On Feedback for the PerformancePoint Rational Guides

It has been a little over seven months since my esteemed colleague Nick Barclay (MVP) and I first announced our Rational Guides on PerformancePoint. Since then we have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback (emails, verbal, blogs, etc.) for our titles, especially from readers who are preparing for the MCTS: PerformancePoint exam (70-556). As always, we are greatful for all the support we have received from around the world for our books, and, are pleased to learn that so many people are benefiting from them. What follows is a humble attempt to centralize and share reviews of our books. Once again, many thanks again to everyone who shared feedback on them.

Bruno Aziza (U.S.): PPS-M&A and PPS-P Review

Chris Webb (U.K.): PPS-M&A Review

Dan English (U.S.): PPS-M&A Review, PPS-P Review

Daniel Upton (U.S.) :PPS-M&A Review, PPS-P Review

David Street (U.S.): PPS-P Review

Jeff Carr (U.S.): PPS-M&A Review

Jen Hamlin (Canada): PPS-M&A Review

Josh Sale (U.S.): PPS-M&A Review

Paul Steynberg (S. Africa): PPS-P Review

Ryan Jamieson (S. Africa): PPS-M&A Review, PPS-P Review

Sacha Tomey (U.K.): PPS-M&A Review, PPS-P Review

Teo Lachev (U.S.A): PPS-M&A Review, PPS-P Review

Tim Kent (U.K.): PPS-M&A Review

Note: if I have missed your review, then please accept my apologies and let me know ASAP by leaving a comment on this post with a link to your review.

- Adrian Downes

On Looking for BI Specialists in Australia

B(iQ) is currently looking for BI technology specialists in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide who are keen to:

• learn and build solutions with PerformancePoint Server 2007
• work a 4-day client-facing week
• grow professionally and become a Partner in the business

We are looking for team-oriented people with compelling communication skills and the desire to grow. Industry experience with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 BI technologies (SSIS, SSAS, SSRS) is required.

Additional skills and experience with any of the following technologies are desirable:

• Microsoft Office Excel 2007
• Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 (or higher)
• SharePoint Products and Technologies (WSS 3.0 / MOSS 2007)

Exposure to PerformancePoint Server 2007 in a professional setting will be highly regarded. A tertiary education and relevant Microsoft certifications (MCTS: SQL Server 2005, MCITP: BI Developer, MCTS: PerformancePoint) will help to set you apart.

Interested parties, who are either Australian citizens or permanent residents, should send their CVs to careers@b-iq.org. All communications will be held in strict confidence.

- Adrian Downes

On the MCTS Exam for PerformancePoint Server 2007

The single Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist exam (70-556) for PerformancePoint Server 2007 is now available at Prometric. Microsoft Learning luminary Trika Harms zum Spreckel provided a preview of the exam requirements for the then-beta version of the exam here.

Just be certain to leave Tim Kent and Sacha Tomey alone.... they won't divulge any secrets.... :-)

Update (25 - JAN - 2008):

The Microsoft official preparation guide for exam 70-556 can be found here.

Update (29 - JAN - 2008):

I just sat and passed this exam today. Without giving anything away, I can confirm that pretty much all of the measurement areas shown in the prep guide appear in the exam. Good hunting!

- Adrian Downes

On an MCITP in Performance Management

A couple of weeks ago, Microsoft announced a new Microsoft Certified IT Professional stream, MCITP: Enterprise Project Management with Microsoft Office Project Server 2007. What is interesting about this certification is the balance of content between Project 2007 / Project Server 2007 subject matter (exams 70-632 and 70-633 respectively, each leading to separate MCTS designations), as well as more advanced Project Server topics (exam 70-634) blended with The Project Management Institute's PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) Guide. What is more interesting is the increased emphasis on the business discipline of project management within what initially appears to be a technical certification.

Reading about this new MCITP brought me to wonder about the validity of a PerformancePoint-centric MCITP. Personally, I think it would be a great idea to promote an MCITP stream, dedicated to performance management (business performance management, corporate performance management, etc.). Such a designation would present a worthy challenge for BI versatilists to better appreciate the business discipline of establishing performance measurements, as well as the key role PerformancePoint Server 2007 would play in executing a performance management initiative. In my opinion, if both Microsoft and the Balanced Scorecard Collaborative put their heads together then an MCITP could emerge, addressing the growing demand for increased knowledge among BI practitioners as performance management and business intelligence draw ever closer.

In my imagination, such a certification (perhaps an MCITP: Performance Management with Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 title) could include the following subject matter:

1. A Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) exam covering PerformancePoint Monitor and Analyze features


2. Another MCTS exam geared towards PerformancePoint Planning


3. A third PRO-level design exam (reminiscent of MCITP exam 70-446), focusing on solution architecture, cross-over knowledge on SQL Server 2005 "BI Services", ideal business models to implement for budgeting needs, as well as determining ideal objectives/metrics for a given problem domain.

What do you think? Is Microsoft on the right track with the MCITP: in EPM? Do you believe a full MCITP in performance management would be worthwhile for Microsoft to promote, or, for us to pursue?

- Adrian Downes