Launched by DAMA International in 2004, the Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) exam and designation has become one of the world’s most recognized certification programs for Data Management professionals. Anyone who passes the exam remains certified for a period of three years. When important changes occur within the industry, the exam gets updated to reflect the new skills and knowledge required to succeed.
The CDMP exam is modeled on the information provided in the DAMA International Guide to Data Management Body of Knowledge (DMBoK) – the holy grail for data professionals. The book serves as a guide to the different areas of Data Management, such as:
- Data Governance
- Data Architecture
- Data Modeling & Design
- Data Storage & Operations
- Data Security
- Data Integration & Interoperability
- Documents & Content
- Reference & Master Data
- Data Warehousing & Business Intelligence
- Metadata
- Data Quality
- Data Ethics
- Big Data
- Data Management
The exam includes 100 questions that test an individual’s knowledge and level of competency within each of these key topics. Depending on the exam score and the number of years of industry experience, a data professional may achieve one of four certification types: Associate, Practitioner, Master, or Fellow.
Benefits of the CDMP Certification Include:
- Proves in-depth knowledge in the field of Data Management
- Shows your credibility and expertise in the field
- Makes you highly employable
- Gives you a competitive edge over data peers
- Commands a higher salary expectation
- Contributes to the progress and maturity of the field
- Provides you with a globally accepted certification standard
- Allows you to become a part of a global professional community
Steps to Becoming CDMP-Certified Include:
- Study the DMBoK
- Sign up for the CDMP exam (preferably starting with the Data Management Fundamentals exam), which is proctored online and is accessible from anywhere
- Receive a CDMP digital badge or certification
- Repeat the process for higher certificate levels and specialist exams (Data Governance, Data Quality, Data Modeling & Design, Metadata, Master & Reference Data, Data Warehousing & Business Intelligence, Data Integration & Interoperability)