QAI CSTE & CSQA Certification Study Material

Please feel free to forward this message to any other interested parties.  They also must respond by the date above.  Or they'll need to call me.

Here's how the study group generally works.

1)   First you register to take the exam with QAI.  See www.softwarecertifications.com for details.  Also, you must order the study guide, a separate purchase, from QAI. (See www.qaiusa.com)

• -       You will need your study guide with you for the study group. A study guide is a necessary part of the study group.  If you do not have one yet, it may be necessary to link up with another participant to make copies of any parts you get assigned.    (There is a Kinkos nearby if after the meeting you want to go and make copies)

• -       NOTE: The registration deadline for the September 13^th exam has passed.  The next exam offering by SASQAG will be March, 2004.  However, even if you are not registered, you are still welcome to participate in a study group if you wish to do so. The purchase of a study guide is still required.

2)   Then you attend the initial study group meeting/orientation.  I will lead this first meeting.  It should take about 2 hours.  At this meeting we accomplish a couple of things:

• -       Set the schedule of future meeting times for the group

• -       Decide who shall be the group coordinator/main contact

• -       Perform a walkthrough of the study guides highlighting what areas are more critical to cover & some recommendations on how the group can breakdown the work.

3)   After the initial meeting, the group is on its own.  However, I can be consulted at anytime you have questions or need additional assistance via the group's main contact.

So, let's do a little backwards planning:

• ˇ The Exams are on Saturday, September 13th.

• ˇ I recommend that a group meet between 6-10 times, once a week, for at least 3 hours each time.

• ˇ I usually recommend a Saturday morning block of time at a local library, but the group can decide what's convenient.  (The Bellevue library or Seattle library has been a spot used in the past.)

• ˇ That means getting started next week some time to take full advantage of meeting; i.e. the weekend of August 2^nd/3^rd.

Given this, I am going to set up an initial orientation meeting for Tuesday, July 29th @ 6pm.  The meeting will be from 6:00pm-8:00pm.  Meeting details are below.

Finally, you should consider marking your calendar for Saturday, August 2^nd as a potential meeting date for the first formal meeting of the study group.  The group will decide the actual date they'd like to meet when we have our orientation on Friday, but it may be easier to mark a date down now for planning purposes.

Please respond with an RSVP to this email. 

WHERE:           Café Vita on Capital Hill  (either the upstairs area or the downstairs area)

• 1005 E. Pike

• Cross streets are 10^th & Pike

• Phone: 206-709-4440 (press 5 for the coffee bar)

• Café Vita is located on Capital Hill just EAST of BROADWAY on PIKE.  Street parking is not that difficult.

• When you arrive, check the upstairs or downstairs area for the group.  Look for a table tent sign "CQA/CSTE Study Group".

Orientation Agenda:

1)   Introductions:  Name, Company, and Which Exam you are taking. A little bit about yourself.

2)   Decide whether two group are forming (one CQA, one CSTE) or to keep it as one group.

3)   Decide on who will be your group's main point of contact/coordinator:

• -       Put a phone/email list together

• -       Participants would call if can't make a meeting

• -       Single point of contact to David if the group has questions or needs further assistance

• -       Gets the group's meeting going, timekeeper, etc.

4)   Perform the walkthrough of the study guides (this will take most of the meeting)

• -       Identify sections good for individual assignment & presentation to the group

• -       Identify sections good for group assignment & discussion

• -       Identify critical sections vs. non-critical sections

• -       Make possible assignments (though can be done at the first meeting also)

5)   Set the future schedule & meeting location for the group

• -       I recommend Saturday morning sessions: 3 hours each

• -       I recommend a local library setting: either Seattle or Bellevue

• -       The group can make the decision based on the level of commitment

• -       First meeting suggested: August 2^nd

6)   Adjourn

• -       Next meeting run by the group's coordinator.

• -       Those who wish to go make copies can hook up with someone who has a study guide to go to Kinkos.

David Capocci, CSQA, CSTE

Certification Coordinator