Journey to CTA thus far for dallas developer user group and overview of what is a certified technical architect. July 22 2020

1. Road to CTA
My Journey to CTA Thus Far
@MeighanSF, meighan.Brodkey@salesforcemvps.com
Meighan Brodkey

2. Meighan Brodkey
• Technical Architect
• Practice Manager
• Xede Consulting Group LLC
• Salesforce MVP
• Seattle Women in Tech User Group Leader
• 12 years in Salesforce
• 12x Certified
• Mentor – Trailhead Mentoring Program
• Coach/Mentor – Merivis (Mentoring Veterans &
Veterans Spouses in Salesforce – Great
program, check it out)
• Podcast Host: System dot Debug
• Blogger – meighanrockssf.com
• Twitter - @MeighanSF

3. Solution Architect – Design, sometimes presales, usually knows a little about everything
Technical Architect – Build and implementation, knows deep technical knowledge
Application Architect – Your declarative archs are usually found here, or an arch that starts here
while deciding where to go
Integration Architect – work on connecting salesforce to other systems
“Salesforce Architect” (most confusing of them all in my opinion, too vast and up for opinions)
Some Archs code, others barely code, some do no coding
**Certified Technical Architect** --> they one that passed the exam for CTA
What is an Architect

4. What is a Certified Technical
Architect
Per SF:
“The Salesforce Technical Architect (CTA) credential is the
pinnacle certification for those who demonstrate the
knowledge, skills, and capabilities to design and build high-
performance technical solutions on the Salesforce platform
across all areas of domain expertise.”

5. The Pyramid

6. • Dev Lifecycle/deployment
• Identity
• Integration
• PD1
System Architect
Exams
Application Architect
• Sharing & Visibility
• Data Arch & Management Designer
• PD1
• Platform App Builder
• Optional: Community Cloud

7. Failure
FAIL
I DID IT
FAIL
I CAN’T
I’LL NEVER
ONE MORE TIME
DOH
WHOA I DID IT
AHHHH

8. If at first you don’t
succeed, pick yourself up
and don’t be scared to
Fail and Fail again
I tried
I failed
Best Practices
Worst Practices
Ask for help – and don’t be scared
Know your limits
Don’t be limited by your self imposed limits

9. Study Groups
• Work with others working for a common goal
• Mock case study
• Mock Q&A
• Ask Questions!

10. Mentor for you and You as the mentor
• No better way to learn than to help others
• Mentor that has done this before
• Ask a CTA
• Get help when you need it
• Matthew Morris - Dude
• Doina Popa - Whoa

11. What is the exam?
• 2 parts
• The pyramid
• The boards
• Your Boards
• A Case Study
• Sign Up
• You get a call
• It’s your time to take the exam
• You go to the location
• You do your boards
• Candidates are given 3 hours (180 minutes) to read, solution, design and justify a detailed architectural solution for the
hypothetical scenario
• 45 minutes to present
• 40 minutes for Q&A

12. PREPARATION
180 Minutes
Presentation: 45 minutes
Break: 15 minutes
PRESENTATION
45 Minutes
Preparation I: 2 hours
Optional Break: 15 minutes
Preparation II: 1 hour
Break: 15 minutes
Q&A: 40 minutes
**Exam Wrap-up: 20 minutes
**Exam wrap-up is only for virtual review
boards.
Q&A
40 Minutes
z

13. • Pre-meeting with proctor
• Exam taken through remote mouse
controls on the proctor computer
• Word version of scenario
• Artifacts to be drawn on A4 or 8.5” x
11” paper
• Pens (not pencils) to be used
• Exam wrap-up
• Hard copy version of scenario
• Artifacts to be drawn on flipchart
or whiteboard
• Whiteboard pens provided
• PC or Mac provided
• PDF version of
scenario
• Access to Microsoft
PPT, Excel, Word
• Timer provided
• Same exam
structured
In Person Virtual
Both

14. Case Study
• Architect Chatter Group
• RoadToCTA #SalesforceSaturday
• Coach & Study Buddy = VITAL
• Ladies be Archs
• Gemma
• Susannah
• Charlie
• Faith
• Matthew Morris
• Doina Popa

15. Certified Technical Architect Preparation Workshop (CTA601)
Overview
Are you ready to take the next step in your career by becoming a Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA)?
This participant-centered workshop will help you internalize the exam objectives while reinforcing your knowledge
of key topics. You’ll hone your ability to craft solutions that address real world customer requirements (using actual
scenarios used on previous exams) and create a personal action plan for exam preparation all the while receiving
coaching from your CTA facilitator.
Who should take this course?
The Certified Technical Architect Preparation Workshop is designed for experienced Salesforce architects who are
planning to take the Salesforce Technical Certification Exam. Prior to coming to the Workshop, participants should
have met the qualifications for the Salesforce Certified Technical Architect Exam, including holding the Application
and System Architect credentials. All details on the exam can be found here.
It is highly recommended that participants attend a workshop at least 4 months prior to sitting for the Salesforce
Certified Technical Architect exam in order to allow for adequate time to apply learning from the Workshop.
601 & Domain Architecture Classes

16. 601 & Domain Architecture Classes
When you complete this course, you will be able to:
• Articulate the exam objectives
• Describe best practices for exam time management, requirement
synthesis, presentation conciseness and depth
• Describe the key diagrams and artifacts that are useful in clearly
communicating a solution
• Create a personal action plan for further exam preparation
During the Workshop, your CTA facilitator will guide participants
through practical, hands-on exercises that will give you experience
with each of the objectives.

17. Domain Exams
902/901
• Domain & System
• For the pyramid
• Each half
• Open the descriptions now Vanna…

18. I don’t know
Never be afraid to say it
Everyone says it
We all don’t know
You can’t know it all
You can’t be prepared for everything

19. Questions