Microsoft Office User Specialist Program Presentation to MPUG – June 20, 2000 Nivo International: Brent Mason, Director of Sales Oyvind Ragnhildstveit, Vice President Product Development All information contained within this document is Microsoft and Nivo Proprietary and Confidential. Duplication is prohibited without written consent.

Agenda  Microsoft Office User Specialist Exam Program  MS Project Exam levels and objectives  Target Audience of MS Project Certification  Benefits from MS Project Certification  Demonstration of MS Project 2000 Core Exam  How do I prepare to take the exam?  Where do I take the exam?  MPUG Special Promotion

Microsoft Office User Specialist Performance-based certification exams Performance-based certification exams Measure product knowledge Measure product knowledge Establish a gold standard for desktop application skills Establish a gold standard for desktop application skills

MOUS Program Overview   19 exams/ 84 total including localized – Office 97 and 2000, Project 2000; psychometrically valid, legally defensible exams using concurrent testing   200,000+ exams PTD - 65 countries/11 languages   Market segmentation – academic, corporate, government, staffing, and professional associations   Distribution channel – 2,200 testing centers worldwide   Support channels – 65 ICVs provide approved training materials   Authorized Instructor Program

Program Positioning Technical Certification for System Administration Back Office Systems Technical Certification for Professionals and End Users Desktop Productivity

Motivation for Seeking Certifications Increases Credibility Increases Credibility Assess Ability Assess Ability Increases Productivity Increases Productivity Increases Compensation Increases Compensation *Research conducted by the GartnerGroup, sponsored by Prometric

Project 2000 Core Level Exam Indicates a comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft Project Appropriate for: Managers with multiple responsibilities Managers with multiple responsibilities Construction engineers Construction engineers LAN managers LAN managers Webmasters Webmasters Programmers, analysts Programmers, analysts Anyone responsible for: Anyone responsible for:  projects consisting of up to 200 tasks  printing & customizing graphs and reports  communicating project information and status

Project 2000 Expert Level Exam Indicates a comprehensive understanding of Microsoft Project 2000 and many of Project’s advanced features. Appropriate for: Managers in larger organizations Managers in larger organizations Instructors and consultants implementing custom Microsoft Project solutions Instructors and consultants implementing custom Microsoft Project solutions Anyone responsible for: Anyone responsible for:  creating schedules for projects of any complexity  implementing multi-project resource management  updating project information & tracking progress  assigning resources  publishing to the web

Benefits from MS Project Certification End Users: tests end users on how they apply their knowledge tests end users on how they apply their knowledge provides skill enhancement and validation for job qualification, opportunities, and career path mapping (including IT professionals) provides skill enhancement and validation for job qualification, opportunities, and career path mapping (including IT professionals) establishes proof of professional achievement establishes proof of professional achievement increases confidence and satisfaction increases confidence and satisfaction develops a portfolio of industry-supported skills and credentials that are transferable within different industries develops a portfolio of industry-supported skills and credentials that are transferable within different industriesOrganizations: increases productivity and competence (lower training costs) increases productivity and competence (lower training costs) provides clear standards for identifying qualified resources provides clear standards for identifying qualified resources improves recruiting, hiring, retention, retraining, reassignment, and promotions of employees (opportunity for advancement) improves recruiting, hiring, retention, retraining, reassignment, and promotions of employees (opportunity for advancement) creates a common ground for business, education, and government to collaborate on training and other needs creates a common ground for business, education, and government to collaborate on training and other needs

Certification Skill Sets (Objectives) Creating a project plan Creating a project plan Tracking a project Tracking a project Communicating project information Communicating project information General project management concepts General project management concepts Customizing a project Customizing a project Multi-project management Multi-project management Core Communicating project information Resource Management Tracking a Project General project management concepts Customizing MS Project Customizing a project Multi-project management Expert

Development Cycle   Define Audience– 2 weeks   Job Task Analysis – 8 weeks   Item Writing – 4 weeks   Item Review/Revision – 4 weeks   Exam Authoring – 4 weeks   Alpha/Internal Beta – 6 weeks   External Beta – 8 weeks   Exam validation/item selection/cut-score selection – 2 weeks

Exam Demo

How to Prepare for an Exam

Where do I Take the Exam? for locater for locater Executrain and New Horizons of Atlanta Executrain and New Horizons of Atlanta

Atlanta MPUG Special Offer 1. Take one MS Project Core exam free within the next 30 days at Executrain of Atlanta 2. First three corporations with strategic implementation plan and willingness to participate in case study can have up to 50 exams

Important Web Sites