Cert Buddy is a launched AI-assisted study product used by hundreds of learners in more than 50 countries. It turns certification preparation into an adaptive learning experience—not another static guide or question bank.
Opportunity
I wanted to keep building my AI-assisted development skills while preparing for the Microsoft AI-901 exam. Creating a study application gave me a practical way to learn the platform and the exam content at the same time.
It also became an experiment in mobile learning design: combining realistic exam interactions, retrieval practice, spaced repetition, progress data, and generative AI guidance in one focused product. The goal is to help candidates understand what they know, find the gaps, and use their available study time more effectively.
My Role
I defined the product, organized the exam content, designed the learning experience, and used AI-assisted development tools to build and refine it. My work spans the question model, domain structure, practice flows, exam simulation, flashcards, progress tracking, scoring, AI explanations, user research, and product strategy.
of learners using the launched product
countries represented by Cert Buddy users
questions across seven exam domains
spaced-repetition flashcards
questions in the timed mock exam
question types for varied retrieval practice
Inside the product
A guided product tour
Explore how assessment, varied practice, feedback, AI guidance, and learner evidence work together.
01 / 10
A readiness dashboard built around action
Learners see readiness, practice history, study time, priorities, and the next useful step—not just a score.
Use the controls, arrow keys, thumbnails, or swipe to explore.
Try the experience
Learn by doing
Complete a short AI-901 mini lesson to experience the feedback loop at the center of Cert Buddy.
Live interactive demo
Complete a three-question AI-901 mini lesson.
Designing a Learning Engine
Practice mode lets learners focus on one or more exam domains, avoids unnecessary repetition, and explains each response. Exam mode samples proportionally across all seven domains. The readiness dashboard surfaces strengths, weak areas, and where more practice is likely to matter most.
Every interaction creates evidence. Missed questions, practice sessions, flashcard responses, and exam results contribute to a persistent learner profile. Recommendations come from that evidence, not from an AI model guessing what the learner may need.
AI Insights adds contextual guidance at the moment of need by explaining why an answer is correct, why alternatives may be wrong, and what related concepts deserve review.
Iterating With Real Learners
The original onboarding required a 25-question diagnostic because the learning engine needed a baseline. Testing with roughly 20 people revealed a more important problem: I had designed onboarding around what the product needed to know, not what a new user needed to experience.
I redesigned the flow in 24 hours. Learners can now choose a quick five-question starter session or the full diagnostic. The change preserves the value of assessment while giving new users a faster, lower-commitment way to understand the product and build trust.
More Than One Way to Practice
Speed Trap is a five-question mode with 12 seconds per question. It creates productive pressure, requires learners to retrieve and commit, and helps distinguish readily available knowledge from answers they can only recognize after extended consideration.
It does not replace diagnostics, flashcards, normal practice, or deep review. It gives learners another way into a study session while feeding useful evidence back into the learning engine.
Grounding AI in Microsoft Learn
Cert Buddy connects to the Microsoft Learn MCP Server so current Microsoft documentation is available when an explanation needs an authoritative source. Cert Buddy supplies the personal learning context—what someone is studying, missing, and ready to learn next—while Microsoft Learn supplies the technical knowledge.
Microsoft Learn provides the technical knowledge, while Cert Buddy provides the personal learning context. Putting those two together is where it gets interesting.
Featured speaking
See Cert Buddy in Action
An excerpt from an ISACA San Diego Coffee Talk where I discuss learning technology and demonstrate Cert Buddy live.
ISACA San Diego · 2026 · 3:44 excerpt
Watch full conversationLessons Learned
- A useful study product needs aligned content, reliable practice, and a clear answer to “what should I study next?”
- Every screen should continue the promise made by the previous button.
- Engagement mechanics such as points and streaks should not distort readiness assessment.
- AI-assisted development makes rapid, evidence-based product iteration possible—but user behavior still determines what should change.
Build notes