CLA time finally

[Jordan Kuehn]

Hey guys.  I've finally gotten motivation (and funding) to go get a CLA.  Any help or suggestions you have for preparing would be greatly appreciated.  I'm hoping to make it to the March summit.  I have read older posts, but I've also heard some news about changes to the test, so I decided to make a new post to hopefully capture more recent info.  Thanks for all the help you can provide and I'll hopefully see you guys in a few short weeks! (if not, I'll blame the higher-ups for not approving the trip instead of me crashing and burning on this test)

[soupy]

one of my guys just got his recently. it took a month the get the test results back. I hope you have enough time to take the exam and make the summit.

[Jordan Kuehn]

The guy at NI I spoke with today said it's possible, but it sounds like I'll be taking it within a weeks time.  I've been casually preparing, but now it's time to actually get ready for it.

[Mike Le]

Have you taken the exam yet? If so, how'd it go?

[Jordan Kuehn]

Well to make a long story short it didn't happen.  

 

Some winter weather hit Oklahoma in the week in question and they needed me to drive to Dallas to take the exam since we don't have a rep in OK currently.  At this point, since there is no hope of me rescheduling in time for the summit, I plan to take it in a couple months when we have an OK rep and I don't waste 8 hours on the road.  I'm a little bummed because I was finally ready to take it, but I'll just hope to have it by NI Week and will watch the videos from the summit if they get uploaded again this year.

[Mike Le]

That's a shame, but at least you'll have that much more time to prepare. Good luck!

[Roderic]

Jordan, if I were you, I would study the sample exam carefully because the real exam is very similar.

[Rolf Kalbermatter]

Jordan, if I were you, I would study the sample exam carefully because the real exam is very similar.

 

Just a tiny bit more involved really!

I just received my result back of my own CLA certification and passed, although barely. The comments on the sheet about what all still would need to be implemented simply sounds ridiculous to be finished in anything near to 4 hours.

So prepare with the sample exam, and make sure you get your basic framework for that done in the shortest possible time. I would say if you can get your basic framework with skeleton VIs for all the sub units like GUI, Error handler etc. within less than an hour then you are more or less ready to take the exam. After that hour you can start to stamp all the requirement tags in the different VIs and start to fill in the raw diagram structures according to the requirements. One advice: rather than trying to implement real code, describe what needs to be done in text inside the various structures as much as possible. That will save you some time.

 

And yes, if you are able to power create your basic framework without much thought, you can recreate that for the real certification almost blind, with some minor variations.

[Jordan Kuehn]

Thanks Rolf!  Good tips! 

[GregFreeman]

Just a tiny bit more involved really!

One advice: rather than trying to implement real code, describe what needs to be done in text inside the various structures as much as possible. That will save you some time.

Absolutely, 100% agree. This is the most important advice you will get. As day-to-day developers it is so compelling to implement actual code; don't do it. Describe first, then if you have time you can go back and fill in as it permits.

Edited March 4, 2014 by GregFreeman

[Baldrick]

All of you who are going to do a CLA exam should ask your local NI office or NI Certification team if there are any online CLA Preparation sessions coming soon. Those will definitely help you to pass the exam. You will avoid the typical mistakes and get good tips & tricks. I have prepared personally lots of people to CLA exam and most of them have passed. I think the biggest problem, as Rolf pointed out, is the fact that people will code too much (we all love to code). It's good to practice some structures before the exam but do not directly copy the ones from the examples (for example the error handling). Just create your own way to solve those examples and practice those structures/VIs. Also remember what kind of grading system there is. Where all the points are coming? There are "easy" points and "not that easy" points

 

Style: 10 points <- Easy to get full points

Documentation: 20 points <- Easy to get full points

Requirements coverage: 30 points <- Easier to get full points

 Architecture development: 40 points <- Challenging to get full points

 

So DO NOT loose those ”easy” points ;-) You will need 70 points to pass. So create your architecture, clean, documented code and try to add most of the tags to the code by using documentation + some coding. You will not loose any points if your VIs are broken so do not spend any time to make them run. You can also write the documentation with your native language (might help those who does not have English a native language).

 

Good luck for all of you who will try to pass the CLA exam! 

[Naity]

Hi,

 

Thanks Baldrick

 

My time has come too, I'm passing it this Friday, so reading all your tips helps