Guide to the IT Passport Examination

Information-Technology Engineers Examination Guide to the IT Passport Examination Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan New Examination System Deliberation Committee Level 1 Examination Working Group Report December 25, 2007

Contents 1. Positioning of this Report... 3 2. Creation of the IT Passport Examination... 3 3. Typical Examinees... 3 4. Supplementary Explanation of Expected Technology Level... 4 5. Configuration of the Examination... 5 6. Points Allocation, Grading Method, Pass Criteria... 6 7. Scope of Questions... 6 (1) Basic concept of examination questions... 6 (2) Scope of questions... 7 8. Level of Education According to Target Typical Examinee Group... 10 9. Examination Implementation Method and Period... 11 10. Notification of Exam Results (discussions ongoing)... 12 11. Sample Questions... 12

1. Positioning of this Report The policy for examination system reform was proposed in the report Aiming towards the Development of Advanced IT Human Resources (July 20, 2007) by the Human Resources Development Working Group (HRD-WG) under the Information Service and Software Subcommittee of the Information Economy Committee within the Industrial Structure Council. In response to this reform policy, the Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan (hereinafter, IPA ) under the New Examination System Deliberation Committee (chairperson: Yoshiaki Iwamaru), established the Level 1 Examination Working Group (group chairperson: Kazuhiko Sato) and has discussed the details of the contents of the newly established Level 1 Examination. This report is a summary of the results of discussions by this working group. 2. Creation of the IT Passport Examination Information technology is becoming a social infrastructure of Japan, and is playing an important role in any company regardless of its industry, or in types of role up to a point where company and organizational activities can hardly be discussed without taking information technology into account. To perform activities as business workers within these circumstances, in addition to being capable of operating personal computers and processing data using them, all business workers are required to have perspective for aggressively utilizing the potential of information technology in their own tasks to generate added value. Business workers are also expected to have an understanding of how to utilize information technology in order to identify and analyze issues in the workplace and solve those issues. Furthermore, it is essential for business workers in the coming years to possess knowledge such as how to safely perform business activities in the network society and knowledge that contributes to improving corporate compliance. Considering these points, the Level 1 Examination, which measures the basic knowledge commonly required of business workers, shall be newly established to expand the IT human resource population at entry level, thereby aiming to improve the overall national capability of information technology utilization. 3. Typical Examinees The tasks and roles, expected technology level, and corresponding levels for each examination category are shown in Table 1. Table 1 Typical Examinees of the IT Passport Examination Typical Examinees Individuals who have basic knowledge of information technology that all business workers should commonly possess, and who perform information technology related tasks, or are trying to utilize information technology in his/her tasks in charge.

Tasks and Roles Expected Technology Level Corresponding Level Individuals that have acquired common basic knowledge of information technology that a working person should possess, and who utilize information technology in their tasks as well as performing the following activities: a) Understand information devices and systems to use, and utilize them. b) Understand the tasks in charge, identifies problems of those tasks, and act to provide required solutions. c) Perform acquisition and utilization of information safely. d) Support task analysis and systemization activities under the guidance of superiors. The following basic knowledge shall be required as a working person in order to determine information devices and systems, and to perform tasks in charge as well as facilitate systemization. a) Knowledge of computer systems and networks to determine the information devices and systems to use, and knowledge of how to utilize office tools. b) Knowledge of corporate activity and related tasks in order to understand the tasks in charge. Also, in order to identify issues of the tasks in charge and provide required solutions, systematic thinking and logical thinking as well as knowledge of problem analysis and problem solving methodologies shall be required. c) Ability to act in accordance with relevant laws and regulations as well as various information security provisions in order to utilize information safely. d) Knowledge of development and operations of information systems in order to support analysis and systemization of tasks. Corresponds with Level 1 of the Common Career Skill Framework for the 5 Human Resource Models (Strategist, Systems Architect, Service Manager, Project Manager, and Technical Specialist) 4. Supplementary Explanation of Expected Technology Level The following basic knowledge shall be required as a working person in order to determine information devices and systems, and to perform his/her tasks in charge as well as facilitate systemization. a) Understand and utilize the information equipment and systems to be used: Capability to understand the performance, characteristics, and functions of the information devices used in the workplace and utilize them appropriately. Capability to understand the significance of the operations and functions of OS settings and application software such as office tools used in the workplace and be able to utilize them. Capability to utilize office tools and other application software and groupware used in the workplace considering efficiency in carrying out tasks. b) Understand the tasks in charge and the relevant problems, and execute requisite solutions: Capability to organize processes related to the tasks in charge using methods such as task workflows, and to identify issues. Capability to analyze data relating to the tasks in charge using simple analytical methods and information technology and identify issues. For problematic issues identified, capability to consider solutions independently, and consider solutions by accepting the opinions of superiors and co-workers.

c) Collect and utilize information safely: Capability to utilize various kinds of information relating to the tasks in charge in compliance with laws and regulations. Capability to understand the purpose of internal compliance programs and be able to conform to them. Capability to prevent the leakage, loss or damage of information while utilizing internal information devices and systems, particularly through internet use. d) Support computerization of tasks and systemization under the direction of superiors: Capability to participate in the discussion concerning the investigation and organization of data relating to the tasks in charge under the direction of superiors. Capability to participate in the discussion concerning the systematization of tasks in charge under the direction of superiors. 5. Configuration of the Examination The configuration of the IT Passport Examination is shown in Table 2. Table 2 IT Passport Examination a) Exam Duration 165 minutes b) Exam Type c) Number of Questions Number of Questions per Field (Note 1) Multiple-choice (1 out of 4 choices) (1) Short question type (1 exam question contains 1 question) (2) Medium question type (1 exam question contains 4 questions. The questions examine knowledge and understanding from several viewpoints with regard to a single situational setting). 100 questions, answers required for all questions (1) Short question type: 88 questions (2) Medium question type: 12 questions (3 exam questions consisting of 4 sub-questions each) Questions are asked according to the following ratio with regard to the (Note 2) 3 fields comprising the scope of questions: (1) Strategy field: about 35% (2) Management field: about 25% (3) Technology field: about 40% (Note 1) Refer to short question types and medium question types in 11. Sample Questions. (Note 2) For details on the scope of questions, refer to 7 Scope of Questions.

6. Points Allocation, Grading Method, Pass Criteria The points allocation, grading method, and pass criteria for the IT Passport Examination are shown in Table 3. Table 3 Points Allocation, Grading Method, Pass Criteria of IT Passport Examination a) Point Allocation 1,000 total points b) Grading Method (Note) c) Pass criteria According to raw points (points are allocated for each question, and allocated points for correct answers are totaled) A pass is granted when both (1) and (2) below are satisfied: (1) Total points (totaled from each field): more than 60% of maximum points (2) Points in each field: more than 30% of the maximum points in each of the 3 fields. (Note) Points are initially given as raw points, but data is collected and analyzed as the examination is conducted and a statistical method is introduced at a later stage when preparations are in place. 7. Scope of Questions (1) Basic concept of examination questions Questions for the IT Passport Examination are prepared along the following basic concept: a) Strategy questions The examinee is tested on his/her knowledge of fundamental terminology and concepts, etc. required for analysis related to computerization and corporate activities, the content of the high school information technology course, and fundamental terminology and concepts, etc. used in commonly read newspapers, books, and magazines, etc. There are also questions concerning methods for grasping and analyzing familiar tasks, and resolving issues, as well as basic knowledge for utilizing office tools for data analysis and problem solving. b) Management questions The examinee is tested on his/her knowledge of fundamental terminology and concepts, etc. related to system development and project processes, but not on specific terminology and concepts, etc. that require a high degree of expertise. There are also questions that test basic knowledge required to consider improving the task environment using computers, networks, office tools, etc. c) Technology questions The examinee is tested on his/her knowledge of fundamental terminology and concepts, etc, as well as on logical thinking, but not on fields that would require a high degree of technological expertise. Furthermore, there are questions of fundamental knowledge on the safe use of familiar systems.

(2) Scope of questions The scope of questions for the IT Passport Examination is as indicated in Table 4. Table 4 Scope of Questions for the IT Passport Examination Common Career/Skill Framework Field Major Category Middle Category 1 Corporate 1 Corporate and legal activities affairs Strategy 2 Business strategy 3 System strategy Scope of questions to be asked (Concept of exam questions) - Ask about the fundamental concepts about corporate activities and business. - Ask about the techniques for analyzing familiar business tasks and resolving issues, the concept of PDCA, and operational planning using techniques such as Pareto charts. - Ask about the visual expressions used for understanding business tasks, such as workflow. - Ask about the fundamental concepts of accounting and financial affairs, such as financial statements and break-even points. 2 Legal affairs - Ask about the familiar laws of workplaces, such as intellectual property rights (copyright, industrial property rights, etc.), Act on the Protection of Personal Information, Labor Standards Act, and Act for Securing the Proper Operation of Worker Dispatching Undertakings and Improved Working Conditions for Dispatched Workers. - Ask about the concepts and characteristics of software license, such as license types and license. - Ask about the concepts of corporate rules and regulations, such as compliance and corporate governance. - Ask about the significance of standardization. 3 Business strategy 4 Technological strategy 5 Business industry 6 System strategy 7 System planning - Ask about the fundamental concepts about typical information analysis techniques and business systems, such as SWOT analysis, PPM (Product Portfolio Management), customer satisfaction, CRM, and SCM. - Ask about the fundamental concepts relevant to marketing. - Ask about the typical information analysis techniques for planning business strategies. - Ask about the understanding of the use of office tools (software packages) such as spreadsheet software, database software, etc. - Ask about the understanding of the significance and purpose of technology development strategy. - Ask about the characteristics of typical systems in various business fields such as e-commerce, POS systems, IC cards, and RFID application systems. - Ask about the characteristics of typical systems in the engineering filed and e-business. - Ask about the characteristics and trends of intelligent home appliances and embedded systems. - Ask about the significance and purpose of information system strategies and the concepts of strategic goals, business improvement, and problem solving. - Ask about the concepts of typical modeling in business models. - Ask about the effective use of groupware for communication and of office tools. - Ask about the purpose and concepts of increasing operational efficiency by using computers and networks. - Ask about the concepts of solutions through typical services. - Ask about the significance and purpose of the promotion and evaluation activities of system utilization. - Ask about the purpose of computerization planning. - Ask about the purpose of the operational requirements definition

Common Career/Skill Framework Field Major Category Middle Category Technology 4 Development technology 5 Project 6 Service 8 System development technology 9 Software development techniques 10 Project 11 Service Scope of questions to be asked (Concept of exam questions) based on the analysis of current state. - Ask about the fundamental flow of procurement, such as estimates, RFPs, and proposals. - Ask about the fundamental flow of the process of software development such as requirements definition, system design, programming, testing, and software maintenance. - Ask about the concepts of the estimate in software development. - Ask about the significance and purpose of typical development methods. - Ask about the significance, purpose, concepts, processes, and methods of project. - Ask about the significance, purpose, and concepts of IT service. - Ask about the understanding of related matters such as help desks. - Ask about the concepts about system environment maintenance, such as computers and networks. 12 System audit - Ask about the significance, purpose, concepts, and target of system audit. - Ask about the flow of system audit, such as planning, investigating, and reporting. - Ask about the significance, purpose, and concepts of internal control and IT governance. 7 Basic theory 13 Basic theory - Ask about the fundamental concepts about radix including the characteristics and operations of binary numbers. - Ask about the fundamental concepts about sets, such as Venn diagrams, probability, and statistics. - Ask about the fundamental concepts of how to express information content, such as bits and bytes, and of digitization. 8 Computer system 14 Algorithm and programming 15 Computer component 16 System component - Ask about the fundamental concepts of algorithms and data structures, and how to draw flow charts. - Ask about the roles of programming. - Ask about the types and fundamental usage of markup languages, such as HTML and XML. - Ask about the fundamental configuration and roles of computers. - Ask about the performance and fundamental mechanism of processors, and the types and characteristics of memory. - Ask about the types and characteristics of storage media. - Ask about the types and characteristics of input/output interfaces, device drivers, etc. - Ask about the characteristics of system configurations, of the types of processing, and of the types of usage. - Ask about the characteristics of client/server systems. - Ask about the characteristics of Web systems. - Ask about the concepts of system performance, reliability, and economic efficiency. 17 Software - Ask about the necessity, functions, types, and characteristics of OSs. - Ask about the concepts and use of basic functions of file, such as access methods and search methods, and the fundamental concepts of backups. - Ask about the characteristics and fundamental operations of software packages, such as office tools. - Ask about the characteristics of OSS (Open Source Software).

Common Career/Skill Framework Scope of questions to be asked (Concept of exam questions) Field Major Category Middle Category 18 Hardware - Ask about the types and characteristics of computers. - Ask about the types and characteristics of input/output devices. 9 Technical 19 Human element interface - Ask about the concept and characteristics of interface design, such as GUI and menus. - Ask about the concepts of Web design. - Ask about the concepts of universal design. 20 Multimedia - Ask about the types and characteristics of encodings such as JPEG, MPEG, and MP3. - Ask about the purpose and characteristics of application of multimedia technology, such as VR (Virtual Reality) and CG (Computer Graphics). - Ask about the characteristics of media, and compression and decompression of information data. 21 Database - Ask about the significance, purpose, and concepts of database systems (DBMS). - Ask about the concepts of data analysis and design, and the characteristics of database models. - Ask about the manipulation methods such as data extraction. - Ask about database processing methods such as exclusive control and recovery processing. 22 Network - Ask about the types and configurations of LAN and WAN regarding networks, and the roles of Internet and LAN connection devices. - Ask about the necessity of communication protocols, and the roles of typical protocols. - Ask about the characteristics and fundamental mechanism of the Internet. - Ask about the characteristics of e-mail and Internet services. - Ask about the understanding of the types and characteristics, accounting, and transmission rates of communication services, such as mobile communication and IP phones. 23 Security - Ask about the fundamentals of information security from the viewpoint of safe and secure activities in a network society. - Ask about the information assets, the purpose of risk, and the concepts of information security policy. - Ask about the concepts, types, and characteristics of technological security measures, such as measures against computer viruses. - Ask about the concepts, types, and characteristics of physical and human security measures, such as entrance/exit control and access control. - Ask about the types and characteristics of authentication technologies such as ID, password, callback, digital signature, and biometric authentication. - Ask about the mechanisms and characteristics of encryption technology such as public keys and private keys.

8. Level of Education According to Target Typical Examinee Group Figure 1 indicates the level of education necessary to attain a passing level required by the IT Passport Examination according to each of the major examinee groups. For example, it shows that non-it university students and vocational school students, assuming they have already acquired knowledge of basic information technology and learned about law and social mechanisms, should be able to attain a passing level required by the IT Passport Examination with supplementary study on information technology related applied knowledge as well as supplementary study on some task-related knowledge. Information-Technology Passport Examination c) Task related knowledge Management Standardization Legislation Application to tasks b) Applied knowledge related to information technology Software concepts Need for system auditing a) Basic knowledge related to information technology Meaning of terminology Problem solving Thinking ability, etc To learn Aquired To learn Aquired To learn Aquired To learn Aquired To learn Aquired To learn Aquired Aquired To learn Non IT Working People (30 years of age or over) Non IT Working people (approx 1st year) IT Working People (approx 1st year) Non IT University & Vocational Students IT University & Vocational Students Figure 1 Level of Education of Each Target Examinee Group

9. Examination Implementation Method and Period The new examination system is supposed to be introduced from the spring exam of 2009 and for the time being is supposed to be implemented twice a year (spring and fall) as a paper examination. While accumulating sufficient data and after establishing a safe and highly accurate system, CBT methodology (Note) is aimed to be introduced in full from 2011. After introducing the CBT method, it is intended to implement the examinations frequently throughout the year. (Note) Computer Based Testing: an examination method in which examination questions are displayed and answered on a computer.

10. Notification of Exam Results (discussions ongoing) After the CBT method is introduced, an examination results report is produced at the examination site after completing the exam, and the examinee is able to check their test results on the spot. Figure 2 shows a concept image of an examination results report. A pass certificate (showing the points) is granted later on by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry to all students who pass the examination. The identification number of those who passed the examination is also listed on the Examination Center website. Furthermore, all examinees are able to inquire for their total score (1,000 total points) and their score in each field (scores in Strategy, Management, and Technology) on the Examination Center website at a later date. IT Passport Examination Results Report Exam Date November 1, 2011 ID Number IP-2011-11-0265 Examinee Name xxxx yyyy Total Points 691 points Maximum Points 1,000 points Pass criteria are as follows: Pass points out of total points 60% or over Pass points per field 30% or over Points per Field Field Strategy Management Technology Points (percentage of correct answers) 288 points (80.0%) 108 points (44.3%) 295 points (74.5%) Pass Points 108/360 points or over 73/244 points or over 118/396 points or over <Re: Pass/Fail> The final pass/fail judgment is made by the Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry. The ID numbers of examinees who have been judged to have passed are listed on the Information-Technology Engineers Examination Center website and a pass certificate signed by the Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry is sent by the Information-Technology Engineers Examination Center. Figure 2 Concept Image of Examination Result Report