EXIN SIAM Foundation

It is a multiple-choice exam of 40 questions with a duration of one hour. The pass mark is 65%, so you need roughly 26 correct answers. It is not open book and electronic equipment is not allowed, so plan to answer at a steady pace of about 90 seconds per question.

It is a foundation-level exam focused on terminology and core principles rather than deep technical design. EXIN recommends a SIAM Foundation training as preparation and recommends knowledge of IT Service Management terminology, for instance through the EXIN IT Service Management based on ISO/IEC 20000 certification. Familiarity with ITSM processes makes the supporting-process material much easier.

The required reading is Scopism Limited's Service Integration and Management (SIAM™) Foundation Body of Knowledge 2020 (second edition). EXIN provides it as a free download, so there is no excuse for skipping the primary source. Read it against the seven main subjects EXIN lists, and use the sample exam to check coverage.

EXIN lists the exam in Chinese, English, German and Japanese. Sample exams and preparation guides are also offered in several languages, including Finnish. If you are not testing in your first language, practise with the sample exam in the exam language you have booked so terminology does not slow you down.

EXIN lists 2 ECTS credits for this certification, at Foundation level. ECTS credits indicate the study load and can be useful if you are combining the certification with a formal programme or need to demonstrate continuing education to an employer.

EXIN states this exam will be available until December 31, 2026. After that date, only the EXIN SIAM™ Foundation based on the Scopism SIAM BoK V3 exam will be available. If you are close to that date, confirm with your training provider which version you are booking before you buy study materials.

Start with the introduction and the implementation roadmap, because they give the vocabulary and structure the other subjects assume. Then work through roles and responsibilities and practices, followed by supporting processes, challenges and risks, and SIAM's relationship with other practices. Finish with the sample exam to find weak areas.

Typical causes are skimming the free Body of Knowledge instead of reading it, confusing SIAM roles with traditional ITSM process roles, and mixing up the implementation roadmap stages. Another is underestimating the challenges-and-risks material because it reads as prose. Use the sample exam to test recall of specific terms, not just general understanding.

EXIN describes three steps: pick your certification and training partner and book the exam; take the exam online or in person; then receive your certification and share your digital badge. Download the free Body of Knowledge and sample exam, and consider a training course if you want structured coverage of all seven subject areas.