Tableau Desktop Specialist

I have spent most of my time with Business Objects as the reporting tool for my project. Tableau was being claimed as the future, and I decided to get my hands dirty. The purpose was not to learn development skills (you would need advanced certifications), but to understand the basics, high level architecture and setup, create POC, pitch in ideas and participate in technical discussions. This certification did not take much time to prep, it also helped I did not have much time to devote. I went through the course in LinkedIn learning, that was very helpful. As I was going through the course, tried to improvise with the examples provided and recreated some of the reports we had prepared in BO (of course using mocked up data). I did search online to review other's preparation journey (unfortunately this site was not up then), and uncovered the Tableau Training link. Did not spend much time on that though, it was time to give my certification. I did pass it in my 1st attempt. Good luck to all you folks attempting this certification, should be an easy one to crack....

Let's make it simple.

1. Exam format and tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlowWQqshh8&t=766s

2. Tableau Specialist Certification Prep by Lukas Halim-Udemy (Focused mainly on Desktop Specialist syllabus)

3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n72LBkRIumg

4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG4S4XLdKkM

5. Marian's blog: https://mytableaujourney.com/2018/11/18/getting-ready-for-the-tableau-desktop-specialist-exam-going-back-to-basics/

6. if you need detailed tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWZtNdMko1k&list=PLWPirh4EWFpGXTBu8ldLZGJCUeTMBpJFK

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I recently took Tableau Desktop Specialist Exam which checks your foundational skills and your understanding of Tableau Desktop and cleared it in First Attempt.

Though if you go through the Certification Exam details it tells you that you should have at least three months of experience, but personally I don’t think having 3 months of experience is needed.

If you devote some time out of your Schedule and try your hands on the Tool, you can clear it in 1 month of preparation, which happened in my Case.

 

Link to the Tableau Desktop Certification Site

https://www.tableau.com/learn/certification/desktop-specialist

Registration Information

LES: Loyalist Exam Services manages Tableau Product Certification.

You need to create an LES Account if you are registering for the first time.

Once you have entered all your Credentials and paid the Examination Fee which is $100 for this Certification you will receive a Mail confirming that you have successfully registered for the Exam and they will provide you with a Temporary password and then you will be prompted to change it one you login for the first Time.

Just one important point here while you are registering for the Exam, make sure of the Certification Name you are planning to take, People at times make mistake with the Certification Name.

 

After you have changed your password you can Schedule your Exam Date, you can take the Exam within 6 months from your registration date. i.e. say you have register on 17^th March 2020 you have to take the Exam before 17^th September 2020. You can schedule your Exam date anytime between this Timeframe.

While Scheduling also be aware of the Time Zone.

Once you have Schedule you will again get an Email about the necessary Steps you have to follow before taking the Exam.

You can also go through the Exam Guideline which will be in the Link above.

 

Exam Format

1.      Time Limit: 60 minutes

2.      Total Number of Questions: 30

3.      7-8 Hands on Questions.

Around 23-22 Multiple Choice Questions, this will include both Multiple Answers to one question and also Single Answer to one question.

4.      71% is the passing Criteria

 

Don’t think if you have answered 22-23 questions correctly you will pass the Exam, the points are distributed based on the difficulty level of the question.

 

 

Exam Day

On your LES Dashboard TAKE YOUR EXAM will be active 60 seconds before the exam.

On clicking you will be re-directed to the next Screen and after few more clicks you will be connected to the proctor.

The Proctor will set up the Exam for you but before that he/she will ask you to do few Validation.

·        Check your Connectivity

·        Your Internet Upload and Download Speed

·        Will ask you to close all the tabs from Your Google Chrome browser if opened any apart from LES login

·         will ask to give a 360-degree view of your room from where you are planning to take the Exam.

·        To show him/her any Government approved Photo Id, A passport will just do fine.

·        You will probably be asked to adjust your screen so the proctor can see you clearly and also you are not allowed to talk or go in between the Exam.

 

As soon as you are done with your Exam, you will know your result.

And after some time they will send you the Certification if you score above passing creteria.

 

So that’s pretty much it.

Go get Certified. Best Regards.

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