ASD Exam Resources

Detailed learning objectives are addressed in the Accredited Symbian Developer Primer.

Accredited Symbiab Developer Primer ASD+S60 Special Offer Get S60 Accredited Get ASD Accredited Take Practice Examination

Endorsements

"Nokia is pleased to support the Accredited Symbian Developer programme which provides a rigorous, industry-standard assessment of individuals’ knowledge of Symbian OS C++. The programme will help businesses to improve the efficiency of mobile software development by presenting potential employers with objective insight into a job candidate’s skills relative to those of the industry as a whole."
Lee Epting
Vice President, Forum Nokia

"UIQ Technology is pleased to support the ASD program. The ASD exam now enables an independent verification of developer skills to be demonstrated to potential employers and colleagues."
Elisabet Melin
VP of Marketing for UIQ Technology

"The accreditation scheme provides Symbian OS developers with an exciting opportunity to assess their current skills and future training needs. The exam result includes a valuable summary of which areas of Symbian OS knowledge are stronger and which are weaker. That's unique and incredibly valuable for spotting gaps in your current understanding."
Jo Stichbury
Author of 'Symbian OS Explained' & an Accredited Symbian Developer

"I was amazed at how the exam so accurately picked up on my strengths and weaknesses. I think the qualitative assessment of my abilities was extremely close to the truth. From my own experience, I'd have every confidence in the exam as a predictor of Symbian OS developer proficiency."
Richard Harrison
Author of 'Symbian OS C++ for Mobile Phones' Volumes 1 & 2, & an Accredited Symbian Developer

"The difficulty and challenges of the exam will give it street cred with coders out there. I recommend using the supervised mode of the exam as part of a developer assessment to anyone recruiting developers with Symbian OS C++ Experience."
John Pagonis
A Developer Consultant at Symbian & an Accredited Symbian Developer

RESOURCES / S60 faqs

Frequently Asked Questions Nokia S60 Developer Exam

Nokia Accredited S60 Developer Exam FAQs:

  1. What do I need to know to pass the Accredited S60 Developer exam?

  2. Where can I learn about the right topics?

  3. What are the advantages of having Accredited S60 Developer status?

  4. How much does it cost to take the Acreddited S60 Developer exam?

  5. Where can I take the exam?

  6. How long does it take to sit the exam?

  7. Do I need to take the exam under exam conditions, with a supervisor?

  8. Does the exam require knowledge of S60 3rd Edition?

  9. What are the entry requirements for taking the exam?

  10. Is Accredited S60 Developer an official Nokia program?

  11. Do we need to be a Nokia partner (e.g. Forum Nokia Pro) before taking the exam?

  12. What is the pass mark for the Accredited S60 Developer exam?

  13. How often do I need to retake the exam in order to stay an Accredited S60 Developer?

  14. How can I make use of the Accredited S60 Developer program for training?

  15. How can I use the Accredited S60 Developer program for recruiting?

  16. How will I know if I passed?

  17. What happens if I fail?

  18. Can I take a practice exam?

  19. Can I use the Accredited S60 Developer logo?

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• What is the Accredited S60 Developer Exam?

The Accredited S60 Developer programme from Forum Nokia is an objectively measurable framework for continuous professional development for S60 C++ developers. It comprises a curriculum and pass criteria defined by Forum Nokia and an on-line assessment that tests knowledge and understanding of that curriculum, provided my Majinate Limited.

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1. What do I need to know to pass the Accredited S60 Developer exam?

It is a pre-requisite that to become an Accredited S60 Developer you must already have a current pass in the Accredited Symbian Developer exam. The combination of these two exams covers the topics required to be able to make best use of the S60 platform.

The curriculum is based on publicly available training materials obtainable either from Forum Nokia or Nokia’s Training Providers. The curriculum and references to appropriate reference materials are described in detail at:
http://www.forum.nokia.com/main/technical_services/training/accredited_s60_developer.html exterior link
http://www.symbian.com/developer/training/symbian_developer.asp exterior link and
on the Majinate S60 curriculum page.

The curriculum is defined by Forum Nokia and is reviewed on a regular basis to ensure it keeps up to date with developments in S60. Although the scope of the S60 curriculum is very wide, unfamiliarity or weakness in one or two sub-topics is not a barrier to passing the exam, since it is expected that not all developers will have regular exposure to all parts of the curriculum.

You will also require a good standard of English to take the exam.

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2. Where can I learn about the right topics?

Nokia and Majinate maintain a list of Authorised Training Providers and appropriate learning resources at the following web sites:
http://www.majinate.com/trainingproviders.shtml
http://www.forum.nokia.com/elearning exterior link

Forum Nokia provides a wealth of resources to mobile developers.  For the latest on mobile tools, devices, training & technologies, go to http://www.forum.nokia.com external link

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3. What are the advantages of having Accredited S60 Developer status?

As the volume of S60 devices grows, employers need a tool to identify developers capable of helping them deliver their solutions on these new devices. Those who pass the exam will be able to show that their competency has been independently evaluated.

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4. How much does it cost to take the Accredited S60 Developer exam?

Majinate offers the exam directly from this web site and through resellers at a recommended price of UK£80 excluding VAT, for unsupervised online exams. Exams can be purchased in US$, €Euro or UK£.

The exam with detailed analysis of strengths and weaknesses as described here is charged at UK£100 + VAT.

We also offer a special price of £130 + VAT when the Accredited Symbian Developer and Accredited S60 Developer exams are purchased together. With detailed analysis of the results in this case costing UK£170 + VAT. If a candidate fails the ASD exam (success in which is a pre-requisite for S60 accreditation) they may still take the S60 exam and will receive feedback on their performance in both exams.

The Short Form Competency Exam here ,which does not lead to accreditation but indicates readiness to sit the full exam, is charged at UK£40 + VAT.

You can register to take the exam here.

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5. Where can I take the exam?

A list of our exam resellers is available here.

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6. How long does it take to sit the exam?

It takes most participants between 50 and 70 minutes. You should plan to have time do the whole exam in one sitting. Your network connection will need to remain active throughout that period. The exam times out after 90 minutes: a countdown clock is displayed during the exam session, along with a count of the remaining number of questions.

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7. Do I need to take the exam under exam conditions, with a supervisor?

The exam may be taken with or without supervision. If a candidate is successful, their certificate will state whether the exam was conducted in a supervised environment, indicating whether the candidate was known to be taking the exam unaided. The on-line exam is licensed to be unsupervised in many regions, and local representative agreements determine the regions where they may be conducted without supervision.

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8. Does the exam require knowledge of S60 3rd Edition?

Yes. The exam is designed to test skills needed in the current market environment, based on which versions of can be found in the market at that time. The question database is constantly being revised to keep it up to date.

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9. What are the entry requirements for taking the exam?

It is not necessary to attend formal training to take the exam, and indeed on-the-job experience can in many cases suffice to pass. However, a candidate will not be eligible for S60 ASD accreditation unless they hold a current Accredited Symbian Developer accreditation.

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10. Is Accredited S60 Developer an official Nokia program?

Yes. This is Nokia’s scheme, operated by Majinate Limited on Nokia’s behalf. Nokia carries further information on the scheme on Forum Nokia external link.

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11. Do we need to be a Nokia partner (e.g. Forum Nokia Pro) before taking the exam?

Anyone can take the exam.

However, if you are a member of a Forum Nokia programme, you can take the exam at a discount or for free. For some programmes you will need to pass the exam to get a discounted price. To take advantage of the offer contact your Forum Nokia representative. They will supply your details to Majinate and (if appropriate) we will invoice you for the discounted price. You will then receive your exam credentials and if you pass the exam your fee will be refunded in full. The programmes supporting this offer are currently: Forum Nokia Launchpad; Forum Nokia Pro; Forum Nokia Champion; Nokia Certified Training Centres; Nokia supported Universities.

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12. What is the pass mark for the Accredited S60 Developer exam?

The pass criteria are:

Holds a current pass in the Accredited Symbian Developer exam;
Scores above 60 in the Accredited S60 Developer exam.

The pass mark is reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that the exam continues to reflect an up-to-date knowledge. Unfamiliarity or weakness in one or two sub-topics alone will not reduce the score to below the pass mark, since it is expected that not all developers will have regular exposure to all parts of the curriculum.

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13. How often do I need to retake the exam in order to stay an Accredited S60 Developer?

Accreditations made today will be valid for a minimum of 12 months and we anticipate at least 18 months, driven by the need to keep pace with releases of S60.

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14. How can I make use of the Accredited S60 Developer program for training?

Organisations may use the examination infrastructure to assess their level of Symbian OS and S60 competency, including additional information on areas of weakness and advice on appropriate training or revision that is needed for a particular project.

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15. How can I use the Accredited S60 Developer program for recruiting?

Individuals claiming to be Accredited S60 Developers are listed in a database held by Majinate. Please contact verify.asd@majinate.com for details on how to use this service.
Organisations involved in recruiting developers can use the same examination structure as used for the accreditation exams as a recruitment screening tool. Recruitment assessments are available from either direct from Majinate, or through our network of resellers.

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16. How will I know if I passed?

If you have requested a detailed analysis of your results, the result of your exam is displayed on screen at the end of the exam. If the exam is being taken unsupervised, the result is sent via email to the registered email address on completion of the exam; otherwise it is produced by the supervisor. You can immediately compare the result to the pass mark.

If you have not requested a detailed analysis, you will be informed of your exam outcome by email within 24 hours of completing the exam.

If you pass the exam, you will receive an email confirmation within 48 hours and a paper certificate within 15 days, supplied directly from Forum Nokia.

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17. What happens if I fail?

We advise that you study the areas of weakness identified in the detailed analysis. If you have not requested this detailed analysis, the email informing you of the exam result will make some suggestions for further study. You can take the exam again at any time and your previous result will not contribute in any way to the outcome.

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18. Can I take a practice exam?

Yes, you can register for a practice exam here. This exam will not be marked, but will indicate where your percentile ranking of all candidates to sit the exam falls. The result is available immediately at the end of the exam session.

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19. Can I use the Accredited S60 Developer logo?

Nokia has made the Accredited S60 Developer logo available under licence for the private use of developers who satisfy the eligibility criteria. The outline guidelines for use of the logo are held in a secure area of the Majinate web site that is only available to Accredited Symbian Developers (ASDs should login to their home page to view the guidance). Only Accredited S60 Developers are able to read and accept the full licence terms in this secure area and on acceptance of these terms are able to download a logo pack once only from the Majinate web site.

Nokia will strongly protect their trademarks and logo from breaches of the usage guidelines and unlicenced use. Do not use these logos without permission.

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