Last updated on May 18, 2022

 

The XM Professional Certification exam is meant to evaluate the knowledge developed by XM professionals throughout their careers. We recommend that applicants spend some time building up or refreshing their knowledge in areas across the four domains of the Certification Blueprint where they may have gaps. To help in the process, XM Institute has assembled this set of resources which will be regularly updated as new, relevant content is released. This content is not meant to be a comprehensive exam study guide, but it will provide helpful content as you brush up on different knowledge areas contained in the blueprint.

To understand where you should focus, we recommend you take the practice questions included at the end of the XMP Certification Handbook and review the resources in areas you are weakest. Applicants are encouraged to review these and other resources to reinforce their existing expertise.

 

How to Use This Page

  1. Take the XMP Certification practice questions. Identify which domains or topics you should focus on based on your results. You can find these at the end of the XMP Certification Handbook.
  2. Review the collection of resources from XM Institute and Qualtrics below. Rather than trying to consume every piece of content listed below, we recommend you pick and choose the topics you are interested in and select the type of resource based on your needs:
    • Launchpad: A collection of content to learn about core XM topics that includes an explainer video, an overview of the topic, tips for taking action, and links to key resources to extend your knowledge
    • Multimedia: A range of offerings from short videos to longer webinars covering information about specific topics
    • Research: Reports that showcase findings from XM Institute’s primary research, providing explanations of frameworks and sharing guidance to help organizations execute best practices
    • Blog: Short, accessible articles on timely and interesting XM topics
    • Tool: Simple tools that include explanations of core concepts and frameworks in order to translate them into tactical actions to improve XM programs
    • Ebook: Higher-level compilations of best practices or examples intended to illustrate a specific XM topic or theme in action

Some of these resources are written through the lens of customer experience or employee experience, but the underlying frameworks and practices related to an XM Competency can often be applied more broadly across other experience types.

 

Understanding Human Behavior (15% of the exam)

XM is focused on understanding and catering to the needs of people. To master XM, professionals need to understand how human beings make decisions and respond to experience. The key topics in this domain are:

  • Experience processing. This topic covers the way that human beings interact with and process experiences.
  • Behavioral science. This topic covers how people make decisions.
  • Research methods. This topic covers the fundamental methodologies for conducting research and analysis.

Recommended resources

Experience Processing

Behavioral Science

Research Methods

 

XM Foundations (15% of the exam)

XM professionals need to know what XM is all about. This domain is about understanding the core structure and underlying elements of XM. The key topics in this domain are:

  • XM as a discipline. This topic covers the basic components of XM, and how to treat it like a discipline.
  • Organizational culture. This topic covers what organizational culture is and how it can either nurture or inhibit XM practices.
  • Technology as an enabler. This topic covers how technology can be used to enable XM capabilities (it will be platform agnostic).

Recommended resources

XM as a discipline

Organizational culture

Technology as an enabler

 

XM Competencies (50% of the exam)

To implement XM, professionals need to master a set of skills. This domain covers six distinct XM competencies. The key topics in this domain are:

  • Leading a multi-year transformation program. This topic covers the multi-year effort required for architecting, aligning, and sustaining successful XM programs.
  • Realizing value from XM. This topic covers tracking and ensuring that XM efforts achieve well-defined business objectives, which often require a clear set of XM metrics.
  • Activating an organization for change. This topic covers making sure that people at the organization – including employees, leaders, and partners – have the appropriate skills, support, and motivation to achieve desired XM results. 
  • Enlightening the organization with insights. This topic covers the process of collecting appropriate data and providing actionable insights across an organization. 
  • Responding to insights with actions. This topic covers establishing ongoing mechanisms for an organization to prioritize and drive improvements based on insights.
  • Disrupting the status quo with design. This topic covers identifying and creating experiences that differentiate the organization.

Recommended resources

Leading a multi-year transformation program

Realizing value from XM

Activating an organization for change

Enlightening the organization with insights

Responding to insights with actions

Disrupting the status quo with design

 

Applying XM (20% of the exam)

XM professionals need to deploy XM across a number of different areas. This domain covers the basic elements of different experience areas and use cases. The key topics in this domain are:

  • Customer Experience. This topic covers typical XM use cases in customer experience.
  • Employee Experience. This topic covers typical XM use cases in employee experience.
  • Product Experience. This topic covers typical XM use cases in product experience.
  • Brand Experience. This topic covers typical XM use cases in brand experience.
  • XM Expansion. This topic covers how to expand the use of XM across different experience areas.

Recommended resources

Customer Experience

Employee Experience

Product Experience

Brand Experience

XM Expansion