Appearing for Associate Android Developer Certification by Google

Shikhar Shah
Jul 28, 2017 · 8 min read

https://www.credential.net/9turb7am?key=49c1b568935860f58e0e79585703c6838c2fa1ac9ef27262c748eb463f9e9d48

The above link contains my Assoicate Android Developer Badge provided by Google.

Its been a long since I have started using Medium as a source of current as well as new updates about the field I am interested in. This time, took PEN in my hands to write something about my experience.

In this first article, I’m going to share what I learned and what I understood by the term AAD.

Associate Android Developer

Associate Android Developer which is known as AAD is a performance based assessment exam taken by Google with Udacity as the examination medium.

So how much does the exam cost?

If you live in India, then you have to pay Rs 6500 INR and for people living outside of India, you have to pay $ 149 USD.

RULES

Talking about the constraints,

First comes the eligibility, the eligibility criteria is divided in three age based partitions and one region based requirement. The details are:

If your age is less than 13 years age then you are not eligible for appearing in exam.

If your age falls within 13–17 years then you may appear for the exam but you will need some kind of approval from your parents or guardians for appearing in the exam.

Third one says if you are above 18 then without any other restraints, you can directly appear for the exam.

And the last and most important requirement says,

{Directly from the Google Developers Page}

“If you are participating in a location that requires by law a lower minimum age for entry into such programs, then the minimum age limit for that person will be the stated minimum required age.”

What concepts are asked in the exam?

1. Testing and debugging

Writing tests to verify that the application’s logic and user interface are performing as expected, and executing those tests using the developer tools. Candidates should be able to analyze application crashes, and find common bugs such as layout errors and memory leaks. This includes working with the debuggers to step through application code and verify expected behavior.

2. Application user interface (UI) and user experience (UX)

Implementation of the visual and navigational components of an application’s design. This includes constructing layouts — using both XML and Java code — that consist of the standard framework UI elements as well as custom views. Candidates should have a working knowledge of using view styles and theme attributes to apply a consistent look and feel across an entire application. Understanding of how to include features that expand the application’s audience through accessibility and localization may also be required.

3. Fundamental application components

Understanding of Android’s top-level application components (Activity, Service, Broadcast Receiver, Content Provider) and the lifecycle associated with each one. Candidates should be able to describe the types of application logic that would be best suited for each component, and whether that component is executing in the foreground or in the background. This includes strategies for determining how and when to execute background work.

4. Persistent data storage

Determining appropriate use cases for local persisted data, and designing solutions to implement data storage using files, preferences, and databases. This includes implementing strategies for bundling static data with applications, caching data from remote sources, and managing user-generated private data. Candidates should also be able to describe platform features that allow applications to store data securely and share that data with other applications in.

5. Enhanced system integration

Determining appropriate use cases for local persisted data, and designing solutions to implement data storage using files, preferences, and databases. This includes implementing strategies for bundling static data with applications, caching data from remote sources, and managing user-generated private data. Candidates should also be able to describe platform features that allow applications to store data securely and share that data with other applications in Persistent Data Storage.

A detailed information can be found on https://developers.google.com/training/certification/associate-android-developer/

So the next question is

What the exam is made of and what questions are being asked in the examination.

EXAM STRUCTURE

The exam is basically divided into two phases, first one being the main assessment portion and the second one being a verification type of interview.

PHASE 1:

To start with the first phase, once you pay for your exam, you can download one compressed file which contains the actual project that you can directly load into your android studio. For that, extract the file into any directory and open Android Studio->file->open project->(point the build.gradle file of your downloaded project).

The scenario here is, you are getting to work on this project because the developer who was working on it has been put on some different project module and you need to finish the application as per the requirements.

Once you pay for your exam ,you will have 48 hours to submit the exam. You will be asked whether you want to start the exam immediately. After you click the Start Exam choice, you will have one exam-paper kind of web page which will be having all the details about the application you need to work on and finish.

You will get a list which will be having,

  1. Basic Overview of Application
  2. Functional Requirements
  3. User Interface Description
  4. Implementation of Features

From my personal experience, the web page is much descriptive about the requirements and details of the application such that any developer having at least 6 to 10 months of experience in Android Development can easily understand what he/she is asked for.

In the exam you need to stick on material that you are provided. In depth meaning is, you need to perform as you are asked.

  1. You can’t change any class names or function names which are already existing in the project. Doing so may lead directly to invalidation of your attempt.
  2. Whole structure in the project is very smartly structured to set proper challenges for the appearing student. There are many constraints in the application which creates quite a bit of fun to deal with. So stick to the structure and don’t create your own new classes (until asked in the exam)
  3. The project contains many methods which you may feel where they will be used! But believe me, every method in every class has their own use somewhere in the application. If you successfully cover all the requirements than you will be using all those methods at one place or another.
  4. When creating new classes, use the same name you are given in the requirements list. Don’t create your own named class until given.

So get yourself a cold coffee and start coding!

Once you implement all the features in the application, you can go ahead and submit the examination.

There are certain rules about submission as the google developer page stats,

You have 48 hours from the time you receive your exam until the time you must submit it. If you do not submit your exam within 48 hours, your attempt will count as “failed” and you will need to take another exam to proceed with the certification process.

Which brings the next question in mind, what is the process to retake the exam?Well, once you pay for the exam, you get 3 attempts to appear.

First Attempt is when you pay and start the exam. If you do not pass after the submission(Within 48 hours or failed attempt without grading), you can immediately take the exam again.

Second Attempt can be started as soon as you are informed about the failure of the first attempt. In this attempt, one new application will be given to you to finish in 48 hours. If you do not pass in the second attempt then you will have to wait for minimum time period of 2 months.

Third Attempt can be taken after the period of 2 months. Here again, new application and new requirements with new clock of 48 hours. If still you do not pass then trust me, you need to brush up your knowledge. If a student fails in this third attempt, then he/she has to wait for another 6 months period after which, the exam can be retaken by paying again the fees.

At the time of submission for the first time, after you have submitted your code in compressed form, you will be asked to verify your identity.

You can do so by uploading proper scanned images of your identity docs.

The type of docs accepted are:

  1. Driver’s License
  2. Passport
  3. Other government-issued ID

The type of docs not accepted are:

  1. Student ID
  2. Work ID

After you successfully finish your identity verification, you may sit back and relax. Your exam will be graded by machine and human based evaluation and you will be notified by mail from google about the results of the exam.

In the developers’ website, it has been stated that they can take up to 45 working days to give you the result. But in my case, i got the results within 2 days of my submission.

What happened in my case

In the first attempt, it took around 39 hours for me to complete the examination. After I submitted the exam, got the mail from google after 2 days that I did not pass in the exam. I could start the next attempt immediately. So was taken aback that I implemented everything they asked. But then after, when giving the second attempt, I learned the lesson that I have to stick to the requirements. So just stick to it guys. I implemented the features in my way and ended up adding another 48 hours of single sitting coding.

Second attempt was , a new application with new requirements. It took me around 47 hours to complete as there were issues in the AS latest update. But submitted within the time period and after 4 days I got the mail from google that I had completed the phase one and ready for the phase two which is Exit Interview.

PHASE 2:

The phase 2 contains one exit interview with one of the google examiners. In the interview which typically takes around 15–30 minutes, you will be asked to verify your identity and then after you will be asked certain questions related to android development and the project you worked on in the exam. After the interview finishes, you will get the results of the interview and your AAD certification within 7 working days from your day of interview.

Once you pass the exit interview, CONGRATS! You are now a Google Certified Associate Android Developer!

You will get all the details of the badge you achieved and what you are eligible for as you are now part of Android Developers Community.

AAD Bagde

In my case, after I finished the exit interview with Mr. Anthony, I got mail from google after 6 days but it was something I loved about Google. They surprised me with the news that I had passed the exam on my birthday! It was one of the best gifts I ever received.

In the period of those 96 hours, I have learned so many new concepts that has elevated my level of knowledge to much higher level.

I encourage every one of the android developers to take the examination today and get yourself certified by Google!

Best of Luck Guys!

Start your journey here:

https://developers.google.com/training/certification/associate-android-developer/

Reference:

Google Developers Certification page

https://developers.google.com/training/certification/associate-android-developer/#info

Shikhar Shah

Written by

Google Certified Android Developer | Blockchain Enthusiastic

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