to learn more.