“Learning is a process, a method, an area of mastery, and with effort, focus, and practice, we can get a lot better at gaining expertise.” – Ulrich Boser
Today I am going to speak to you about Exam DA-100: Analyzing Data with Microsoft Power BI. I will talk about my experience, how I passed the exam, and then give you some tips to help you be successful too. All the links needed to access a suggestion is located on the last page. Enjoy! 🙂
My Experience
I started working in the Business Intelligence field in July 2010. Having a background in Business and Communication, I was very excited to start working especially since I would be in the Information Technology field. I held various roles but exceled in the data side – and grew a passion for it. As time progressed, I wanted to become certified to show I mastered the skills needed to be a data analyst. I wasn’t sure what data certification to get and after doing some research I finally decided I would work towards earning a Microsoft (MSFT) Data Analyst Associate certification. At the time I decided this was the certification I wanted; *PASS had an opportunity for experienced data users in the field to take the beta exam for free within a certain timeframe. I decided to take the challenge, not knowing what I was in for. I only had less than a month to review and the only available resource to study from was the Skills Outline. I must admit I struggled because of this. I took the test on May 26th, and a few months later I received the results that I didn’t pass. I felt upset and lost some of my confidence because I had always wanted to earn a certification and I felt like I had let down my colleagues. However, as the days went on, I realized I was being way too hard on myself. I had to remember I took a beta exam and MSFT used it as a platform to evaluate the reliability of the test. With some encouragement from family and friends, I decided to take the test again. Before studying for the exam, I came out with a plan on what I would do. After following it, in December I took the test again and passed with an 810/1000. I felt so accomplished. I now want to share with you my plan I used to study and pass.
Tips to Succeed
1. Skills Outline
This will give you an idea of what concepts you will be tested on, and how much each topic is worth. The learning path will
cover these skills in depth. I recommend you either print it and take notes or do it digitally on Notepad, Microsoft Word, OneNote whichever you like and write a brief summary about each skill after completing each module.
2. Learning Paths
One option is to complete the self-paced online learning path. The learning paths consists of 6 paths and they are broken down into modules and even further broken down into units. All this material is what you need to know for the exam. Additionally, some of the modules contain labs.The labs provide you with an environment where you can practice what you have learnt in the modules, which is a great way to reinforce concepts. I also recommend creating a schedule to help keep you on pace. I planned to do each path within a week. If you would like to see my notes, please see below. And remember the concepts covered here are the topics in the skills outline, so summarize in your notes what each concept is about.
If you feel that Microsoft Learn will not be the best path for you or you need more help, then I recommend the second path
which is instructor-led training. The course Analyzing Data with Power BI is taught by qualified MSFT Learning Partners. I did not take this specific course so I can’t tell you about my experience with it. If you are wondering if I did have any paid training for Power BI, I did. In the Summer of 2020, I took the course Virtual DAX Boot Camp by Pragmatic Works. Even though the course focused on DAX, I found it extremely helpful in understanding the language and beneficial to helping give me the skills I needed for the test.
3. Practice Exam
Many experts who specialize in the education field recommend one of the best ways to learn is by self-quizzing. As a previous adjunct professor, I couldn’t agree more. For most of my college courses, I scored higher on exams when there was a practice test available that I could take. Therefore, I always advise to take a practice exam. Fortunately, one just came out a week before I took the test. I can’t say enough how much this has helped me. I really enjoyed this practice exam because I was able to familiarize myself with the environment and what type of questions there were. By answering the questions and getting immediate feedback on whether I was right or wrong, I was able to see where my weak areas were and what I needed to focus on. I really feel this immediate feedback helps enforce your understanding of a skill. Also, below the answer is an explanation of the concept and links given to help further your understanding. I recommend to not only take the practice exam just once, but at least two or three times until you master the concepts and you truly understand why that choice is the correct answer to the question.
4. Exam Replay
If you feel a bit nervous about the test, and don’t want to buy the practice test then I suggest purchasing the exam replay. It may ease your nerves knowing you have two chances to pass the exam. I purchased this in case I didn’t pass the first time and it seemed to reduce my stress. I do know MSFT offers two different type of exam replays. One option allows you to take the test twice and the other option gives you an Exam Replay as well as a Practice Test.
5. Study Group
I decided to join a study group for many reasons. To tell you a little bit about our group, we met once a week and.. oh yes ..we had homework 🙂 Our homework would be to read the Learning Paths, do the labs included, and then speak about a unit in the module. I found the study group to be very helpful because my peers assisted me in solidifying my understanding of certain topics as well as helped point out important concepts I may have not noticed. It’s important to remember people may be more skilled in certain areas of Power BI due to the requirements of their positions. Also, I found the group to be motivating because we received weekly reminders to do our homework. And inspiring in that we were able to understand new concepts, which at once seemed difficult. I can’t recommend enough how important it is to have a study group.
6. Online Resources
You can also gain skills for the test, by looking at other Power BI blog sites and videos. There’s an array of information about Power BI. And there are many experts who can help you understand difficult concepts.
7. SLOW DOWN
If you are a Power BI newbie or have only used the platform occasionally, don’t try to cram all the information in a month or less. If you do this, you are just stressing and cheating yourself. Remember what you were taught as a young child…PATIENCE! 🙂 To really have a deep understanding of the concepts and the software, you need to take it slow. It takes time to learn a lot of the concepts on the test. I like to compare learning to the gym because it has been said your brain is like a muscle in your body. You can’t go to the gym and in a month or less expect to go from lifting 5lb weights to 100lb weights. It takes time for your muscles and body to heal and grow strong. The same is for learning. By challenging and exercising your brain, you’ll work at your best. The best way to exercise your brain and to become great at Power BI is to get on the job experience, and if you don’t have a job then practice with Microsoft’s learning path and their labs. I feel learning this way is truly rewarding because you’ll learn to understand and master the material. With such a great understanding, the test will be much easier and less stressful.
8. Test Day Preparations
Be familiar with the structure of the test – This is another reason why I recommend getting the practice test. You will only be allowed to take digital notes.. no paper notes. The digital notepad and pen is provided on the exam for you, but I have found this tool not easy to use. Also, as you are taking the test, there are scroll bars and other icons you need to take advantage of. I know this may seem obvious, but you may become so consumed in reading the questions, you may not notice the icons or scroll bars which provide additional information. Remember to pace yourself. You have about 50 questions and 3 hours to complete the test. Give yourself an estimate on how long it should take you to answer each question. Remember some questions will be harder than others and you will need more time for them. Therefore, I recommend from time to time look at the clock to see how you are doing.
Know your environment – Will you be taking the exam in person or virtually? The rules will vary depending on where
you take the exam. I elected to take the exam virtually. I had to check in online about 30 minutes before the test. I also needed my driver’s license and had to take pictures of the room where I would be taking the test. Also, the proctor will be asking to see your work desk and watching you the entire exam, so make sure you have a camera! I don’t recommend using your work computer for the exam. There is a certain software to run the test that you may not be able to download on your work computer without a system administrator’s permission, so use your personal device.
Make sure you are comfortable – Here are some more things to think about while planning for the exam. When you schedule the test, know what day and time works best for you. Are you a morning, afternoon, or evening person? Make sure you get a good night’s sleep, and you aren’t hungry before the test. And if you are taking the test virtually at your home, make sure it is quiet because you don’t want to be distracted during the exam. Use the restroom before the test. When I first took the beta
exam, I had drunk so much water and was unable to leave for the restroom. I had a lot of questions remaining and it made for a long last hour. It was a very uncomfortable experience. The next time I took the exam, I didn’t make this mistake.
9. Support and Encouragement
In today’s society, Americans are considered an individualist culture, where people take pride in saying they’re proud to have done it all by themselves. But let’s admit we all need and probably have a support system, so use it! We can’t do it alone and there’s nothing wrong with this. To tell you a little more about myself I am a wife, a full-time employee, and a mother to three beautiful children. And although I love data, I have other hobbies as well. All of this keeps me busy, which I love! As you can tell, my free time is limited. Because of this, I really needed the support from my family to be able to study. My husband temporarily took over on more parenting duties and my children were understanding enough to give their mom time to study. I am so greatful for their compassion. Furthermore, I also had great friends who encouraged me to take the test again when I had my doubts. I am very blessed to have all of them in my life. Please make sure you have a support system and use it whether it be from family or friends.
10. Anxiety
I decided to add this part because I suffer from anxiety and I know many other people whether they feel comfortable enough to openly admit do too. When I take a test I feel is very important, I get nervous due to the pressure! I think “what if I fail?” and “what will people think?” My heartrate increases right before the test and my breathing gets shallow. This slows the oxygen to my brain and as a result I can’t think. And all of a sudden, 1 + 1 = 3 lol. Well not really, but you know what I mean 😉 Being this nervous, before a test is not good if it’s to the point where it affects your focus. Please make sure you know how to calm your anxiety before a test. Find something that makes you calm! I practice yoga regularly to help ease the tension I receive from stress and anxiety. I also practice meditation and breathing techniques. If you take deep slow breaths, your mind will automatically calm down and relax. And then you will be able to think clearly. Another important thing to reduce anxiety is to think positive! This does work! Reassure yourself that you have practiced, know your material, and you will be successful. Think of your friends and family as being your cheerleaders. And if you pass great, but if you don’t pass guess what? If you decide to take the exam again while studying, you get to learn even more and become even better at Power BI. And most importantly, everyone still loves and believes in you! 🙂
Thanks for visiting my page. I wish you all the best and I send my love!
Priscilla
Links
Main Exam Information Page | https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/exams/da-100 |
Skills Outline | https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RE4qlRu |
Journey to Microsoft Certified | https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RE4AzbJ |
Learning Paths | https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/exams/da-100?tab=tab-learning-paths
|
Instructor-led-training | https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/exams/da-100?tab=tab-instructor-led
|
Practice Test | |
My Outline | https://itdatadiva.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/My-Outline.jpg |
Exam Replay | |
Beta Exams | https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/certification-exams |
Reducing Anxiety |
Notes
*PASS –stands for the acronym Professional Association for SQL Server. PASS was founded in 1999 and ceased operations at the end of 2020 due to COVID-19.
You will need to purchase a practice test from Mindhub. For an access duration of 30 days $99, and for 60 days $109.
I have tried my best to provide a list of skills that will help you be successful. If you have any suggestions on what has helped you, please leave a comment and I will add it to my list.
Precise and up to the mark details
Thank you, Nitin.
Thanks for this. I am going to prepare and take this exam. One question for the exam replay, is the retake of the exam the same qeustions as in the original exam, or different questions? Thanks
Hi Tim,
Good question and thank you for reaching out. I am not sure if the replay exam would have the same questions. I would imagine there is a bank of test questions and each question you may get is randomly selected. Therefore, you may have a chance of getting the same question as last test. I would definitely message MSFT and ask. If you do, please let me know what they say.
Thank you, and wishing you the best of luck.
Priscilla
Thank you Priscilla. I reached out to Microsoft and the answer is that the retake exam will be different questions. Could I please ask you another question in regards to the exam format, ie how many multiple choices and how many other types of questions? Thanks
Hi Tim,
I would suggest you go to the following link https://www.mindhub.com/da-100-analyzing-data-with-microsoft-power-bi-microsoft-official-practice-test/p/MU-DA-100?utm_source=microsoft&utm_medium=certpage&utm_campaign=msofficialpractice.
If you scroll down, you will see three tabs horizontally across the page. Click the free demo and then the button Launch Practice Test Demo. While I can’t tell you exactly how many questions are multiple choice, you can get a good idea of the format the answers will be in on this practice test demo.
Hope this helps and let me know if there is anything else I can do for you,
Priscilla
Hi Priscilla,
The main thing I wonder about most is how much of a time commitment would it be if we were to commit to taking the exam? Are talking about 30 hours or more like 200 order of magnitude? (I realize it would be different for everyone, especially dependent on how much BI we’ve done in jobs, but trying to get SOME feel for this).
The other thing I wonder is what percent of what you learn for the certification’s sake will actually help you in actual BI jobs? (I realize BI jobs are different, but again, just trying to get a sense of it). Maybe a way to ask is whether the exam preparation would be worth doing for the increased ability to do do BI jobs we would gain from the study, even if we were to not care about being certified? Do the exam questions align with what’s practically the most important things to know about Power BI for jobs’ sakes? Would it make sense to use the skills outline as a way to assure myself I know the most critical aspects of Power BI and ready for a Power BI job, regardless of passing the exam?
This is a great article, Priscilla, thank you!
Hello Julie,
Thank you for reaching out. I appreciate all your questions, and the time you took to read my blog.
In regards to your first question about the time commitment needed for the exam – the answer to your question depends on a lot of variables. For instance, how much experience do you have with Power BI? How much experience do you have in the BI field? Also, how much time do you have to dedicate to studying? Using myself as an example, I have almost three years of experience with Power BI and 10 years in the Business Intelligence field. My strategy to studying was to complete Microsoft’s Learning Paths which helps you prepare for the exam. There are 6 paths that you need to cover for the test, and I studied 1 path each week. This schedule worked for me due to other commitments – I have a full-time job and three children. Everyone’s circumstance differs. If you do not have a job, you can probably get thru it a lot faster. If you have some experience with either, then I feel a month or two of studying should work. If you don’t have any experience, then I would suggest more time. It is all variable. My recommendation is to look at the Skills Outline and see what you can answer and cannot, and then base your time on this. Everything you need to know for the exam is covered in the Learning Path, so if you understand all this material then you are set. I also recommend purchasing the practice exam after you go through the learning paths, which really helps you determine if you are ready for the test. You can purchase the practice exam for a month or two.
To answer your last question, I feel the test does prepare you for the workforce. The learning paths go step by step on how to use Power BI. The paths cover all the skills you need to know. Does it go into depth on all of Power BI topics? The answer is no. Does it cover all the fundamental skills you will need for the workforce? The answer is yes. Even if you don’t want to become certified, completing Microsoft’s Learning Paths will give you the skills needed for a Power BI job. Just remember not all jobs will use Power BI as their Business Intelligence tool. Some companies use different tools which will require different skills. However, Power BI is in Gartner’s top quadrant for recommended Business Intelligence tools so becoming certified or even just learning Power BI will help you get a job.
I hope this helps answer your questions. I wish you all the best on your journey in earning your certification. Please let me know if you need anything else.
Regards,
Priscilla