Elements.cloud implemented a certification program in March 2024. The objective of the program is to provide the Elements user and partner communities with a world-class enablement platform that allows participants to acquire, maintain and enhance their Change Intelligence expertise.
The program is managed via the Elements Academy and is voluntary. As of June 2024 there is no cost for existing customers and partners but a fee structure may be implemented as the program grows and expands.
Article outline
Prerequisites
FAQs
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Prerequisites
You must have an Elements.cloud userID that is a business email. (Format: emailname@businessname.com such as 'robert.merrell@elements.com' )
You must use the same userID to register in the Elements Academy (this is required to track training progress and milestones by user and account)
The Core learning plan (approximately 14 courses) must be completed before taking a certification web-based test
There three tiers of certification with different requirements:
The Consultant Certification
Complete the Essentials Learning Plan
Pass the Consultant Certification test
The Professional Certification
Pass the Consultant CertificationT test
Pass the Professional Certification test
Complete a practical exercise where the Professional certification candidate presents their findings to a panel of experts based on an assigned use case.
The Expert Certification
Pass the Professional Certification test
Pass the Expert Certification test
Complete a practical exercise where the Expert certification candidate presents their findings to a panel of experts based on an assigned use case.
Frequently Asked Questions
For All Elements.cloud Certification Levels and Practical Exercise Environments
Why should I become Elements.cloud Certified?
Elements.cloud is the leader the Change Intelligence space and drives the market with cutting edge innovations. Overall, certification in a specialized tool like Elements.cloud can enhance your professional development and contribute significantly to your organization's success in managing change. Here are specific benefits of attaining an Elements.cloud certification:
1. Skill Enhancement: Certification trains you in specific skills needed to effectively use Elements.cloud, especially in change management and project implementation within organizations. This can improve your ability to manage and optimize processes, making you more effective in your role.
2. Professional Credibility: Having a certification from a recognized platform like Elements.cloud enhances your professional credibility. It demonstrates your commitment to maintaining up-to-date skills and a deep understanding of change management tools, which can be attractive to current or potential employers.
3. Career Opportunities: Certification can open up new career opportunities. It can make you a more attractive candidate for jobs that require expertise in managing complex change initiatives or using specific change intelligence platforms.
4. Networking Opportunities: Participating in certification programs often connects you to a community of professionals with similar interests and expertise. This can provide valuable networking opportunities and access to industry insights and trends.
5. Organizational Impact: With certification, you’re better equipped to implement and leverage Elements.cloud within your organization, leading to more efficient change management and potentially significant improvements in project outcomes and business processes.
6. Staying Competitive: In a rapidly evolving tech landscape, staying current with the latest tools and methodologies is crucial. Certification helps ensure that your skills remain relevant and competitive.
What types of certifications are offered ?
There are three graduated levels of Elements.cloud certification.
The Consultant Certification is the fundamental credential recommended for all Elements customers and partners. Individuals with the Consultant (or the previously available Foundation) certification can navigate confidently through the application, accurately describe its core capabilities and present a strong value proposition.
The Professional Certification ensures that those who earn this credential have a deep knowledge of the capabilities of Change Intelligence and the Elements.cloud platform. Certified Elements Professionals can effectively communicate the value proposition of Change Intelligence to users and peers, and have experience integrating Elements with other tools and the software development life cycle (SDLC). Professionals have the ability to create complex diagrams, integrate SDLC tools and create deep metadata analysis.
An Expert Certification is earned when an individual can expertly navigate through all capabilities of Elements.cloud, has extensive experience implementing Elements in real-life scenarios, and presents compelling value propositions to both customers and peers. Experts will also be designed leaders in the Elements user and partner community who will lead initiatives and provide expert guidance. Experts are also knowledgable about the most recent Elements releases and features and contribute to community learning sessions and presentations.
Here is an overview of Certification Process for each tier:
What do I have to do to become a certified Elements.cloud individual?
The Elements.cloud certification process is comprised of two parts:
Consultant Certification:
Pass the web-based test provided via the Elements Academy (50 questions)
Professional Certification:
Part 1: Pass the web-based test provided via the Elements Academy (20 Questions)
Part 2: A presentation of findings to the Elements Expert community
Expert Certification
Part 1: Pass the web-based test provided via the Elements Academy (10 Questions)
Part 2: A presentation of findings to the Elements Expert community
How long does it take to get an Elements certification?
Elements wants to make the enablement and certification process as time efficient as possible. However the amount of time needed to pass tests and prepare a presentation of findings for certification varies depending on the individual's experience and scope of skills.
The estimated time to complete all core learning courses ranges from 6-8 hours, and varies depending on your existing skill level and speed at which you complete the lessons.
Preparation for the presentation of findings exercise ranges from 2-4 hours based on skill and experience.
See the matrix below for the estimated hours of preparation time needed to complete the core courses and certification tests.
| Salesforce None/Beginner | Salesforce Intermediate | Salesforce Advanced |
Elements None/Beginner | 40 | 16 | 12 |
Elements Intermediate | 30 | 12 | 10 |
Elements Advanced/Expert | 20 | 12 | 8
|
What topics are on the tests?
Org Analysis and Metadata Insights
Process map design, configuration, notation, documentation and UPN best practices
Architecture diagram design, configuration, notation, metadata references and best practices
Elements.cloud value proposition and rationale for incorporating Change Intelligence into development life cycles.
Demonstrated proficiency with Elements.cloud specific terminology, navigation, features, and change intelligence concepts.
How many times can I attempt to get certified or take the tests?
Enrollees have two attempts to pass any web-based certification tests. There is a mandatory waiting period of two weeks between attempts.
The professional and expert practical exercises (presentation of findings) can be attempted once every 3 months and are limited to two attempts within a calendar year.
How do I register for the Practical Exercise and Presentation of Findings?
The process of enrolling, scheduling and completing Part 2 of the certification is detailed below.
NOTE: An individual is not required to enroll in Part 2 of the certification process, but to receive a certification, Part 2 must be completed and the results accepted by the Elements enablement team. The steps below detail the process of enrolling in Part 2, preparations needed to complete, and frequently asked questions about the certification process.
What is a “Presentation of Findings”?
The presentation of findings refers to an event where a certification candidate presents their results of a practical exercise using Elements.cloud.
Upon enrollment in the practical exercise (part 2) an individual will be assigned a use case scenario with instructions for preparing their presentation.
The individual must present the results of the exercise to the enablement team during a “Presentation of Findings” meeting.
Each certification level (Professional and Expert) has different use cases that will be assigned to the individual based on the certification level they are pursuing.
Each exercise will contain an overview of the use case, context and background, and specific questions that should be answered during their presentation.
How should I prepare for the practical exercise and Presentation of Findings?
Certification candidates must pass the corresponding web-based certification test (Part 1) before scheduling a presentation of findings with the enablement team.
You must have an Elements.cloud Consultant License or Space Editor License.
If you do not have a Spaced Editor license, Elements can temporarily issue an Editor license for the certification space to you. Contact Robert Merrell or the support team to submit a request.
Contact Robert Merrell to schedule a web meeting where you will present your findings from an assigned use case. The presentation of findings must be no more than 5 business days from your receipt of the practical exercise instructions.
After your presentation of findings meeting is confirmed, you will receive the following emails that contains further instructions and links to needed materials:
Practical exercise instructions and context
A fictitious use case scenario
Invitation to the Elements.cloud Certification Space
Log into the certification space as soon as your receive the emails:
Navigate to the “Elements.cloud Certification Space”
Ensure all materials listed below are present in the space provided
A basic process map that is consistent with the use case
A basic architecture diagram that is consistent with the use case
Sample documentation
A connection to a Salesforce Sandbox
Confirm that you have necessary permissions to copy and modify the materials
Review the instructions provided in the process maps
You can use whatever resources available to prepare your presentation of findings. You can create a slide presentation if you prefer, but you should be prepared to present your findings by navigating through Elements to display your findings and documentation.
HINT: Don’t spend a lot of time on preparing a slide presentation. Focus on configuring and documenting within the Elements Certification space.
All Presentation of Findings will be recorded and archived for reference.
What happens after the Presentation of Findings and when do I get certified?
Within 5 business days of the Presentation of Findings meeting, the Enablement team will notify you of the status of your certification. If your presentation is accepted you will receive a certification badge (electronic file) and certification document.
The badge can be used as you see fit but is not an endorsement by Elements.cloud or its affiliates. It is the individual’s responsibility to remove the badge from any social media profiles, electronic email signatures or profiles when it expires.
Per the policy described in the “Maintenance” section below, individuals can renew their certification annually by passing a maintenance test. Passing the maintenance test will extend the certification for another year after the current expiration date (Not from the date the maintenance test was passed).
What happens to the materials I created in the Certification Space after the Presentation of Findings?
The materials you created and modified in the Elements Certification Space will be archived within the Elements platform, along with a recording of the session. Elements natively maintains a history of changes to any documentation and maps stored in the platform, so any modifications that occur after the discovery of findings event will be captured in history.
How are Certifications assigned and tracked by Elements?
A certification is assigned to an individual person. If the individual person is employed by or associated with an Elements partner organization, the certification counts towards that partner’s minimum required trained individuals while the person is employed by the partner. If the individual is terminated or no longer associated with the partner organization, the individual’s certification is still valid until it expires.
Elements will maintain a record of an individual’s certification in our systems including the Elements Academy. Individuals will be able to view the status of their certification within the Academy.
The status of the certification will be “ACTIVE” until it expires. The expiration date of a certification is 1 year after being assigned, at which point the status will automatically be changed to “EXPIRED”.
Elements will not share any personal information about certified individuals at any time. Elements will confirm certification status by email address identification and through authenticated requests via the Elements Academy.
When does my certification expire and how do I prevent it from expiring?
Certifications expire one year from assignment to the individual person, however certifications can be renewed annually via a maintenance test. The maintenance test must be passed by certification’s expiration date. Certifications cannot be renewed more than 2 times (total certification duration cannot exceed 3 years from first assignment date). After 3 years from initial certification assignment, the individual must enroll in and pass the newest certification test(s) to maintain their certification.
Maintenance tests will be updated regularly throughout the year, but the individual only has to take the most recent maintenance test.
Certified individuals are responsible for maintaining their certifications according to Elements.cloud’s policies. Elements will make a best effort to alert individuals that their certification is about to expire by sending notification(s) to the individual's email address stored in their Elements Academy (academy.elements.cloud) profile.
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