Pega CLSA Guide Book 1 - Author’s Profile (Why Me?)

The first question I would like to answer is “Why me?” This was also the first question I asked myself.

I am neither from Pega Academy nor had decades of Pega experiences. So, what made me qualified to write this book? Not to mention a book about the highest technical certification in Pega!

I Have Lecturing Experiences

I had delivered lectures and tutorials to students pursuing Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees from Monash University and Deakin University, through their respective distance learning programs.

The largest student group that I had lectured was well over hundreds. Degree programs included the following:

·       Bachelor of Information Technology

·       Master of Information Technology

·       Bachelor of Computing (Computer Science/Software Development)

This gave me knowledge and experience in handling undergraduates, their thought processes, and their common pitfalls.

I Have Experiences Writing Courseware

In case you do not know what a courseware is, it is similar to a full subject material offered in a university.

Courseware is not just the study or lecture materials, it included the tutorial exercises, sample solutions for the lecturers delivering the course, as well as the exam papers, with the associated marking schemes (rubric, as some might refer to it).

This experience provided me with great insights on the end-to-end structures of exams, it also provided me with a deeper understanding of what examiners are typically looking for, including the CLSA Team.

I am CLSA Certified in the New CLSA Path 7.3/7.4

There is no point in telling people how to prepare for Pega CLSA if one has not even passed it.

On top of that, being a CLSA does not mean that the person is qualified to teach. It should be the same new CLSA Path to have any relevance, shouldn’t it?

Having decades of Pega expertise and experiences are commendable, but not relevant in writing this book because the exams structure is no longer the same.

In short, being certified in older versions of CLSA for many years, does not add more values compared to a person who had been through the new CLSA path, the same path that you would be taking, agree?

I Passed the Application Build on the 1^st Attempt

Passing the Application Build on the 1^st attempt, 2^nd attempt, or even on the 3^rd attempt, has no direct correlation to the technical skills.

However, the ability to pass it on the 1^st attempt is an indication that the given candidate knows the approach and is inherently able to present his solution in the expected format. Coupled with my lecturing and courseware experiences, do you see the strong relevance now?

I Have a Strong Academic Background

I have a master’s degree. During my masters, I had written thesis, published papers, and produced patents together with my professors and helped them to start up 2 companies, which were later bought over.

Therefore, writing books and doing publications are all in my blood.

I Have Experience Writing a Book

Writing a book is not easy. In general, it usually takes at least 6 months to complete a book, not including the miscellaneous tasks of getting a publisher, proof reading, book designing, and finally publishing it.

Worst, the return is often not worth the effort that one has put in. (Yes, I know Harry Potter, but that is more of a rare exception, rather than the norm. Furthermore, there is no way to disprove a fantasy series, is there?)

For me, it is not as difficult because this is not my first book. How hard could it be for me if I had possessed so many of the above attributes? All I need is just 1 month of my own free time to release a book.

I Have Many Years of IT Experiences

Apart from many years of IT experiences, I have experiences in other BPM/CRM systems as well as other areas, including SQL, UNIX, etc.

You may not be able to relate how these would help in passing the CLSA certification, but you would know the relevance after you have finished reading this book.

I Think There Should be More Pega Technical Books

Today, the biggest problem that Pega faced is a pool of certified and qualified Pega architects. It is not possible to further extend this pool of Pega architects if there are no books written for it. Take a look at Java, Oracle, Microsoft, CISCO, etc. There are tons of books on that and from various sources!

Today, the only relevant Pega related book in Amazon.com is only “Build for Change” – By Alan Trefler. However, that is more of a management book rather than a technical one.

Therefore, someone needs to start somewhere, and I am not shy to say that the best person is me; and doing a Pega CLSA Guide is a great starting point.

Summary: I Have Multiple Relevant Attributes

My boy wants to be a writer, just like me, and he is very motivated. At the age of 9, he had finished reading Sherlock Holmes (the original series).

The first question I asked him was: There are millions of books out there, why would anybody buy yours?

After I had set him on the thinking path, I suggested him to search for the author, read his profile in Wikipedia, and answer my question again.

With some guidance, he finally realised the reason: Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle is a physician by profession, which was why he could write Sherlock Holmes so convincingly!

His first novel, “The Haunted Grange of Goresthorpe”, did not even get published, which goes back to the initial question to my boy: Anybody can write a book on a ghost story, why would anyone buy his?

In business terms, this is called “competitive advantage”. A business or idea would prosper if and only if there is a “competitive advantage”, coupled with a high entry barrier.

I had come across great professors with good academic accreditations, but their lectures were the best ‘sleeping pills’ one could ever buy in the open market!

Technical ability and knowledge are important. However, knowing the technicality and possessing the ability to solve the most complex issues do not give birth to good writers or good teachers –-- these require a far more well-rounded ability to achieve that.

Are You Convinced?

I sincerely hope you are. If not, please don’t get this book. I hate ‘grumpies’. If you think you can do better by doing it solo, please feel free to do what you think is best for yourself.

[Check the book availability here]