Salesforce Certified Technical Architect Review Board Evaluation Guide & Tips.
**Before we start, please note all information in this Article is based on my personal experiences with the exam. All provided information can change without notice at any time. Please refer to the official Trailhead credential page for the latest information.
About “Salesforce Architect Evaluation”
This evaluation was introduced in July 2021 and is Step 1 of 2 (Step 2: Salesforce Architect Review Board Exam) to become a Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA). It evaluates the readiness for the coveted Architect Review Board Exam. Currently System Architect and Application Architect credentials are prerequisite for the Architect Evaluation . It is available in online format only and candidates must register through Kryterion. Some Important information about the current Architect Evaluation:
- 60 minutes to read, solution, design, and justify a detailed architectural solution
- 30 minutes to present their recommendations
- 30 minutes for Q&A discussion
- Approximately 45 minutes for additional feedback and discussion.
- Registration fee: $1,500 USD plus applicable taxes as required per local law.
- Retake fee: $750 USD plus applicable taxes as required per local law.
Path towards the Architect Evaluation:
Be ready and fully prepared to face the Architect Evaluation before registering for this exam. Upon registering I received an email asking if I would be ready in 2-4 weeks for the evaluation. I was assigned an evaluator for the evaluation and was given a few slots to choose from. A week before the exam, I received an email explaining different aspects and logistics for the exam. I appeared virtually for the exam and resolved the scenario via screen share. Be attentive about Windows PC/Mac allocation. The combination does not work well always. With my logistic email I got it clarified (Windows/Mac) and practiced upfront so that I wouldn’t have surprises during the exam. I also considered the lag on a screen share during my preparation.
Now the Exam:
I was provided with a Business scenario similar to this. I had one hour to read it and come up with a detailed architectural solution. The use of G suite (docs, sheets and slides) and/or paper-based documents to resolve the scenario is allowed. Offline documents, such as hand drawn diagrams etc. must be shared with the Evaluator for evaluation (by taking pictures and sending an email). I got thirty minutes to present the solution and thirty more minutes for Q&A. The judge provided additional feedback and discussed the performance and areas of improvements after Q&A.
After the evaluation:
Now the wait begins! I received the written feedback and results via email in a couple of weeks. In case of an unsuccessful evaluation, feedback will be provided to the candidate with prescriptive next steps. Currently it is not allowed to re-register for the evaluation for 6 months after an unsuccessful attempt. In case of successful attempt, the next step is to wait for the invitation in 2-4 months for a spot to take the Architect Review Board Exam.
My few Cents:
- Have a study group from the early stage of the journey.
- Time management is the key during the exam.
- Practice like exact exam condition i.e., virtually controlling a PC with timer and get accustomed with the input lag.
- Reach out to Architect Community for guidance. Join the “Architect Ohana” slack group and “Architect Trailblazers” Trailblazer community group.
- Shout out to Flowrepublic for fantastic training for the upcoming Architects.
- Practice as much as possible and treat each scenario as a customer requirement document.
- Make sure to know each domain in detail.
Good Luck!!!!
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