ISEB Foundation Certificate in Systems Development

[JamesStill]

...apologies for reposting some content from my 'new member introduction'...


I've just sat my first exam in 4 years for the ISEB Foundation Certificate in Software Testing. I started studying it last weekend, booked the exam on Monday and sat it this morning. Really pleased to report a pass.

The downside is that I've now got a taste for it and want to study more. I've been using (MS)SQL for the last year or so, but the exams seem to favour the administrator more than the developer. I do realise that a developer needs to understand the administration side to be really effective - but it's rather a big step to start with, so I'm thinking of doing some more of the ISEB foundation certificates to get some practice before starting on the 'big' ones.

One that I really want to study is the Foundation Certificate in Systems Development (http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=nav.6943), but there doesn't seem to be a specific book for it. Can anyone point me in the direction of some appropriate literature - the reading list is massive?

James

[wagnerk]

Congrats on your pass

I was wondering, have you taken a look at the syllabus of the course? It's quite long and intensive. That could be the reason why the reading list is long.

-Ken

[JamesStill]

That's a fair point, but I know software testing appears in the syllabus, which must be an overview of the software testing syllabus. I'm guessing the business analysis section will also be a cut down version/ overview of the full material. Following on from that, I was thinking that the remainder of the material will be an overview of the other topics (although I still expect it to be quite challenging).

It would be a bit odd for ISEB to run one qualification with the same content as 3 or 4 other foundation certs (but perhaps that is the case).

I think that for the meantime I'm going to pursue the Business Analysis and Effecting Change in IT Systems foundation certificates. Oddly enough, the primary supporting material for both exams is the BCS Business Analysis book. I've just ordered that book from Play and will sit them in October.

If it all goes smoothly, I'll be able to sit the Systems Development exam in January / April (whenever the next exam is) as I presume I'll have a pretty good grasp of the underlying material by then

Then comes Project Management I guess.

James

[wagnerk]

Cool, let us know how you get on Are you a member of the BCS yet then?

-Ken

[JamesStill]

Not yet, but I think I may join after I do the next couple of exams.

Is there much benefit of being a member of the BCS? (Besides showing your professionalism / commitment).

James

[wagnerk]

Depends what you want out of them. For me it was the Chartered status and supporting the IT profession, for others it's the networking opportunities and/or the CPD site. Take a look into it, it may suit you, it may not. Another association that you may want to look into is the IET, but again, it depends what you're looking for

-ken

[JamesStill]

Thanks Ken - I'll be sure to check them out this afternoon

Kind regards
James