When the Anaplan Academy team first read Maryna Dunets' article on the new recertification process, we were thrilled to learn about her positive experience with the updated exams. Our goal has always been to design an exam that accurately measures a candidate’s ability to use the platform while minimizing unnecessary stress. Although it is now proctored to maintain the certification’s credibility given the prevalence of digital cheating, its purpose remains simple: to ensure that Anaplan certifications reflect genuine expertise in the platform.
We wanted to take a closer look at Maryna’s experience preparing for and completing the recertification to share practical insights that help our learners feel confident with the new process. We’ve also included links to all the resources she mentioned at the end of this article to support learners as they prepare for their own exams.
Q: First of all, congratulations on getting 44 out of 45 on the Professional Solution Architect recertification exam. That is an incredible achievement and a testament to your expertise. How did this exam compare to your expectations?
A: The exam was much easier than I expected. First of all, I'm not a native English speaker, so I was a bit worried about the wording of the questions. Luckily, the statements were very straightforward — there were maybe only 2–3 words I didn’t know, but the meaning was clear from the context. Another thing I was afraid of was getting too many "multi select” questions — it can be tricky when you're unsure how many options are correct. So, it was a huge relief to realize the exam clearly indicated the number of correct answers in most cases of multiple choice, which made it much easier to focus on applying knowledge rather than second-guessing the structure of the questions.
Q: Many candidates feel nervous before taking the exam. What tips do you have for those who know the material but are anxious about testing?
A: The best tip I can give is to take the free Practice Exam in the Anaplan Learning Center before diving into any serious studying or getting nervous. When I passed it with 10/10 on the first try, I felt confident in my knowledge and got a much clearer idea of how to structure my preparation for the real exam. Big thanks to the team who created it — it really helps to understand the format and removes a lot of the doubt.
Q: Did you learn anything new while preparing for the exam?
A: To be honest, I didn’t learn anything new about the classic engine, UX, or the Anaplan Way during my preparation. But I’m really glad it motivated me to finally spend some time exploring newer features — ADO (Anaplan Data Orchestrator) and Workflow. I had heard a lot about them before, but never took the time to dive in properly. Preparing for the exam gave me the push I needed to look into these areas and understand how they fit into the broader solution design process.
Q: Which of the practice materials or resources did you find most helpful in preparing for the exam?
A: Let me rather tell you about the approach I took to prepare for the exam. First, I read the Study Guide and split the topics into two parts — the ones I had a lot of experience with and the ones I hadn’t worked with much or hadn’t touched in a long time. To be honest, I didn’t do any extra preparation for the first part. For the second part, I've passed the corresponding courses in the Anaplan Learning Center and used a few articles from the Anaplan Community, especially those recommended for the Certified Master Anaplanners. So that was it!
Q: You touched on this in your article, but many candidates are concerned that they have not worked directly with ADO or Workflow. What would you say to ease their concerns?
A: I found the Anaplan Data Orchestrator and Workflow courses in the Anaplan Learning Center very helpful. I set aside a few days to go through them with extra focus and attention, since it was completely new knowledge for me. In my experience, completing these courses was more than enough to successfully pass the Professional Solution Architect recertification even if there is no practical experience yet.
Q: Finally, what is one piece of advice you would give to someone taking the exam for the first time?
A: I really liked the option of taking the exam at a Kryterion testing center — there I felt more focused and had fewer concerns about potential technical issues during the exam. Once the date was set, there was no room for procrastination. So my advice would be: just start moving forward — pick a convenient exam date, build a preparation plan and pass the exam in the testing center if the option is available for you. It's easier to get started once a deadline is set.
Wishing the best of luck to everyone taking this step!
Exam Resources
