FAQs
We've gathered answers to our most frequently asked questions, covering everything from when you will receive your exam results to how to become an approved trainer. For questions about a specific certification or product, please see the product tab.
FAQs per product
Unified Service Management (USM) Certification
The core guidance is available in print and in e-books in English, in Dutch. For Public Education Institutes it is also available in an online format in Spanish.
For individuals self-studying it is almost impossible to say. As all candidates have different experience and amount of time available for study, it varies from person to person. We suggest you buy the manual and have a look through for yourself before deciding how long you need to spend learning.
For those studying with an accredited training organization, the USM Foundation courses are two-days long.
Summaries of the structure of the USM Foundation examination and the USM Practitioner assessments are below:
USM Foundation
- 60 minute duration
- Multiple choice
- 40 questions
- 26/40 required to pass
- Closed book
USM Professional – divided into four roles
- USM Trainer
- USM Coach
- USM Tool Auditor
- USM Product Expert
USM Professional – a 3-day training course including the USM Foundation Exam. An elevated exam score of 30 out of 40 is required for access to the Train the Professional courses that are provided by the Scheme Owner.
USM Professional Bridge: a 1-day training course aimed at individuals who have already successfully completed the USM Foundation course and the USM Foundation Exam and wish to transition to a USM Professional role. An elevated exam score of 30 out of 40 is required for successful completion of the USM Professional Bridge course. If the elevated score hasn’t been achieved, a re-take of the exam will be required.
No, the USM Foundation exam is closed book.
The USM Foundation certification does not expire.
USM Professional roles must be maintained in line with APMG’s and SURVUZ Foundation guidelines.
Pass marks for the USM examinations are as follows:
Foundation: You will need to score 26/40 to pass the foundation exam.
- Candidates progressing to a USM Professional role must pass the foundation exam with an elevated score of 30/40 and successfully complete their assessment.
XLA® Institute Certification
XLA Institute (Formerly Experience Collab, incorporating XLACollab) are a best practices organisation for the discipline of employee experience and experience management. You can find more information on the XLA Institute Website.
Yes, you can find a list of Accredited Training Organisation's (ATOs) on the XLA Institute page, by selecting 'Find a Training Provider'.
The XLA Institute Foundation exam is currently available in English, Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish.
The XLA Institute Practitioner exam is currently available in English.
For individuals studying with an accredited training organization, Foundation style courses are generally delivered over 3 days and Practitioner over 2 days. It is well worth investigating with individual providers, as some will offer tailored, online, or blended learning solutions.
The XLA Institute certificates do not expire.