Training, Education, Mentoring, Collaboration Christopher Ford Training, Education, Mentoring, Collaboration Christopher Ford

ITS Series Exam Resources

Resources for people taking the ITS, MITS, Business Systems Analyst, and Project Manager series exams.

Welcome to our discussion on resources for the ITS 1 - 4 and MITS 1 and above exams!

Contributions to this discussion are welcome. Do not post any copyrighted materials. Respect others. And remember that this discussion is on a public facing page.

Here are some initial resources collected by our study groups over the last few years.

Note: The Q&A information is available below or check the Career Collaboration (NYS login required) site.

Resources

2022 Information Technology Series Exams Q&A - Fall 2022

11/03/2022, 12:05pm to 12:55pm, WebEx

 

Attendees: 59 (56 identified, 3 anonymous)

Total Unique Study Group Members To Date: 116+

 

Session #2: (Agenda Attached)

  • Session #1 Follow-up

  • Project Management and Supervision in NYS

  • Estimation techniques

  • System lifecycles (PMLC, SSDLC, PDLC, etc.).

  • Q&A

 

Notes: 

  • Disclaimer Reminder: This is a peer-to-peer activity and not an official function of Civil Service, ITS, or any agency or union. These sessions are open to all NYS staff or candidates taking the exams. We have conducted these mentoring calls for years and people have found them very helpful. We will answer the questions that we can or record your question for additional research. Feel free to attend as well if you are experienced in the exams and are willing to share.

  • Exams are scheduled for December 10th. Overflow will be scheduled for December 11th.

  • You will have 8 hours to complete the exams. This has been verified with Civil Service.

  • “Supervising a Project” refers to the administrative tasks of managing a project as a Project Manager or Operational Manager.

  • “Project Management” is a more encompassing category involving all the parts of managing a project. This gets into Resource, Procurement, Scope, Time, and Risk Management.

  • “Supervision” specifically refers to staffing and the chain of command.

  • OGS considers a supervisor to be someone one step above you who does your time-card and assigns tasks. A manager is someone 2 steps or more above you and manages you as a resource. If you supervise a supervisor, you are, by definition, a manager. Remember that on your resume!

  • The Project Management Life Cycle (PMLC) breaks down a project into manageable chunks. In NYS, we identify these as Origination, Initiation, Planning, Execution & Control, and Closing. If you are a PMI certified PMP, you are used to the stages being Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitor & Control, and Closing. Slightly different, but it is the NYS breakdown that will be on the exam. Know each of the stages and the importance of each.

  • A Product Life Cycle (PLC) takes an application from conception all the way through retirement. This includes the projects to create and enhance the application as well as operations and production support.

  • A product view is taking a standardized application and deploying it to multiple clients with only minor customizations to configuration. Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) products are an example of this.

  • The Secure System Development Life Cycle (SSDLC) is a NYS standard and everyone should be aware of it. If you are not, then review it before the exam. It is available on InsideEdge. Like other life cycles, it breaks down the creation and support of a system into manageable chunks. This provides gateways along the development path that allow you to verify the security of the system and its impact on other

  • For estimating techniques, understand the difference between effort time (how long a task takes with 100% attention) and calendar time (time to complete the task given everything else going on and holidays).

  • For supervision, expect “what-if” or simulation questions that give you a situation and ask you for a best solution.

  • A question may have more than one correct answer. You are looking for the “most correct” solution for that specific situation.

  • Remember that the test is multiple choice. If you do not know the answer, you still have a 20-25% chance to get it correct.

  • If you bring a cell phone, leave it in your vehicle. If you must have it in the room, turn it off completely and put it under your chair. If the proctor gives you instructions, follow them.

  • Scrap paper is allowed, but must be provided by the proctor.

 

Resources: 

  • December 10th Exams: Civil Service sets the exam notices to archive after the registration deadline. However, these notices contain vital information on the subject matter of each exam. Here are the links if you need them.

    • #38-703 Assistant Director Information Technology Services 1

    • #38-704 Assistant Director Information Technology Technical Services 1

    • #38-705 Director Information Technology Services 1

    • #38-719 Manager Information Technology Services 1 + parentheticals

    • #38-725 Manager Information Technology Services 2

    • #38-726 Manager Information Technology Services 2 (Technical)

    • #38-714 through #38-718 Information Technology Specialist 4 + parentheticals

    • #26-839 through #26-843 Open Competitive Information Technology Specialist 3 + parentheticals

  • Other Exams: The PCO exam is used for entry level positions, including Project Manager 1, Project Manager Trainee 1, Business Systems Analyst 1, and Business Systems Analyst Trainee 1.

    • #26-872 Professional Career Opportunities

  

Next Session

Session 3 (11/22/2022 Noon): Open Topics and Review

Meeting link:  https://meetny.webex.com/meetny/j.php?MTID=mdad1cece7166d7e0fbb9fd63aaf830b4 
Meeting number (access code): 1612 61 4065

Meeting password: X3e2dW66eap  

Phone:  +1-518-549-0500 US (English Menu)

 

——

ITS Series Civil Service Exam Q&A Notes - April 2022

Initial: February 24, 2022

Updated for Q&A: March 8, 22, 23 (2022)

Total Unique Email IDs Attending: 166

 

Attendees for February 24, 2022

1.       12:15pm Session: 46 (43 identified *)

2.       7:00pm Session: 27 (19 identified *)

 

Attendees for March 23, 2022

1.       12:15pm Session: 168 (122 identified *)

2.       7:00pm Session: 86 (73 identified *)

 

‘*’ – The number of attendees is actually a count of the connections to the conference call.  The number identified are the best estimate of actual people attending.  This can vary though due to conference rooms or multiple connection/ID combinations.

 

General Notes

·         Content included on the sites has been collected from employees in all 3 branches of government, agencies, PEF, CSEA, PMI, IIBA, Civil Service, OGS, and independent sources over the last 15 years.  That does not mean it is complete.  If you have something that you feel can benefit others, please share it with the group.

·         You may not share exact wording from the exam booklets.  When you take the exam, you attest that you will keep the information confidential.  Violation of this rule may remove you from an eligibility list and subject you to disciplinary action.

·         While content has been collected from the sources mentioned above, this is not an official activity of those groups.  This is a NYS employee peer-to-peer mentoring activity that promotes the goal of NYS and ITS to enable career growth in employees.  It was started in DOH and evolved as different groups started participating.  It was carried forward to ITS as the staff were consolidated in 2012.

·         We will have another set of sessions in March after we have had a chance to research any unanswered questions from previous sessions.

·         If you need to provide your supervisor proof of attendance, please contact Christopher.Ford@its.ny.gov.  You must have signed into the WebEx with your name and email to receive proof of attendance.

·         If you are in ITS and want to use this time towards you minimum 37.5 hours of annual training (see ITS-P10-004), speak to your supervisor to see if you can make this part of your training plan.  This is entirely at the discretion of the supervisors.

·         If you wish to use the study group time for PDUs to maintain your certification, the material covered must be relevant to your certification.  We can provide guidance on how much time can be claimed and the appropriate categories.

·         Sarah Lauser’s courses are more focused on exam content than these Q&A sessions, which focus mainly on process and sharing experiences.  Both have been well received in previous years.

·         You may post additional questions to the Career Collaboration site or send them to Christopher.Ford@its.ny.gov.

·         Remember that COVID-19 protocols will be in effect for the exams.  They were spelled out in the announcement, but check your site assignment letter for any updates.

 

 

Questions & Answers (Paraphrased)

 

Q:  Are there any resources for exam study?

A:  Yes.  We have compiled a list of resources and made it available on the Career Collaboration site as well as the Division 357 website.  Included on the list is a link to the courses and study materials offered by Sarah Lauser (Toner Tutoring on YouTube as well).  None of these sites allow the posting of copyrighted materials.  This includes the CSEA booklets, however there is a link to the library system where you can get a free copy of the CSEA Booklets through Inter-Library Loan (ILL).

 

Q:  How do I find the supervisory courses in SLMS?

A:  Search on the following terms in the description field.  Each term will yield slightly different results.

·         OGS Supervisor

·         OGS-V

·         Supervisor

 

Q:  What is the difference between supervision and management?

A:  In general, OGS, and thus HR overall, define Supervision as a chain of command administrative position.  A supervisor performs HR functions for the people that directly report to them.  This includes time cards, enforcing attendance and work rules, onboarding/offboarding, etc..  In this way, your supervisor is usually 1 position above you.  Your managers are at least 2 positions above you.  A manager is a position loosely defined as responsible/accountable for a program or large work effort.  By definition, if you have supervisors that report to you, you are a manager.  Managers deal with everything from resource management at lower levels to decision making at higher levels with a range in between.

 

Q:  How long will I have for the exam?

A:  In the past, we have been allowed up to 8 hours to take the exams for which you registered.  How long you actually take to complete the exams will depend on how many exams that you are taking.  You must stay a minimum of 30 minutes before leaving the exam site.  Do not focus on when other people leave.  They may be taking fewer or different exams.  They may also be leaving for personal reasons.

 

Q:  Is there a scheduled lunch break during the exam?  Can I bring food/drink?

A:  There is no scheduled lunch break during the exam.  You may usually only leave the room to use the restroom or when the exam has ended.  You may usually bring a drink and a “quiet” snack or lunch.  When you receive your exam notice with your site assignment, it will explain what you may or may not bring with you to the exam.

 

Q:  Can I bring a calculator/earphones/phone to the exam?

A:  This varies.  Although, if the exams are offered using laptops, you will likely be assigned the calculator app on the device, if needed.  Therefore, you may not be able to bring your own calculator.  You are not likely to be allowed earphones.  When you receive your exam notice with your site assignment, it will explain what you may or may not bring with you to the exam.

 

Q:  When should I arrive for the exam?

A:  Plan on arriving 30 to 40 minutes prior to the exam start time.  You want to have enough time to find parking and settle in before the exam starts.  Historically, if a room is full, the exam may start earlier.

 

Q:  Will the exam be just general questions or specific to the parenthetical (Database, Data Communications, Programming, etc.)?

A:  Over the last few years, the exams have been getting more general in nature with Civil Service depending on the high-level skills assessment as the tool for identifying qualified individuals.  However, there may still be some questions specific to each exam.  The exam materials will identify which questions that you need to answer for each of your exams.  Read this carefully.  You will not get credit for answering questions for exams for which you have not registered.  Or you may miss questions on exams for which you did register.  The proctors are not usually allowed to assist you in determining which questions you should answer.  Figuring this out is considered part of the exam and goes to your ability to follow directions.  Also, remember to sign your forms.  If you don’t sign it, you never took the exam.

 

Q:  What type of questions can I expect on the exam?

A:  The exam announcement contains both a list of the duties for each title and the categories of questions.  The ITS 3 exams included the following categories.

  1. Logical reasoning using flowcharts - These questions test for ability to reason logically by solving problems involving given variables expressed in flowcharts and accompanying information. All information needed to answer the questions is included within the flowcharts and the accompanying information. Prior knowledge of flowchart conventions is necessary to answer these questions.

  2. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

  3. Systems analysis - These questions test for techniques and concepts of computer systems analysis. They cover such subjects as feasibility and applications studies, systems development tools and software, the systems life cycle, types of systems (e.g., client/server, Web-based), controls, and systems documentation, testing, and implementation.

  4. Understanding and interpreting a manual - These questions test for the ability to comprehend a set of directions and apply them. Candidates will be provided with a procedural manual excerpt to read. This information will be used to answer questions about procedures and the way operations should be carried out. All of the information needed to answer the questions is provided in the set of directions. Candidates will not be required to have any special knowledge about the content area covered.

 

Q:  The exam notice disappeared from the list of scheduled exams.  Where can I find it?

A:  Once the due date for registration passes, the announcements are retired and can be found if you have the link.  Note the naming convention in the link and you can usually figure out the URL for any exam.  https://www.cs.ny.gov/announarchive/announcements/38-709.cfm?live=false

 

Q:  What if I need a reasonable accommodation?

A:  Use the contact information on the announcement and request it from Civil Service.  Do not wait until the last minute to do this.

A: (9/25/2023) Thank you to Ron O'Bryan for tracking down the Reasonable Accommodation contact information and to Civil Service for updates.  If you are requiring an RA you need to email the Reasonable Accommodations unit at testaccommodation@cs.ny.gov to apply for accommodations.

Q:  How much writing is involved in the exams?

A:  In recent years, the exams have been mostly multiple choice.  We do not know yet what form the exams will take with the new electronic format.  Once the site assignment letters are received, we should have more information.

 

Q:  What should I wear to the exam?

A:  While you are representing NYS and your agency during the event, this is not the office.  You are going to be sitting for a long period without getting up to walk around.  Wear something comfortable and I recommend layers.  You will not know the temperature in the room compared to outside until you get there.  Layers will allow you to add/remove as appropriate and be comfortable.  You will likely be in a classroom, and we do not yet know the configurations.  Think about sitting at a desk or a table with probably 6 feet between you and the next person.

 

[Updated February 28, 2022]

 

Q:  When should I expect the site assignment letter to let me know where I will be taking the exams and additional details?

A:  We expect the site assignment letters to arrive about 10 days prior to the exam.  We interpret this to mean that we should receive them by March 24th.

 

Q:  How do I contact Civil Service about my exam and to ask questions?

A:  Thank you to David Stern for aggregating the contact information for Civil Service regarding the exams.  We expect the site assignment letters to arrive about 10 days prior to the exam.

Information and Outreach Locations  

Albany:

Exam Information
Empire State Plaza
Swan Street Building - 1st Floor
Albany, NY 12239
Email: examinfo@cs.ny.gov
Phone: (518) 457-9375
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

For Examination Arrangements, please call (518) 474-6470 or visit Applicant Notification.

For Eligible List information, please call (518) 457-4295 or visit ELMS Online.

New York City:

Civil Service Outreach & Recruitment Center
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building
163 West 125th Street
New York, NY 10027
Email: recruitment@cs.ny.gov
Phone: (212) 961-4326
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

 

 

[Updated March 8, 2022]

 

Q:  When do the current ITS Series lists expire?

A:  The existing lists have been extended until 3/7/2026.  This information is available in ELMS on the Civil Service website.  Note that a list will also expire when a new list is generated to replace it.  This usually occurs within a few months of the exam date.

 

Q:  What is the last day to request a Reasonable Accommodation for the April 2, 2022, ITS 3 exams?

A:  The exam announcement only stated that accommodation requests must be submitted with the application.  That is normal.  Due to the exams being on hold and having many applications already on file, Civil Service was accepting requests by phone.  We heard from one group member that she was told 3/7/2022 was the last day for RA requests.

 

 

[Updated March 22, 2022]

 

Q:  Are there additional exam resources?

A:  We are always identifying new resources and adding them to the list.  A member recently noted a new site being created ( https://www.examsny.com/ ) by Cedric Pinder.  We do not have any reviews/feedback yet.  So, if you try it, let us know.

 

 

[Updated March 23, 2022]

 

Q:  Are there any supervisory questions on the ITS 3 exams?

A:  A member who attended a recent prep class noted that their information was that there were no supervisory specific block of questions on the ITS 3 exams.  I would note, however, that these skills will benefit you in the interviews and for succeeding in the position.  Another member noted that it is believed that there may only be one set of questions and no additional blocks for the parentheticals.  We do not have confirmation from Civil Service about this yet.

 

Q:  What is involved in the systems analysis section of questions?

A: You should be familiar with feasibility studies, system diagrams and notations, the difference between a database/server/application, the difference between hardware and software, and the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and Secure SDLC (NYS-S13-001).  Know where testing fits in and the general idea of continuous improvement.

 

Q:  Is there a CSEA manual for understanding and interpreting a manual?

A:  CSEA Book 4 - Understanding and Interpreting Written Material - CSEA WORK Institute e-Learning Center Online Store : (csealearningcenter.org)

 

Q:  Do you have recordings of earlier sessions?

A:  No.  We do not record the sessions.  We want to provide a safe environment for people to ask questions.  I ask everyone to honor this and not use individual recording applications or similar methods.

 

Q:  Please post the link to the threads and SharePoint site.

A:  https://nysemail.sharepoint.com/sites/MC/CC/

 

Q:  Who gives the permission to the SharePoint site?

A:  Christopher.Ford@its.ny.gov

 

Q:  What is the link to the new site offering practice exams?

A:  https://www.examsny.com/ by Cedric Pinder

 

Q:  Does anyone get the time and location of the test?

Q:  What to do if i don't receive the mail from Civil Service to appear for the exam?

Q:  Should I have received my location assignment yet?

A:  We expect the notices by the end of the week.  If you do not get yours by Monday, please call Civil Service.  The contact information is located in the answer to a previous question.

 

Q:  What is the duration of the exam?

A:  We normally get 8 hours.  We don’t know yet if they will reduce that until we get the site assignment notices.  Note that even though the total test time is usually 8 hours, that you can leave earlier if you complete the exams.  You are encouraged to take the time to review your answers if you are done early.

 

Q:  What are the credentials for logging in to https://www.examsny.com/ ?  To login to the examsny.com website should we use the ITS login credentials or a personal one?

A:  You should register on the site and create your username and account.  You should never use your NYS login credentials on a private site.

 

Q:  The old list noted it was extended through 2026, what does that mean when the new exam is taken, and scores come out?  Does the old list go away?

A:  In general, lists expire on their expiration date or when a new list replaces it.  In cases where an exam is not scheduled for a while and the expiration date is approaching, Civil Service can extend the expiration date at the request of an agency.  This has been done for the current ITS Series lists, and they now expire in 2026.  Once the ITS 3 exams are taken and a new list is generated, it will replace the existing list.  Due to timing, some agency-specific lists may persist for a few months.  You can view the current expiration date of your lists on the Civil Service ELMS site.

 

Q:  When you said that the exams have been shortened, are they just offering less questions for each section?

A:  There are usually a core set of questions.  Additional sections usually contain 15 or more questions depending on the title.  Before you begin the exam, the paperwork will explain which questions you should answer based on the exams for which you registered.  This is part of the exam, and the proctors cannot help you with it.

 

Q:  You mentioned a Written part during the exam? Or as part of the process?

A:  In recent history, the exams have mostly been multiple choice.  You will be presented with a selection of choice for the best way to phrase an answer.  Remember that you may be looking for the “best” way to phrase it out of the options presented; not the “perfect” phrasing.

 

Q:  Can you add this link to the resource list?

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/system_analysis_and_design/system_analysis_and_design_quick_guide.htm

A:  Chris will review the site and determine if it meets the criteria to be added to the Resource listing.  Essentially, this amounts to cursory checking for copyrighted material and any security red flags above the normal associated with the type of site.

 

Q:   I thought the exam is on a different date, not April 2.  Please clarify.

A:  The exam is on April 2.  See  https://www.cs.ny.gov/announarchive/announcements/38-709.cfm?live=false

 

Q:  Is there an CSEA booklet on SDLC?

A:  I don’t see one listed.  The SDLC questions came into focus after the initial CSEA booklets were created.  I would familiarize yourself with NYS standard NYS-S13-001 and review Sarah’s video https://youtu.be/h97OTG5jink .  Also review the Project Management Guidebook at https://its.ny.gov/nys-project-management-guidebook-release-2 .

 

Q:  How many questions can we expect?

A:  The number of questions for each exam are selected by Civil Service from a bank of questions each year.  We will not know which specific questions or the number of them before the exam itself.

·         Historically, there will be a core set of questions for everyone.  Each parenthetical will then add a block of questions.  Depending on the number of overlapping questions and the number of titles for which you registered, you might see between 60 and 120 questions, but that is just a guess at this point.  You will not know for sure until you see the exam.

·         A member noted that it is believed that there may only be one set of questions and no additional blocks for the parentheticals.  There will be a heavier dependence on the use of the skills questionnaire.  We do not have confirmation from Civil Service about this yet.

 

Q:  Which CSEA booklets are required for the exam?

A:  None are required.  The books provide a general overview of the topics.  Book 4 (Understanding and Interpreting Written Material) & Book 17 (Preparing Written Material) relate to sections on the ITS 3 exams.  People also found books 25, 4, 13, 17, 12, & 14 helpful.

 

Q:  How are questions weighted during scoring?  Is there negative grading?

A:  You will receive credit for each correct answer.  You will not receive credit or be penalized for incorrect answers or no answer.  It is always best to guess rather than leave an answer blank.  You will receive a separate test score for each exam title based on the questions assigned to that title.  This will be modified by credits for veterans, disability, and seniority.

 

Q:  If a variable is not initialized in a flowchart, should we assume it is 0?

A:  Never assume.  Read the question and answer based on the information given.  There may actually be a question that asks you to identify if the variable is initialized.  Also, the flowcharting questions tend to be basic and look for a general understanding of logic flow and process.  People sometimes overthink these questions and spend too much time on them.  Some Tips:  Know the type of loops you might see.  Look for how the workflow terminates, loops back, or continues on.  Pay attention to how variables increment and how constants might be used.

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