Tips & Resources for Passing a DevOps or Agile Service Management Exam

Learning the principles and practices of DevOps or Agile Service Management or learning how to become an Agile Process Owner are great, but having the credential that validates that you are certified could be a game changer for you in your career path. There are many certification courses available from the DevOps Campus so be sure to browse through to find those that are best suited for your or your teams career path or job role function. If you are just getting started there are a lot of free resources available to assist you on that journey. Two free whitepapers that I found helpful were:

What is DevOps? - This is an in-depth overview for DevOps with a lot of good information. It’s a great getting started and study guide.

What is Agile Service Management? – Agile Service Management (Agile SM) ensures that ITSM processes reflect Agile values and are designed with “just enough” control and structure in order to effectively and efficiently deliver services that facilitate customer outcomes. It’s a very Interesting and good pre-read before a certification class.

The exams are governed via the DevOps Institute and follow a Blooms Taxonomy method of testing. let’s talk about some very practical tips for passing the exam.

Study – In addition to your “In Class Materials” You will be provided with a lot of support information including a list of terms, Quick Reference Cards, Study Aids (these are the best because they focus on details needed to pass), sample exams and much much more. Plan to study at least 1 hour for every day you are in class. You will not need to surf the net for support material to study as they are provided.

Read – Read the question, Read the question slowly a second time and then … Read through the 4 multiple choice answers. You will need to select the BEST answer. Is it A, B, C, or D? Watch for and note keywords like NOT, BEST or PRIMARY. If the expected answer is not listed, then re-read the question. One word in the question can switch up the entire focus. Frequently the question will scope your answer for you.

EXAMPLE QUESTION for DEVOPS: In the context of DevOps Principles, which of the following applies?

The keywords in this example question are “DevOps Principles”. There are only three Principles and they are:

The First Way ßFocus on Flow of work
The Second Wayß- Shortened and Amplified Feedback Loops
The Third Way ß Experimentation and Learning

You will have learned about “DevOps Principles” in class. If you would have caught those words in the question, then you know that the answer is going to be tied to one of these three principles. Watch for keywords when you read. The key words are golden keys … they scope questions and unlock answers.

KNOW THE TERMS – Answer with the knowledge that you learned in class. Do NOT answer the question based on a subjective opinion or from the way that you do work today. This is not to say that what you are doing today is wrong, but remember you are being tested on the industry agreed upon definitions and they might be different from what you thought coming into the class. Getting your team level set on the industry agreed upon definitions is a real value-add.

There are many certification courses available from the DevOps Campus so be sure to browse through to find those that are best suited for your or your team's career path or job role function.

Four Service Characteristics

Recently I came across several articles by researchers and experts that laid out definitions and characteristics of services. ITIL provides us with a definition that can help drive the creation of value-laden services: A means of delivering value to customers by facilitating outcomes customers want to achieve without the ownership of specific costs and risks. An area that ITIL is not so clear is in terms of service characteristics. Several researchers and experts put forth that services have four basic characteristics (IHIP): Intangibility—Services are the results of actions not things. They have no physical presence and represent a logical set of elements. One way to think of service is “work done for others.” Heterogeneity—Also known as “variability”; services are unique items because of the mechanisms used to deliver services, which is people. Because the people element adds variability, the service is variable. This holds true, especially for the value proposition—not eve...

What Is A Service Offering?

The ITIL 4 Best Practice Guidance defines a “Service Offering” as a description of one or more services designed to address the needs of a target customer or group. As a service provider, we can’t stop there! We must know what the contracts of our service offering are and be able to put them into context as required by the customer. Let’s explore the three elements that comprise a Service Offering. A “Service Offering” may include: Goods, Access to Resources, and Service Actions 1. Goods – When we think of “Goods” within a service offering these are the items where ownership is transferred to the consumer and the consumer takes responsibility for the future use of these goods. Example of goods that are being provided in the offering – If this is a hotel service then toiletries or chocolates are yours to take with you. You the consumer own these and they are yours to take with you. ...

What is the difference between Process Owner, Process Manager and Process Practitioner?

This article was originally published in 2015. With the Introduction of ITIL 4, some of this best practice has changed. See ITIL 4 and the Evolving Role of Roles . Updated Definitions in ITIL 4: Process Owner: In ITIL 4, the concept of 'processes' has expanded into broader 'practices.' Consequently, the Process Owner is now often referred to as the 'Practice Owner.' This individual is accountable for the overall design, performance, integration, and improvement of a specific practice within the organization. They ensure that the practice achieves its intended outcomes and aligns with the organization's objectives. Process Manager: Now commonly known as the 'Practice Manager' in ITIL 4, this role is responsible for the day-to-day management of the practice. The Practice Manager ensures that activities are carried out as intended, manages resources assigned to the practice, and oversees the practitioners performing the work. Process Practit...

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