TOGAF Exam Preparation: 5 Key Insights

Is the TOGAF exam hard to pass?

Student taking the exam on his laptop

TOGAF exam preparation is generally considered challenging. The exams provided by The Open Group cover a broad range of enterprise architecture concepts.

The Foundation exam (Part 1) is effectively a memory test, requiring in-depth knowledge of the semantics and structure of the TOGAF framework.

The Part 1 exam tests how well you remember the names and structure of the recipes in the “TOGAF cookbook,” how these are organized, and what kinds of ingredients are used.

The Practitioner exam (Part 2) tests whether you know which recipes to use in a hypothetical scenario, and your understanding of how to operate as a capable “chef” in the EA “kitchen.”

How long does TOGAF exam preparation take?

togaf exam preparation

After completing your training, you should expect to spend four to ten hours of review and study of the material. This varies depending on the kind of experience you bring to the training, and on your level of comfort with this type of material.

We recommend taking the exam about 3-5 weeks after completing the training.

To support students in our TOGAF® Practitioner course, we provide a walk-through of the official practice exam during the training. Students received PDFs of the course slides, the Managing Digital Course Handout and a wide set of supporting documents. This is all in our online document library, available to students during and after the training.

What TOGAF content is included in the exam?

Both exams test your understanding of about 40 enterprise architecture terms, and the key structural elements of the TOGAF Framework.

These include, for example, the ADM (Architecture Development Method), the TOGAF metamodel and content framework, and the types of artifacts and deliverables that can be produced in an ADM cycle.

You will be expected to understand core TOGAF concepts such as Stakeholder Management, Architecture Governance, Trade-Off methods, Risk Assessment, Architecture Domains, the role of Security Architecture, Gap Analysis, and more.

Both exams are multiple choice. You don’t have to write anything or create any diagrams.

Where is the exam given?

Woman taking exam

The exams are provided through Pearson Vue, a global exam service with offices almost everywhere.

You can book the exams to be taken separately, or you may take both together in one sitting. The Part 1 exam is 60 minutes. The Part 2 exam is 90 minutes.

Students with English as a second language can receive an extra 30 minutes for each exam. Ask the instructor for details.

You can choose to attend a local Pearson Vue exam center or go for the remote proctoring option.

What if I fail one of the exams?

You must pass both exams in order to achieve the TOGAF EA Practitioner certification.

Almost all our students pass on the first try. We are proud of our track record, which is based on our own accredited training materials and instruction given only by experienced architects.

Having said that, everyone has a bad day sometimes. We are almost always able to help you get you a retake voucher in the rare cases where this is needed.

About the author 

Dan Warfield

Founder and principal at Managing Digital, Dan Warfield is an active leader and contributor in The Open Group IT4IT™ and TOGAF forums. Has written extensively on IT topics, politics and the arts.

In a 35-year corporate IT career, Dan has held senior roles in strategic planning, enterprise architecture, innovation, marketing, governance, and large-scale delivery for leading US and UK companies, including Lincoln Financial, IBM, CSC, FIS, Liberata UK, and Walmart.

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