Understanding the Two Challenge Types
Purpose
Exercise or task challenge: reinforces a single concept or tool within a course module.
Exam challenge: validates the full set of skills the certification covers. Passing the exam is the only requirement for the Certified credential.
Location
Exercise or task challenge: found on the Exercise page of the Lab Portal.
Exam challenge: embedded as a document, PDF or Word, in the Exam section of the Lab Portal.
Completion method
Exercise or task challenge: click Mark as Completed after you finish each step.
Exam challenge: complete all tasks, prepare the required report, and upload via the Cloud Drive Portal.
Grading
Exercise or task challenge: auto-tracked by the platform. Instructor review is optional.
Exam challenge: manually reviewed by the certification team. A passing grade is required for the Certified credential.
Timing
Exercise or task challenge: can be attempted at any point during the course.
Exam challenge: must be finished before your certification deadline. There are no prerequisite exercises. You may take the exam whether or not your course exercises are complete.
Bottom Line
Exercise and task challenges are practice-oriented, while exam challenges are assessment-oriented. Neither your exercise progress nor your challenge progress affects your eligibility to sit the exam.
Marking an Exercise or Task Challenge as Completed
Clicking Mark as Completed is what feeds your progress tracker, which in turn unlocks the Certificate of Completion. It has no effect on exam access. You are free to navigate to other exercises and repeat any exercise as many times as you wish, whether or not you have marked it complete.