Pega Certified System Architect study plan

Configure a case type with at least three stages and a conditional stage transition in a personal Pega instance

Map every lifecycle element (case type, stage, process, step, flow action) to the rule type that implements it

Set up routing first by work queue and then by skill, and verify each created case lands in the correct operator worklist

Explain in writing how a case moves from create to resolve, using your own build as the example

Configure a service level with goals, deadlines, and escalation actions, then trigger the escalation in a test case

Build one decision table and one decision tree and write down the criteria for choosing between them

Implement a cascading approval using a decision table to resolve the approver list

Add a case-wide action and explain how it differs from a local action on an assignment

Compare background processing and job schedulers against standard foreground case processing

Model a class hierarchy that separates work classes, data classes, and integration classes for a sample application

Define data types and instantiate data objects with at least three fields and field-level validation

Configure a data page with a deliberate scope and refresh strategy, and justify the choice in writing

Build a data transform that maps source to target and includes at least one conditional step

Implement edit validate rules and field-level validation, then test the failure paths deliberately

Distinguish read-only versus editable data propagation across case stages with a demonstrated example

Configure a REST connector lookup against an external system of record and map the response into a data page

Contrast declare expressions and calculated fields against data transforms for the same computed value

Explain how data pages, data transforms, and data types interact when a case opens on a fresh session

Design a multi-step form using sections, layouts, and responsive breakpoints that renders acceptably on desktop and mobile

Configure a repeating grid and a layout group to display a collection of related records

Apply conditional visibility and field-level behavior using when rules

Choose between a harness and a section for each screen in your flow and defend the choice

Configure a portal and landing page and explain how each differs from a harness in the requestor experience

Apply UI actions such as refresh, set value, and open work item, and note when each is the correct action

Audit your form flow against accessibility and localization requirements and list the defects found

Build a component inventory listing every screen element, its rule type, and its reuse level

Map the authentication and authorization model end to end: access groups, roles, privileges, and attribute-based access control

Create an access group and role on least-privilege principles and prove the restriction with a limited test operator

Configure attribute-based access control to filter a report or data page by an operator attribute

Identify which fields require encryption and describe how cipher configuration applies to them

Explain how guardrail warnings relate to security-relevant configuration

Explain the pre-deployment security checklist and name three common misconfigurations that fail it

Complete two full-length timed practice exams and score at or above 80% on each

Re-teach your three weakest objectives aloud from memory with no notes or references

Reconcile every missed question to a specific domain objective rather than to a question topic