TOGAF EA Practitioner · OGEA-102
5 / 3 / 1 / 0 gradient scoring, explained
The Practitioner exam does not score scenario questions as simply right or wrong. Several answers may be reasonable. Your job is to identify the answer that applies the TOGAF Standard best.
| Scenario questions | 8 |
|---|---|
| Maximum score | 40 |
| Pass mark | 24 |
| Pass percentage | 60% |
What 5 / 3 / 1 / 0 scoring means
Each Practitioner question has four answer options. You select one.
| 5 points | Best application of TOGAF to the scenario |
|---|---|
| 3 points | Good answer, but not the best |
| 1 point | Partly relevant or weakly applied |
| 0 points | Incorrect or distractor answer |
You do not see those values during the exam. You only see the four answer options.
What each score usually looks like
The point values are useful when reviewing practice questions because they explain why two answers can both look plausible.
| Score | What the answer usually does | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| 5 points | Applies the right TOGAF concept and deals with the scenario properly. | Correct scope, sequence, stakeholders and level of completeness. |
| 3 points | Mostly correct, but misses part of the situation. | A subtle gap in timing, scope, governance, stakeholder involvement or completeness. |
| 1 point | Contains a relevant idea but applies it weakly. | The concept may be right, but used at the wrong point or for the wrong purpose. |
| 0 points | Does not fit the scenario or the TOGAF approach. | A distractor, contradiction or irrelevant action. |
How to spot the 5-point answer
The strongest answer usually does two things well:
- it uses the right TOGAF concept or activity
- it applies it correctly to the facts in the scenario
When two or three options look plausible, compare them against the situation described.
Check whether the answer:
- addresses the actual problem
- fits the purpose of the relevant ADM phase or technique
- uses the right sequence
- involves the right stakeholders
- reflects the governance or requirements context
- avoids adding work that the scenario does not call for
The 3-point answer is often the one that looks correct at first glance but is incomplete. It may use the right concept but miss an important part of the scenario.
Why Practitioner feels different from Foundation
Foundation: recognise the concept
Foundation questions are more likely to test whether you know a definition, purpose, phase, role or technique. There is normally one clearly correct option.
Practitioner: apply it in context
Several answers may use valid TOGAF ideas. You need to judge which one fits the scenario, sequence, stakeholders and constraints best.
Partial credit changes the maths
You do not need eight 5-point answers to pass. A mixture of strong and partly correct answers can still take you above the 24-point threshold.
Worked example · 8 questions
| Questions 1–3 | 5 + 5 + 5 = 15 |
|---|---|
| Questions 4–6 | 3 + 3 + 3 = 9 |
| Questions 7–8 | 1 + 1 = 2 |
| Total | 26 / 40 |
A 26-point result is above the 24-point pass mark. Partial credit matters, but the 5-point answer should still be your target.
The 3-point answer is the real trap
The 3-point option often contains enough correct TOGAF language to feel safe. Its weakness may be small: the timing is wrong, a stakeholder is missing, the scope is incomplete, or the answer does not fully address the scenario.
This is why general Enterprise Architecture experience is useful but not sufficient. An action may make sense in practice and still be weaker than another option under the TOGAF method.
Use the open book as a reference, not a rescue plan
The Practitioner exam is open book. The relevant TOGAF Body of Knowledge is available electronically during the exam.
It is more efficient to know the purpose of the ADM phases, major techniques, stakeholder concepts, requirements handling and governance well enough to narrow the options first. Use the reference material to confirm a specific point when needed.
Official exam details: The Open Group — OGEA-102 exam plan and TOGAF Certification Portfolio FAQs.
A simple way to practise
After each practice question, explain why the 5-point option is stronger than the 3-point option.
That comparison is the skill the Practitioner exam is testing.