OK, what now.

Hello, it's me, on Prometric and the exam delivery decision. I have had a lot of conversations and e-mail exchanges with a lot of you--and it is clear that not everyone thinks this is the right decision. I respect that. But, here we are, still. We still want you to care about certification, I still want you to heckle me about certification and Heinlein on my blog, and you do, or might want to, take an exam at some point in the future. 

OK, what now.

Do this, please. If you've posted a comment here, or on your own blog or in a forum elsewhere - please send your comment, question, or rant--if you haven't already--to msledp@microsoft.com. Why? I'm sharing/logging comments and others are doing the same in newsgroups - but this team can't be everywhere, all the time... and I don't want any of your feedback to fall through the cracks. There is a team of people (behind msledp@microsoft.com) responsible for logging, aggregating, and responding to your questions. Send your feedback so that we have a clear, unified picture of the customer viewpoint, that MSL and Prometric can be accountable to you, and we can prioritize answers and solutions to the highest concerns. 

OK, next.

Our teams are working really hard to get info out in response to your questions and concerns - but I get that not all of you have the answers you need yet. Prometric will post to their site, as specfics are available. A few things I've heard recently:  

  • Does Prometric offer academic (72-XXX) exams? Yes. If you find that that is not the case, send an e-mail to msledp@microsoft.com
  • On January 1, where will you take an exam? Prometric is really pushing to bring on new centers. From our FAQ - the goal is to have a test center within 30 miles of you.
  • Will there be weekend testing at Prometric? According to Prometric, weekend testing is available already at many centers. It sounds like it is a center-by-center decision. If you have a specific question about this, log it with msledp@microsoft.com 
  • How can I submit feedback to both Microsoft Learning and Prometric. The msledp@microsoft.com goes to a joint team.
  • <added Aug 30> Questions on registration and cancellation polices? or on delivery requirement minumums? See Prometric's update.

OK, next.

If you have an exam coming up, you have until August 31 to buy a VUE voucher and until December 31 to use it. So do that if you want - or make a note to go to Prometric for your next exam and give it a shot. This last bit is borrowed (thanks Ken) but it says better what I'd like to say. "Keep taking exams. Stay with VUE to their last day if you like...switch to Prometric as soon as you are ready. When you take exams with Prometric, don't hold back on the criticism if your expectations are not met... <but>...don't hold back on the praise if you have a great experience. It's the best way to identify positive change and ensure that it continues."