Test COG-480: IBM Cognos Planning Professional

This test will certify that the successful candidate has knowledge and skills to analyze, plan, design, deploy, and operate effective and user-friendly Cognos Planning solutions. 

Section 1 - Analyze a Planning Implementation (8%)

1. Describe the benefits of using a methodology
2. Describe the benefits of using iterative development

Section 2 - Design IBM Cognos Planning Applications (22%)

1. Identify design considerations for a solution implementation
2. Apply design considerations to client requirements

Section 3 - Performance Impacts (18%)

1. Describe how design can impact performance
2. Describe application modifications to improve immediate and long-term performance
3. Describe tools and options which give administrators information about the solution

Section 4 - Design considerations to support other systems (20%)

1. Describe the appropriate composition of a Planning Implementation team
2. Describe relationships between data and reports
3. Describe design considerations that impact reporting
4. Describe the effects of model changes on existing reports
5. Describe the process of reporting using IBM Cognos BI with consideration of changes that may be required within BI to get optimum performance from BI

Section 5 - Design, Common Challenges (7%)

1. Describe modeling techniques to address common challenges and scenarios
2. Describe the appropriate use of Blueprints

Section 6 - Prepare solution for end users (20%)

1. Describe functionality available for automation and use of Planning Manager to control automated processes.
2. Identify the considerations for different deployment options
3. Strategies for long term storage of Planning information
4. Describe the effective use of security roles for administrators and end users
5. Describe how to apply security to an application
6. Describe benefits of providing system documentation to administrators and end users
7. Describe techniques for adding information to the application to be used as documentation
8. Describe resources to support the operation phase of a Planning implementation

Section 7 - Use Planning information outside of the Planning environment (5%)

1. Identify how Planning data can be used by external systems