Prompting and Task Execution
14%of exam
Output Evaluation and Validation
21%of exam
Product and Model Selection
12%of exam
Workflow Integration and Solution Design
16%of exam
Configuration and Knowledge Management
12%of exam
Governance Risk and Responsible Use
15%of exam
Troubleshooting and Optimization
10%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- CCAO-F
- Access
- Partner organizations only
- Recognized partner-company email
- Questions
- 60
- Format
- Multiple choice + multiple response
- Time
- 120 minutes
- Pass
- 720 scaled
- Delivery
- Online or test center
- Validity
- 12 months
- Retakes
- 14 / 30 / 90 days
- Attempt cap
- 4 per rolling 12 months
Prompt Frame
Goal, audience, context, constraints, format, check
Goal: outcomeAudience: readerContext: evidenceFormat: shape
Task Setup Picker
- Output feels generic→Add specifics(Goal + audience)
- Format keeps drifting→Add template(Show example)
- Task has stages→Decompose(Sequence steps)
- Requirements get missed→Add checklist(Verify before finish)
- Audience mismatch→Name reader(Set tone)
- Quality remains weak→Diagnose first(Change one variable)
Prompt Anatomy
- Goal
- Define desired outcome
- Audience
- Name intended reader
- Context
- Supply relevant background
- Constraints
- Set boundaries
- Format
- Specify output shape
- Success criteria
- Define acceptable result
Task Execution
- Role
- Frame useful expertise
- Example
- Demonstrate expected pattern
- Template
- Stabilize repeated outputs
- Decompose
- Split complex work
- Iterate
- Refine diagnosed weakness
- Checklist
- Verify required elements
VERIFY
Source, coverage, logic, limits, review
Source: traceCoverage: completeLogic: consistentReview: human
Grounded vs Unsupported
Grounded
- Traceable source
- Claim matches evidence
- Limits stated
Unsupported
- No source trail
- Invented certainty
- Needs verification
Evidence before confidence
Validation Response Picker
- Unsupported number→Find primary source(Do not publish)
- Citation seems wrong→Open source(Check exact claim)
- Summary omits sections→Compare coverage(Restore material points)
- Sources disagree→Resolve authority(Prefer governing source)
- Inference is necessary→Label inference(State assumptions)
- High-stakes output→Qualified review(Human owns decision)
Output Checks
- Accuracy
- Claims match evidence
- Completeness
- Material points included
- Relevance
- Answers actual task
- Consistency
- No internal conflicts
- Usefulness
- Supports intended decision
- Tone
- Fits audience needs
Draft vs Final
Draft
- Working output
- Errors possible
- Review required
Final
- Findings resolved
- Owner approved
- Ready for use
Generated is not approved
Evidence Review
- Number
- Verify primary source
- Citation
- Open and confirm
- Quote
- Check exact wording
- Summary
- Check omitted sections
- Inference
- Label reasoning step
- Uncertainty
- State evidence limits
Chat vs Project
Chat
- Standalone conversation
- Local prompt context
- Quick task
Project
- Recurring workstream
- Durable instructions
- Shared knowledge files
One task vs sustained work
Product Entry Points
- Chat
- Quick standalone task
- Project
- Recurring body of work
- Artifact
- Standalone editable output
- Knowledge files
- Durable project sources
- Project instructions
- Durable project guidance
- New chat
- Fresh conversation context
Chat vs Artifact
Chat response
- Conversational answer
- Inline explanation
- Fast iteration
Artifact
- Standalone output
- Focused editing
- Previewable deliverable
Conversation vs work product
Selection Trade-offs
- Complexity
- Required reasoning depth
- Latency
- Response speed need
- Cost
- Budget constraint
- Risk
- Review intensity
- Availability
- Current candidate options
- Recheck
- Capabilities change
Human Review Loop
Intake -> draft -> review -> finalize -> send
Intake: requirementsDraft: workingReview: validateSend: approved
Workflow Placement Picker
- One quick request→Chat(Standalone task)
- Recurring workstream→Project(Durable guidance)
- Reusable deliverable→Artifact(Editable output)
- External distribution→Human review(Validate first)
- Sensitive input→Policy check(Confirm authorization)
- Repeated handoff→Standard template(Name owner)
Workflow Design
- Intake
- Capture requirements
- Source set
- Provide approved evidence
- Draft
- Generate working output
- Human review
- Validate judgment
- Finalize
- Resolve review findings
- Deliver
- Send approved result
Handoffs and Reuse
- Owner
- Accountable reviewer
- Template
- Reusable output structure
- Inputs
- Standardized source package
- Acceptance
- Explicit quality bar
- Escalation
- Route high-risk cases
- Audit trail
- Preserve key decisions
Instructions vs Prompt
Project instructions
- Cross-chat guidance
- Stable rules
- Project scope
Chat prompt
- Current request
- Task-specific details
- Conversation scope
Durable vs local
Knowledge Placement Picker
- Rule spans project→Project instructions(Durable guidance)
- Source spans chats→Knowledge file(Shared project source)
- One request only→Chat prompt(Local context)
- Source becomes stale→Replace file(Record freshness)
- Access is uncertain→Do not share(Confirm permissions)
- Context feels noisy→Prune sources(Keep relevant only)
Projects and Knowledge
- Project
- Self-contained workspace
- Instructions
- Guide project chats
- Knowledge
- Shared project sources
- Chat history
- Conversation-specific context
- Source freshness
- Replace stale files
- Scope
- Keep one workstream
Artifacts and Sharing
- Artifact
- Standalone work product
- Preview
- Inspect rendered output
- Iterate
- Edit targeted sections
- Share
- Confirm authorization first
- Permissions
- Limit intended access
- Secrets
- Never publish
Responsibility Gate
Classify, authorize, minimize, review, disclose
Classify dataAuthorize purposeMinimize inputDisclose when required
Sensitive vs Approved
Sensitive input
- Policy check
- Minimum necessary
- Controls required
Approved input
- Authorized purpose
- Allowed tooling
- Known access
Classification before entry
Data Governance
- Sensitive data
- Require approved handling
- Secrets
- Exclude credentials
- Confidentiality
- Honor access rules
- IP
- Respect usage rights
- Retention
- Follow organization policy
- Transparency
- Disclose when required
Responsible Review
- Bias
- Check unequal impacts
- High stakes
- Require qualified review
- Accountability
- Human owns outcome
- Policy
- Controls permitted use
- Consent
- Respect authorized purpose
- Escalate
- Stop unsafe workflow
Prompt vs Context
Prompt problem
- Missing instruction
- Vague success criteria
- Fix wording
Context problem
- Wrong sources
- Too much noise
- Fix evidence
Diagnose before changing
Troubleshooting
- Generic output
- Add task specifics
- Missing section
- Add explicit checklist
- Source conflict
- Resolve authority
- Context overload
- Prune irrelevant material
- Inconsistency
- Standardize instructions
- Stale answer
- Refresh source files
Optimization Signals
- Repeated correction
- Make rule durable
- Prompt drift
- Reuse template
- Weak grounding
- Constrain source set
- Long context
- Remove low-value content
- Format drift
- Provide output schema
- Quality regression
- Change one variable
Common Traps
Partner access
Recognized partner-company email ≠ Personal email rejected
Associate tier credit
Credential remains valid ≠ No tier eligibility credit
Scaled vs raw
720 scaled score ≠ Not raw 72%
Project chat context
Knowledge can persist ≠ Chats remain distinct
Generated vs verified
Fluent can be wrong ≠ Evidence decides
More context
Relevant context helps ≠ Noise can degrade
Static model routing
Capabilities change ≠ Recheck current options
Last Minute
- 1.Partner organization required
- 2.Recognized partner-company email required
- 3.60 questions; MC + MR
- 4.120 minutes; English only
- 5.720 scaled; not raw 72%
- 6.Retakes: 14 / 30 / 90 days
- 7.Maximum four rolling-year attempts
- 8.Highest domain: Validation 21%
- 9.Ground claims in sources
- 10.Human review before external use
- 11.Projects hold durable knowledge
- 12.Chats keep distinct context
- 13.Never paste unauthorized secrets
- 14.Choose current options by trade-offs
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