Join us learn about How to become a Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA). Before getting started let under what is Salesforce Certified Architect? Salesforce Technical Architects serve as executive-level strategic advisors who focus on business transformation with unrivaled domain expertise in functional, platform and integration architecture. They communicate technical solutions and design tradeoffs effectively to business stakeholders, and provide a delivery framework that ensures quality and success.

What is CTA exam about?

Salesforce Architects are the most trusted digital advisors and respected team leaders in the ecosystem. They're big-picture thinkers and in-depth problem solvers who take pride in designing systems that can stand up to anything. The Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA) solves complex, large-scale customer challenges to produce secure, scalable, and high-performance solutions that maximize the full potential of the Salesforce Platform. Here are Salesforce Technical Architect skills:

  1. Ability to consider the solution end to end and communicate(sale) effectively to C-level audience.
  2. Ability to understand and solve the business challenges of a particular client/scenario to ensure project success.
  3. Ability to provide optimal User Experience : SF as a platform shines through the ease of use. If you overcomplicate solution, even so it's doable, it will not be regarded as an optimal solution. F.e.: Einstein Lead scoring vs building own scoring
  4. Knowledge of Salesforce products best practices, limitations and tradeoffs : Limitations and trade-offs are key here, client needs to know the limits. F.e. if you propose a Marketing Cloud. You need to be able to communicate dependencies AND a need for professionals with knowledge in that area for project success
  5. Effective timing and ability to deliver under pressure : Last and most important: top 10 % of the architects will be able to solve the CTA scenario. But only top 1% - solve on time and communicate accurately in 40-45 minutes. I know candidates that are great architects but slow readers. You need to work on that early, not only for CTA but it will be helpful for your SF carrerr. Fast thinker is easier to spot and caught attention of C-level and colleagues. Stand out of the crowd

What is CTA exam NOT about

Good developer not equal to good architect. If you decide to go with Azure/AWS/Oracle as a different platform, you don't have to be an expert on those tools. But you should know general ways how to integrate/communicate between them and SF.

  1. Ability to code and development excellence
  2. Your understanding of cross/platform challenges
  3. Your unique real life experience (not always)
  4. Your experience in sales/pre-sales

Check here how to become from Developer to Architect

Benefits of achieving the CTA credentials

Ask yourself – why are you doing this? Applicable not only for CTA ask this question often in life and you will see miraculous change. Don't attempt CTA for these reasons:

  • Better pay/salary/position
  • Self fulfillment

Real benefits of the CTAJourney is THE Journey:

  • You will meet new friends
  • You will spend your prep time with a very intelligent group of people
  • You will wake up early
  • You will learn how to fail

Why the best architects fail the CTA

The more experience in SF you have the higher chances of failing real CTA exam. Reasons for failing:

  • wrong goals/targets for the exam
  • too much self confidence during the preparation
  • not knowing what CTA exam is about
  • getting into analysis paralysis
  • not able to handle the pressure
  • important: didn't make enough mistakes on their way!

How to stop procrastinating

What is procrastination? Neurotic behavior that is unnatural for healthy individuals. Why we procrastinate?

  • It makes sense – the problem might go away
  • It protects our ego and self worth – we always can say that we could do better if we'd have enough time
  • It protects us from burn out when we are stressed and at the low energy level

How to start producing

Found in position of telling yourself – you have too -> sign of procrastination. Embrace full ownership of the situation and deal with it. There is so much you can do, not everything is in your power. But this statement is very powerful! Story from archery – you want to hit 10, not be afraid to miss it. Look forward for the feeling of joy during and after CTA - food will taste better and Sky will be more bright

  • Stop planning and start producing -> deliver your worst solution on purpose in the shortest amount of time
  • Accept the worst possible outcome: "If you're afraid - don't do it, - if you're doing it - don't be  afraid!"
  • Change role an inner role -> become a decision maker

Success WITHOUT a system – love it, practice it

  1. Accept velocity around you
  2. Make the system work FOR you
  3. Perfect is an enemy of good
  4. Agility is what you need to aim for

How to achieve Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA)

Just do it! Velocity is more important than perfection! During preparation:

  • Motivation by success not by failure
  • Your goal is to get personal, unique experience from the journey
  • Deal with the agility and set backs during the preparation -> they are merely the feedback

On the exam date:

  • Forget about the past experience, be present!
  • Get every bit of efficiency you can, think the process through
  • Fight to the end and don't give up!

Recording

Summary

Have a save environment to make mistakes. Procrastination is normal, find the reasons why you do it and be prepare to deal with it. Choose the system that works for you. Don't be afraid to change it, this is part of the game! Focus on positive experience. Giving up is not an option!